Language and social disadvantage: Is there an effective model of intervention?

We now know much more about the language and communication development of children who grow up in a context of significant social disadvantage including the longer term trajectories of early language impoverishment. Yet, how to intervene effectively with this population continues to be a challenge.

This presentation will discuss the challenges of designing, delivering and evaluating language communication interventions for children and young people who live in significant areas of social disadvantage. In particular, it will discuss the pertinent issues of identifying and establishing effectiveness across universal, targeted and specialist interventions.

The presentation will draw on research completed to date highlighting the challenges that still need to be addressed. Case studies of children of a range of ages, practical examples, activities and videos will be used.

Dr Judy Clegg is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Human Communication Sciences at the University of Sheffield, UK. She trained as a Speech and language therapist at the University of Manchester and completed a PhD in developmental language disorders at the University of Nottingham. Her research interests focus on the developmental trajectories and outcomes of children with language and communication needs, the impact of social disadvantage on children’s language and communication development, the complex co-morbidity between children’s social disadvantage, their developing language and communication and their behaviour and mental health, and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions designed to facilitate children and young peoples' language and communication abilities. Judy is also co-editor of the journal, Child Language Teaching and Therapy. Further information can be found at https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/hcs/staff/clegg

Further professional development opportunity in Auckland for a general audience

Communication Needs of Vulnerable Children and Young People: Are we doing enough?

Judy will also be offering a presentation suitable for a general audience of those involved with supporting vulnerable children and youth (e.g. teachers, psychologists, social workers, mentors, health staff, police, lawyers and others) on Wednesday, 9 December 2015 from 4 - 6pm at Tamaki Campus.

Please pass details to your colleagues and ask them to register for this free event here.

Language and social disadvantage: Dr Judy Clegg workshop for SLTs.