Communication support framework – CATHS band 4 provision

What is the communication support framework?

The communication support framework is based on the Communication At The Heart of the School approach (CATHS). This was developed by Ann Miles and Rachel Sawford. For more information on CATHS, please click here.

The framework describes the stage your child is at in their communication.

What does CATHS band 4 communication stage mean? 

Children at this stage are developing their ability to describe their environment and their experiences. Early prediction skills are beginning to emerge.  

Many children develop these communication skills around 3-4 years old, though every child grows at their own pace.  

How can adults help my child at this stage? 

• Slow down your talking   
• Give short instructions  
• Reduce the number of questions that you ask 
• Pause after you ask a question to give the child processing time
• Labelling objects and describing things that you can see using simple phrases, for example, “look a big brown dog wagging it’s tail”
• Remodel sentences if you notice an error, for example, child says ‘the cat catched the mouse’, you say “yes the cat caught the mouse”   
• Teach vocabulary through sharing books 
• Model language that develops sequencing and prediction skills, for example, “the girl is smiling she is happy”, or “breakfast is finished, next we brush teeth”, “uh oh the cup is broken, we can fix it”, “the bell is ringing, is it phonics or lunchtime?”

If the child appears to be learning language through echolalia, for example copying ‘chunks’ or ‘scripts’ of language, please also use the following advice for gestalt language processing strategies. 

Tools that adults should use to support communication

• Use pictures to sequence routines and stories, for example, first and then board, visual timetable
• Use pictures to sequence stories or past events for example, story pictures, step by step visuals of a process
• Use shapes and colours to support sentence building 
• Use vocabulary mats that include emotions
• Comic strip conversations to retell positive, neutral and negative past events and incidents. Unpick what happened, what people said, how people felt and what they could do next time instead.
• Story frames (Language Level B) from the Language for Behaviour and Emotions toolkit
• Teach comprehension monitoring skills and phrases to ask for help
• Teach vocabulary and phrases for self-advocacy for example, “I like strawberries”, “I don’t like rain”, “I need a break”

Interventions that are run in nurseries and schools that would benefit the child at this stage include 

• Structured approach to teaching vocabulary, for example Concept cat  for children aged 3-5 years and Word Aware for all ages – whole classroom and or small groups
• Barrier games for giving and following instructions for example, Twinkl, Black Sheep Press
• Narrative intervention packs for example, Black Sheep Press
• Some settings run the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme to develop vocabulary, listening and storytelling skills
• Language for Thinking toolkit for children aged up to 11 years old – interventions delivered at Language Level B
• Language for Behaviour and Emotions toolkits for children aged 7 years and above – interventions delivered at Language Level B

Emotional regulation support

Children at band 4 will find it difficult to understand or use spoken language to make predictions and problem solve especially when they are distressed. This means they cannot understand consequences that are in education behaviour policies.

If a child is presenting with behaviours of concern, adults should do the detective work to identify any unmet needs and what the child’s behaviours are communicating, for example routine or environment is unpredictable, sensory seeking, being ill, memory, language or curriculum demands are too high, unmet sensory needs, do they have the language to ask for help, fear of failure, boredom, interpersonal difficulties, how safe they feel or hypervigilance.

You should use visual supports such as emotional regulation strategy cards as part of a whole setting approach for example, Zones of Regulation.

When talking with the child about an incident:

• it is best to wait until the child is regulated to talk about what happened
• ask the child to tell you what happened, what people said and how other people felt
• always use visual supports for example, story frames or comic strip conversations
• don’t ask them to justify their behaviour – they cannot understand this level of language
• tell them why they should not have done something for example, ‘that hurt James’