Course at a Glance
Course length: Approximately four hours
Course format: Online and self-paced
Coursework: There is no coursework, written assignment or formal assessment
Who is it for? Teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCos, Eco Coordinators, pastoral staff, nurture teams, Early Years practitioners, school leaders, behaviour leads and outdoor learning practitioners
Age range: EYFS, KS1, KS2 and adaptable for older learners
Experience required: No previous specialist outdoor learning experience is required
How do you complete the course? Work through a combination of short reading sections, videos, audio content, practical examples and reflective prompts
Can I complete it at my own pace? Yes. Your progress is saved, allowing you to pause and return whenever it suits you
What will I receive? Access to the online training and eligibility for a Muddy Puddle Teacher® certificate of completion
How do I access it? The course is accessed online through your Muddy Puddle Teacher® account
Is it included in my membership? This specialist course is included as part of the Gold & Ultimate Memberships
Course Bio
Outdoor Learning Specialism: Speech, Language and Non-Speaking Learners is a practical online professional-development course designed to help teachers and practitioners use outdoor learning to support communication, interaction, understanding and participation.
The course explores how movement, real objects, visual experiences, repetition and shared outdoor activities can give children more meaningful reasons to communicate.
It is suitable for teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCos, Early Years practitioners, speech and language support staff, nurture teams, special-school practitioners, alternative provisions and anyone working with children who communicate in different ways.
The course does not assume that communication always needs to involve spoken language.
It considers children who use speech, emerging speech, signs, symbols, gestures, facial expressions, communication boards, objects of reference or augmentative and alternative communication.
Throughout the course, you will complete tasks to read, watch and listen to. You will also reflect on the children you support and consider how your outdoor environment, activities and adult interactions could remove barriers to communication.
The training is interactive and practical, helping you move from general ideas about taking children outside to a more thoughtful and inclusive communication approach.
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How Can Outdoor Learning Support Speech and Language?
Outdoor learning can provide children with real experiences to talk about, respond to and share with others.
Inside a classroom, children are sometimes asked to discuss pictures, imagined situations or abstract topics.
Outside, the experience is happening in front of them.
They can see the water moving, hear the gate closing, feel the wind, notice a bird, carry an object or work alongside another child.
This can make communication more immediate and meaningful.
The outdoors can also reduce the pressure of formal speaking tasks.
Some children may communicate more comfortably while walking with an adult, working beside a peer or participating in a practical activity rather than sitting in a group and being asked direct questions.
Outdoor learning does not automatically improve communication.
The environment can also be noisy, unpredictable or overwhelming.
The role of the adult is to make the experience accessible, calm and purposeful.
The strongest outdoor communication experiences are not the busiest or most elaborate. They are the ones that give children time, motivation and a genuine reason to connect.
Teachers who are new to outdoor approaches may also find our Beginner’s Guide to Outdoor Learning, SEND Outdoor Learning Hub and Outdoor Learning Complete Guide helpful.
We have an amazing podcast offering lots of advice from specialist teachers and consultants. Explore Loraine Peterson and her advice on how to make your classroom more inclusive for SEND learners.
Teacher Podcast: Practical Ideas to Support SEND Children in the Classroom
Who Are Non-Speaking Learners?
A non-speaking learner is a child or young person who does not use spoken language as their main way of communicating.
Some children may use no spoken words. Others may use a small number of words, repeat language, communicate inconsistently or speak only in particular situations.
Non-speaking does not mean non-communicating.
A child may communicate through eye gaze, movement, gesture, facial expression, body language, signs, symbols, photographs, objects, communication boards or electronic devices.
Adults must avoid assuming that a lack of speech means a lack of understanding.
Children may understand far more than they can express verbally.
An inclusive outdoor learning approach gives children different ways to participate, make choices, show preferences, respond to others and demonstrate understanding.
The purpose is not to force speech.
The purpose is to create communication opportunities in which every child has a meaningful way to take part.
Why Can Outdoor Learning Be Helpful for Communication?
Communication develops through relationships, shared attention and meaningful experiences.
The outdoors naturally provides situations where adults and children can notice something together.
A puddle changes when a stone is dropped into it. A leaf moves in the wind. A container becomes full. A tower falls. A den needs another piece of material.
These moments create natural reasons to look, point, gesture, request, reject, comment, predict and respond.
Movement can also help some children remain regulated and engaged.
A child who finds sitting in a formal group difficult may communicate more successfully while carrying, sorting, building or exploring.
Outdoor spaces can provide more room for children who need physical distance or prefer side-by-side interaction.
However, some children may find the outdoors difficult because of sound, weather, transitions or sensory unpredictability.
The course helps practitioners consider both the opportunities and possible barriers.
Communication Is More Than Speech
Speech is only one part of communication.
Children communicate to request, reject, choose, protest, greet, share attention, ask for help, show enjoyment, express discomfort and connect with other people.
A child may communicate clearly without using words.
Adults need to notice and respond to these attempts.
