“Calm down and speak properly…” : Support not sanctions – how you can help stop unfair punishment

Can you remember being told off for something that wasn’t your fault? Imagine not being given the chance to explain or even have your existence acknowledged.

A shocking 78% of teachers say children with speech and language challenges are being punished because of it.

Join us and sign our petition to drive vital change

Róisín , a former teacher, told us about the heartbreaking experiences her daughter Ellen had to endure at mainstream primary school as a child living with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

“Ellen went from a confident, fun-loving four-year-old entering primary school and left as an invisible 11-year-old. The confidence and sassiness was sucked out of her. She left as a selective mute with low self-esteem, aware that others saw her differently, experienced first-hand being treated differently and knew nothing much was expected of her.”

Teachers are being deprived of the right training to help them identify children with speech and language challenges and access to tools to support them.

As a result, behaviour is all too often misinterpreted as being lazy, rude and defiant. When in reality these children are not being given the time to understand or even speak, leaving them feeling isolated and invisible.

Róisín told us about a time in primary school when Ellen was punished because she struggled with her speech and language. The school had accused Ellen of being disruptive, shouting and swearing and Róisín was called into the school. When Róisín asked Ellen what she’d been shouting, she explained she was trying to say “Look!” and pointing at her arm. When Ellen’s jumper was rolled back it revealed that she had been badly bitten by another child. Ellen struggled to say her ‘L’s and sadly her challenges had been missed by the teachers. She was ignored, punished and removed from the class.

“Teachers and teaching assistants were answering Ellen’s name on the register, she was never even allowed to speak within the class because they said it took too much time.“

Children with speech and language challenges may need more processing time, which can be mistaken for not listening. They must stop being punished for struggling to talk and understand words and be given the support and opportunities to thrive in school.

“Ellen was often shouted at for daydreaming. She was punished, not allowed out at break time because she had to finish her work.  She wasn’t daydreaming.  It was an overload of work on her brain, and was taking all her energy just to keep up with things.”

Róisín makes it clear what the Government needs to do to help teachers with supporting children like Ellen:

“Invest in training. But it’s got to come from the top down. If it’s not a focus for the headteacher, they’re not going to push it or put the value into it. For it to be a focus for the headteacher, it’s got to be from the Government and from Ofsted.”

You can help stop children with speech and language challenges being unfairly punished in school by signing our petition today. The Government must:

1. Train every teacher to recognise and support speech and language challenges.
2. Revise school behaviour policies to ensure children with speech and language challenges receive support, not sanctions.
3. Provide teachers with proven tools to help children communicate effectively.

Children’s negative experiences in schools have a detrimental effect on their life as an adult. They’re excluded from classrooms and set up to fail. This needs to change.