When children enter school they have to shift their informal language into formal mode to process large quantities of talk or text and produce a coherent response. Although most children grasp language structure (sounds, words, sentences) to cope with casual talk, there is strong evidence to suggest many have major problems in narrative structure (explanations, instructions, reports), requiring them to put together the meaning of a whole series of events. Narrative discourse ability is seldom assessed or considered in teaching, depriving children of the means to improve their thinking, communication and performance. Impairments in narrative are commonly seen amongst students having emotional and psychiatric dif?culties, preventing them negotiating solutions to both personal and academic problems. A Communication Opportunity Group Scheme has been successful for a wide range of pupils. It develops formal language and thinking, greatly enhancing the performance of able and less able children. Evidence is presented to illustrate its use in schools.
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