An Open Letter to the RCSLT*

*Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Dear RCSLT

We are writing to you as a collective of Neurodivergent SLTs and ND-affirming allies to express our deep concerns about the misrepresentation of Natural Language Acquisition (NLA), which we have all found incredibly useful in our toolkit of supports for autistic children, young people and adults, in the recent webinar presented by Bronwyn Hemsley. Unlike the authors of Hemsley et al’s 2024 ‘systematic review’, we all have direct experience of using the supports within this approach. We have observed the impact on our clients, in fostering sense of safety, developing genuine connection and increasing access to spontaneous and independent communication, including spoken language and AAC language.

The reason that NLA has gained so much traction in recent years is that it has had such an astonishing impact on the client group that we work with. We have witnessed first-hand individuals for whom there had been limited progress, sometimes for years, and in many cases disengagement from the therapeutic input, that when we have adopted these principles, we have seen a sudden increase in engagement, multimodal communication, and spontaneous language. With ongoing support, we are tracking an increase in variety in language use in terms of language functions, grammatical constructions and vocabulary. We (and parents and teaching staff) are noting increase in regulation and confidence in communication following the introduction of these supports.

As SLTs we all seek to do the best for the clients we serve. As a group of clinicians we saw that the therapy we were offering in the past was not meeting the needs of many individuals. In fact, the studies described in the webinar show how ineffective much of the therapy was. We noticed things such as echolalia, learned phrases, jargon, empty language and described them dismissively in reports rather than seeing them as a child’s preferred learning. We learned about the GLP language learning style with relief that the description of how the children learned matched our knowledge of years of experience. To be given a therapy framework that works was incredible for us and the clients that needed it. Not having a scientific evidence base does not make the NLA ineffective, what it means is the evidence needs to be gathered. Instead of having a black and white argument of writing the NLA framework off, we should be embracing this new learning and asking the academic institutions to begin studying it properly.

RCSLT are here to represent all speech and language therapists, and we feel that we have been ignored when we have tried to raise our concerns. In response to our letter of 9 September 2025, we received a very generic and superficial response from Tom Griffin. We replied with a second plea for a webinar to offer balance and challenge to the Hemsley webinar. This has been ignored. Ali Battye followed up with an email to Irma Donaldson on 2 October and she told her that she would provide a response by 17 October. Ali sent a prompt on 22 October but has not received a reply.

The information about ‘evidence’ for NLA has been presented without challenge and this is unacceptable.

There are factual inaccuracies in the information which need to be addressed. This misinformation is leading to policy decisions in services, which will impact on children, young people and adult’s access to appropriate SLT support for years to come.

Our concerns about the work of Hemsly et al (and the content of the webinar) are:

The authors show clear bias against NLA and authors/advocates of the approach. They appear not to have engaged in genuine learning about the approach. It is difficult to offer a valid critique to an approach if you do not understand what the approach entails.
The authors have sought to discredit our work on social media. We welcome advice and support from RCSLT, since we are members and pay our membership fees, and are a significant group within RCSLT.
The authors have caused huge offense to the ND community, those who identify as GLP and parents of GLP children for whom the NLA approach has been transformational. They continue to dismiss lived experience, which we believe is harmful to our professional reputation.
The authors have many fundamental misconceptions about NLA which they are continuing to propagate. For example that single words and two-word utterances are withheld in stages 1 and 2, that we only use telegraphic speech at stage 3 and that verb phrases are withheld until stage 4. This is nonsense. This misinformation, disseminated now by RCSLT, needs correcting.
The authors in their systematic review have conflated two different things: Gestalt Language Processing and Natural Language Acquisition. This is very poor research.
The authors in their systematic review have set the inclusion criteria to be so restrictive that it has excluded valid evidence from SLTs, parents, teachers and GLPs themselves. There is now a wealth of this evidence available, but the authors are refusing to see it. Please see the piece by Jaime Hoerricks: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/when-evidence-requires-harm-glp-beyond?r=6aa4yz&utm_medium=ios andhttps://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/when-no-evidence-means-we-refused?r=6aa4yz&utm_medium=ios
The authors appear biased against any learning through social media and SLTs who engage in this sort of learning. This format has been a huge source of initial learning for many of us. We feel academia should not be precious about where learning comes from.
These studies in our opinion are a misuse of precious funding for autism research. Autistic people have informed us repeatedly that research should be collaborative with autistic people at every stage of the process, including setting the research topic and scope, gathering information and interpretation of the information. Please see this website for more information about participatory research: Community-Led Autism Research, Engagement, and Service (CARES)

