Hayley and Sophie wrote about their experience of keeping a service going in a Primary School during the first pandemic - to read the full article published in our professional journal just click below
Read Full ArticleHi there. I am Shahzeb, qualified as SLT in 2012. I've worked for 4 years in NHS Children's teams clinics and schools, and a few years in independent practice. I'm currently learning a 4th language - yeah I know I'm a glutton for punishment !
Read Full ArticleNicky’s background was in business, sales and export after getting lower A level grades than she needed to study speech and language therapy, she studied business and foreign languages as her first degree.
Read Full ArticleWe all know that times have been very challenging for everyone working in education and health this year, but at a recent 'virtual team meeting' with Soundswell therapists it was great to hear some positive feedback
Read Full ArticleSoundswell's Covid -19 Risk assessment
Read Full ArticleSo, the new term is finally here and we’re all desperate to get into schools to start seeing our colleagues and the children whom we have missed so much. It’s been a funny old year (isn’t that most overused phrase ever!), and now seems a good time to ponder what lessons are there for us to take from this oddest of odd years
Read Full ArticleWithin recent days we have risen to the challenge of showing school staff how they can help children to communicate effectively and be socially distanced. This is a pretty tall order – but also very important. Social distancing is unlikely to disappear within the foreseeable future – so just how do we get beyond children just ‘shouting louder’ to make themselves heard? Read on to find out….
Read Full ArticleSoundswell Speech and Language Therapy Solutions offer exactly that…. Solutions. Finding innovative answers to tricky scenarios presented to us by schools and other settings is what gets us up in the morning, from …how to address SLCN on a whole school basis with a budget of 2 buttons and a polo mint found in a chair in the staff room to …how to engage with a secondary age pupil with significant SLCN, low self-esteem and mental health difficulties The Corona Virus Lockdown presented us with a few new and unforeseen challenges, read on to find out how we adapted and have survived !!
Read Full ArticleIn the coming days school staff will face one of the biggest challenges of their careers. Back to school but not as it was? There will be many competing priorities and all must be met within the context of social distancing. Read on to see how Soundswell therapists will continue to deliver high-quality and effective services to support both staff and children ….
Read Full ArticleLike of our colleagues in Education and Health, Soundswell therapists have been busy working on new ways to 'keep calm and carry on'. Sophie and Hayley worked with the senior leadership team at Nelson Mandela Primary to set up 2 remote training session this week- and there's more to come!!
Read Full ArticleTraining comes in many forms ( face to face or remote) – from the formal inset planned many weeks ahead, through to twilights or much more informal small group topics you hold in-house. Whatever your topic and whoever your provider, make sure you get the most out of the sessions. Read on to find out how this works at Soundswell..….
Read Full ArticleHi, my name is Bryony Aitken and I’m an independent Speech and Language Therapist based in the West Midlands. I work with Soundswell and run my own company Speech Spot Ltd, supporting children who have a range of Speech, Language and Communication Needs in primary schools, homes, nurseries and secondary schools.
Read Full ArticlePhonics teaching is systematic, rigorous and a cornerstone of the curriculum from the beginning of Reception. The phonics test at the end of year 1 is the final hurdle. For the majority of children this approach works; they acquire phonics and are able to successfully build and blend - picking up phonological awareness knowledge and skills along the way.
Read Full ArticleHayley has worked for Soundswell for 4 years now. Find out what Hayley's biggest challenge is and what makes her giggle at work
Read Full ArticleThe value of early language screening at a universal level cannot be over-estimated. Proactive, quality Early Years settings routinely screen their new intakes, (Wellcomm by gl-assessment is the language screening tool of choice in many settings), and put in place appropriate interventions. But … it’s becoming more evident, particularly with the arrival of 2 year-olds, that some children are just not ready to be either reliably screened or to benefit from an intervention group. Who are these children and what can we do to help?
Read Full ArticleI worked for the NHS as a speech and language therapist ( SaLT) for 24 years before starting my own practice providing services to schools and families. In a very short space of time I was fully booked and that's when I called my trusted colleague Diana- and Soundswell was born!!
Read Full ArticleIf you are thinking of Speech & Language Therapy as a career, read Sophie's advice about how to get started
Read Full ArticleNicki tell us her top tip for parents:- It’s really worrying for parents when their children aren’t saying as much as they think they should and there can be a tendency for adults to talk more, ask more questions, fill the silences as a well-meaning method of helping. I would say, relax (if you can), stand back and watch your child to see what they enjoy playing with, looking at, are interested in. You can then add in words/ short phrases to label what the child is holding/ playing with and comment on what they are doing. Allow lots of pauses and count to 10 to allow your child to time to respond.
Read Full ArticleIn the second of our 'meet the team' articles, Emily describes how she started her career and what are her biggest challenges.
Read Full ArticleDenise Charnock has worked with Soundswell for about 2 years now, read on to find out what advice she would give to worried parents and anyone considering speech & language therapy as a career
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