Enhanced Language and Communication Initiative (ELCi) is a joint programme run by the Educational Psychology and Speech and Language Therapy Services within schools. It aims to support teachers in Reception classes to use established approaches and strategies to promote inclusion and belonging for all children, and especially for those with communication and interaction needs.
Page contents
- Aims of the programme
- How ELCi works
- Get involved and find out more
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Testimonials
Aims of the programme:
- To support schools to further develop inclusive practice.
- Enhance the skills of teachers to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that all children thrive socially and academically in their mainstream class.
- Increase the confidence of mainstream schools to meet the needs of their community of children.
How ELCi works
The strength of ELCi is that it blends understanding of psychological theory with tried and tested language-and- communication strategies, which enhance all children’s ability to engage in communication and learning opportunities in the classroom.
Each school has a Communication Support Worker in the classroom, once a week across a school term. The Communication Support Worker will collaborate with the classroom staff to identify and embed strategies for optimising the communication environment, opportunities and adult scaffolds and fostering emotional regulation. The programme uses Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support (SCERTS) to form an initial understanding of the needs within the classroom and to inform the programme provided by the ELCi support worker.
The class teacher will commit to meeting with the support worker for 30 minutes each week to discuss the progress, problem solve and decide on next steps.
Get involved and find out more
To express your interest, please complete the ELCi application form.
If you would like to speak to a member of the team, please contact:
- Fiona Hewin, Senior Educational Psychologist (EP) Fiona.hewin@surreycc.gov.uk
- Nicole Berry, Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) Nicole.berry@surreycc.gov.uk
- Cheryl DeSuys Shrubb, ELCi Clinical Co-ordinator cherylde.suysshrubb@surreycc.gov.uk
Frequently Asked Questions:
There is no cost for ELCi.
We have until now worked in only one classroom but we are trialling working in more than one class to share learning more easily and enable peer development and support in bigger schools.
Please include a request for ELCi attending more than one Reception class in your expression of interest.
We are currently working in Reception classes only
No, we support the class teacher and support staff to include strategies and approaches into the classroom environment so that you are able to include all children within your classroom.
To work collaboratively with the ELCi support worker in order to achieve the best outcomes for the children in the class:
- Working on identified strategies between ELCi visits
- To highlight any barriers in embedding the strategies
- School to enable class teacher and ELCi worker to meet weekly after each ELCi session for 30 minutes
Testimonials:
It has been an absolute game changer. I’m now in the process of rolling it out across the whole school. I have our Special Educational Needs Coordinator's blessing to share everything you have taught me over the last few weeks, including bucket time, with staff across the school. Thank you so much for all of the incredible resources, support and advice you have given me. It sounds silly, but it has made me feel really empowered to have this in my tool belt, and I can already see the difference it is making for the children.
Feedback from Class Teacher via email
I found ELCi really useful in so many ways. Having a choice of strategies has given me increased confidence when communicating with English Additional Laguage (EAL) children or those with SEN which is invaluable. I will be sharing ELCi with SENCO and SLT where we will decide how best we can implement some of the strategies learned throughout the school.
Feedback via end of programme form
I have found the ELCi extremely helpful with adapting and tweaking our provision to support communication, emotions and independence in our setting. All of the ELCi suggested strategies have enhanced our provision and we will continue to develop and use them to support our children.
Feedback via end of programme form