Concerns about the rise in speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) have grown significantly in recent years. Over this period, we have witnessed a steady increase in the number of children requiring SEN support in schools and early years settings.
According to DfE’s Special Educational Needs in England (Academic Year 2023/24), there has been a 24% increase in SEN support since 2016.

This publication also reports that the most prominent primary need within SEN support is speech, language and communication needs, making up 25% of all SEN support.

Whilst this is a significant proportion, we must recognise the actual number of children requiring additional support maybe far greater as it does not account for the growing number of young children yet to be identified, entering preschool and school with transient language and communication needs and those at risk of SLCN. Recent findings report that 1 in 5 children are struggling with talking and understanding words, and 80% of teachers surveyed say children in their classrooms are behind with their language skills (Listening to Unheard Children, 2023).

Why Are We Seeing This Increase?

While the pandemic is often cited as a key factor in declining communication skills, concerns existed long before COVID-19. Research from the early 2000s found that 50% of children entering school in areas of deprivation had some form of transient SLCN, and in some areas this reached up to 80% (Gascoigne, 2012).

A combination of societal shifts may contribute to this pattern, including changing working patterns, reduced extended family networks, and socioeconomic pressures. Alongside these changes, one question is increasingly being asked: Is there a correlation between the rise in children’s speech and language needs and the rise in technology use?

Technology Use Among Young Children

A recent Ofcom survey reported that:

  • 49% of children aged three and four use a tablet
  • 20% use a mobile phone
    (Ofcom, 2020)

These figures are likely to have increased in the years since the Covid pandemic, and it is now commonplace to see babies and young children using electronic devices.

It is important to acknowledge that technology can offer benefits to aid communication - particularly for children with identified SLCN who may use AAC or alternative communication apps. Research around the negative impact that technology use has on the development of early communication skills is still in its infancy, however what research we do have in abundance, is what helps young children to develop effective speech, language and communication skills such as quality interactions from responsive adults and shared play experiences.

It may be argued that technology use is replacing opportunities for the development of communication skills and are contributing to the rise in SLCN. With increased use of devices by both adults and children, are we seeing a reduction in:

  • Adult-child interactions
  • shared play experiences
  • opportunities to practise key communication building skills?

Technology and adult child interactions

A responsive adult plays a crucial role in early communication development. From the moment a child is born, the use of non-verbal communication such as gestures, facial expressions, pitch and tone of voice supports children to understand the world around them and develop secure attachments. Adults help children to learn social communication skills such as back-and-forth interactions, and by commenting with words and phrases every day, children learn the meaning of words and sentences and then will start to use them independently.

Frequent technology use from the adults, such as looking at a mobile phone, reduces the opportunities to engage with their young child and in particular, reductions in facial expressions and non-verbal responses which are influential in supporting understanding of spoken language and social communication skills. Similarly, when children spend long periods engaged with screens this may reduce the need to seek out adults and contributes to the overall reduction in the number of interactions a child may experience throughout the day.

Technology and play

There is a strong link between play and language, in particular symbolic play. Most young children follow a pattern of development in their play, where they journey through different stages from exploratory play to large doll or small-world play and sequenced role play to imaginative play. Each stage supports the development of key communication skills and these communication skills support the development of play.

For example, in early “large doll play”, a baby around 9 - 12 months may start to pretend to give a teddy a drink. This shows the beginning of symbolic understanding - recognising that an object or action can represent something real. As symbolic play develops, so does children’s understanding of words: the ultimate symbols.

So where babies and young children are increasing screen time or technology use, could this exposure be replacing essential symbolic play experiences and opportunities for them to develop vocabulary which are the foundations for language?

Technology and attention skills

Whilst research between technology and attention skills is still in its infancy, there is some that highlights the impact of prolonged technology use and how this affects children’s attention skills. One study (How Does Technology Affect the Attention Spans of Different Age Groups? | OxJournal, 2021) suggests that while technology itself does not directly cause poor attention skills or ADHD, the amount of time spent using technology can influence a child’s ability to sustain attention.

It can be tempting to assume a child has good attention because they can sit still watching a screen for long periods. In reality, screen-based activities are designed to be highly stimulating with fast-paced visuals, constant novelty and high reward which do not support the development of the attention skills needed for communication.

Listening and attention skills are key to supporting speech, language and communication, enabling children to hear and remember words and sentences. As listening and attention skills develop, children also begin to understand non-verbal communication and meaning of language. The gradual development of listening and attention skills is supported when responsive adults follow a child’s lead and children are able to explore a variety of play experiences building and sustaining attention when appropriate intrigue and challenge is given. Could increase in technology use also be replacing opportunities for babies/young children to acquire appropriate listening and attention skills through playful experiences and interactions such as reading stories, singing songs and building brick towers?

What Can We Do to Make a Difference?

If the issue is not technology itself, but the amount of technology replacing rich early experiences, then the solution lies in supporting adults and settings to restore those opportunities.

We need to:

  • Increase awareness of the importance of interactions and play in developing communication skills
  • Share the message that technology use should be monitored and reduced, especially for babies and young children
  • Support early years settings and schools to provide opportunities for children to develop early communication and play skills that may have been missed

By understanding how reduced interactions, limited play experiences and increased technology use may contribute to the rise in SLCN, we can take meaningful steps to support young children. Through raising awareness, promoting rich adult-child interactions and offering varied play experiences, we can strengthen early communication foundations and give every child the best start in their language journey.

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