SEND training for schools: speech, language and communication - sense-making session slide deck

Slide 1 Document explainer Purpose: This slide deck supports staff to consolidate their understanding of speech, language and communication and reflect on inclusive teaching strategies. Audience: Staff and support staff in primary and secondary schools. How to use this document: This is a sense-making session on speech, language and communication (Slc). It is designed to be delivered after the introduction session and evidence summary on the same topic. This session can be delivered in full or in parts, depending on the context of your setting and the structure of your planned professional development time. A facilitator guidance document is available to support delivery of this session. Further guidance on planning and delivering these professional development materials can be found in the Guide to Materials.

Slide 2 Facilitator guidance: timings Timings are a suggestion: Times shown on individual slides (e.g., 2 minutes) are provided as a suggestion of the minimum amount of time a slide might take to deliver. Adjust these based on how long you might want to spend on an area of content or discussion. This session is intended to be flexible enough to adapt this to slightly longer or shorter overall running time as required: On the next slide you will see the session is split into three main parts, these can be delivered flexibly. For example, together as one session or as stand-alone sessions. Depending on which parts you choose to cover, the run time of your session will need to be adjusted accordingly. Should you wish to run shorter sessions, you can

limit optional slides and keep reflection activities concise. In longer sessions you might include more optional slides and allow extended time for discussion and staff contributions.

Slide 3 Facilitator guidance: sections There are three main parts of this session. Consolidate understanding Speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Build understanding Inclusive teaching strategies relating to speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Analyse and reflect Classroom examples that show inclusive teaching strategies in practice ~ 30 mins Speaker notes: These parts can be delivered together in one longer session, as stand-alone sessions, or as a set of sessions across several weeks/instances. Depending on which parts you choose to cover, the run time of your session will need to be adjusted accordingly.

Slide 4 Speech, language and communication Sense-making session

Time: 1 minute Purpose: To understand what this session will entail.

Guidance: You can decide whether you would like to share the timings of the session with staff. You may choose to edit this slide with your own projected timings and to reflect the sections you are choosing to cover in your session.

Lead in: Let’s begin today’s session.

Slide 6 Proposed areas of development Note: The categories are subject to change following the SEND Reform consultation Speaker notes: Depending on the prior knowledge of staff, you may wish to unhide and use this slide to support with introducing the areas of development.

Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To position this session within the context of the five areas of development Guidance: Give staff time to read the slide. Then explain that… [If you intend to share the full suite of materials] We are devoting time to each of the areas for development outlined in this diagram. Please note, the final Areas of Development are subject to change - DfE is considering feedback from SEND reform (2026) consultation and recommendations from the Expert Panel. [if you do not intend to use the full suite of materials] This diagram shows the different areas of development. You can see the focus of today’s session, speech, language and communication, sits alongside other areas that focus on need in relation to executive function, motor and physical, sensory and social and

emotional.

Lead in: Let’s zoom in on the focus for today’s session.

Graphics code: AOD-MainGraphic.png Slide 7 Explaining what we mean by speech, language and communication Speech, language and communication Speech, language and communication needs (Slcn) is an umbrella term encompassing a broad range of needs that affect a pupil’s ability to communicate effectively. Speech, language, and communication (Slc) skills are foundational to learning and development (Department for Education, 2023). These skills act as a gateway to pupils’ wider development, particularly literacy and access to curriculum content. Note: The categories are subject to change following the SEND Reform consultation Speaker notes: Time: 1 minute Purpose: To understand what we mean when we refer to this area for development Guidance: Give staff time to read the slide. Then explain that… This session focuses on speech, language and communication development. As part of this session, we’ll consider how Slc needs might present in the classroom and the strategies that teachers and teaching assistants can use to support all pupils to learn, particularly those who experience Slc difficulties.

Lead in: Let’s look at the aims of the session.

References: Department for Education (2023). Best start in life:

Part 2 – The 3 prime areas of learning. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best- start-in-life-a-research-review-for-early-years/best- start-in-life-part-2-the-3-prime-areas-of- learning#communication-and-languageBest start in life part 2: the 3 prime areas of learning - Gov.UK

Graphics code: AOD-MainGraphic.png Slide 8 Session aims to summarise and clarify the key ideas from the Speech, Language and Communication (Slc) evidence summary to examine how understanding Slc informs inclusive teaching, and to share practical strategies for supporting every pupil to reflect on current practice and identify areas for development in relation to Slc and inclusion to set manageable goals for applying new learning in practice Speaker notes: This slide will need to be edited depending on how you are structuring your session. Please delete or edit aims as relevant.

Time: 1 minute Purpose: To understand what this session will entail.

Guidance: Give staff time to read the slide. Then explain that… This session focuses on speech, language and communication development needs and implications these have for teaching. As part of this session, we will consider the key ideas in the evidence summary around Slc needs and learning. There will be an opportunity to engage with and unpick an example of teaching practice, whereby the teacher supports a pupil with Slc needs during questioning to check for understanding.

Additional aims of this session include: To ensure that staff understand that inclusion within schools is not solely about helping pupils to access the curriculum; it is also about helping them to develop as individuals. To build staff buy-in around how creating a system of inclusion can support all pupils to have a positive experience of school. To get staff excited about future professional development related to the SEND reforms. To foster a collaborative environment where staff feel confident to share experiences, discuss challenges and celebrate progress.

Lead in: Let’s get straight on with considering the key ideas from the evidence summary.

Slide 9 Facilitator guidance: consolidate understanding Consolidate understanding Speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Build understanding Inclusive teaching strategies relating to speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Analyse and reflect Classroom examples that show inclusive teaching strategies in practice ~ 30 mins Speaker notes: Suggested timing: This section is approximately 30 minutes long

Section focus: speech, language and communication (Slc) Within this section there are check for understanding questions alongside slides relating to key concepts. These slides make direct links to the content covered in the ‘Speech, language and communication evidence summary’.

Section aim: to review the key concepts from the ‘Speech, language and communication evidence summary’. This includes; Check for understanding: questions and activities used to check knowledge covered in the evidence summary. Key knowledge: consolidates and builds on key concepts of working memory and classroom practices that put demand on pupils’ Slc.

You will find hidden slides that are optional content you may wish to cover dependent on the needs of the group you are working with.

Slide 10 Check for understanding (difficulties with Slc) Check for understanding It can be difficult to know when pupils’ speech, language and communication skills might be presenting a barrier to accessing learning. Which of the following activities might pupils who experience Slc difficulties commonly find challenging? Remembering the sequence of steps in classroom routines. Working with shapes and patterns or visual representations. Following the language and instructions in written or verbal tasks. Maintaining focus during whole-class discussions and understanding what to do next. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To check understanding of Slc difficulties. Guidance: Use the explanations below to give staff feedback on their answers. Correct answers explained:

Pupils with Slc difficulties may struggle to

process and retain spoken instructions, making it harder for them to remember and follow routines. This is because understanding and recalling sequences often rely on language skills.

This is a core challenge for pupils with Slc

difficulties. They may find it hard to understand complex instructions, especially if these are delivered quickly or contain unfamiliar vocabulary. This can affect their ability to complete tasks accurately.

Pupils with Slc difficulties often find it

challenging to follow discussions, particularly when there are multiple speakers or abstract concepts. They may lose track of the conversation and struggle to understand what is expected of them afterwards. Incorrect answer:

This activity is less likely to be challenging for

pupils with Slc difficulties, unless the task relies heavily on verbal instructions or language. Many pupils with Slc difficulties can process visual information well, so tasks based on shapes and patterns may not present the same barriers as language-based activities. Summary: Pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties are most likely to struggle with activities that rely on understanding, processing and remembering spoken or written language. Visual tasks, unless they involve complex instructions, are generally less problematic. If you want to support these pupils, consider breaking instructions into smaller steps, using visual aids and checking for understanding regularly.

Lead in: Next question focuses on how common classroom practices might present high language demand.

Slide 11 Check for understanding (demands on Slc) Check for understanding

Classrooms are communication-rich environments, and everyday teaching routines can place significant cognitive and social demands on pupils’ speech, language and communication skills. Suggest some common classroom practices that put high demand on Slc for pupils. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To check understanding of Slc difficulties in practice. Guidance: Give staff time to consider the question. Hint: direct staff to the ‘How might common classroom practices put pressure on Slc?’ section of the evidence summary for support with this question. Use the example suggestions below to give staff feedback on their answers. Asking questions in class requires pupils to listen, process language, and formulate a response. This puts a high demand on speech, language and communication (Slc) skills, especially for those who need extra time to understand or express their thoughts. Giving instructions, particularly multi-step or complex ones, relies on pupils’ ability to understand, remember and act on spoken language. Pupils with Slc difficulties may find it challenging to retain all the information and follow through accurately. When teachers explain or model new concepts, pupils must process and make sense of unfamiliar language and ideas. This can be demanding for those with Slc needs, as it requires understanding new vocabulary, following the sequence of information, and linking it to prior knowledge. Each of these practices is common in classrooms and essential for learning, but they can create barriers for pupils with Slc difficulties if not used effectively. As part of taking participant feedback on this question there is an opportunity here to reflect on the importance of recognising the way using these

practices ineffectively or without the appropriate support can present barriers to pupil participation and learning. For example, if questions are posed without appropriate processing time (or ‘wait time’) pupils are more likely to find it difficult to respond to the best of their ability.

