CHILDREN and young people aged from four to 18 from schools in the Tavistock Area Learning Community took part in No Pens Day Wednesday yesterday.

The initiative was part of a national speaking and listening event organised by The Communication Trust as part of the Hello campaign, which is aimed at increasing understanding of how important it is for children and young people to develop good communication skills.

For No Pens Day Wednesday, all the Tavistock area schools organised a day for their pupils to put down their pens and use their language skills, in lessons which were focused on speaking and listening, rather than writing. Claire Wesson, chair of Tavistock Area Learning Community, said the schools were 'delighted' to be taking part in No Pens Day Wednesday

Mrs Wesson said: 'Reading and writing are very important skills but people are often not aware of the vital importance of speaking and listening skills. They underpin everything.'

Jean Gross, the Government's Communication Champion, who is backing No Pens Day Wednesday, said: '2011 is a special year as it is the National Year of Communication known as the Hello campaign.

'The ability to communicate is fundamental and we would like to thank Tavistock Area Learning Community for taking part in No Pens Day Wednesday. It is important that we recognise speaking, listening and understanding as bedrock skills for success at school.

'In the UK today, over 1 million children and young people struggle with some sort of speech, language and communication need.'

Tavistock Area Learning Community is using this event to launch a new initiative called Stepping Stones. The project will enable school staff to work to improve the local provision for pupils with special educational needs who are being educated in mainstream schools.

Over the next year staff from the schools in the area will be taking part in extra training, specially targeted to improve their skills for helping pupils with additional needs and enabling them to work more effectively alongside their peers.

The initial focus this autumn will be on language, learning and communication, a difficulty suffered by a substantial number of young people in this area.

For the next phases, in 2012 staff from local schools will take part in training to help them identify and help children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

The Stepping Stones initiative is being supported by funds of around £20,000 from Devon County Council.

A spokesman for the county council said: 'There are no dedicated special needs schools in West Devon and these children have to travel to special needs schools in Plymouth and elsewhere.

'Now the schools are getting together and pooling their budgets, enabling them to pull specialists into the area, to provide for special needs pupils in the area, rather than them having to travel.'