What are p-scales?

Can TAP sheets be used for under fives?

How to find activities sheets on this site

How TAP activities sheets are named

How to download an activities sheet

What a TAP activities sheet looks like

How to make and modify activities sheets

Where to put (upload) additional resources

Why you should seek advice from a Speech and Language Therapist or
Language and Communication Teacher before using the activity sheets

See also:

Guides

P-scales are descriptions of performance designed for primary and secondary school age children who are working towards Level 1 of the National Curriculum. They cover the broad range of development from very early skills typical of new born babies, to skills typical of five year olds. You can find further information at www.qca.org.uk (The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority or QCA).

All the communication activities on this site (except for phonology and articulation) are arranged in order of p-level, or in order of the levels of the National Curriculum for the higher level activities.

In some cases you will find extra targets on this site at a particular p-level which aren't shown in the QCA descriptions. This is because some children need to have learning presented to them in smaller steps than is given by QCA. There are a number of publications available which will help you to divide the QCA p-level descriptions into smaller steps, for example:

B Squared (www.bsquaredsen.co.uk) divides p-levels and levels in the National Curriculum into very small steps, this makes it particularly good for children with severe learning difficulties.

PIVATS also breaks the p-levels down into smaller steps, though not as small as B Squared.

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Yes, some can, but please read on. P-level performance descriptions are designed for children working towards the National Curriculum, that is for children in year 1 and above. You can, nevertheless, find targets and activities which are suitable for younger children. This is because the use of p-levels here has allowed us to organise activities according to approximate developmental level. You must make sure that the activities and targets you are using are developmentally appropriate. In all cases you should seek the advice of a qualified speech and language therapist or specialist language and communication teacher.

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From the Targets and Activities page, click through on the appropriate curriculum area and level for the target you wish to work on. Use the information at www.qca.org.uk to help you determine if you are looking in the right place.

Try looking at sheets in other closely related areas, for example if you are looking for something in English Speaking P6 and can't find it, try looking at level P5 or P7, or try looking in English Listening.

The content of this site is being constantly developed by its users, so, if you still can't find what you are looking for, it might be that no-one has contributed any activities for the area you wish to work on yet. If you have any ideas, you might like to consider making a new TAP activities sheet.

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Here are some examples of names of TAP activities sheets:

EL L1b describes object or picture.doc

MN P5 KS1 match equal sets.doc

ES P5 KS1 SCD uses two keyword phrases 2.doc

You will be able to understand what the activity sheet is for by reading the phrase in its name, for example "uses two key word phrases". The name may also contain more information which you can use to help you decide whether the activity sheet is appropriate to what you want to do or not.

The other parts of the name tell you:

• what curriculum area it is for (for example ES - English Speaking);
• what p-level or level from the National Curriculum it is for (for example P5);
• if the sheet is most appropriate for a particular key stage (for example KS1);
• if the sheet is most appropriate for a child with a particular type of difficulty (for example SCD - social communication disorder or autism);
• if this is one of two or more sheets to do with this target area (for example "2" - this is the second list of activities to do with this target).

Here is some more detailed information to help you understand what the names mean:

(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
ES	P5	KS1	SCD	two key word phrases	2	.doc

(1) Curriculum or activity area (all TAP sheet names have this):

E	English (P1-P3)	S	Science (P1-P8)
EL	English listening	SE	Scientific enquiry
ES	English speaking	SL	Life processes & living things
ER	English reading	SM	Materials & their properties
EW	English writing	SP	Science: physical processes
M	Maths (P1-P3)	PSHE	Personal, Social & Health
MU	Maths using & applying	PA	Phonology & articulation
MN	Maths number
MS	Shape, space & measures

For phonology and articulation, these are the possible activity areas:

PA Vowels	vowels
PA Voice	voice control
PA Syll	syllable structure
PA Clus	clusters (sound blends)
PA Pros	prosody
PA Poly	polysyllables
PA Cons	consonants
PA Conn	connected speech
PA Oro	oromotor skills
PA Phon	phonological awareness
PA Pre	preverbal

A phonology and articulation activity sheet name will typically look like this:

PA Cons KS2 use t at the start of words .doc

There are no p-levels or National Curriculum levels given in phonology and articulation activities sheets.

Other areas

This is a list of other activity areas currently inluded on TAP. Please note that at present you can only find these listed under "Other areas" on the page titled "List of all TAP activities sheets":

ICT	Information and communication technology
MSK	Motor skills
SH	Self help

(2) P-level or level from the National Curriculum (used for all TAP activities sheets except phonology and articulation):

examples:

P1, P2, P3 ... P8 (p-levels)
L1c, L1b, L1a ... (levels from the National Curriculum)

• English and Maths, but not Science, are divided into c, b, a at levels 1 and above.
• Levels aren't given for PSHE at levels 1 and above. These are labelled L1plus and are ordered by key stage, for example "PHSE L1plus KS1 adjust language in different social contexts.doc". Please note that activities labelled with a lower key stage may well be appropriate for children with SEN in higher key stages.