Lead in: These are moments where demand is put on Slc, let’s think in more detail about what challenges pupils might face.

Slide 12 Key knowledge: Slc Receptive language is the ability to understand and process spoken or written language. Pupils need to understand instructions, questions and explanations before they can act on them. Difficulties with receptive language can make it harder to follow classroom talk, remember information and complete tasks. Receptive language skills are closely linked to working memory. Pupils need to hold and process language in their minds to learn effectively. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To introduce/recap the key ideas on expressive and receptive language and to link these to the role of working memory. Guidance: Explain that: Receptive language is a key part of speech, language and communication (Slc). It refers to how well pupils can understand what is said to them, including instructions, stories and classroom discussion. If a pupil finds it difficult to process spoken language, they may miss important information, misunderstand tasks or struggle to keep up with the pace of learning. For example, if a teacher gives a set of instructions verbally, a pupil with receptive language

difficulties might only remember the first or last step or become confused about what to do. These challenges are often linked to working memory. To follow instructions or answer questions, pupils need to hold information in their minds while they think about what to do next. When receptive language is a barrier, it can put extra strain on working memory, making it harder for pupils to learn new content or complete tasks. Supporting receptive language, for example, by breaking instructions into smaller steps, using visual aids or checking understanding, can help all pupils, especially those with SEND, to access learning and reduce cognitive overload. Lead in: Let’s think about working memory in more detail as it is an important feature of how we learn.

Slide 13 Key knowledge: working memory We can only hold up to about four chunks of information in our working memory at any one time. Information in working memory will be lost shortly afterwards if it is not actively rehearsed or refreshed. Where pupils’ working memory processing capacity is exceeded (i.e. they are having to think about too many new things at once) it is unlikely that they will be able to process that information. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To introduce/recap the key ideas on working memory. Guidance: Explain that: Working memory capacity varies from person to person. Some pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) may have a lower working memory capacity than their peers, but this is not always the case. On average, people can hold about four ‘chunks’ of information at a time. A ‘chunk’ is a single piece of

information, such as someone’s name, the month they were born, the name of their street, or their dog’s name. We lose information from working memory if it is not actively rehearsed or refreshed. If we hear something only once and do not revisit or use it, we are likely to forget it. The key challenge is with new information. When pupils are asked to think about too many new things at once, this information has not yet moved into long-term memory. As a result, the brain cannot process it all, and much of it will be forgotten.

Lead in: Let’s check our understanding at this point.

Slide 14 The simple model of memory and learning Adapted from Willingham (2008) Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session.

Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To introduce and explain the simple model of memory with a focus on working memory and learning.

Explain that: The simple model of memory explains that working memory is where we consciously process new information, but it has a limited capacity and can easily become overloaded. For learning to last, information must move from working memory into long-term memory, where it can be stored and recalled later. Pupils with Slc difficulties may find it especially challenging to hold and process spoken information in their working memory, making it harder to follow instructions and retain new learning. Knowledge can be thought about as information that

exists in our mind in our long-term memory, and teaching aims to generate a persistent change in the knowledge in our long-term memory (Kirschner et al., 2006). Thinking is the process that catalyses such a change, a process involving our working memory. We attend to information in our environment (or in our minds) and in attempting to make sense of it, we alter the very fabric of our memory (Cowan, 2010). Suggested script: Imagine a pupil in a classroom, we will call the classroom the environment. The pupil is attending to a piece of information in the environment (the teacher is teaching them something). This information is processed in the pupil’s working memory. If that information is not referred to or revisited again it will be forgotten. If the pupil is supported to process that information and use it e.g. use some new vocabulary in a sentence, use the information to solve a problem, then the information may move from working memory into the pupil’s long-term memory. The pupil is then more likely to retrieve this information and remember it another time (e.g. use the same word in an essay the following week). If the pupil does not use that information again (even when it has been stored in their long-term memory) there is a risk that it will be forgotten.

Slide 15 Challenges for working memory Pupils will struggle more with working memory when they experience: Unfamiliarity: all pupils will have different pre- existing knowledge on a topic. If we introduce lots of new material at the same time, with little or no link to previous learning, the demand this places on working memory will be higher. Complexity: as the number of elements in a task increases, so too does the demand on working memory

and less learning is likely to take place. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session.

Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To consider how unfamiliarity and complexity can cause pupils to struggle more with working memory. Guidance: Explain that… Some pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may have difficulties with working memory. Pupils have different working memory capacities. Some pupils with Slc needs may have a more limited working memory capacity, which can affect how much information they can hold and use at one time. Both unfamiliarity and complexity increase the risk of overloading working memory. When information is new or complicated, pupils are more likely to forget or lose track of what they need to do. The way we deliver new and complex information matters. Clear, manageable steps help pupils retain and use what they have learned, rather than becoming overwhelmed and forgetting key points.

Slide 16 What might pupils with Slc difficulties find challenging? Pupils may struggle when lessons involve lots of spoken information at once. This can make it harder to understand explanations, questions and instructions. Some pupils, especially those with Slc difficulties, may not hold spoken information in mind long enough to act on it. Working memory demands can lead to difficulties with:

remembering full instructions following a sequence of steps connecting new learning to what they already know Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session.

Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To consider how unfamiliarity and complexity can cause pupils to struggle more with working memory. Guidance: Explain that Pupils may find it difficult when lessons include a lot of spoken information at once, as this can overload their working memory. This is especially challenging for pupils with speech, language and communication (Slc) difficulties, who may not be able to hold spoken information in mind long enough to use it. When working memory is overloaded, pupils may struggle to remember full instructions, follow a sequence of steps, or connect new learning to what they already know. Breaking information into smaller chunks, repeating key points, and using visual supports can help pupils manage these demands and access learning more effectively.

Slide 17 Check for understanding (working memory and Slc) Check for understanding Slc difficulties can lead to pupils displaying certain patterns of behaviour, such as failing to follow instructions. Why might a pupil with Slc difficulties find it hard to remember and follow all the steps in a verbal instruction? Their working memory may not hold all the spoken

information long enough to act on each step. They are more comfortable with visual tasks and may ignore verbal instructions. They may not have heard the instruction clearly due to background noise. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To check understanding of the relationship between working memory and Slc development. Guidance: Use the explanations below to give staff feedback on their answers. Correct answer explained: Pupils with speech, language and communication (Slc) difficulties often have challenges with working memory, which means they may struggle to retain and process multi-step verbal instructions. This can make it difficult for them to remember and follow each part of the instruction, especially if it is lengthy or complex. Incorrect answers:

While pupils with Slc difficulties may benefit

from visual supports, it is not accurate to say they ignore verbal instructions simply because they prefer visual tasks. The main issue is with processing and remembering spoken information, not a preference for one type of task over another.

Background noise can affect any pupil’s ability to

hear instructions, but this is not specific to Slc difficulties. The key challenge for pupils with Slc needs is processing and retaining spoken information, rather than hearing it in the first place. Summary: Pupils with Slc difficulties may find it hard to remember and follow all the steps in a verbal instruction because their working memory may not hold all the spoken information long enough to act on each step. Using clear, concise instructions and supporting them with visual cues can help these pupils access and act on what is being asked.

Lead in: Let’s take a moment to pause.

Slide 18 Reflection on practice Reflection Identify two key takeaways about speech, language and communication (Slc). Think of a pupil you have taught. How might these takeaways help you interpret something you noticed about their understanding, participation or behaviour? Think of a pupil or class you teach now. What might you notice or explore differently in light of this session? Speaker notes: Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to reflect on their own practice and think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow five minutes for discussion and feedback.

Lead in: How can the universal approaches that we take for all pupils support with this?

Slide 19 Facilitator guidance: build understanding Consolidate understanding Speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Build understanding Inclusive teaching strategies relating to speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Analyse and reflect Classroom examples that show inclusive teaching strategies in practice ~ 30 mins Speaker notes: Suggested timing: This section is approximately 30 minutes long

Section focus: Inclusive teaching This part focuses on the importance of using universal approaches to inclusive teaching strategies to support all pupils, especially those with Slc difficulties. There is an opportunity for staff to consider inclusive teaching practices and associated strategies which can be used to support pupils’ Slc. This covers the following teaching practices along with some strategies that they might use: Use visual cues. Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: feedback, explanations and questioning. Create opportunities for oracy development. Develop speech and language across the curriculum. Section aim: to remind staff of the universal approaches to inclusive teaching and encourage them to consider specific strategies that can be used universally in their own practice to support pupils’ Slc.

You will find hidden slides that are optional and can be used to support the check for understanding question using an example answer.

