More than 11,000 primary schools across England (two thirds) have now accessed the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), which is helping Reception-age children catch up on vital speech, language and communication skills. An estimated 90,000 children affected by the pandemic will benefit.
Delivered over 20 weeks, NELI involves scripted individual and small-group language sessions delivered by trained teaching staff to children identified as being in need of targeted language support.
Over 20,000 staff members have already received online training, allowing them to deliver 20 weeks of support to those pupils needing it. Sessions with the children feature ‘Ted’, the NELI puppet, for games that help them concentrate on their speaking, listening and learning.
All pupils taking part in the programme have an entry and exit language screening assessment to monitor their progress and help plan what provision may be needed as the children move into Year 1. Findings from the most recent large-scale trial of NELI funded by the Education Endowment Foundation found that children receiving the intervention made an extra three months additional progress in their oral language skills compared to children who did not.
The expansion for the 2021-22 schools year is managed and delivered by the Nuffield Foundation on the Government’s behalf, supported by the University of Oxford and Oxford University Press.
Developed by Professor Margaret Snowling, Professor Charles Hulme and Dr Claudine Bowyer-Crane (then at the University of York and now at the University of Oxford and NIESR respectively), NELI offers individual and small-group language teaching sessions to between three and six pupils, run by a trained teaching assistant or early years professional.
Josh Hillman, Director of Education at the Nuffield Foundation said:
“Children in reception classes have had a huge proportion of their lives dominated by the pandemic, which has limited their opportunities to interact and develop language skills, for some more than others. The fact that two thirds of primary schools have arranged to receive NELI and are investing time in delivering the programme shows the value of access to an intervention that has been proven to work.”
Children and Families Minister, Will Quince, said:
“Being able to confidently communicate is vital in shaping a child’s ability to understand and engage with the wider world.
“Language is key to a child’s development and we know that for many children the pandemic meant they missed out on important early social interactions, like parties or play dates. It is incredibly encouraging to see how many schools have taken advantage of the Nuffield offer, helping kids get back on track with these vital skills so they can communicate with their friends and teachers and thrive at school.”
