Since 2007, we have proudly supported Fort Royal Community Primary School in improving their communication with their students. Before the introduction of Signalong, some students at Fort Royal would display challenging behaviours, frustration, and become dysregulated due to a lack of understanding and language barriers. When asked how Signalong has helped the children in the school, Stephanie Morris, Signalong Tutor at Fort Royal commented: “Signalong has supported learning through reinforcing key words and language along with supporting with regulating emotions and behaviours. It gives pupils a voice and helps support their rights along with allowing them to gain confidence and trust within the school.”
Fort Royal wanted to ensure all staff had the skills to support pupils with more complex needs. They first heard about Signalong after Worcestershire County Council decided to use Signalong countywide as the preferred sign-supported communication method.
About Fort Royal Community Primary School
Based in Worcester, Fort Royal School is a generic Community Primary School and nursery for children with a range of special educational needs, including moderate and severe learning difficulties physical, sensory and behavioural difficulties and pupils on the autistic spectrum. Fort Royal have in-house Signalong Tutors who deliver Foundation Training to all staff and complete refreshers when needed. The Tutors also offer Signalong Workshops to parents and pupils to support communication at home.
As a total communication school, Signalong is used throughout the school day and is covered in their learning walks and snapshots within the communication category. They introduced signs of the week to practice in classes during ‘sign time’ and an award for Signer of the Week. Fort Royal students and teachers also sign along to songs in the schools' Assembly's, which the students love. Stephanie added: “Fort Royal have commissioned various posters over the years to support with topics and learning as well as Signalong tutors in school using the online sign library to gather signs needed for each key stage at the start of each term.”
When asked how Signalong has impacted communication within their classrooms, Stephanie said: “Signalong helps to reinforce day to day language along with focusing on key words. It is also helpful when introducing new curriculum language focusing on different themes and topics. Signalong supports the processing time of our pupils and encourages communication between pupils who are working at different levels.”
About Signalong
A central tenet of Signalong is ‘one concept per sign, one sign per concept’ which is different to other British Sign Language based systems, which require an understanding of the context in order to distinguish meaning. People who have learning difficulties, especially those with Autism, may find it difficult to differentiate the context. When asked what the key benefits Fort Royal have experienced from using Signalong, Stephanie said: “One of the benefits of using Signalong in school is that it supports our total communication approach which links to our vision as a school, our values and our core purpose. It supports communication and interaction within school as well as outside of school for parents and carers. For pre-verbal learners it supports and encourages communication using signs, with adults modelling the language alongside. It can lend itself to children communicating with others, their peers or adults in a social way. Adults use Signalong when greeting others in the morning and when around school creating a safe and friendly environment.”
When asked if Fort Royal would recommend Signalong to others in a similar situation, Stephanie commented: “Yes, Signalong helps with the consistency of language across the school, supports preverbal pupils and can encourage all pupils to communicate with their peers.”
Get In Touch
To find out how Signalong could benefit your school, organisation or child, please get in touch by emailing admin@signalong.org.uk or call us on 0330 1200770.
To find out more about Fort Royal Community Primary School, visit https://www.fortroyal.co.uk/