Slide 20 Key knowledge: universal approaches to inclusive teaching Eef (2026) Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To introduce the idea of universal approaches as part of inclusive teaching. Guidance: Explain that: Inclusive teaching means creating learning environments where every pupil can participate and succeed, regardless of background, ability or need. It involves recognising and removing barriers to learning, so all pupils feel valued and supported. This approach benefits everyone, not just those with

identified needs. Universal approaches are strategies and practices that support all pupils in the classroom. These are proactive methods, designed to meet a wide range of needs before specific challenges arise. Examples include clear instructions, scaffolding, and positive classroom routines. Universal approaches can and should be adjusted within usual classroom practice to suit individuals, groups or the whole class. Adaptations and universal strategies are complementary; they are often used alongside each other to provide effective support. For example, a teacher might use a universal approach such as modelling, while also adapting the task or providing additional prompts for pupils who need them. This diagram focuses on the interconnectedness of inclusive teaching. The universal approach involves using teaching practices include scaffolding, explicit teaching, feedback, positive relationships and calm classroom environments. The teaching practices around the outside are all part of the core concept at the centre. While these approaches are interconnected in practice, the diagram separates them to highlight the key components that make up inclusive teaching. It presents inclusive teaching as a network of dynamic, interacting elements, each contributing to a more supportive and effective classroom for every pupil.

Lead in: There are two ways we might think about how to select and use inclusive teaching practices.

Reference: Education Endowment Foundation (Eef). (2026). The Eef Guide to Inclusive Teaching. Accessed at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/ education-evidence/inclusive-teaching/universal- approaches

Graphics code: IHM_008.png Slide 21 Inclusive teaching: rationale Teachers choose different approaches for different purposes in response to the needs of their pupils and the curriculum content they are teaching. Reduce barriers: some teaching practices and strategies reduce immediate barriers, such as making instructions and questions clearer. Long-term development: some teaching practices and strategies help develop pupils’ speech, language and communication skills over time. Some strategies, or combination of strategies, can achieve both these purposes over time. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To outline the purposes of different teaching strategies and how staff might think about making decisions about which ones to use. Guidance: Explain that: Inclusive teaching practices and strategies can support all pupils’ speech, language and communication, and will be particularly important for those experiencing Slc difficulties. Speech, language and communication affect pupils’ access to learning and future progress. Therefore, all students need access to inclusive teaching. It is important to make the distinction between the two purposes of using inclusive teaching as this will be considered in detail later in the session. Highlight to staff that high-quality teaching will always combine a number of strategies to support pupil learning, making decisions about which strategies or approaches to use, when and for what purpose is an essential feature of successfully supporting pupils’ needs. Reduce barriers: Some strategies and teaching practices reduce immediate barriers, for example by providing visual supports such as diagrams or picture cues. These help pupils access learning when speech, language, and communication difficulties might otherwise make it challenging to understand the content. Long-term development: Some strategies and teaching practices can be used across the curriculum to deliberately develop pupils’ speech, language, and communication over time. Lead in: We are going to think about the strategies that can help us to do this.

Slide 22 Check for understanding (supporting pupils with Slc needs) Check for understanding What teaching practices and/or strategies can we do everyday that support all pupils’ Slc, and especially pupils with Slc difficulties? For one or two of these suggest a reason why it will support pupils to either access learning or develop their Slc in the long term (or both). What might make these practices/strategies more or less effective? In what circumstances might you need to adapt these universal teaching practices/strategies? Speaker notes: Time: 6 minutes Purpose: To check staff’s knowledge of different teaching practices and strategies that can support pupils with Slc needs. Guidance: Give two minutes for individual thinking and/or notes. Allow four minutes for discussion. You may find it helpful to signal when two minutes is up so that both speakers get to share ideas. You may not choose to cover all of these questions at this point, perhaps only focusing on the first two or three questions.

There is an example on the next (hidden) slide with an example of how staff might respond to these questions. You may choose to use this example to support your own thinking about how you want staff to respond to these questions or share it with them as a model answer before asking them to come up with their own responses. Small illustrative examples that will support you to deliver questions and set up this task might be: (adjust these to your context where relevant) What teaching practices and/or strategies can we do everyday that support all pupils’ Slc, especially pupils with Slc difficulties.�Example: modelling use of key terms in context. For one or two of these suggest a reason why it will support pupils to either access learning or develop their Slc in the long term (or both). Example: modelling key terms in context reduces cognitive load by helping pupils connect new vocabulary to familiar situations, making it easier to understand and remember. Using key terms in real examples supports pupils with Slc by showing how words work in practice, which helps build their understanding and confidence. What might make these practices/strategies more or less effective? Example: modelling too many key terms at once can overload pupils’ working memory and reduce understanding. In what circumstances might you need to adapt these universal teaching practices/strategies? For example, by increasing the intensity for some pupils.�Example: if a pupil has significant difficulty with receptive language, you might adapt by repeating the same key term more frequently than you would otherwise and ensure this is done in plenty of different contexts to support understanding.

Lead in: Keep what you have just discussed in mind as we move on.

Slide 23 Example responses for Q1 and Q2 Check for understanding Example responses: Intentionally creating opportunities for pupils to develop their oracy (expressive language) skills can be done by using well-scaffolded pair or group talk supported by ‘speaking frames’. This can support pupils to develop their Slc in the long-term as it presents opportunities for purposeful practice. Using a scaffolded approach to classroom talk will also mean that pupils are able to access talk activities and participate in them more meaningfully. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide showing examples of how staff might respond to the questions on the previous slide.

Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To check staff’s knowledge of different teaching practices and strategies which can support pupils with Slc needs. Guidance: The example uses scaffolded group talk to show how staff might approach these questions.

Lead in: Keep what you have just discussed in mind as we move on.

Slide 24 Example responses for Q3 and Q4 Check for understanding Example responses: The scaffolded talk activity is most likely to effectively develop Slc over time as well as remove barriers to accessing classroom talk activities when the scaffold (speaking frame) is removed gradually over time to encourage pupil independence. First this might mean reducing the amount of text provided by the speaking frame, then providing only bullet

pointed reminders as opposed to set phrases for pupils to use, then removing the speaking frame altogether. Where a pupil’s social and emotional needs mean that they find it difficult to participate in classroom talk (whether that be responding to questioning in front of their peers or contributing to group talk activities) an adaptation might need to be made to support this pupil. For example, pre-warning them that this activity is upcoming and explaining what will be expected in order to participate in this task paired with positive encouragement and a carefully chosen talk partner are all adaptations that teachers can make to support this pupil. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide showing examples of how staff might respond to the questions on the previous slide.

Time: 2 minutes. Purpose: To check staff’s knowledge of different teaching practices and strategies which can support pupils with Slc needs. Guidance: The example uses scaffolded group talk to show how staff might approach these questions.

Lead in: Keep what you have just discussed in mind as we move on.

Slide 25 Inclusive teaching: practices for supporting all pupils’ Slc Use visual cues Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: feedback, explanations and questioning Create opportunities for oracy development Develop speech and language across the curriculum Speaker notes: Time: 4 minutes Purpose: To explain some inclusive teaching practices that can support pupils to access classroom

communication. Guidance: Explain that: Inclusive teaching practices are achieved through a range of strategies, which can be combined to support pupil learning. We will look at the strategies for each practice in a moment. The set of four areas of inclusive teaching practice we have here can be used effectively for lots of different purposes in the classroom, but are particularly useful for supporting speech, language and communication. These are examples of universal approaches (first stage of the two-part model of inclusive teaching – universal approaches and adaptations and additional support). Visual cues: Use pictures, symbols and gestures to make spoken information clearer and easier to process. Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: Use clear, simple language and pre-teach vocabulary to support understanding (Education Endowment Foundation, 2026). Opportunities for oracy development: Provide structured talk and regular informal feedback to help pupils practise and develop language. Develop speech and language across the curriculum: Use subject content to build vocabulary and communication skills in different contexts.

Lead in: We are going to discuss some of these practices and think about their associated strategies.

Slide 26 Facilitator guidance: supporting discussion on inclusive teaching Aim: Support deeper thinking about how these inclusive teaching practices and strategies can be used in your setting. Choose the format that best fits your team’s needs.

Use slides 27-31 to prompt discussion. Each focuses on a different inclusive teaching practice. For example, you might select ‘Model and scaffold high- quality conversations’ and focus on a couple of the strategies within this area of teaching practice. Encourage richer conversations by focusing on one or two practices, rather than covering all four. Tailor the activity to your group. For example, you may choose to print the slides and assign each group a different practice or keep the group together and focus on one practice for a shared discussion. If groups are working on different practices, you could: Ask each group to present their key points. Use a gallery walk, where groups display notes and others add comments. Lead a whole-group reflection to draw out similarities and differences.

Slide 27 Inclusive teaching: discussion Each inclusive teaching practice has several strategies associated with it that can be used to support pupils’ Slc development. On the following slide you will find strategies that support each of the inclusive teaching practices. Select one of these strategies (e.g. ‘use clear and unambiguous language’). How might you use this strategy in your classroom? Do you think it might need to be combined with other strategies? Why? What impact do you think implementing the strategy in this way will have on your pupils’ (both at a whole- class level, and any pupils you can think of who experience Slc difficulties)? Will it make this strategy more effective, why? Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about their own teaching through the lens of inclusive teaching strategies.

Guidance: These questions should be answered while looking at one of the following four slides. E.g. you might choose to focus on the slide which shows the strategies for ‘Model and scaffold high-quality conversations’. Encourage richer conversations about one or two practices and their strategies as opposed to trying to cover all four. You may choose to print the following four slides and give a different practice and strategies to different groups of teachers to then give each group the opportunity to feedback, or you may want the whole group to focus on one practice and facilitate a whole group discussion.

