Consortium News
The King's Speech show - 2 for 1 offer
The British Stammering Association (BSA) is delighted to pass on a very special ticket offer to see the world premiere of The King's Speech on stage.
BSA has secured an exclusive 2-for-1 ticket offer for BSA members and supporters to see the play that inspired the Oscar® winning film whilst it is on tour in the UK. This offer applies on stall and upper circle tickets for the opening night performances at Guildford, Nottingham, Bath, Brighton and Richmond.
For those attending the Guilford performance on Thursday 2nd February at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, you are also invited to a pre theatre reception sponsored by the BSA's ‘Stand Up and Speak Out’ initiative dedicated to raising awareness of the increasing lack of stammering services in many areas of the country, including Guildford. Please join us from 6.45–7.30pm for an introduction by BSA Chair Leys Geddes, followed drinks with fellow members and friends of BSA. There aren’t many tickets left for the opening night in Guildford, so better hurry!
To book your tickets call the venue box office below and quote 'BSA'.
• Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford 2nd - 11th February. 2 for 1 on tickets available on 2nd February. To book call Box Office on: 01483 44 00 00
• Theatre Royal, Nottingham 13th - 18th February. 2 for 1 on tickets available on 13th February. To book call Box Office on: 0115 989 5555
• Theatre Royal, Bath 20th - 25th February. 2 for 1 on tickets available on 20th February. To book call Box Office on: 01225 448844
• Theatre Royal, Brighton 27th February - 3rd March. 2 for 1 on tickets available on 27th February. To book call Box Office on: 0844 871 7627
• Richmond Theatre, Richmond 5th - 10th March. 2 for 1 on tickets available on 5th March. To book call Box Office on: 0870 060 6651
Terms & conditions
Offer is only available for the opening performance in the stalls and upper circle, subject to availability. Cannot be used with any other offers or discounts, is not redeemable against tickets already purchased and is not available online.
For more information visit www.kingsspeechonstage.com and BSA at www.stammering.org/ks241
Communication Matters launches new AAC research network
Communication Matters, one of The Communication Trust’s consortium members, has launched the first ever research network of people who use communication or speech aids (known as AAC).
The Research Involvement Network will be available for academics and others doing research into AAC and will promote involving AAC users in research projects.
For more information click here.
I CAN - Communication Triathlon
With only a few months to go until the start of the Olympic Games, primary schools across the UK are being encouraged this month to register for the Communication Triathlon and join thousands of children and staff across the country who have already ‘exercised’ their speaking and listening skills.
The Communication Triathlon has been developed in partnership between Openreach and I CAN, the children’s communication charity. The Triathlon is a series of active and fun-filled events for primary schools, intended to boost speaking and listening skills, which can be undertaken by a class, a year group or a whole school over the course of a week or even a day. The programme encourages children to take part in three London 2012-themed speaking and listening activities around Thinking, Talking and Teamwork and is split across 4-7 and 7-11 year olds.
The Communication Triathlon is free to take part in as it is supported by Openreach, BT’s local network business and is part of Get Set, the official London 2012 education programme.
Schools can register for a free activity pack, which is full of fun activities devised by experts to help improve Thinking, Talking and Teamwork during a special day or week-long event by visiting www.communicationtriathlon.org.uk
Mencap - Introducing Spellathon.net
Spellathon is a groundbreaking, new and exciting, FREE, global, digital sponsored spelling competition taking over the world from October; raising funds for learning disability charity Mencap.
Set in a futuristic digital universe and presented by 'The Professor', a 3D bee character voiced by none other than Stephen Fry; Spellathon is fun playing, fast moving, a highly visual game and can be played anywhere, by anyone - children, students, and adults of any age!
Whilst competing against the clock, against others or even in reverse mode, or rather esrever edom! Spellathon entrants pledge a target number of words to spell correctly whilst practicing ahead of the online global championships to be held in March 2012. All words spelt correctly, are "banked" in your hive and your scores are displayed on the global leader board!
Register now at www.spellathon.net and BEE ready for the world's first, unique global Spellathon!
Signalong
Free resources for the National Year of Communication
Signing is a quick and easy way to help children who have problems with words. Signalong is providing free sheets of signs to illustrate and support the monthly themes of Hello, the National Year of Communication.
Please follow the links below to download the sheets:
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
SMIRA: Silent Voices: Listening to Young People with Selective Mutism, Victoria Roe, B. Phil. Ed., M. A.
