The state of New York has offered guidelines for speech/language services, which are left to the interpretation of school districts. Because we've embraced children who are communicatively disabled, who need intensive services, there is limited time to serve students in the general education population.
Speech improvement services are the only educational services that can be accessed by the general population of students. It's the one service available to all students. Speech improvement services are for the average, below average, or gifted child who has difficulty with communication.
The district speech-language pathologists are the only school personnel who can treat a lisp, an incorrect /r/, stuttering, and hoarse voices. Simple misarticulations may not have an immediate impact on education, and yet they have a lifelong negative impact on self-confidence. Students who are embarrassed about their speech may be less likely to volunteer in class or become anxious when having to give required oral reports in front of the class.
In the schools, we've moved away from speech correction to a more global language approach. This is a positive change, because language is at the heart of all academics. However, the speech correction population still exists.
Have we given enough service to students in the general education population? Have we devalued spoken communication in this age of technology? Have beepers, e-mail, and computers replaced our most human quality—the voice?
Shelly Gerovac
Tonawanda, NY