If a child looks towards an object, reaches, moves away, pushes something aside or changes their expression, they may be communicating.
When adults respond consistently, children learn that their communication has meaning and impact.
Outdoor learning can create many of these natural exchanges.
A child might lead an adult towards the water area, hand over a container or look towards a desired resource.
The adult can acknowledge this communication and model an appropriate word, sign, symbol or phrase without requiring the child to copy it.
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How Can Adults Support Communication Outdoors?
The quality of adult interaction matters more than the number of activities provided.
Adults should slow down, observe and give children time to respond.
It can be tempting to fill every silence with questions, instructions and praise.
Some children need longer to process language and organise a response.
Adults can support communication by using short phrases, clear vocabulary, gesture, visual prompts and consistent language.
Commenting is often more helpful than repeatedly testing children with questions.
Instead of asking, “What colour is the bucket?” the adult might say, “Blue bucket,” while pointing or holding the object.
Instead of asking, “What are you making?” the adult could say, “You are building a tall tower.”
This models useful language without placing the child under pressure.
Adults can also imitate a child’s action, follow their interest and pause to see whether the child responds.
Outdoor Learning and Augmentative Communication
Children should have access to their usual communication systems outdoors.
A communication board, symbol book or device should not remain inside simply because the lesson has moved outside.
Practitioners should think carefully about how communication tools can be protected, carried and accessed.
A child needs to be able to communicate more than activity-related vocabulary.
They may need words or symbols for help, stop, finished, toilet, uncomfortable, cold, wet, loud, break or more.
A small outdoor communication board might support common actions, places, feelings and choices.
However, a generic board should not replace the child’s established communication system.
Schools should work with families and relevant professionals to ensure consistency.
Explore our SEND Communication Resources, Outdoor Visual Support Pack and Inclusive Outdoor Learning Training for further support.
Can Outdoor Learning Help Children with Speech Delay?
Outdoor learning can give children repeated opportunities to hear and use language in context.
Adults can introduce words connected to real actions, objects and experiences.
Words such as pour, full, empty, heavy, wet, fast, under and behind are easier to understand when children can see and experience them.
Songs, rhymes, repetitive games and shared routines can also support attention and language.
Children should not be expected to repeat every word.
The adult can model language naturally and celebrate all forms of communication.
Where a child has an identified speech or language need, outdoor learning should complement the advice and targets provided by the relevant professionals.
It should not replace speech and language therapy.
Supporting Attention and Shared Interaction
Before children can take part in longer conversations, they often need opportunities to develop shared attention.
Shared attention happens when two people notice or engage with the same thing.
Outdoor experiences can support this naturally.
An adult and child might watch bubbles, follow a rolling ball, look at an insect or listen to a sound.
The adult does not need to turn every moment into a formal teaching task.
A shared smile, glance, gesture or pause can be an important interaction.
Practitioners can follow the child’s focus and gently add language or meaning.
The course explores how to recognise these moments and use them to support communication without interrupting the child’s engagement.
Supporting Understanding Outdoors
Children may find long verbal instructions difficult, particularly in a busy outdoor environment.
Instructions should be short, clear and supported visually where appropriate.
Adults can demonstrate the action, point to the location or show the resource.
Rather than giving a long sequence of instructions, break the task into manageable steps.
Consistent routines can also help children understand what is happening.
A visual sequence might show that the group will put on coats, go outside, complete an activity and return indoors.
Objects of reference may help some children understand transitions.
For example, showing a particular outdoor item before the session can help signal what will happen next.
Two Outdoor Communication Ideas to Try
Choice and Request Station
Place two motivating outdoor resources where the child can see them clearly.
This could be bubbles and chalk, water and sand or two different construction materials.
Give the child time to look, reach, gesture, point, sign or use their communication system.
Respond to any clear attempt to choose.
Model the relevant word, sign or symbol and then provide the chosen resource.
The purpose is not to test whether the child can say the word.
The purpose is to show that their communication is noticed and effective.
Shared Outdoor Sound Walk
Take a small group into a familiar outdoor area and pause in two or three places.
Listen for a sound together.
This might be a bird, wind, footsteps, traffic or a gate.
Use gestures, symbols or simple words such as loud, quiet, stop, go, hear or again.
Allow children to respond in their own way.
Keep the session short and repeat it regularly so the language and routine become familiar.
For more practical support, explore our Speech and Language Outdoor Activity Pack, Non-Speaking Learner Communication Resources and Outdoor SEND Interventions.
How Can Outdoor Learning Support Autistic Learners?
Some autistic children may benefit from the space, movement and practical experiences available outdoors.
Others may find the environment overwhelming because of noise, weather, unfamiliar movement or unpredictable sensory input.
Practitioners should avoid assuming that being outside is automatically calming.
The child’s individual profile should guide planning.
Predictable routines, visual support, familiar spaces and clear boundaries can help.
Children may also need access to a quieter area or a way to leave the activity without being seen as non-compliant.