Lead in: I am going to show you one of the practices and the strategies associated with it.

Slide 28 Inclusive teaching practices: visual cues Inclusive teaching: practices for supporting all pupils Use visual cues Use visuals to scaffold learning Offer reminders using visual timetables Use non-verbal cues to reinforce speech Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: feedback, explanations and questioning Create opportunities for oracy development Develop speech and language across the curriculum Speaker notes: Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about their own teaching through the lens of inclusive teaching strategies. Guidance: Each participant or group should focus on just one strategy from the slides. This could mean everyone explores the same strategy together, or sub-groups each take a different one.

This approach encourages deeper thinking and avoids spreading attention too thinly. To gather feedback: If working as a whole group, invite open discussion and summarise key points together. If working in sub-groups, ask each group to share their main insights with everyone—either by presenting, posting notes in a shared space to review, or contributing to a shared document. Feedback: Use visuals to scaffold learning Introduce diagrams, pictures or graphic organisers alongside spoken explanations to help pupils understand new concepts. Visual scaffolds are most effective when paired with clear verbal explanations and opportunities for pupils to discuss or ask questions, as this supports deeper understanding. Visual scaffolds can help all pupils access content, especially those who find language challenging. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from having information presented in multiple ways, making learning more accessible and reducing cognitive load. Offer reminders using visual timetables Display a daily timetable with images or symbols representing each activity, referring to it regularly to remind pupils what’s happening next. Visual timetables work well alongside verbal reminders and consistent routines, helping pupils link spoken instructions to visual cues. This approach supports whole-class organisation and independence. Pupils with Slc difficulties or those who struggle with transitions benefit from clear, predictable routines, which can reduce anxiety and help them follow the day’s structure. Use non-verbal cues to reinforce speech Use gestures, facial expressions or pointing to emphasise key instructions or concepts while speaking. Non-verbal cues are most effective when combined with

clear, concise speech and visual supports, ensuring pupils understand both the spoken and unspoken elements. Reinforcing speech with non-verbal cues helps all pupils focus and understand instructions. Pupils with Slc difficulties often rely on these cues to interpret meaning, so this strategy can improve engagement and comprehension for them.

Slide 29 Inclusive teaching practices: model and scaffold high-quality conversations Inclusive teaching: practices for supporting all pupils Use visual cues Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: feedback, explanations and questioning Use clear and unambiguous language Balance simple and developmental language Consider sentence structure Move from simple to complex/concrete to abstract Create opportunities for oracy development Develop speech and language across the curriculum Speaker notes: Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about their own teaching through the lens of inclusive teaching strategies. Guidance: Each participant or group should focus on just one strategy from the slides. This could mean everyone explores the same strategy together, or sub-groups each take a different one. This approach encourages deeper thinking and avoids spreading attention too thinly. To gather feedback: If working as a whole group, invite open discussion and summarise key points together. If working in sub-groups, ask each group to share their main insights with everyone—either by presenting, posting notes in a shared space to

review, or contributing to a shared document. Feedback: Use clear and unambiguous language Choose words that are direct and easy to understand, avoiding idioms or ambiguous phrases when giving instructions or explanations. Pair clear language with visual cues or examples to reinforce meaning and check pupils’ understanding. All pupils benefit from clarity, but those with Slc difficulties are particularly supported, as they are less likely to misinterpret instructions or explanations. Balance simple and developmental language Start with straightforward language, then gradually introduce new vocabulary and more complex ideas as pupils’ confidence grows. Combine this approach with modelling and scaffolding, so pupils can see and practise using new language in context. This supports whole-class progression, allowing pupils to build on what they know. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from a gradual approach, as it gives them time to process and use new language. Consider sentence structure Use short, well-structured sentences when introducing new concepts, and avoid unnecessarily complex grammar. Combine clear sentence structure with visual supports and repetition to help pupils internalise new information. Clear sentence structure aids comprehension for all pupils, and is especially important for those with Slc difficulties, who may struggle with long or complicated sentences. Move from simple to complex/concrete to abstract Begin with concrete examples and simple ideas, then build towards more abstract concepts and complex language as pupils’ understanding develops. Use scaffolding and regular checks for understanding to support pupils as they move from simple to

complex. This approach helps all pupils make connections and build confidence. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from starting with tangible examples, making it easier to grasp abstract ideas later.

Slide 30 Inclusive teaching practices: create opportunities for oracy development Inclusive teaching: practices for supporting all pupils Use visual cues Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: feedback, explanations and questioning Create opportunities for oracy development Scaffold questions and responses Promote meaningful talk for a range of purposes Focus on expressive language and specialist terminology Model strategies for checking understanding and asking for clarification Develop speech and language across the curriculum Speaker notes: Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about their own teaching through the lens of inclusive teaching strategies. Guidance: Each participant or group should focus on just one strategy from the slides. This could mean everyone explores the same strategy together, or sub-groups each take a different one. This approach encourages deeper thinking and avoids spreading attention too thinly. To gather feedback: If working as a whole group, invite open discussion and summarise key points together. If working in sub-groups, ask each group to share their main insights with everyone—either by presenting, posting notes in a shared space to review, or contributing to a shared document.

Feedback: Scaffold questions and responses Provide sentence starters, prompts or structured frameworks to help pupils formulate answers and participate in discussions. Combine scaffolding with modelling and feedback, so pupils can see examples and receive support as they develop their responses. This approach builds confidence and participation across the class. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from clear structures, making it easier for them to join in and express their ideas. Promote meaningful talk for a range of purposes Encourage pupils to engage in discussions, debates, explanations and storytelling, linking talk to curriculum content and real-life contexts. Use purposeful talk alongside visual cues and scaffolding to support pupils in understanding and contributing to conversations. Meaningful talk helps all pupils develop communication skills and deepen their learning. Pupils with Slc difficulties gain valuable practice in expressing themselves and understanding others, improving their confidence and language skills. Focus on expressive language and specialist terminology Teach and model the use of subject-specific vocabulary and encourage pupils to use expressive language when explaining ideas or answering questions. Combine explicit vocabulary teaching with opportunities for pupils to practise using new terms in context, supported by visual aids and repetition. This supports whole-class understanding of key concepts and language. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from repeated exposure and practice, helping them to use specialist terminology accurately and confidently.

Model strategies for checking understanding and

asking for clarification

Demonstrate and teach ways pupils can check their understanding and ask for clarification, such as “Could you explain that again?” or “What does that word mean?” Model how to summarise or rephrase information to confirm understanding. Encourage pupils to use these strategies in lessons by providing sentence starters, prompts or scenarios. Give regular opportunities to practise and offer feedback to reinforce effective communication. This approach helps all pupils take an active role in learning and reduces anxiety about mistakes. Pupils with speech, language and communication (Slc) difficulties benefit from clear examples and practice, building confidence in seeking help and clarifying information.

Slide 31 Inclusive teaching practices: develop speech and language across the curriculum Inclusive teaching: practices for supporting all pupils Use visual cues Model and scaffold high-quality conversations: feedback, explanations and questioning Create opportunities for oracy development Develop speech and language across the curriculum Pre-teach specialist vocabulary and give opportunities to practise using it Check understanding and model strategies for resolving misunderstandings/uncertainties Develop reading to learn Build language acquisition by extending what pupils say and repeating key concepts Speaker notes: Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about their own teaching through the lens of inclusive teaching strategies. Guidance: Each participant or group should focus on just one strategy from the slides. This could mean everyone

explores the same strategy together, or sub-groups each take a different one. This approach encourages deeper thinking and avoids spreading attention too thinly. To gather feedback: If working as a whole group, invite open discussion and summarise key points together. If working in sub-groups, ask each group to share their main insights with everyone—either by presenting, posting notes in a shared space to review, or contributing to a shared document. Feedback: Pre-teach specialist vocabulary and give opportunities to practise using it Introduce and model subject-specific vocabulary, encouraging pupils to use these terms when explaining ideas or answering questions. Pair explicit vocabulary teaching with opportunities for pupils to practise using new words in context, supported by visual aids and repetition. This helps all pupils deepen their understanding of subject content. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from repeated exposure and practice, making specialist language more accessible. Check understanding and model strategies for resolving misunderstandings/uncertainties Check that pupils understand instructions and content, using clear language, visual supports and regular comprehension checks. Combine receptive language strategies with expressive language activities, so pupils can both understand and use new vocabulary. Ensuring pupils understand what’s being taught supports whole-class learning. Pupils with Slc difficulties are better able to follow lessons and participate when receptive language is prioritised. Develop reading to learn Use reading activities to build subject knowledge, focusing on comprehension and vocabulary development within curriculum content.

Support reading with discussion, visual cues and scaffolding to help pupils access and understand texts. Reading to learn strengthens knowledge and language skills for all pupils. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from structured reading activities that build comprehension and vocabulary. Build language acquisition by extending what pupils say and repeating key concepts Create opportunities for pupils to hear, practise and use new language regularly, through varied activities across subjects. Combine language acquisition strategies with explicit teaching, modelling and repetition to reinforce learning. Building language acquisition supports long-term progress for all pupils. Pupils with Slc difficulties benefit from consistent, structured exposure to new language, helping them develop confidence and competence.