We are writing to you because we care deeply about our profession, our professional standards, our ethics, and our evidence. We believe that the actions of the RCSLT have been deeply misguided, have excluded the input of ND SLTs and and ND allies, and that this needs serious review.

Abi Beecham, SLT
Ali Battye, ND SLT, RC0016503
Alice Hill, SLT, RC0022795
Alice Spencer, SLT, RC0037394
Alison Hay, SLT, RC0016580
Alix Connor, SLT
Amy Knight, SLT, RC0044832
Amy Scragg, SLT
Amy Stephens, ND SLT, RC0017960
Amy Williams, SLT, RC0023298
Anna Sellers, SLT
Annabel Gatherer, SLT
Aoife Tierney, SLT
Bryony Rust, SLT, RC0023130
Catherine Winters, SLT, RC0020435
Cathy Shilling, ND SLT, RC0010333
Cécile Dufourq, SLT
Charlotte Wigg, SLT, RC0024634
Chelsie Davis, SLT
Claire Chapman, SLT, RC0019951
Danielle Evans, SLT
Darcy Caldicott, SLT
Darcy Moseley, SLT RC0040098
Darrina Hunter, SLT
Dr Lisa Butterworth-Salmon, SLT, RC0019712
Eleanor Coleman, SLT, RC0033019
Elise Tallach, SLT
Elizabeth Hill, SLT, RC007679
Elizabeth Kunka, SLT, RC0029430
Elizabeth Wells, SLT, RC0037178
Ellen Martin, SLT, RC0040089
Ellie Brown, SLT
Ellie Hulme, SLT, RC0038991
Emily Brearly, SLT, RC0033397
Emma Ahern, SLT
Emma Butterworth, SLT
Emma Harrison, SLT
Emma Jouzaa, SLT, RC0031226
Fay Jameson, SLT, RC0020701
Francesca Beard, SLT, RC0040090
Gemma Johnson, SLT
Geraldine Lynagh, SLT
Heather Rushton, SLT
Helen Pearson, SLT
Jennifer Warwick, SLT
Jess Wates, SLT, RC0034496
Jessica Hunter, SLT
Jessica Leach, SLT, RC0043993
Jessica McGrath, SLT
Jessica Peacock, SLT, RC0040387
Jodee Simpson, SLT, RC0033993
Jo Gilmore, SLT, RC0022961
Judith Flower, SLT, RC0024111
Julie Cota, ND SLT, RC0024655
Julie Holmes, SLT
Karen King, SLT, RC0034937
Kate Boot, ND SLT, RC0035993
Kate Cummins, SLT, RC0018447
Kathryn Drave, SLT, RC0024099
Kathryn Thompson, SLT, RC0034770
Katie Price, SLT
Katy Willis, SLT
Kaye Smith, SLTA
Kelly Cheung, SLT
Keri Forbes, SLT
Laura Warren, SLT, RC0022542
Laura Willig, ND SLT, RC0020727
Lauren Green, SLT, RC0030690
Leanne Tierney, SLT
Lenia Tavares, SLT, RC0040473
Lisa Chapman, SLT, RC0017748
Lisa Crowley, SLT, RC0019782
Liz Potter, SLT, RC0029540
Lois Beecham, SLT, RC0041106
Lottie Pearce-Slade, SLT
Lynsdey Gibson, SLT, RC0037932
Lynsey Atkinson (Micklewright) RC0024306
Lynsey Barnard, SLT
Mairead Skinner, SLT and Managing Director
Marissa Pagot-Webb, SLT, RC0030436
Mary Daniels, SLT
May Lam, SLT
Megan Lewis, SLT
Melody Dallligan, SLT, RC0030522
Mhairi Mason, SLT
Michelle McCauley, SLT
Michelle Ryan, SLT
Milan Simic, ND SLT
Mo Stewart, SLT, RC0024685
Naomi Ash, SLT, RC0022415
Naomi Grace Brown, SLT, RC0029644
Natasha Hill, SLT
Niamh McCrystal, ND SLT, RC0034939
Niamh Moore, SLT
Nicola Ryan, SLT, RC0020431
Nicole Gilbert, SLT, RC0035924
Pam Thomas, SLT, RC0018637
