Speech, Language and Hearing Disorders: A Guide for the Teacher . (3rd ed., 2001). By Barbara J. Hall, Herbert J. Oyer, & William H. Haas. Allyn & Bacon Publishers, 75 Arlington St., Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116. 202 pages, $44. Reviewed by Debra Reichert Hoge, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.

This text is a general survey book for educators working in pre-kindergarten, early childhood, early childhood special education, special education, and elementary and secondary levels. It is also most appropriate for education preservice students in preparation programs at the bachelor’s and master’s levels. For this targeted audience, the book is very thorough.

Following an introductory chapter on the speech-language and hearing disorders found in the schools, there are seven chapters devoted specifically to communication disorders in speech and language. Included are articulation and phonology, language, stuttering, voice, hearing loss, and low-incidence populations. The final chapter is devoted to teachers and their responsibilities regarding communication.

Each of the chapters in the book includes summary points as well as an objective self-test. Cases are included in most chapters so that instructors utilizing case method of instruction can make use of these, and the cases make interesting reading for all students. A few chapters include a section entitled "Dos and Don’ts" for teachers, with bulleted items of particular interest for teachers. These were very bluntly stated and seemed to be right on target.

The context of the above chapters seems to be at an introductory to intermediate level. Supplementary materials and video choices by the instructor could serve to illustrate many of the communication disorders discussed. Unlike many books on communication disorders, this text does not review either typical language development or basic anatomical processes. An instructor would need to add these sections if desired.

Two appendices are also included. One provides the answers to the self-tests from each chapter, and another contains annotated bibliographic information on children’s literature books that may be useful to teachers. This was a thorough listing, including suggested reading levels for each book.

As a general survey book, I feel this book meets the needs of preservice and inservice audiences. I plan to use it as a text (with supplements) as a new graduate offering for a summer school workshop for teachers entitled "Communication Disorders for the Classroom Teacher." There appears to be a need for this type of course for teachers who are out there in the field and have only been prepared with an undergraduate language development/disorders class. This text does an excellent job of covering the information it claims to provide for teachers and students.