Slide 32 Reflection on inclusive teaching practices Reflection Think about the inclusive teaching practices and strategies discussed. Which strategies do you already use regularly and feel confident with? What helps them work well in your context? Which practice(s) or strategy could you use more often? How will you introduce it in an upcoming lesson? How might you adapt one of these strategies for particular pupils, your subject or a particular lesson context? What could make that adaptation more or less effective? Speaker notes: Time: 8 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to reflect on their own practice and think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own

practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow three minutes for discussion and feedback.

Slide 33 Facilitator guidance: analyse and reflect (primary) Before you begin this section, please note that there are three versions available: Primary Secondary geography Secondary Pe Each version is tailored to the specific context and needs of these subjects. You can select the version that best matches your staff’s focus and priorities. The different versions are clearly labelled in the slide deck, scroll to the relevant section as needed. This approach allows you to deliver content that is most relevant and useful for your team. The example in this part is primary science. If this is not the most relevant context to your own, please select from two other phase and subject examples found in later slides.

Slide 34 Facilitator guidance: primary example This section supports educators to analyse and reflect on a classroom example. The example in this part is primary science. If this is not the most relevant context to your own, please select from two other phase and subject examples found in later slides. Consolidate understanding Speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Build understanding Inclusive teaching strategies relating to speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins

Analyse and reflect Classroom examples that show inclusive teaching strategies in practice (primary and secondary examples available) ~ 30 mins Speaker notes: Suggested timing: This section is approximately 30 minutes long Section focus: Analysing a classroom example of inclusive teaching practices to support all pupils, especially those with Slc difficulties. The example used in this part is primary science (year 5). There are discussion questions posed around the pupils’ needs and the teaching practices shown in the example. There are slides showing the way that the example might be unpicked to support this discussion. Section aim: to give staff the opportunity to analyse and engage with an example that shows inclusive teaching strategies in practice. Go to Appendix C (examples with analysis) for further guidance and analysis on your chosen scenario. You will find hidden slides that are optional and can be used to support deeper analysis of the example.

Slide 35 Example (primary science) Example Read the example of a teacher using questioning in their classroom. Consider the following questions: What do the pupil’s responses suggest about Slc difficulties they might be experiencing? Consider factors such as expressive/receptive language, working memory, recall. Which strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to access and engage with their questioning? What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 8 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about

a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: In this scenario, the teacher employs several inclusive teaching strategies to support their pupils. The questions are designed to focus your attention on the underlying teacher thinking and decision-making that is happening here. The scenario is designed to help you see what these teaching practices look like in context, but if this is not your subject you should still be able to see the underlying thinking and strategies being used by the teacher. Give two minutes for individual reading, thinking and/or notes. Allow six minutes for discussion. You may find it helpful to signal when three minutes is up so that both speakers get to share ideas. You may choose here to do one question at a time as opposed to all questions then all answers/discussion.

Lead in: We will look at each of these questions in turn.

Slide 36 Primary science example (to print out) Example (to print out) Miss Jones’ year 5 class have been working on their foundational knowledge of the water cycle. Miss Jones is asking them quick-fire questions about the definitions of condensation, evaporation and water vapour. This is a questioning approach she uses frequently in her classroom. She supports this high-demand questioning with positive reinforcement and high energy levels and her pupils remain focused throughout. Miss Jones is targeting her questions at pupils she knows have struggled to remember previous content, this includes a pupil called Rebecca. She has already asked one pupil ‘What

is condensation?’, they have correctly responded ‘When water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into tiny drops of liquid water’. Later in the questioning sequence she asks Rebecca this same question: What is condensation? Rebecca: Water Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into water. Rebecca, what is condensation? Rebecca: Water vapour cools down and turns into water. Miss Jones: Great, what do we call it when water vapour cools and becomes water? Rebecca: I don’t know. Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into water [pause], what is it called when water vapour cools down and turns back into water? Rebecca: C- Miss Jones: *waits for around six seconds, nods in encouragement* Rebecca: Condensation. Miss Jones: Well done for sticking with me Rebecca, good work. I’ll be coming back to ask you again in a minute.

Slide 37 Discussion part 1 (primary science) Discussion What do the pupil’s responses suggest about Slc difficulties they might be experiencing? Consider expressive/receptive language, working memory, recall. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Take staff’s responses to this question and

facilitate a discussion. Use the next slide to demonstrate where in the scenario you might identify that this pupil is experiencing Slc difficulties and needs support. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 38 Example analysis part 1 (primary science) Pupil struggles to recall the correct response after hearing it verbally. What is condensation? Rebecca: Water Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into water. Rebecca, what is condensation? Rebecca: Water vapour cools down and turns into water. Miss Jones: Great, what do we call it when water vapour cools and becomes water? Rebecca: I don’t know. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: It appears that the pupil struggles to recall the correct response after hearing it verbally. This might mean that they are finding it difficult to hold this information in their working memory, or that it is not being processed and stored in long- term memory. Lead in: Let’s look at the next question.

Slide 39 Discussion part 2 (primary science) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to access and engage with their questioning?

Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to help the pupil demonstrate their understanding, allowing the teacher to assess how secure their learning of ‘condensation’ is. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 40 Example analysis part 2 (primary science) Routines and familiarity Positive relationships and calm classroom environment Assessment to inform decisions about questioning approach Miss Jones’ year 5 class have been working on their foundational knowledge of the water cycle. Miss Jones is asking them quick-fire questions about the definitions of condensation, evaporation and water vapour. This is a questioning approach she uses frequently in her classroom. She supports this high-demand questioning with positive reinforcement and high energy levels and her pupils remain focused throughout. Miss Jones is targeting her questions at pupils she knows have struggled to remember previous content, this includes a pupil called Rebecca. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to focus on how the teacher in the scenario creates conditions for all pupils to engage with questioning. Guidance:

Explain that: Questioning is a routine that is used in this classroom in this way frequently and therefore pupils know what to expect, this removes the cognitive load of thinking about what they are expected to be doing or what might be coming next. Positive relationships support the teacher here to have high expectations of pupils’ attention and effort when responding to questions. Previous formative assessment is informing the teacher's decisions about which pupils she wants to check understanding with, and which question will get her the insight she is looking for from their responses.

Slide 41 Example analysis part 3 (primary science) Later in the questioning sequence she asks Rebecca this same question: What is condensation? Rebecca: Water Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into water. Rebecca, what is condensation? Rebecca: water vapour cools down and turns into water. Miss Jones: Great, what do we call it when water vapour cools and becomes water? Rebecca: I don’t know. Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into water [pause], what is it called when water vapour cools down and turns back into water? Rebecca: C- Miss Jones: *waits for around six seconds, nods in encouragement* Rebecca: Condensation. Miss Jones: Well done for sticking with me Rebecca, good work. I’ll be coming back to ask you again in a minute.

Rephrases or ‘flips’ questions to check understanding of key terms. Simple, clear language and sentence structures. Additional processing time Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff opportunity to focus on how the teacher creates conditions for all pupils to engage with questioning. Guidance: Explain that: Pupil benefits from additional processing time when questioned. Allowing extra time for a pupil to think before responding gives them the chance to process language, organise their thoughts and retrieve the correct vocabulary. For pupils with Slc needs, this reduces pressure and anxiety, making it more likely they will share what they know. It also gives the teacher a more accurate picture of the pupil’s understanding, rather than assessing only their speed of response. Teacher rephrases or ‘flips’ questions to check understanding of key terms. Rephrasing or reversing a question (for example, asking for a definition and then asking for the term) helps pupils with Slc needs by providing multiple ways to access and demonstrate their knowledge. It can reveal whether a pupil understands a concept even if they struggle to express it in one format. This approach helps the teacher identify gaps in understanding or vocabulary and adapt teaching accordingly. Teacher uses simple, clear language and sentence structures. Using straightforward language and breaking down complex sentences makes instructions and questions more accessible for pupils with Slc needs. This reduces cognitive load and helps pupils focus on the key information. Teachers can then assess the pupil’s grasp of the content, rather than their ability to decode complicated language. Lead in: Let’s look at the next question.

Slide 42 Discussion part 3 (primary science) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to: Support the development of pupil’s confidence, and contributed to improving her speech, language and communication skills over time. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 43 Example analysis part 4 (primary science) Opportunities are provided for oracy and use of specialist vocabulary. Builds language acquisition Later in the questioning sequence she asks Rebecca this same question: What is condensation? Rebecca: Water Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches something cold, it cools down and turns back into water. Rebecca, what is condensation? Rebecca: water vapour cools down and turns into water. Miss Jones: Great, what do we call it when water vapour cools and becomes water? Rebecca: I don’t know. Miss Jones: Condensation is when water vapour touches

something cold, it cools down and turns back into water [pause], what is it called when water vapour cools down and turns back into water? Rebecca: C- Miss Jones: *waits for around six seconds, nods in encouragement* Rebecca: Condensation. Miss Jones: Well done for sticking with me Rebecca, good work. I’ll be coming back to ask you again in a minute. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: Opportunities are provided for oracy and use of specialist vocabulary. Structured opportunities to practise speaking and using subject-specific terms support pupils with Slc difficulties to develop expressive language skills. This practice helps them become more confident in using new vocabulary and concepts. Teachers can listen for correct usage and understanding, gaining insight into the pupil’s progress and areas needing further support. Support is given to build language skills across the curriculum. Integrating language development strategies in all subjects helps pupils with Slc difficulties to access the full curriculum. This might include pre-teaching key vocabulary, using visuals, or linking new words to prior knowledge. Teachers can then assess the pupil’s subject knowledge more accurately, as language barriers are reduced and pupils are better able to demonstrate what they know and can do. Lead in: Let’s move on to thinking about implementing some of these ideas in our own practice.

