Professionals (4-5 years old)
On this page you will find useful advice for supporting 4-5 year-olds who may need extra support with speech and language and communication development.
You can also go to the dedicated 4-5 year-olds page for parents. Here you will find many useful resources including a range of videos and website links. You will find strategies relevant to your direct work with this age group. It will also be helpful if you can signpost parents to this page during your work with them.
Screening and identification
Please take a look at our screening tools. The forms can be printed off, completed by hand, and then scanned, or downloaded from the website as a word document. It is recommended that you do not complete the form directly on the website as your work may be lost.
The tools link in with the service’s referral criteria. They will help you to understand whether a referral to our service is appropriate. They will also help you to know where to focus your universal or targeted support.
You can also view the speech sounds screening tool and pictures you’ll need to use it.
Please watch this short video for further information on screening tools:
Targeted intervention
Please find below user guides to assist you in choosing an appropriate targeted intervention to support a child’s talking and understanding.
You can also watch this short video to find out more about targeted interventions and universal support:
Help with understanding Click to Toggle
Help with talking Click to Toggle
Help with speech sounds Click to Toggle
Environmental support
Please find below advice which will support you to creating a communication-friendly environment in your setting.
General advice Click to Toggle
Workforce development
Please find below a series of resources for you to use to develop your own knowledge and skills in supporting speech, language, and communication skills. You will find links to free pre-recorded training and short online courses. You will also find advice on specific strategies that you can use to support the children you work with.
Bradford training videos Click to Toggle
Supporting understanding – blank levels overview
This 30-minute training video explains how adults can adapt their language to support a child’s understanding. It describes the ‘blank levels’ model of language and how it can be used to support a child’s ability to understand language during interactions and learning activities.
Supporting language using colour coding
This 55-minute training video explains how adults can use colour coding of words and sentences to support a child’s understanding and talking.
Training courses Click to Toggle
EYSEND Partnership (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
CPD short course (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
General advice Click to Toggle
Top talking tips for early years practitioners
Every Child a Talker (ECAT) – Strategies and resources
Supporting children learning English as an additional language (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
Vocabulary learning in the primary years (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
Using scaffolding to help children’s language (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
Making a referral
To find out everything you need to know about referring a child to the Speech and Language Therapy team please visit the Referrals page.