F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
About this Unit
This Unit is about the support provided to pupils with communication and interaction
difficulties to enable them to participate in learning activities and to develop relationships
with others. It is for Teaching/Classroom Assistants who provide support for pupils with
speech and language delay, impairments or disorders; specific learning difficulties, e.g.
dyslexia, dyspraxia; those who present features associated with autistic spectrum disorder;
and/or those for whom language and communication difficulties are the result of permanent
sensory or physical impairment including deafblindness, deafness and visual impairment.
They may also apply to those who work with pupils with moderate, severe or profound
learning difficulties.
Scope
The scope is here to give you guidance on possible areas to be covered in this Unit. The terms
in this section give you a list of options linked with items in the performance criteria. You
need to provide evidence for any option related to your work area.
Augmented and Alternative Means of Communication - Types of augmented and
alternative means of communication to which this standard applies:

sign communication systems

Braille

specialised equipment
Information to which this standard applies:

from the class teacher

from a specialist teacher or the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator within the school

from written records/reports

from outside specialists and agencies
Others to which this standards applies:

peers

teachers

other adults
Tasks and Activities to which this standard applies:

physical

creative

cognitive
Evidence Requirements for the Unit
It is essential that you adhere to the Evidence Requirements for this Unit – please see
details overleaf.
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
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F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
Specific Evidence Requirements for this Unit
Simulation:
 Simulation is NOT permitted for any part of this unit.
The following forms of evidence are mandatory:
 Direct observation: Please note, in relation to competences AHP23, assessment
must be carried out in full by an appropriately experienced and qualified assessor (as
defined in the assessment strategy
 Your assessor must observe you in real work activities, which provides evidence for
a significant number of the performance criteria for this unit. You should be
observed supporting pupils with communications and interaction difficulties
 Reflective accounts/professional discussion: These will be descriptions of your
practice. You should be able to give examples of the processes undertaken, these
account need to reflect what you did , how you did it, what went well, what did not
go so well and what you would change in future. These also need to show how you
related to individuals
Competence of performance and knowledge could also be demonstrated using a
variety of evidence from the following:
 Questioning: may be used to provide evidence of knowledge, legislation, policies
and procedures, which cannot be fully evidenced through direct observation or
reflective accounts. In addition the assessor/expert witness may also ask questions
to clarify aspects of your practice
 Witness testimony: can be a confirmation or authentication of the activities
described in your evidence, which your assessor has not seen. This could be
provided by a teacher
 Work Products: These can be any records that you would usually use within your
work role e.g. individual care plans. NB Confidential records are not required to be
in your portfolio, they can remain where they are normally stored and checked by
your assessors and verifier. If they are included they must be made anonymous
 APL/Assignment/Project: you may have already completed a project or assignment
from Vocationally Related Qualification; you may also have evidence form other
training e.g. teaching assistant, recording and reporting, communication
General guidance
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
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Prior to commencing this Unit you should agree and complete an assessment plan
with your assessor which details the assessment methods you will be using, and the
tasks you will be undertaking to demonstrate your competence.
Evidence must be provided for ALL of the performance criteria ALL of the
knowledge and the parts of the scope that are relevant to your job role.
The evidence must reflect the policies and procedures of your workplace and be
linked to current legislation, values and the principles of best practice within Health
Settings. This will include the National Service Standards and/or KSF for your areas
of work and the individuals you care for.
All evidence must relate to your own work practice.
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
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F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
KNOWLEDGE SPECIFICATION FOR THIS UNIT
Competent practice is a combination of the application of skills and knowledge informed by
values and ethics. This specification details the knowledge and understanding required to
carry out competent practice in the performance described in this Unit.
When using this specification it is important to read the knowledge requirements in
relation to expectations and requirements of your job role.
You need to provide evidence for ALL knowledge points listed below. There are a
variety of ways this can be achieved so it is essential that you read the ‘knowledge
evidence’ section of the Assessment Guidance.
You need to show that you know, understand and can apply in
practice:
Legislation, policy and good practice
1. A working knowledge of the school’s policy on inclusive education
and your role and responsibility in relation to this
Enter Evidence
Numbers
2. A working knowledge of the school’s policy and procedures for
supporting pupils with communication and interaction difficulties and
how these relate to local and national policies and guidelines
3. A working knowledge of the school’s policies for language
development, equal opportunities and behaviour
Care and support of the individual
4. A working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of others, both
