Communication

 

At Drumbeat School communication is at the core of the curriculum. Communication opportunities are at the centre of all learning activities throughout the school day. Emphasis is placed on the importance of engaging, fun and meaningful interactions and experiences. Drumbeat promotes a total communication approach using specific ASD and speech and language interventions personalised to each child. ASD theories and speech and language therapeutic approaches are embedded within the Drumbeat curriculum and assessment model. Speech and Language Therapy is integrated into the classroom and school environment.

  

We aim to set and develop foundations needed for successful learning in literacy; starting from where the pupil is and valuing the pupil’s strengths and special interests. We aim to provide skills for life that promote functional communication skills both in and outside school. This focus on communication continues as pupils enter into their KS4 and KS5 qualifications where they practically apply the communication skills they have gained to a range of real life situations. 

 

At Drumbeat we understand that to communicate at their best pupils need to be regulated so they are ready to learn and communicate. Adults play a crucial role in supporting learner’s active engagement by modifying the environment through the provision of learning and interpersonal supports. Communication partners can support all areas of communication by designing meaningful & motivating activities, establishing predictability in natural routines, fostering social communication and emotional regulation as described within the transactional supports in the SCERTS framework.

 

Drumbeat also values a range of specific communication interventions and communication-based theories:

 

Colourful semantics; Attention autism; Aided language stimulation; activity specific communication boards; Personalised communication books; Single message voice output communication aids; Personalised Voice output communication apps e.g. Supercore 50; Blank’s Level of Questioning; Social stories; Comic strip conversations; Intensive interaction; Objects of reference; Makaton signing; Talking mats; Derbyshire Language Scheme; Lego therapy, Natural Language Acquisition, Superflex Social thinking curriculum