Slide 44 Discussion part 4 (primary science)

Discussion How could the teacher further reduce language demand while maintaining high expectations? Take a couple of minutes individually to think about this and make a note if you like. Discuss in pairs. Swap speaker after three minutes. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session. Time: 5 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Give one minute for individual reading, thinking and/ or notes. Allow four minutes for discussion and feedback. Feedback: In the scenario we can see that questions and responses are scaffolded without lowering expectations. For example, the teacher doesn’t suggest an alternate phrase for ‘condensation’ and is clear that this vocabulary is something that the pupil can and should engage with. Providing sentence starters, visual supports or guided prompts helps pupils with Slc needs to structure their responses and access challenging vocabulary. This scaffolding maintains high expectations for learning while offering the support needed to succeed. Teachers can assess the pupil’s understanding of complex ideas, rather than just their ability to formulate responses independently.

Slide 45 Reflection (primary science) Reflection Think about a recent lesson where pupils were expected to explain their thinking or use specialist

vocabulary. Reflect on your practice: which strategies did you use to support them and reduce language demand? (e.g. how did you formulate and build questions, model, use prompts or wait-time) Were there any pupils who still needed more support? Identify one adaptation for your next lesson. What will you look or listen for to know it has improved access and learning? Speaker notes: Time: 7 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to reflect on their own practice and think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow two minutes for discussion and feedback. Lead in: That brings us toward a final reflection for this session.

Slide 46 Facilitator guidance – analyse and reflect (secondary geography) Before you begin this section, please note that there are three versions available: Primary Secondary geography Secondary Pe Each version is tailored to the specific context and needs of these subjects. You can select the version that best matches your staff’s focus and priorities. The different versions are clearly labelled in the slide deck, scroll to the relevant section as needed. This approach allows you to deliver content that is most relevant and useful for your team. The example in this part is secondary geography. If this is not the most relevant context to your own, please select from two other phase and subject examples found in later slides.

Slide 47 Facilitator guidance: secondary geography This section supports educators to analyse and reflect on a classroom example. The example in this part is secondary geography. If this is not the most relevant context to your own, please select from two other phase and subject examples found in later slides. Consolidate understanding Speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Build understanding Inclusive teaching strategies relating to speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Analyse and reflect Classroom examples that show inclusive teaching strategies in practice (primary and secondary examples available) ~ 30 mins Speaker notes: Suggested timing: This section is approximately 30 minutes long Section focus: Analysing a classroom example of inclusive teaching practices to support all pupils, especially those with Slc difficulties. The example used in this part is secondary geography (KS3). There are discussion questions posed around the pupils’ needs and the teaching practices shown in the example. There are slides showing the way that the example might be unpicked to support this discussion. Section aim: To give staff the opportunity to analyse and engage with an example that shows inclusive teaching strategies in practice. Go to Appendix C (examples with analysis) for further guidance and analysis on your chosen scenario. You will find hidden slides that are optional and can be used to support deeper analysis of the example.

Slide 48 Example (secondary geography) Example Read the example of a teacher using questioning in their classroom. Consider the following questions: What do the pupil’s responses suggest about Slc difficulties they might be experiencing? Consider factors such as expressive/receptive language, working memory, recall. Which strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to access and engage with their questioning? What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 8 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: In this scenario, the teacher employs several inclusive teaching strategies to support their pupils. The questions are designed to focus your attention on the underlying teacher thinking and decision-making that is happening here. The scenario is designed to help you see what these teaching practices look like in context, but if this is not your subject you should still be able to see the underlying thinking and strategies being used by the teacher. Give two minutes for individual reading, thinking and/or notes. Allow six minutes for discussion. You may find it helpful to signal when three minutes is up so that both speakers get to share ideas. You may choose here to do one question at a time as opposed to all questions then all answers/discussion.

Lead in: We will look at each of these questions in turn.

Slide 49 Secondary geography example (to print out) Example (to print out) Miss Lowes’ year 8 class have been working on their foundational knowledge of erosion processes in a river. Miss Lowes is asking them quick-fire questions about the definitions of attrition, abrasion, hydraulic action, and solution. This is a questioning approach she uses frequently in her classroom. She supports this high-demand questioning with positive reinforcement and high energy levels and her pupils remain focused throughout. Miss Lowes is targeting her questions at pupils she knows have struggled to remember previous content, this includes a pupil called Insha. She has already asked one pupil ‘What is attrition?’, they have correctly responded ‘material hitting together and breaking down’. Later in the questioning sequence she asks Insha this same question: What is attrition? Insha: Rocks Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and break down in the water, Insha, what is attrition? Insha: Rocks hit together and break down. Miss Lowes: Great, what do we call it when rocks hit together and break down? Insha: I don’t know. Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and break down [pause]. What is it called when rocks hit together and break down?’ Insha: A- Miss Lowes: *waits for around six seconds, nods in encouragement* Insha: Attrition. Miss Lowes: Well done for sticking with me Insha, good work. I’ll be coming back to ask you again in a minute.

Slide 50 Discussion part 1 (secondary geography)

Discussion What do the pupil’s responses suggest about Slc difficulties they might be experiencing? Consider expressive/receptive language, working memory, recall. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Take staff’s responses to this question and facilitate a discussion. Use the next slide to demonstrate where in the scenario you might identify that this pupil is experiencing Slc difficulties and needs support. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 51 Example analysis part 1 (secondary geography) Pupil struggles to recall the correct response after hearing it verbally. Later in the questioning sequence she asks Insha this same question: What is attrition? Insha: Rocks Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and break down in the water, Insha, what is attrition? Insha: Rocks hit together and break down. Miss Lowes: Great, what do we call it when rocks hit together and break down? Insha: I don’t know. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: It appears that the pupil struggles to recall the correct response after hearing it verbally. This might mean they are finding it difficult to hold

this information in their working memory, or that it is not being processed and stored in long-term memory. Lead in: Let’s look at the next question.

Slide 52 Discussion part 2 (secondary geography) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to access and engage with their questioning? Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to: Help the pupil demonstrate their understanding, allowing the teacher to assess how securely their learning of ‘attrition’ is. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 53 Example analysis part 2 (secondary geography) Routines and familiarity Positive relationships and calm classroom environment Assessment to inform decisions about questioning approach Miss Lowes’ year 8 class have been working on their foundational knowledge of erosion processes in a river. Miss Lowes is asking them quick-fire questions about the definitions of attrition, abrasion, hydraulic action, and solution. This is a questioning approach she uses frequently in her classroom. She supports this high-demand questioning with

positive reinforcement and high energy levels and her pupils remain focused throughout. Miss Lowes is targeting her questions at pupils she knows have struggled to remember previous content, this includes a pupil called Insha. She has already asked one pupil ‘What is attrition?’, they have correctly responded ‘material hitting together and breaking down’. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to focus on the way the teacher in the scenario creates conditions for all pupils to engage with questioning Guidance: Explain that: Questioning is a routine that is used in this classroom in this way frequently and therefore pupils know what to expect, this removes the cognitive load of thinking about what they are expected to be doing or what might be coming next. Positive relationships support the teacher here to have high expectations of pupils’ attention and effort when responding to questions. Previous formative assessment is informing the teacher's decisions about which pupils she wants to check understanding with and which question will get her the insight she is looking for from their responses.

Slide 54 Example analysis part 3 (secondary geography) Later in the questioning sequence she asks Insha this same question: What is attrition? Insha: Rocks Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and break down in the water, Insha, what is attrition? Insha: Rocks hit together and break down. Miss Lowes: Great, what do we call it when rocks hit together and break down? Insha: I don’t know. Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and

break down [pause]. What is it called when rocks hit together and break down?’ Insha: A- Miss Lowes: *waits for around six seconds, nods in encouragement* Insha: Attrition. Miss Lowes: Well done for sticking with me Insha, good work. I’ll be coming back to ask you again in a minute. Rephrases or ‘flips’ questions to check understanding of key terms. Simple, clear language and sentence structures. Additional processing time Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to focus on the way the teacher in the scenario creates conditions for all pupils to engage with questioning Guidance: Explain that: Pupil benefits from additional processing time when questioned. Allowing extra time for a pupil to think before responding gives them the chance to process language, organise their thoughts and retrieve the correct vocabulary. For pupils with Slc needs, this reduces pressure and anxiety, making it more likely they will share what they know. It also gives the teacher a more accurate picture of the pupil’s understanding, rather than assessing only their speed of response. Teacher rephrases or ‘flips’ questions to check understanding of key terms. Rephrasing or reversing a question (for example, asking for a definition and then asking for the term) helps pupils with Slc needs by providing multiple ways to access and demonstrate their knowledge. It can reveal whether a pupil understands a concept even if they struggle to express it in one format. This approach helps the teacher identify gaps in understanding or vocabulary and adapt teaching accordingly. Teacher uses simple, clear language and sentence

structures. Using straightforward language and breaking down complex sentences makes instructions and questions more accessible for pupils with Slc needs. This reduces cognitive load and helps pupils focus on the key information. Teachers can then assess the pupil’s grasp of the content, rather than their ability to decode complicated language. Lead in: Let’s look at the next question.

