Supporting Children with Unclear Speech

Supporting Children with Unclear Speech

Supporting Children with Unclear Speech

Are you concerned about the clarity of speech of children in your setting/school?

Unclear speech can impact a child’s self-esteem, friendships, ability to express themselves, demonstrate their learning verbally, their spelling and vocabulary learning.

Have you been given ‘Speech Programmes’ by your local SLCN services?

Do you understand them?

How confident are you in implementing the advice?

Do you know the next steps? Do you know what to do when progress is not as expected?

Supporting unclear speech effectively is a specialist skill. Every Primary setting should have a trained TA. ‘Training assistants/support workers to an appropriate level of knowledge is required to ensure the intervention is delivered with maximum effectiveness’ (RCLST guidance 2024)

Training Format

The online training runs over ten webinars with 8 e-learning sessions.

You will complete a learning log which details working through a speech sound programme (Sound Builders) with one child aged three-and-a-half or over.

Feedback From Participants

Really enjoyed the course and hearing experiences of others doing the same job
Vanessa Bright, 2024, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
Brilliant course, learnt lots of good ideas to implement and build upon
C.M, 2024, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
I have really enjoyed the course and think it will be very beneficial for myself, my learners and visiting speech therapists as I believe it has enhanced my ability to support them in the school setting.
Jodie Ferrier, 2024, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
I have found this course really interesting and think it will be really useful moving forwards, particularly as there is such a long waiting list for SALT appointments at the moment.
Beth Stamp, 2024, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
I now know to spend more time focused on listening to sounds before moving on to focus on articulation.
Beth Stamp, 2024, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
I think the course programme is essential to be able to support children with unclear speech.
Lucy Ward, 2023, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
The course, and in particular the Sound Builders programme, is well structured to enable non-therapists to help children with speech sound difficulties. The sessions were well delivered, and provided lots of useful hints and tips as to how to put the theory into practice.
Rachel, 2023, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
The biggest praise for the course is from the child’s perspective, the child was more than happy to do the activities and frequently expressed how much they enjoyed them and asked to do them again, other children also expressed an interest in having a go at them. With the activities appealing to the children that we want to work with it makes them keener to do an activity when asked and less of a chore, they are far more likely to be successful doing something they enjoy as they are more likely to out the effort in. This has been reflected in the progress they have made.I am really pleased to be able to do this course and feel that I and the school are in a far better position to help a child with speech and language while we await outside Speech and Language help.
Claire Beckerleg, 2023, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech - e-learning
Great course, very informative and the sound builders programme is simple and enjoyable to follow.
Laura Mead, 2023, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech - e-learning
I found this course so beneficial and helpful. I have carried out interventions for a long time but have always relied on support from outside speech and language therapists in regards to ideas, resources, activities, understanding. I now feel much more confident than ever before and feel able to support other people with my knowledge and understanding of children with unclear speech
Rachael Hedley, 2021, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech
A very informative course that will support me to meet a significant need within school. The pupil and I both enjoyed the sessions and he is more confident as he has been able to notice the progress he has made.
Jennifer Thomas, 2021, re: Elklan Supporting Children with Unclear Speech

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Who is the course for?

Please note: This course is not suitable for supporting children with complex Speech Sound Disorders, including Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), Inconsistent Phonological Disorder, Dysarthria. These children should be referred for specialist support from a local speech and language therapist.

Course Content

Over ten sessions, you’ll explore:

1
How speech develops & how to support children with Unclear Speech
  • Understand how speech sounds are articulated
  • Explore the range of speech difficulties
  • Understand the processes involved in saying words
  • General strategies to support a child with unclear speechogramme
  • How a speech and language therapist assesses a child and determines a therapy programme
2
How to introduce a structured approach to support children with Unclear Speech
  • Explore a speech sound therapy programme. This takes you through the different stages of supporting a child when articulating and using a new sound in words, sentences and conversation
  • A period of 3 months will be given to allow you to implement a programme with a child with a ‘keep in touch’ webinar mid-way for support and to ask questions
3
Evaluating the effectiveness of the programme
  • Discuss the implementation of the programme
  • Share solutions to problems you have experienced

Need help with a speech sound assessment?

Elklan can help assess a child’s speech sound system, their suitability for a Sound Builder programme and which sound(s) to start with.

Register your interest in a speech and language screen

Why Schools Choose Elklan

Elklan is the UK’s leading provider of training on speech, language and communication, created and delivered by qualified Speech and Language Therapists and Specialist Teaching Advisors

More than 100,000 practitioners have already gained Elklan accreditation, making a difference nationwide

Evidence-based, practical and person-centred courses and resources. Supporting children with their speech sound development can begin immediately

Builds staff knowledge, skills and confidence in supporting children with unclear speech

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

  1. Understand how speech develops.
  2. Be equipped to implement speech sound programmes in small achievable steps.
  3. Know how to adapt a programme to meet the needs of individual children.
  4. Have increased awareness of the link between speech processing and vocabulary learning.
  5. Use increased knowledge to support parents more effectively and with more confidence.

Course Structure and Accreditation

  1. 10 sessions live webinars and 8 e-learning sessions.
  2. Delivered online by trained Elklan tutors (speech and language therapists).
  3. Level 2 or Level 3 Award in ‘Supporting Unclear Speech’ (accredited by OCN London).

Compare the options

Online Training
Targeted strategies for specific age range
Anytime access to the e-learning sessions
Ten weeks
Teaching from an Elklan Tutor
Discuss and share with other learners
External accreditation with a 6 credit Award on successful completion
Learning log to complete online
Time commitment per course for all aspects 4-4½ hours total per week*

£400 plus VAT

Find upcoming courses

*This is an accredited course and so you will need to actively engage with the training and complete a learning log. To do this you should expect to set aside around 4½ hours weekly.

This will include:

  • 1 to 1½ hours to complete the online session and prepare observations etc. for the live webinar
  • 1 hour to attend the live webinar
  • 1½-2 hours to plan, implement knowledge and strategies learnt and write-up the plan, observations and evaluation in an online e-log

Available courses

Accredited Online Training

Feb - Jul 2026

starts Mon 23rd Feb, 6:00pm

Jun - Oct 2026

starts Tue 9th Jun, 3:00pm

Nov 2026 - Mar 2027

starts Mon 2nd Nov, 6:00pm

Flyers and other downloads

Supporting Children with Unclear Speech flyer – coming soon