Communication and social skills - Teaching Expertise

Deborah Michel investigates a new web-based staff-development resource to support children and young people with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties

During this term we are focusing on aspects of school improvement that can be improved with a ‘spring clean’ (see Issue 10). In this edition it’s time for a spring clean of the indoor and outdoor environments to promote life skills

This article on social skills concludes Behaviour Matters' series on how implementing the social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) initiative can have a positive effect on pupil behaviour

This Learning and Thinking Skills completes the focus on a structured apporach to social skill development, based on the QCA’s Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills strand, ‘Team Workers'

Pupils' social skill development is the focus of Anne de A’Echevarria's third e-bulletin on pupil team work, core to the QCA’s Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills framework

Children with little or no speech (augmentative and alternative communication) can now be supported by a wide range of communication aids, but much still depends on funding

Pupils with more significant speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) needs are looked at in the second e-bulletin on the subject from Linda Evans, including how SENCOs can plan effective interventions

Paying attention to pupils' insecurities and social anxieties is very important, argues Robin Banerjee, lecturer at the University of Sussex

Schools need to be redesigned with a focus on relationships in order to raise achievement, says policy adviser Charles Leadbeater

The Bercow Review has made its recommendations on the steps needed to transform provision for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs, after 10 months of investigation and analysis

Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) are dealt with by over one million children in the UK; most of them in mainstream schools. This ebulletin considers how SENCOs can support colleagues in meeting the needs of these children in the classroom

Social skills such as teamwork can be effectively demonstrated and taught using sport. Jody Specht discusses this cross-curricular method

Does your school encourage innovation within teaching through its CPD? According to the GTCE, most teachers are displaying innovative practice, even though they don't realise it. This article showcases some best practice

What kind of interventions can you introduce as a SENCO to address pupils’ behaviour difficulties? Linda Evans discusses in her second e-bulletin on BESD (behavioural, emotional and social development)

How do you avoid arguments with students? Some students will always answer back, but there are subtle ways of communication that can help you avoid giving them the opportunity, says Dave Stott

This Behaviour Matters explores the importance of verbal skills in the classroom, reminding teachers that the way that they use their voice could be key to managing behaviour

The renewed Primary Framework places an enhances emphasis on speaking and listening. With this in mind, Rebecca Jenkin offers some ideas on how to promote these core skills at key stage 2

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This resource provides practical tips and strategies that will help Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) support pupils with mutism

Behaviour Matters provides practical tips for saying what you mean, and meaning what you say

This week's Behaviour Matters explains how offering students limited, but constructive, choices can improve their behaviour and learning read more

This week's issue of Behaviour Matters looks at the importance of body language and personal space, offering advice on how to understand personal boundaries in order to get the best response from pupils read more

This week's Behaviour Matters looks at how you can use body language to support and encourage students read more

This issue of Behaviour Matters looks at the importance of pupils and teachers having basic communication skills

This issue focuses on the importance of teachers being emotionally aware in order to set a good example. This requires the ability to assess how their actions (body language, gestures etc.) are perceived by pupils

This issue outlines some of the important issues surrounding the emergence of conflicts and provides you with practical ideas to help resolve them read more

This week's assembly focuses on the question, 'who is the world's youngest male Olympian?' after the recent contestation over who can truly claim that record read more

Empathy is central to the SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) initiatives, and this week's Behaviour Matters aims to help you create an environment conducive to teaching empathy skills to your pupils read more

This issue looks at anger management - recognising the triggers of emotional build-ups and using techniques to manage emotions

This Behaviour Matters deals with the use of non-verbal cues for classroom management, suggesting practical solutions to instil discipline without having to raise your voice

CPD Week offers some public speaking tips to instil confidence in those taking on this daunting task

Whatever the reason, if you are using or issuing a warning, both you and the student must be fully aware of what the warning indicates read more

SENCO Week looks at behavioural, emotional and social development (BESD)

SENCO Week looks at the different types of communication and interaction difficulties and how SENCOs can provide effective support

Practical strategies and specific solutions for helping pupils with communication and interaction difficulties to overcome barriers to learning, plus an update on special schools funding

From a very early age, children begin to learn and understand the complicated signs and signals of non-verbal communication

Louise Coigley enhances and develops the communication of SEN children and adults through inclusive storytelling. Michael Jones describes seeing her in action

Working in a multi-agency environment to positively engage targeted young people, Paul Rogers explains why no two days are ever the same

Steve Mynard, editor of Primary Headship, considers the practicalities of helping young children to develop higher-order questioning skills read more

Storyteller Taffy Thomas provides games and activities to stimulate children's and younger people's capacity to tell stories

Elizabeth Jarman looks at the impact of the physical learning environment on young children’s speaking and listening skills read more

We tend to take questioning skills for granted; they certainly seem to develop quite readily in young children. Steve Mynard, editor of Primary Headship, explores the reasons why we might choose to guide our children towards higher-level questioning skills read more

These classroom activities can help develop grammar skills, particularly syntax and morphology

Pragmatics refers to the ability to communicate in social situations. These classroom activities will help all children to develop social communication skills

Raising Achievement Update summarises the useful learning that emerged from the secondary pilot of the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme read more

SEELS (School Emotional Environment for Learning Survey) is a valuable tool to help schools build a more emotionally literate ethos through SEAL read more

Raising Achievement Update looks at what the eight school case studies included in the secondary SEAL resources had to say about how schools can shape an emotionally literate ethos read more

Raising Achievement Update looks at a book that describes practical ways of meeting the challenges of implementing circle time in secondary schools and why it can be so valuable read more

Joan Sallis considers the relationship between the headteacher and governor, and explores mutual expectations and issues of respect read more

Storytelling can offer a range of opportunities for learning across all ages and ability levels. Fred Redwood explains how