Slide 55 Discussion part 3 (secondary geography) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to: Support the development of her confidence, and contributed to improving her speech, language and communication skills over time. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 56 Example analysis part 4 (secondary geography) Opportunities are provided for oracy and use of specialist vocabulary. Builds language acquisition Later in the questioning sequence she asks Insha this same question: What is attrition? Insha: Rocks Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and

break down in the water, Insha, what is attrition? Insha: Rocks hit together and break down. Miss Lowes: Great, what do we call it when rocks hit together and break down? Insha: I don’t know. Miss Lowes: Attrition is when rocks hit together and break down [pause]. What is it called when rocks hit together and break down?’ Insha: A- Miss Lowes: *waits for around six seconds, nods in encouragement* Insha: Attrition. Miss Lowes: Well done for sticking with me Insha, good work. I’ll be coming back to ask you again in a minute. Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: Opportunities are provided for oracy and use of specialist vocabulary. Structured opportunities to practise speaking and using subject-specific terms support pupils with Slc difficulties to develop expressive language skills. This practice helps them become more confident in using new vocabulary and concepts. Teachers can listen for correct usage and understanding, gaining insight into the pupil’s progress and areas needing further support. Support is given to build language skills across the curriculum. Integrating language development strategies in all subjects helps pupils with Slc difficulties to access the full curriculum. This might include pre-teaching key vocabulary, using visuals, or linking new words to prior knowledge. Teachers can then assess the pupil’s subject knowledge more accurately, as language barriers are reduced and pupils are better able to demonstrate what they know and can do.

Lead in: Let’s move on to thinking about implementing some of these ideas in our own practice.

Slide 57 Discussion part 4 (secondary geography) Discussion How could the teacher further reduce language demand while maintaining high expectations? Take a couple of minutes individually to think about this and make a note if you like. Discuss in pairs. Swap speaker after three minutes. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session. Time: 5 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Give one minute for individual reading, thinking and/ or notes. Allow four minutes for discussion and feedback. Feedback: In the scenario we can see that questions and responses are scaffolded without lowering expectations. For example, the teacher doesn’t suggest an alternate word for ‘attrition’ and is clear that this tier 3 vocabulary is something that the pupil can and should engage with. Providing sentence starters, visual supports or guided prompts helps pupils with Slc needs to structure their responses and access challenging vocabulary. This scaffolding maintains high expectations for learning while offering the support needed to succeed. Teachers can assess the pupil’s understanding of complex ideas, rather than just their ability to formulate responses independently.

Slide 58 Reflection (secondary geography) Reflection Think about a recent lesson where pupils were expected to explain their thinking or use specialist vocabulary. Reflect on your practice: which strategies did you use to support them and reduce language demand? (e.g. how did you formulate and build questions, model, use prompts or wait-time) Were there any pupils who still needed more support? Identify one adaptation for your next lesson. What will you look or listen for to know it has improved access and learning? Speaker notes: Time: 7 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to reflect on their own practice and think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow two minutes for discussion and feedback. Lead in: That brings us toward a final reflection for this session.

Slide 59 Facilitator guidance: analyse and reflect (secondary Pe) Before you begin this section, please note that there are three versions available: Primary Secondary geography Secondary Pe Each version is tailored to the specific context and needs of these subjects. You can select the version that best matches your staff’s focus and priorities. The different versions are clearly labelled in the slide deck, scroll to the relevant section as needed. This approach allows you to deliver content that is

most relevant and useful for your team. The example in this part is secondary Pe. If this is not the most relevant context to your own, please select from two other phase and subject examples found in later slides.

Slide 60 Facilitator guidance: secondary Pe example This section supports educators to analyse and reflect on a classroom example. The example in this part is secondary Pe. If this is not the most relevant context to your own, please select from two other phase and subject examples found in later slides. Consolidate understanding Speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Build understanding Inclusive teaching strategies relating to speech, language and communication development ~ 30 mins Analyse and reflect Classroom examples that show inclusive teaching strategies in practice (primary and secondary examples available) ~ 30 mins Speaker notes: Suggested timing: This section is approximately 30 minutes long Section focus: Analysing a classroom example of inclusive teaching practices to support all pupils, especially those with Slc difficulties. The example used in this part is secondary Pe (KS3). There are discussion questions posed around the pupils’ needs and the teaching practices shown in the example. There are slides showing the way that the example might be unpicked to support this discussion. Section aim: To give staff the opportunity to analyse and engage with an example that shows inclusive teaching strategies in practice. Go to Appendix C (examples with analysis) for further

guidance and analysis on your chosen scenario. You will find hidden slides that are optional and can be used to support deeper analysis of the example.

Slide 61 Example (secondary Pe) Example Read the example of a teacher using questioning in their classroom. Consider the following questions: What do the pupil’s responses suggest about Slc difficulties they might be experiencing? Consider factors such as expressive/receptive language, working memory, recall. Which strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to access and engage with their questioning? What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 8 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: In this scenario, the teacher employs several inclusive teaching strategies to support their pupils. The questions are designed to focus your attention on the underlying teacher thinking and decision-making that is happening here. The scenario is designed to help you see what these teaching practices look like in context, but if this is not your subject you should still be able to see the underlying thinking and strategies being used by the teacher. Give two minutes for individual reading, thinking and/or notes. Allow six minutes for discussion. You may find it helpful to signal when three minutes is up so that both speakers get to share ideas. You may choose here to do one question at a time as

opposed to all questions then all answers/discussion.

Lead in: We will look at each of these questions in turn…

Slide 62 Secondary Pe example (to print out) Mr Miller’s year 7 class are learning the forehand technique in tennis. The pupils are set up in their routine position for a model; a semicircle with their backs to the sun, so all pupils can see and hear and Mr Miller has sufficient safe space to model. All pupils have placed their equipment on the floor to limit distraction. Mr Miller demonstrates the technique several times and then uses questioning to check for pupil understanding. Mr Miller is targeting his questions at pupils he knows have struggled to remember more complex techniques, this includes a pupil called Evan. He has already asked one pupil “What is the first part of the forehand technique”, they have correctly responded “racket back, side on, watching the ball”. Later in the questioning sequence, he asks Evan the same question: “What do we do in the first part of the forehand technique?” Evan: Watch the ball Mr Miller: That's one of the three things we need to do, you’re right. We need to bring the racket back, we need to be standing side on, and to be watching the ball. What are the three things we need to do? Evan: Racket back, stand side on, watch the ball Mr Miller: Great, remind me how we should be standing? Evan: Don’t know Mr Miller: We stand side on, have the racket back, and we watch the ball. Where should our racket be? Evan: Back Mr Miller: Great. Now let’s put it together. What are the three things we need to do in the first part of the forehand technique? Evan: Racket back….errr

*Waits a few seconds, changes foot position, pointing to his feet then his eyes* Evan: Racket back, stand side on, watch the ball Mr Miller: Well done Evan. *Mr Miller models the position again for the pupils* Example (to print out)

Slide 63 Discussion part 1 (secondary Pe) Discussion What do the pupil’s responses suggest about Slc difficulties they might be experiencing? Consider expressive/receptive language, working memory, recall. Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Take staff’s responses to this question and facilitate a discussion. Use the next slide to demonstrate where in the scenario you might identify that this pupil is experiencing Slc difficulties and needs support. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 64 Example analysis part 1 (secondary Pe) Pupil struggles to recall the correct response after hearing it verbally. Later in the questioning sequence, he asks Evan the same question: Mr Miller: What do we do in the first part of the forehand technique?” Evan: Watch the ball Mr Miller: That’s great, we do need to watch the ball. We also need to take our racket back and open up our body so we are side on. What do we need to do with our racket in the first part of the technique

Evan? Evan: Bring our racket back. Mr Miller: Spot on. Can you tell me what we do with our racket, body and eyes during the first part of the forehand technique? Evan: Racket back….errr Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: It appears that the pupil struggles to recall the correct response after hearing it verbally and seeing it modelled. This might mean that they are finding it difficult to hold this information in their working memory, or that it is not being processed and stored in long- term memory. Lead in: Let’s look at the next question.

