Bridging the Gap Between Language Impairment and Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties in Adolescents:

Developing an Effective School Based Intervention to Address the Dual Deficit.

Research questions:
1. What are the main effective elements of existing interventions with proven effectiveness or
efficacy for adolescents with SLCN?
2. Is an intervention for adolescents with SEMH and SLCN based on the existing evidence base
effective in increasing language skills?
3. Does the intervention impact on behaviour in school, exclusions or expulsions for the
adolescents involved?
4. Is there a difference in outcome depending upon whether the intervention is delivered by a
SLT or teaching assistant (TA)?
Hypotheses:
It is hypothesised that an evidence based language intervention for adolescents with SEMH and SLCN
will improve their language skills and impact positively on their behaviour in school, exclusions or
expulsions.
Methodology:
The research will be in two phases:
Phase 1: Systematic review of language interventions for adolescents with synthesis of elements
considered to be most effective to improve receptive, expressive and pragmatic language difficulties;
development of an intervention incorporating the elements identified above.
Phase 2: Small group pre- and post- test (Robey, 2004) pilot study of the intervention developed in
Phase 1 to be carried out in secondary schools. The intervention will be delivered by either the applicant
(SLT) or a teaching assistant (TA).