NDP3 (Nuffield Centre Dyspraxia Programme, 3rd Edition) is a published assessment and therapy resource designed to enable speech and language therapists to manage severe speech disorders and particularly developmental verbal dyspraxia (DVD).

The NDP was originally published in 1985, modified in 1992 and has now been considerably updated, expanded and enhanced. This third edition, NDP3, is revised and updated in each print run, 2005, 2006 and 2007. It remains the only published resource of its type in the UK and is used by therapists throughout the world.

In summary, NDP3:

• Is suitable for any child with a speech disorder.
  
  
• Is a complete resource, spanning pre-speech to connected speech levels.
  
  
• Provides for parental/school involvement in therapy.
  
  
• Is most suitable for the 3-7 year age range but can be adapted for younger and older children.
  
  
• Affords great therapeutic flexibility.
  
  
• Provides detailed guidance on planning and management.
  
  
• Is 'clinician-friendly.'
  
  
• Ensures that therapy remains fresh, engaging and stimulating.

NDP3 can be used with any child with a speech disorder, but the therapy approach is most suitable for children who have significant difficulties in producing single consonant and vowel sounds and whose connected speech is characterised by typical “dyspraxic” features such as sequencing difficulties, inconsistency, speech sound omissions and substitutions and supra-segmental difficulties.

A complete resource
NDP3 provides a complete resource involving an explanatory manual, an assessment procedure and a therapy programme starting from pre-speech oro-motor skills and working up systematically to connected speech level.

NDP3 is designed to be used under the direction of a speech and language therapist, who has the clinical skills to plan and implement therapy based on an individual child's speech profile. However, parents and school support staff have a crucial role to play in carrying out practice exercises away from the therapy sessions.

Presentation
The therapy approach is presented through pictures. Single consonants and vowels are represented by picture symbols and words of different phonotactic structures, phrases and sentences are depicted by simple attractive line drawings.

Flexibility
The NDP3 Manual provides therapy advice and guidance, but it is not prescriptive. A speech and language therapist has the flexibility to plan an individual therapy programme for a specific child using the materials.

The NDP3 Manual provides very detailed information on treatment planning and management. Speech and language therapists can consult the manual for guidance on where to start and how to progress in small achievable steps and what strategies to adopt to deal with problems.

Clinician-friendly
NDP3 aims to be “clinician friendly” by providing therapy cards to use in therapy sessions and over 500 photocopiable worksheets, to use in both therapy sessions and for homework practice.

Suitable age range
The NDP approach is most suitable for children aged 3-7 years, but it can be adapted for younger or older children.

Continual stimulation
The therapy approach is based on frequent, repetitive practice to learn and establish new skills. The NDP3 Manual provides hundreds of ideas for activities, tasks and games to ensure that therapy does not become boring.

For more information, please click on the links on the left side of this page.