Slide 65 Discussion part 2 (secondary Pe) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to access and engage with their questioning? Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to: Help the pupil demonstrate their understanding, allowing the teacher to assess the declarative (knowing that) knowledge of the technique before

asking them to demonstrate the procedural knowledge (knowing how) through a practical drill or activity. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 66 Example analysis part 2 (secondary Pe) Routines and familiarity Positive relationships and calm classroom environment Assessment to inform decisions about questioning approach Mr Miller’s Year 7 class are learning about the forehand technique in tennis. The pupils are set up in their routine position for a model; a semicircle with their backs to the sun, so all pupils can see and hear, and Mr Miller has sufficient safe space to model. All the pupils have placed their equipment on the floor to limit distraction. Mr Miller is targeting his questions at pupils he knows have struggled to remember more complex techniques, this includes a pupil called Evan. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session. Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to focus on the way the teacher in the scenario creates conditions for all pupils to engage with questioning Guidance: Explain that: Specific routines are in place to direct pupil attention to the teacher based on the complex learning environment (e.g. ensuring the sun isn’t in pupils’ eyes, equipment is placed on the floor, the group shape enables all pupils to see and hear). Questioning is a routine that is used in this setting in this way frequently and therefore pupils know what to expect, this removes the cognitive load of

thinking about what they are expected to be doing or what might be coming next. Positive relationships support the teacher here to have high expectations of pupils’ attention and effort when responding to questions. Previous formative assessment is informing the teacher's decisions about which pupils he wants to check understanding with and which question will get the insight he is looking for from their responses.

Slide 67 Discussion part 3 (secondary Pe) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to: Support the development of his confidence, and contributed to improving his speech, language and communication skills over time. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 68 Example analysis part 3 (secondary Pe) Later in the questioning sequence, he asks Evan the same question: “What do we do in the first part of the forehand technique?” Evan: Watch the ball Mr Miller: That's one of the three things we need to do, you’re right. We need to bring the racket back,

we need to be standing side on, and to be watching the ball. What are the three things we need to do? Evan: Racket back, stand side on, watch the ball Mr Miller: Great, remind me how we should be standing? Evan: Don’t know Mr Miller: We stand side on, have the racket back, and we watch the ball. Where should our racket be? Evan: Back Mr Miller: Great. Now let’s put it together. What are the three things we need to do in the first part of the forehand technique? Evan: Racket back….errr *Waits a few seconds, changes foot position, pointing to his feet then his eyes* Evan: Racket back, stand side on, watch the ball Mr Miller: Well done Evan. Simple, clear language and sentence structures. Rephrases or ‘flips’ questions to check understanding of key terms. Additional processing time Visual cue Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to focus on the way the teacher in the scenario creates conditions for all pupils to engage with questioning Guidance: Explain that: Pupil benefits from additional processing time when questioned. Allowing extra time for a pupil to think before responding gives them the chance to process language, organise their thoughts and retrieve the correct vocabulary. For pupils with Slc needs, this reduces pressure and anxiety, making it more likely they will share what they know. It also gives the teacher a more accurate picture of the pupil’s understanding, rather than assessing only their speed of response. Teacher rephrases to check understanding of technique. Rephrasing or reversing a question helps

pupils with Slc needs by providing multiple ways to access and demonstrate their knowledge. It can reveal whether a pupil understands a concept even if they struggle to express it in one format. This approach helps the teacher identify gaps in understanding or vocabulary and adapt teaching accordingly. Teacher uses simple, clear language and sentence structures. Using straightforward language and breaking down complex sentences makes instructions and questions more accessible for pupils with Slc needs. This reduces cognitive load and helps pupils focus on the key information. Teachers can then assess the pupil’s grasp of the content, rather than their ability to decode complicated language. Lead in: Let’s look at the next question.

Slide 69 Discussion part 4 (secondary Pe) Discussion What strategies did the teacher use to support their pupils to develop their Slc in the longer term? Speaker notes: Time: 3 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: There are several purposes behind the approach taken in this scenario. The primary aim of questioning is to check pupils’ understanding of the key knowledge. However, the specific strategies used with the pupil serve additional purposes. One of them is to: Support the development of his confidence, and contributed to improving his speech, language and communication skills over time. Lead in: Let’s look at a specific moment in the scenario.

Slide 70 Example analysis part 4 (secondary Pe)

Opportunities are provided for oracy and use of specialist vocabulary. Builds language acquisition Later in the questioning sequence, he asks Evan the same question: “What do we do in the first part of the forehand technique?” Evan: Watch the ball Mr Miller: That’s great, we do need to watch the ball. We also need to take our racket back and open up our bodies so we are side on. What do we need to do with our racket in the first part of the technique Evan? Evan: Bring our racket back. Mr Miller: Spot on. Can you tell me what we do with our racket, body and eyes during the first part of the forehand technique? Evan: Racket back….errr Mr Miller: *Waits a few seconds, changes foot position, pointing to his feet then his eyes* Evan: Side on and watch the ball. Mr Miller: Well done Evan. *Mr Miller models the position again for the pupils* Speaker notes: Time: 2 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Explain that: Opportunities are provided for oracy and use of specialist vocabulary. Structured opportunities to practise speaking and using subject-specific terms support pupils with Slc difficulties to develop expressive language skills. This practice helps them become more confident in using new vocabulary and concepts. Teachers can listen for correct usage and understanding, gaining insight into the pupil’s progress and areas needing further support. Support is given to build language skills across the curriculum. Integrating language development strategies in all subjects helps pupils with Slc

difficulties to access the full curriculum. This might include pre-teaching key vocabulary, using visuals, or linking new words to prior knowledge. Teachers can then assess the pupil’s subject knowledge more accurately, as language barriers are reduced and pupils are better able to demonstrate what they know and can do. Lead in: Let’s move on to thinking about implementing some of these ideas in our own practice.

Slide 71 Discussion part 5 (secondary Pe) Discussion How could the teacher further reduce language demand while maintaining high expectations? Take a couple of minutes individually to think about this and make a note if you like. Discuss in pairs. Swap speaker after three minutes. Speaker notes: This is an optional slide. Depending on the prior knowledge of your staff, you may wish to unhide this slide and deliver it as part of the session. Time: 5 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about a time when their teaching decisions or adjustments to practice may have helped a pupil with Slc needs. Guidance: Give one minute for individual reading, thinking and/ or notes. Allow four minutes for discussion and feedback. Feedback: In the scenario we can see that questions and responses are scaffolded without lowering expectations. For example, the teacher doesn’t suggest an alternate phrase for ‘forehand technique’ and is clear that this vocabulary is something that the pupil can and should engage with. Providing sentence starters, visual supports or guided prompts helps pupils with Slc needs to

structure their responses and access challenging vocabulary. This scaffolding maintains high expectations for learning while offering the support needed to succeed. Teachers can assess the pupil’s understanding of complex ideas, rather than just their ability to formulate responses independently.

Slide 72 Reflection (secondary Pe) Reflection Think about a recent lesson where pupils were expected to explain their thinking or use specialist vocabulary. Reflect on your practice: which strategies did you use to support them and reduce language demand? (e.g. how did you formulate and build questions, model, use prompts or wait-time) Were there any pupils who still needed more support? Identify one adaptation for your next lesson. What will you look or listen for to know it has improved access and learning? Speaker notes: Time: 7 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to reflect on their own practice and think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow two minutes for discussion and feedback. Lead in: That brings us toward a final reflection for this session.

Slide 73 Facilitator guidance: reflection There are two reflection activities in this section, it is likely that you will only need to select one. Option 1: reflect on current practice with a specific group of pupils in mind. Option 2: reflect on current practice within the

context of a specific lesson staff have recently taught. Suggested timing: This section is approximately 10 minutes long Section focus: Reflecting on current practice considering the content of this session and action plan how some of the key ideas from this session may be implemented in staffs’ own practice. Section aim: To give staff opportunity to reflect on how the content of the session applies in their own context and how they do and can use inclusive teaching strategies in practice.

Slide 74 Pupil-focused reflection Reflection Think of a pupil or group of pupils that you teach who may experience Slc difficulties and would benefit from some of the universal strategies we have discussed today. What is one challenge they currently experience that you have noticed? Which strategy or combination of strategies from today's session could help? How would you implement it in your next lesson? Speaker notes: Reflection activity option 1 Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow five minutes for discussion and feedback.

Slide 75 Lesson-focused reflection Reflection Think about a recent lesson where you used questioning to check understanding.

Reflect on some of the following questions: How much language demand did your questions place on pupils? Did pupils have sufficient thinking and processing time? How did you support pupils to use specialist vocabulary? Did your questioning simultaneously assess learning and develop pupils' speech, language and communication? What would you keep, remove or adapt next time? Speaker notes: Reflection activity option 2 Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To give staff an opportunity to think about how they can implement the ideas from this session in their own practice. Guidance: Give five minutes for individual reflection, thinking and/or notes. Allow five minutes for discussion and feedback.

Slide 76 References Cowan, N. (2010). The magical mystery four: How is working memory capacity limited, and why? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(1), 51-57. Department for Education. (2023). Best start in life: Part 2 – The 3 prime areas of learning. https:// www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-in- life-a-research-review-for-early-years/best-start-in- life-part-2-the-3-prime-areas-of-learning Department for Education. (2026). SEND Reform: putting children and young people first. https:// www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform- putting-children-and-young-people-first/send-reform- putting-children-and-young-people-first-html-version Education Endowment Foundation. (2026). The Eef guide to inclusive teaching: Universal approaches. https:// educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education- evidence/inclusive-teaching/universal-approaches

Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. E. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work: An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential, and inquiry- based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 75-86. Willingham, D. T. (2008). Ask the cognitive scientist: What will improve a student's memory? American Educator, 32(4), 17-25.

Slide 77 Closing slide