Children with Selective Mutism (SM), a relatively rare condition, will remain silent in some situations, but speak confidently in others. Most research on SM relates to Pre-school or Primary School aged children. There is little on older children.
Studies of children with SM have usually been localised and limited in numbers. The perspectives of those with SM on their condition are almost absent from the literature. Victoria Road has carried out a study with the aim to investigate these ‘gaps’ in the literature and provide a vehicle through which the ‘voice of the voiceless’ might be heard.
The research provides an insight into the feelings and experiences of the young people with SM, revealing their pain, isolation, frustration, anger, courage and determination, the limiting effect of SM upon their lives and the strategies used to communicate when they could not speak, including evidence of their use of electronic devices. Their personalities were positive, sensitive and caring, more than quiet and anxious.
Please click here to read the summary of the study or click here to download the full paper.
The Makaton Charity - free symbols for September theme
Do you need to know the Makaton symbol or sign for Pencil Case or PE Kit? Then download this selection of Makaton symbols and signs for going back to school. There is also signposting to where you can find other signs and symbols for school vocabulary.
To find out more information about Makaton or to see more free downloads visit www.makaton.org or click here.
The British Stammering Association
A new online resource for parents at www.stammeringineducation.net/expertparent
Become an expert parent!
This resource will show parents how to be more confident in seeking support for their child who stammers from teachers, speech and language therapists, and other professionals
Learn the key facts:
• How to get the Early Intervention for your pre-school child that provides the best chance of recovery from stammering
• How to talk to education staff about stammering and provide information from the resource to pass on to them
• How to understand and request the additional support at every education stage that your child may need
• How to ensure that your child receives the full curriculum entitlement and has his individual needs assessed and met
• How to make sense of school assessment and testing methods so that your child’s ability is never underestimated
• How to receive support for your child’s speaking in examinations at secondary school
• How to consider all options at 16+ so that your child is able achieve his potential at the next stage
I CAN and Afasic
Launch of SLI Handbook
Consortium members I CAN and Afasic have officially launched the first comprehensive guide on Specific Language Impairment (SLI) this month.
The SLI Handbook is aimed at parents and practitioners who work with children and young people with SLI and has been produced to provide a clear and concise guide on SLI, to help identify and support children with this ‘invisible’ difficulty. The SLI Handbook was commissioned by The Communication Trust for the Hello campaign and is endorsed by Jean Gross.
The SLI Handbook is now available to order via the I CAN website: www.ican.org.uk/slihandbook
National Autistic Society
Great Expectations campaign launched
National Autistic Society have launched their Great Expectations campaign. This campaign seeks to ensure the Government’s education reforms shape the future of a generation of children with autism. They released findings that half of all children with autism wait over a year for appropriate educational support, and over a quarter have waited more than two years.
Please click here for more information.
I CAN
I CAN Help Enquiry Service
Concerned about a child’s talking, listening and understanding? Are you looking for more information about speech, language and communication?
I CAN has launched a new service to provide expert information to parents and practitioners about speech, language and communication. Our speech and language therapists can help - whether you would like to check ages and stages or find out how to support a child with a known speech, language and communication need.
Parents and practitioners we have spoken to tell us they have found it really useful to talk directly to a speech and language therapist and to gain information about speech, language and communication development. They have also appreciated receiving information about training, research and other organisations that can offer help and advice.
Call 020 7843 2544 or email enquiries@ican.org.uk to book your free and confidential call-back from a speech and language therapist. If you would prefer an email response to your questions please email your enquiry to enquiries@ican.org.uk.
Find out more about what our speech and language therapists can offer at www.ican.org.uk/help.
As this service does not include meeting and assessing children, we are unable to provide specific advice about a child or the level of provision they should have.
National Literacy Trust
New information on website
The National Literacy Trust is launching a brand new Dads section to its recently launched and highly popular www.talktoyourbaby.org.uk website, dedicated to helping new dads communicate more with their young children.
Jonathan Douglas, Director of the National Literacy Trust comments:
“Each year around 500,000 men become dads for the first time. It’s brand new territory for most men but babies don’t come with instruction manuals like cars and phones and many new dads lack the support networks that new mums have. So we’ve tried to create a place where new dads can find out advice about one of the most important aspects of their new baby’s development.”
The newly launched section which encourages new dads to incorporate ‘TLC’ (Talking, Listening and Communicating) into their everyday life with their new baby is being endorsed by the Fatherhood Institute for the way it encourages dads to play a central role in a crucial part of their child’s future development.
Please click here to read the full press release.