(3) Suggested key stage (used on some TAP sheets)

This is to give an idea of what age range of pupil the activities are most appropriate for. For example you may have a 15 year old pupil working at level P4, activities designed for 5 year olds using plastic toy tea sets may not be considered the most appropriate choice for this pupil. Activities at level P4 involving making actual cups of tea may be appropriate for the 15 year old pupil though not for the younger pupils.

PreSch	under 5	preschool & reception
KS1	ages 5-7	years 1 & 2
KS2	ages 7-11	years 3 to 6
KS3	ages 11-14	years 7 to 9
KS4	ages 14-16	years 10 & 11

(4) Suggested special need group or special skill (used on some TAP sheets)

Some activities may be more suitable for a specific special needs group, or for developing a particular method of communication - this indicates which one:

SCD	social communication disorder (including autism)
VI	visually impaired
HI	hearing impaired
KEYSIGNS	key word signing
SYMBOLS	symbols or picture symbols

(5) Brief description of the target (used on all TAP sheets)

(6) Number (used on all TAP sheets where there are two or more sheets for the same target aimed at the same group of children)

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You can download documents from any of the document listing pages on the site. If you haven't got to one of these pages, click here to find out how to find documents on this site.

Choose a document from the list. Right click (PC) or ctrl-click (Mac) on its name and select "Save Target As..." on the menu that appears. Browse around your computer to find somewhere you want to save it and click "Save".

You should use Microsoft Word (or similar software) to display the activities sheets. To view them properly you should use "Print Layout" view. To select this view, click on the "View" menu in Word and choose "Print Layout".

If you can't find the documents you want, perhaps you would like to contribute one. Click here to find out more.

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1. Click here to open a Targets and Activities template;
2. Fill in the template for your activity or activities making sure you complete the target description. (You will need to edit the header to do this: double click on "Target description", or select view -> header and footer. Close the header/footer menu when you are finished. You should not edit the date or the page numbers at the bottom of the page as these change automatically). See below if you have a problem with the template;
3. Give your new file a rough name which relates to the target (for example "can talk about a game") and save it somewhere on your computer where you can easily find it again, and click here to upload it.
   
   
   • Use only letters and numbers in the name of your sheet. If you use other characters such as "+ ( . -" in the name, you may have difficulties uploading your sheet;
   • If you can put information in your name to indicate p-level and curriculum area, that would be very helpful (see How TAP activities sheets are named). Don't worry if you aren't able to add this information though.
   
   
4. We will sort out renaming your sheet if necessary, and giving it a level so that its name is consistent with other documents on the site, and making sure it gets put in the right place;
5. Thank you very much for your contribution! The success of this site depends on everyone who contributes ideas to it.

Tip: please contribute an activity sheet even if you only have an idea for one activity. This site is a collaborative effort, others will be able to add further activities to the sheet that you have started. Also don't be shy about your ideas! Don't worry about how rough and ready your activities are, they're all welcome!

Please note, you must not include any copyrighted material in your activities sheets.

1. Click on the sheet to open it;
2. Make the changes on the sheet. (See below if you have a problem with the sheet);
3. "Upload" it here;
4. We will sort out replacing the old sheet with your new sheet;
5. Thank you!

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Sometimes the table in the activities sheet might not divide across pages at the place that you want it. For example, you might get a large gap between the first row and the second row which goes onto the second page, even though it could fit on the first page. You might even find that the first row of the table starts on the second page.

If you have this problem you can do the following:

1. Select the whole table, (click on a cell in the table, then on the menu bar at the top choose Table -> Select -> Table);
2. Now, on the menu bar at the top select Format->Paragraph...;
3. On the box that opens, click on the "Line and Page Breaks" tab, make sure the box next to "Keep with next" is empty (click on the box until it is empty);
4. Click on OK to close the box.

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If you have an additional resource, such as a set of pictures which goes with your new or modified activities sheet, you can upload it here.

Please remember, you must not upload any material which is already copyrighted, for example no scanned copies of published picture cards.

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The activities sheets on this site give details of activities you can use to work towards various communication targets. How they should be used will differ from child to child.

It is not possible to include in the descriptions of the activities what to do in all possible situations, for example how to make the activity simpler if the child is having difficulties, or how to make it more difficult if they find it too easy. The reason this information cannot be included is because what precisely you will need to do with any particular child will be different, and so to include all possible situations and potential problems would result in many pages of explanations for each activity.

A Speech and Language Therapist or Specialist Language and Communication teacher will be able to show you how to use these activities successfully with the children you are working with.

You will also need to work with a Speech and Language Therapist or Language and Communication teacher to determine where the child is at with their communication and what is an appropriate next step.

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