Rachel Barton, SLT, RC0011747
Rachel Denney RC0019556, SLT and parent of a GLP young person
Rachel Gradon, SLT, RC0030882
Rebecca Edwards, ND SLT, RC0022670
Rebecca Levings, SLT
Rebecca Switonski, SLT, RC0037674
Rebecca Turner, SLT, RC0035667
Roberta Mackey, SLT
Ruth Coenen, SLT, RC0029923
Ruth Crampton, SLT and podcaster
Ruth James, SLT, RC0008408
Ruth Jones, SLT
Ruth Smith, SLT
Saerrlaith Murphy, SLT
Sally Rigden, SLT, RC0030242
Samantha Amos, SLT, RC0011125
Sara John, SLT
Sara Winfield, SLT, RC0018626
Sarah Dunne, SLT
Sarah Hooper, SLT, RC0020738
Sarah Noon, SLT, RC0026036
Sarah Reilly, SLT
Sharon Bishop, SLT, RC0036733
Sinead Kerley-Dunne, SLT
Sophia Spall, SLT student
Sophie Randall, SLT student
Stacey Shah, SLT
Suzanne Holland, SLT, RC0023971
Tara McDermott, SLT
Victoria Eastwood, SLT, RC0044610
Victoria Greening, SLT
Victoria Rouse, SLT, RC0020550
Yiota Reece, SLT
Zandra Mok, SLT, RC0043871
Sorcha Rice, OT
Jaime Hoerricks, Autistic GLP, author and educator
Dipaley Patel, SLT Associate, ND educator and advocate
Abiola Odusanya, parent
Alan John Smart, grandparent
Amy Bush, parent
Arsha Etebar, parent
Céline Hargreaves, parent
Charlotte Beavitt, parent
David Bush, parent
David Wellard, grandaparent
Demelza Ellen Louise Hodgskin, parent
Djandark Wali, parent
Dominik Jankowski, parent
Ebony Odusanya, parent
Edward James Hodgskin, parent
Gemma Louise Smart, parent
Gráinne Carney, parent
Hayley Lane, parent
Hollie McSweeney, parent
Ioana-Cristiana Chitiuta, parent
Jack Hargreaves, parent
John Cresswell, parent
Justyna Dziedzic, parent
Kathryn Helen Smart, grandparent
Laura Burton, parent
Laura Katy Brown, parent
Lauren Etebar, parent
Lauren Jones, parent
Lindsay Wellard, grandparent
Lottie Crocker, SLTA and SLT Student, RC0048631
Louise Brass, parent
Louise Elliman, parent
Mark Baker, parent
Martin Lane, parent
Neil Comber, parent
Nichola Dixon, parent
Priya Devi Suresh
Sarah Kirnon, parent
Sherie Chivers, parent
Tamsin Phillips, parent
Vicky Beasley, parent
Jess Garner, Autistic ND Mentor
Cara Morrissey-Gleeson, teacher
Claire Turner, SEND Provision Teacher
Fleur Piacentini, Specialist ND and Trauma Consultant, GLP and parent of a GLP
Helen Edgar, SEND teacher, autism consultant and advocate
Jamie Evans, Specialist teacher
Jane O’Neill, teacher
Jordan Garratt, SEN teacher
Karen Shortt, autistic teacher
Katie York, EY teacher
Linda Byers, parent and EY teacher
Sarah Partridge, teacher

Comments from people who emailed us about this:

‘Spot on, couldn’t agree more. I signed up for that webinar out of interest and curiosity and excitement – and because I’m new back in to all this and didn’t know there was an agenda – and I couldn’t quite believe what I was sitting there listening to. Please add my name.’

