Details of the training/intervention programme

Enhancing language and communication in secondary schools

There were FOUR training days in January (and three follow-up days) to introduce all learning support assistants to the three intervention programmes:

• a vocabulary enrichment programme
• a storytelling programme
• a combined vocabulary and storytelling programme.

The training was run by Victoria Joffe from City University. It included a full induction to the three intervention programmes (narrative, vocabulary enrichment and combined narrative and vocabulary enrichment) as well as more general information on language, language and communication impairments and principles of and strategies for working with students with language and communication impairments. There was also an additional three training, feeback and evaluation days in February, March and September 2008.

The initial four training days took place on the 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th of January 2008 from 9am-4pm at the following two venues:

Monday and Tuesday, 14th and 15th of January:

Time: 9am - 4pm
Location: Seven Kings High School, conference room, Ley Street, Ilford, Essex, IG2 7BT.

Thursday and Friday, 17th and 18th of January:

Time: 9am - 4pm
Location: The Westbury Centre, Third Floor, Room 15, Ripple Road, Barking, IG11 7PT.

Parking is available at both sites and lunch will be provided. The pre-selected group of year 8 students will be randomly allocated to one of four groups.

Group	Description
Group 1	Storytelling training – January-March 2008
Group 2	Vocabulary training - January-March 2008
Group 3	Combined storytelling and vocabulary training - January-March 2008
Group 4	Delayed intervention group who will get training in September 2008

All three intervention programmes were run over a 6-week period for a total of 18 sessions per group, beginning on Monday 21st January. The groups will receive their sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

This means that three different groups were running 3 different groups on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for a period of 6 weeks. The dates of the intervention were:

Week	Dates
Week 1	21st,  23rd, and 25th of January
Week 2	28th, 30th January; 1st February
Week 3	4th ,6th, 8th February
Week 4	11th, 13th, 15th February
HALF TERM
Week 5	25th , 27th, 29th February
Week 6	3rd , 5th, 7th March

For any training requests, please contact Victoria Joffe: email: , or phone: 02070404629.

Follow up training days

There will be two additional training days held on Monday and Tuesday the 22nd and 23rd of September. These final training days will prepare teaching assistants to administer the intervention programmes to the delayed group..

Time: 9am - 4pm
Location: The Westbury Centre, Third Floor, Room 17, Ripple Road, Barking, IG11 7PT.