Support for Children and Young People with DLD

Discover ways to support students with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in the classroom.

Support for Children and Young People with DLD

Did you know that DLD affects approximately 7.6% of all children (two children in every average primary class of 30) in the UK?

Speak up Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

This DLD Awareness Day, let’s speak up for all the children and young people living with DLD.
Get involved

Download our support guide for teachers now.

Teacher support (12.4MB pdf)

Developed in partnership with nasen and Whole School SEND, and funded by the Department of Education, this practical guide is designed to provide teachers and other school-based professionals with guidance on identifying and supporting children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in both mainstream primary and secondary schools.

We attended the Tes SEN show in October 2019, and spoke to teachers about speech and language needs and Developmental Language Disorder.

You can download our slides from the Tes SEN show presentation here.

Learn more about SEN and DLD (2.4MB pdf)

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a diagnosis given to children and young people who have life-long difficulties with talking and understanding words that are not associated with other biomedical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, or autistic spectrum disorders.

For students affected by DLD, it can have a significant impact on their attainment at school, employment outcomes and social and emotional wellbeing. Many children and young people with DLD are not identified, meaning that they are not getting access to the support they need.

As an educator, where can I access further resources and support?

We have developed a free training resource designed to be used by Special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs), or other school-based staff, to share information with staff in their schools about DLD. The resource consists of a customisable PowerPoint presentation with speaking notes, a summary handout and a list of resources and references. The resource is relevant for both primary and secondary school staff.

Inclusion by design for children and young people with DLD

Access the presentation (27.4MB)

Inclusion by design summary

Print the handout (794.9KB pdf)

References: Inclusion by design for children and young people with DLD

Further reading (772.6KB pdf)

In addition to the mentioned resources, we are delighted to provide a series of pre-recorded webinars specifically designed for teachers, SENCos, and school leaders. You can access these webinars below.

Do you know any children or families living with DLD? 

We’re always looking for stories to share about lived experiences with DLD, so that we can raise awareness about the condition and how to support children living with it. Get in touch today media@speechandlanguage.org.uk

Want to learn more about DLD?

Visit the RADLD website.