‘This is unacceptable. They couldn’t twist the narrative and invalidate many lived experiences of NLA supporting language development like this.’

‘This is appalling’.

‘I couldn’t agree with you more. I’m a SALT who’s been working with autistic children and young people for more than 20 years. I get very angry about the disrespect for autistic learning and communication styles that this mistrust of NLA by some colleagues implies, and am so glad your Instagram post alerted me to the open letter.’

‘Can I also share some more information regarding the impact of this we are seeing in Wales:

Local NHS services being told to avoid describing children as 'GLP' and only allowed to describe 'echolalia' but not allowed to follow the NLA protocol.

Private SLTs being asked to remove 'GLP' from reports.

IDPs in Wales (similar to England's EHCPs) can only accept NHS therapists' input in section 2C but could include private slt in section 2B if we are being commissioned by the Local Authority. Unfortunately, section 2C holds more weight. I have a current situation where NHS SLT has criticised and communicated disapproval to parents about me suggesting their child is a GLP. This particular child is likely at stage 2 NLA but NHS SLT is advising all analytical language strategies and working on grammatical areas such as teaching negation along with colourful semantics etc which I don't feel he is ready for. Really tricky for parents having very conflicting advice and also for school when writing the IDP outcomes; they can't possibly follow both SLTs’ advice as very different.

'I have seen a huge decline in trust following the RCSLT webinar and it feels like 'GLP' is now a swear word! I continue to present about GLP and the NLA protocol in my circle of support training sessions but I do worry about the response from NHS colleagues. Working relationships are being impacted where joint/ collaborative working is so important.

'I am working on case studies to show the positive impact of identifying GLP and the response to therapy with positive outcomes. If any of these would be helpful please let me know. Parental feedback and reports have also been hugely positive.’

‘Thank you so much for writing this letter to RCSLT. It's upsetting that we even need to consider doing this!!’

‘Nothing about us without us’. Have the RCSLT heard of this?’

‘Put my name down! I have read the review. Systematic reviews are supposed to be the highest level of research and this one is nothing of the sort.’ (parent)

‘Our experience with GLP SLT has been nothing short of miraculous. Keep fighting!’ (parent)

‘It is shocking that there is such arrogant denial from a professional body of a developmental process that resonates with so many people’s lived experience. Child led play and natural language modelling should not be seen as controversial! NLA has also been wrongly described by critics as an ‘intervention’. It is more of a reasonable adjustment - aligning the natural language modelling we would use with any child with the communicative intentions of children who are known to be using language differently. Such accommodations should be at the heart of neurodiversity affirming practice.’

‘NLA had been life changing for my son and our family as a whole.’

‘Using the NLA framework helped us become unstuck (before using the GLP strategies, we were stuck in using single words and language only for labelling and requesting).’

‘I feel as a parent of a GLP (empirical evidence or not, this is how he processes language, we’ve done the work and he’s now stage 5-6 from stage 2 in just over a year!!!) I am perhaps not even signing as a speechie but need to sign to support my son and advocate for him and all those who are and identify as GLP learners but may not have the voice and are instead having a certain type of therapy “pushed” on them based on ALP learners and those who are not living their experience.’

‘Since my then 8-year-old autistic daughter was recognised as a GLP last year, this understanding has made a profound difference in her communication and in our whole family’s life. With the right support, she has grown in confidence and has become a much more spontaneous and joyful communicator.

‘English is my second language, and I have dyslexia and am currently awaiting formal ASD and ADHD assessments. I have also realised that I learn English as a Gestalt Language Processor myself, which has helped me to better understand my daughter’s communication style.

‘The most significant progress my daughter has made has been thanks to the dedicated, privately commissioned speech and language therapist (SALT) who supports her at school. This therapist is trained and experienced in both GLP and AAC and collaborates closely with us. Her specialist understanding and consistent input have made an extraordinary difference.