Communication should be respected in all forms.
A child turning away, covering their ears or moving towards the exit may be communicating discomfort.
Adults should respond to the message rather than focusing only on the behaviour.
How Can Outdoor Learning Support Children with Selective Mutism?
Children with selective mutism may be able to speak in some situations but find speech extremely difficult in others.
They should not be pressured to speak during an outdoor activity.
Outdoor learning can provide low-pressure opportunities for participation through movement, gesture, pointing, drawing, choosing or working alongside a trusted adult.
Adults should avoid putting the child on the spot or drawing attention to whether they have spoken.
The focus should be on safety, trust and participation.
Any school approach should follow the child’s individual plan and specialist guidance.
How Can Outdoor Learning Support EAL Learners?
Children who are learning English as an additional language can benefit from seeing words connected to real actions and objects.
Gesture, demonstration, repetition and shared experiences can make language easier to understand.
Outdoor activities can provide opportunities to use everyday vocabulary connected to movement, position, weather, texture, size and action.
Adults should continue to value the child’s home language.
Children should not be discouraged from using the language in which they can communicate most confidently.
Visual support and peer modelling can also help children participate while their English develops.
Is This Course Suitable for Special Schools?
Yes.
The course is suitable for staff working in special schools, mainstream schools, alternative provision, nurseries and specialist settings.
The principles can be adapted for children with a wide range of communication and interaction needs.
Practitioners should always apply the training alongside individual communication plans, risk assessments and professional recommendations.
The course does not promote one method for every learner.
Instead, it helps adults observe communication more carefully and create outdoor experiences that are flexible, respectful and accessible.
How Can Schools Develop a Consistent Approach?
Children benefit when adults respond to communication in consistent ways.
Teachers, teaching assistants, lunchtime staff and family members should understand how the child communicates and what support they use.
A child should not be expected to use one system in the classroom and a completely different approach outside.
Schools can create simple guidance for staff explaining key signs, symbols, communication tools, processing time and sensory needs.
Outdoor resources should also be organised so children can access communication support wherever learning takes place.
A whole-school approach reduces the risk of communication being seen as the responsibility of one specialist adult.
Senior leaders and SENDCos can explore our Whole-School SEND Training, Outdoor Learning INSET Days and Ultimate Training Membership.
What Will You Learn on the Course?
The Outdoor Learning Specialism course helps practitioners understand how outdoor environments can support communication without placing unnecessary pressure on children.
You will explore speech, language, interaction, non-speaking communication, visual support, adult modelling, processing time and sensory considerations.
You will consider how to adapt activities so children can make choices, express preferences and participate meaningfully.
The course also encourages you to reflect on adult language.
You will examine whether your questions, instructions and expectations are supporting communication or creating additional barriers.
The aim is for you to leave with practical strategies that can be used in everyday outdoor learning.
Start the Outdoor Learning Speech and Language Specialism
Sign up for a free outdoor learning magazine.
Start the Speech and Language Outdoor Learning Specialism
This course is ideal for practitioners who want to make outdoor learning more inclusive for children who communicate in different ways.
It will help you recognise communication beyond speech, create more meaningful interaction and adapt outdoor experiences around individual needs.
You can work through the course flexibly and apply the learning directly to your own children and setting.
Continue Your SEND Outdoor Learning Development
The Muddy Puddle Teacher® provides specialist online training and practical resources for teachers, SENDCos, teaching assistants and Early Years practitioners.
Ultimate members can access the full online training library, including specialist courses covering SEND, autism, regulation, communication, nurture and inclusive curriculum teaching.
You can also access ready-to-use outdoor learning and SEND resources through our membership library.
For free ideas, teacher guidance, podcasts and new resources, join our weekly publication.
Start the Outdoor Learning Speech and Language Specialism
Sign up for a free outdoor learning magazine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this course only for speech and language specialists?
No. The course is designed for teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCos, Early Years practitioners, special-school staff and other professionals who support children outdoors.
What is a non-speaking learner?
A non-speaking learner is someone who does not use spoken language as their main way of communicating. They may use gesture, signs, symbols, communication boards, devices, eye gaze or body language.
Will outdoor learning make a child speak?
Outdoor learning should not be used to pressure a child into speaking. It can create meaningful opportunities for communication, interaction and shared attention in whatever form is accessible to the child.
Can communication boards be used outdoors?
Yes. Children should continue to have access to their usual communication systems outdoors. Schools should consider how boards or devices can be protected, carried and used safely.
Is the course suitable for autistic learners?
Yes. The course considers communication, sensory needs, predictability and individual participation. Practitioners should always adapt the approach to each child.
Does this replace speech and language therapy?
No. Outdoor learning can support communication development, but it does not replace assessment or intervention from a qualified speech and language therapist.
Author
Written by Sarah Seaman PGCE MA
Founder of The Muddy Puddle Teacher®
Teacher for over 19 years
Bloomsbury author
Trainer of thousands of teachers across the UK
