Why academic evidence is urgently needed if we are serious about supporting children’s language development
By Dr Ioanna Bakopoulou, University of Bristol, Professor Liz Washbrook, University of Bristol
In the UK, it is currently estimated that 1.9 million children are behind with their talking and understanding of words (Speech and Language UK, 2023). This is the highest number ever recorded and marks an unprecedented increase – particularly prevalent in areas of social deprivation. In fact, the increase in speech, language and communication needs is so great that now meets the criteria to be considered a public health problem (Law et al., 2017).
Why language and communication matter
Research has unequivocally demonstrated that early language ability is the most powerful predictor of long-term outcomes, and that difficulties with language learning significantly increase the risk of poorer long-term outcomes. A child with speech, language and communication needs are at risk of:
- More mental health problems: 81% of children with emotional and behavioural disorders, and 45% of young people referred for mental health services, have significant and often unidentified speech, language and communication needs.
- Worse literacy and numeracy: Children who are behind in communication and language at age 5 are 6 times more likely to be behind in English, 11 times more likely to be behind in Maths at 11 years with only 15% gaining a 9-5 pass at GCSE in English and Maths.
- Increased risk of offending: At least 60% of young offenders have language and communication needs.
- Less secure employment: Children who are behind in communication and language at age 5 are 2 times more likely to experience insecure employment as adults.
Why it matters now more than ever
The UK Government has set up a Curriculum and Assessment Review that aims to review the national curriculum and statutory assessment in England, recognising the need for a more equitable and inclusive system that meets the needs of all children and young people. Children with speech, language and communication needs form the biggest group of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and undoubtedly this review will matter to them hugely.
Moreover, the UK Government has clearly stated its intention to support children’s language development with a clear commitment in the Labour Party manifesto to ‘fund evidence-based early-language interventions in primary schools, so that every child can find their voice’. This policy is long overdue and has the potential to be life-changing for children with language difficulties, but key stakeholders and policy makers fear that how this policy is delivered could be decisive. Experience has shown that badly designed government initiatives can be detrimental to the users they seek to support and can set back a growth agenda for years.
We know that early identification of speech, language and communication needs is crucial for the development and wellbeing of children. But in this fast-moving policy environment, there are still crucial questions that remain unanswered about how language levels are assessed in the primary school age range and how needs are identified.
What we do (and don’t) know about assessment of language levels and early identification
In education, we know that – by and large – what gets measured tends to get done. Whereas evidence-informed tracking and intervention for early language is well established and supported by the Department for Education up to age 5, assessment and support of language is not consistently in place after children leave Reception year. After this, reading, writing and maths become the primary focus, to the detriment of spoken language. Despite 20% of children in England not being at the expected level for communication and language at the age of 5 (DfE, 2024), there is no further monitoring data of their language beyond this point, nor a mandatory national assessment framework to track children’s language progression through school. This is especially critical considering it is estimated that as many as 50% of children living in areas of social disadvantage may not be receiving support in spoken language, leading to intensified educational inequalities (Bercow, 2018).
Given the lack of government guidance and the exclusive focus of the curriculum and assessment on English and Maths, there is huge variability reported in educational practice on whether and how language levels are assessed beyond the early years (Oracy Education, 2024). There is a range of language tracking tools, but these are provided commercially to schools. Unsurprisingly, the system of tracking language progress and identifying language needs is fragmented, variable and relies on schools being able to afford to pay commercial rates and investing their time voluntarily. Even more concerning is that most teachers repeatedly report that they are not given enough training, support and resources to identify and support children’s language (Bakopoulou, 2023; Speech and Language UK, 2024).
Key stakeholders, such as Speech and Language UK (2024), have been calling for the Government to commission the development of a measuring and tracking tool to enable primary school teachers to track children’s speech and language development at each Key Stage, in the same way that they track literacy and numeracy. This tool would help schools to measure and track how well children are doing with their talking and understanding of words and identify children who need extra support. Successful policy formulation requires understanding of:
- What is currently happening in practice in relation to the assessment and tracking of primary-age pupils’ language levels?
- What are the system-wide barriers and enablers in tracking primary-age pupils’ language levels?
- What systems and tools need to be developed for the effective and equitable identification of language difficulties in the primary school age range?
Evidence on these questions is urgently needed to ensure the UK Government fully grasps this opportunity and maximizes the impact of its policies on the lives of the 1.9 million children in the UK struggling to talk and understand words.
Further information
Researcher spotlight | Find out how our researchers at the University of Bristol are contributing to the national policy conversation:
Ioanna Bakopoulou: contributions to the national conversation on education
About the authors
Dr Ioanna Bakopoulou
Dr Ioanna Bakopoulou is an Associate Professor in Psychology in Education at the School of Education, University of Bristol. Her work is centred around language inequalities and supporting educators’ professional development with evidence-based tools, resources and interventions.
Her work is conducted through partnerships with children, parents, professionals and policymakers using models of knowledge exchange to inform the wider educational community of ‘what works’ in practice for children with speech, language and communication needs.
Professor Liz Washbrook
Professor Liz Washbrook is Professor of Quantitative Social Science at the School of Education, University of Bristol, UK. Her research interests focus on educational inequalities, human development over the early life course and methodological issues in the analysis of longitudinal data.