Many of you will have heard the term Developmental Language Disorder or DLD. This Friday (20^th October) is DLD day! Here are some things you need to know about DLD.

• DLD is a significant difficulty in learning, understanding and using language.

• The term DLD is the current label and replaces other terms like speech language impairment, specific language impairment, and language delay (to name a few). When you hear these terms, think DLD!

• DLD is an invisible disability because it presents as difficulties which are not always obvious to a non-specialist. Difficulties include but are not limited to: smaller vocabulary, difficulty constructing sentences, and difficulties organising conversations.

• DLD is estimated to affect 1 in 14 students, meaning that there are likely to be one or two students in each classroom at Wondall Heights SS experiencing language difficulties.

• Children with DLD are vulnerable to mental health problems including internalising behaviours e.g., anxiety and depression, and externalising behaviours e.g., aggression. Children with extensive behaviour history records, may be disengaging due to an underlying DLD.

• Whilst DLD affects spoken language, children with DLD will often have difficulties with written language (reading, spelling and writing). If you can’t say it, you can’t write it.

This year’s campaign for DLD is DLD around the World. The campaign asks teachers to understand that DLD affects students regardless of age, gender, spoken language or ethnicity. It is found in every country and every language.

If you would like to know more about DLD, please feel free to meet me for a chat or access information via this website https://radld.org/about/dld/