Effective communication skills, like most things, need to be modelled and taught. Although this seems to be a feature of literacy lessons in school, we recognise, at The Vine International School that effective communication skills can be used and enhanced throughout the curriculum and is a duty of all our teachers. 

All pupils at The Vine International School receive Speech and Language Therapy if the need applies. Autism is not synonym to non-verbalism contrary to the belief of many. Several children with Autism do communicate verbally. 

The therapies are provided by a Certified Autism Specialist using resources to meet the specific communication needs of each pupil in need of the service.

Social circles occur twice a week to enhance communication among peers on a particular topic with a specific learning objective with the support of teachers. 

Communication skills are not taught only in lessons, social circles, speech and language therapy. They are also enhanced throughout all other activities and during morning and lunch breaks. Teachers on duty meet pupils in the playground and teach them to communicate with each other in the playground. Not only does this enhance communication skills, it also equip pupils with the appropriate vocabulary and expression for specific and real life situations.

Our teaching of communication skills includes encouraging active learning, developing empathy skills, the use of words and an understanding of non-verbal communication. 

Communication is not only verbal but also non-verbal. Pupils must learn to recognise body language, facial expressions, hand gestures, eye contact and tone of voice. We use PECS to stimulate non-verbal communication while persisting with language to boost language acquisition and achieve a possible transition from the use of PECS to the use of verbal language.