‘If GLP- and AAC-trained professionals like this therapist were the standard — rather than the exception — it would make a profound positive difference for many autistic learners. Accurate identification and appropriate support for GLP learners must become a consistent standard of practice, not something families have to commission privately to access.’

‘I have implemented GLP principles over the last two years, with some absolutely life-changing and beautiful results for the young people, families and staff I support.’

‘I was also shocked and concerned at the lack of balance it represented from our Royal College.’

‘I approach each client's case with an open mind, as to whether GLP is appropriate, however I don't implement it with full fidelity (NLA 6 stages). I continually consider if other approaches are more suited (both at the outset and as I get to know a client better). I was offended by Hemsley/Bryant's implicit suggestions that SLTs don't have the clinical evaluation and decision-making skills to make these judgements.’

‘I've lost a lot of faith in RCSLT since this, so I'm really hoping this will encourage them to redress the balance as it was not representative of us, our clients and our work.’

‘I share your concerns, and I emailed the RCSLT with very similar concerns, and submitted similar questions to the authors before the webinar.

‘The RCLST took over a month to respond, it was Tom who responded to me but didn't address my concerns specifically. I emailed again and received a further general response without addressing my concerns. The authors of the review who hosted the webinar did not address my questions.

‘I welcome this open letter and I hope we will receive some positive answers.’

‘I work with a team of NHS SLTs who all want to sign this letter but are scared about the possible repercussions. It is terrible that this webinar has created this climate of fear.’

‘We at XXX School are only seeing the benefits of having your wonderful training. The ethos behind it is everything that XXXX School strives to achieve for our children here. We have seen so much more connection with staff and children.’

‘I was particularly offended by the picture of a ‘cult’ in slides on the course beetle seminar I attended where we were advised that followers or GLP were the people sitting on the floor (I saved a picture on my phone), I felt this was offensive, unprofessional and fear inducing.’

‘I cannot express just how much discovering my daughter was a GLP and building strategies around this has transformed our lives and my daughter's communication. Compared to years of applying ALPs strategies with no success and therapy sessions ending with an unregulated child. Social media was a lifeline in the early days because NHS support was minimal, didn’t support GLPs, and I had to do a lot of my own research. We’ve been fortunate to find a local therapist who is amazing. Working with a therapist who respects all forms of communication, champions GLP as a way to develop language, supports sensory needs and play differences and focuses on connection first has been the best thing we have done!’

‘I understand Bronwyn Hemsley has made intensive research around speech, yet discredited NLA. To be in such a position of change and fail to acknowledge a big part of disability speech.

‘Under a different speech therapist, my child was classified as minimal verbal- echolalic and ABA therapy was used to teach speech.

‘Not only that my son has made no progress, he stopped using his scripts as a form of speech and has regressed completely for some time.

‘Luckily via Instagram I discovered GLP and what methods were used to help children speak.

‘By supporting Natural language acquisition my son has became verbal to the point he has "normal" conversations with everyone in his life, has adapted his scripts to life situations and has majorly improve overall. These things I could never teach him with the usual methods.

‘I don't feel like I am in a position to add my name, simply because I work for an NHS trust and I am not sure if this will cause difficulty for me. I do agree 100% with the content of the letter.’ (We had many messages like this from NHS SLTs too scared to add their name. This is the climate that the RCSLT have created).

‘What was disheartening was the fact that his NHS therapies had no knowledge of GLP and even private therapist had little to no training regarding this, only classifying children as echolalic with no purpose behind their speech. My child was lucky that he got the support he needed. Please put down my name on the list and our case, so maybe we will save other children.’

'I think it is extremely concerning that the views of Bronwyn Hemsley have been endorsed by the RCSLT without allowing others to give an alternative view.'

‘One day when I have time I want to sit down and write a list of all the intervention approaches we use as SALTs that have a similar evidence base to the NLA approach to underline just how hypocritical this criticism is. Our profession undoubtedly has a problem with evidence base, but this applies to: Black Sheep Press; colourful semantics, all of the Social Thinking programmes including Zones of Regulation, Communication Boards, and so many more! The lack of evidence is a wider problem than just NLA - so yes, let's call for more evidence, but let's cast our net wider!’