Frequently Asked Questions: Speech and Language
Disorders in the School Setting
What types of speech and language disorders affect school-age
children?
Children may experience one or more of the following
disorders:
-
Speech sound disorders
- (difficulty pronouncing sounds)
-
Language disorders
- (difficulty understanding what they hear as well as
expressing themselves with words)
-
Cognitive-communication disorders
- (difficulty with thinking skills including
perception, memory, awareness, reasoning, judgment, intellect
and imagination)
-
Stuttering (fluency) disorders
- (interruption of the flow of speech that may include
hesitations, repetitions, prolongations of sounds or
words)
-
Voice disorders
- (quality of voice that may include hoarseness, nasality,
volume (too loud or soft)
Do speech-language disorders affect learning?
Speech and language skills are essential to academic success
and learning. Language is the basis of communication. Reading,
writing, gesturing, listening, and speaking are all forms of
language. Learning takes place through the process of
communication. The ability to communicate with peers and adults
in the educational setting is essential for a student to succeed
in school.
How may a speech-language disorder affect school
performance?
Children with communication disorders frequently do not
perform at grade level. They may struggle with reading, have
difficulty understanding and expressing language, misunderstand
social cues, avoid attending school, show poor judgment, and have
difficulty with tests.
Difficulty in learning to listen, speak, read, or write can
result from problems in language development. Problems can occur
in the production, comprehension, and awareness of language
sounds, syllables, words, sentences, and conversation.
Individuals with reading and writing problems also may have
trouble using language to communicate, think, and learn.
How do parents and school personnel work together to insure that
children get the speech-language support they need?
Parents and teachers should refer any student who shows signs
of a speech-language disorder or delay to the school-based child
study team. Screening, assessment, and treatment of communication
problems may involve cooperative efforts with:
- parents,
- speech-language pathologists (SLPs),
- audiologists,
- psychologists,
- social workers,
- classroom teachers,
- special education teachers,
- guidance counselors,
- physicians,
- dentists, and
- nurses.
SLPs work with diagnostic and educational evaluation teams to
provide comprehensive language and speech assessments for
students. Services to students with speech-language disorders may
be provided in individual or small group sessions, in classrooms
when teaming with teachers or in a consultative model with
teachers and parents. SLPs integrate students'
speech-language goals with academic outcomes and functional
performance.
Related Resources
Speech-Language Disorders Packet/Children 0802026
Brochures: How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?, Child Language,
Articulation, The Speech-Language Pathologist, Getting Ready For
Reading And Writing, Literacy and Communication Expectations From
Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade; Let's Talk: Early ID of
Delays and Disorders, Developmental Language, Pragmatics,
Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development; Related
Organizations List; Beyond Baby Talk flyer; Communication and
Literacy Expectations: Grades K-5
Speech-Language and Hearing Milestones: Birth to Age 5
DVD - Covering children from birth to age five, this
one-of-a-kind DVD is full of examples of normal speech, language,
and hearing development and tips on when to seek treatment from
speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
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