within and external to the school, who contribute to the support of
pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
5. A working knowledge of the language and communication needs of
the pupil(s) with whom you work
6. A working knowledge of any Individual Education Plans and/or
Behaviour Support Plans for the pupils with whom you work.
7. A working knowledge of the characteristics of the communication
impairments and disorders of the pupils with whom you work, and
their implications for social interaction and learning
8. A working knowledge of physical and emotional factors which impact
on a pupil’s ability to engage in oral communication and ways of
overcoming or minimising the affects of these
9. A working knowledge of the role of communication and self
expression in developing a pupil’s self-esteem
Procedures and techniques
10. A working knowledge of strategies to enhance and promote nonverbal communication
11. A working knowledge of the differences between normal
communication and the specific or more unusual patterns of
communication demonstrated by pupils with significant
developmental delay, impairment or those having some form of
communication or language disorder
12. A working knowledge of the interaction between delayed language
acquisition, cognitive development and sensory deficit
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
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F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
You need to show that you know, understand and can apply in
practice:
13. A working knowledge of visual and auditory teaching approaches that
can enhance social/communicative interactions
Enter Evidence
Numbers
14. A working knowledge of ways to adapt the general and technical
vocabulary used by the teacher(s) in order to match the needs of
pupils with communication difficulties.
15. A working knowledge of how to use praise and constructive feedback
to promote communication which is appropriate to the situation
16. A working knowledge of the communication methods used by the
pupils with whom you work, how to use these, and how to support and
promote the pupil’s ability to use these effectively
17. A working knowledge of the needs of pupils where English, (or Welsh
where applicable), is not the first language and aspects of culture,
upbringing and home circumstances that could affect their ability to
communicate with others, e.g. the different interpretations of signs
and gestures
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
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F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
Performance criteria
DO
RA
EW
Q
P
WT
1. obtain accurate and up-to-date information
about the pupil’s language and general
communicative competence
2. obtain detailed information from the teacher
about the planned learning tasks and
activities
3. adapt the layout of the room and the
equipment used to enable pupils with
communication and interaction difficulties
to participate in the learning tasks and
activities planned by the teacher
4. actively encourage pupils to participate in
learning tasks and activities consistent with
their language and communicative
competence
5. use the most appropriate mode of
communication, including additional visual,
auditory and tactile or signing methods to
reinforce spoken language
6. help pupils to make effective use of
augmented and alternative means of
communication as appropriate to their needs
7. give assistance to enable pupils to
experience a sense of achievement and
encourage independence
8. positively reinforce the pupil’s efforts to
participate in learning tasks and activities
9. provide feedback to the teacher on
significant aspects of the pupil’s
participation levels and progress
10. provide opportunities for pupils with
communication and interaction difficulties
to initiate, respond to and maintain
relationships with others
11. use appropriate strategies to encourage
pupils with communication and interaction
difficulties to contribute to conversations
and discussions with others
12. encourage pupils with communication and
interaction difficulties to respond
constructively to other people’s
contributions to conversations and
discussions
DO = Direct Observation
EW = Expert Witness
RA = Reflective Account
P = Product (Work)
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
Q = Questions
WT = Witness Testimony
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F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
Performance criteria
DO
RA
EW
Q
P
WT
13. provide encouragement and support to
enable other pupils to respond positively to
pupils with communication and interaction
difficulties
14. respond to the pupil’s level of expressive
and receptive language to reinforce spoken
language and to promote autonomy
15. help pupils to make effective use of
augmented and alternative means of
communication as appropriate to their needs
DO = Direct Observation
EW = Expert Witness
RA = Reflective Account
P = Product (Work)
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
Q = Questions
WT = Witness Testimony
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F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
To be completed by the Candidate
I SUBMIT THIS AS A COMPLETE UNIT
Candidate’s name: ……………………………………………
Candidate’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………………………..
To be completed by the Assessor
It is a shared responsibility of both the candidate and assessor to claim evidence, however, it
is the responsibility of the assessor to ensure the accuracy/validity of each evidence claim and
make the final decision.
I CERTIFY THAT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO MEET
ALL THE ELEMENTS, PCS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS UNIT.
Assessor’s name: …………………………………………….
Assessor’s signature: ………………………………………....
Date: …………………………………………………………..
Assessor/Internal Verifier Feedback
To be completed by the Internal Verifier if applicable
This section only needs to be completed if the Unit is sampled by the Internal Verifier
Internal Verifier’s name: ……………………………………………
Internal Verifier’s signature: ………………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………..…………………………..
Unit: F07E 04 (AHP23) Support pupils with communication and interaction difficulties
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