Ever school year I have parents ask me why their child does not receive Speech services with the school district. I explain that the district makes this determination when the child is assessed and may determine that the child's language ability is commensurate with their cognitive ability.
An example of this is a four year old child who functions (has a cognitive ability) at a 24 month level; this means that there is a two year delay in development. If the child has language abilities of a 24 month old, then their language abilities are commensurate with their cognitive abilities. When this is the case my school district places the child in a language rich classroom environment to stimulate their language development and increase their vocabulary.
Once the child demonstrates a higher level of language ability, then they can be reassessed for Language, Speech and Hearing services (LSH). This may occur once the teacher and/ or parent decides that the child has a large enough vocabulary for the Speech Therapist to reassess.
I have listed some common speech terms to help parents better understand what the school district is saying when they discuss speech therapy and speech and language disabilities.
I have listed some common speech terms to help parents better understand what the school district is saying when they discuss speech therapy and speech and language disabilities.
Terms related to Speech Therapy
Communication- the most general of the terms, implies a transfer of knowledge, ideas, opinions or feelings.
Speech- the vocal or spoken production of language and as such is the fastest and most efficient means of communicating.
Language-a formalized method of communication consisting of 1.) the signs and symbols by which ideas can be represented, and 2.) the rules governing these signs and symbols.
Echolalia- a condition in which an individual repeats words or phrases previously heard. Delayed echolalia can occur days or weeks after initially hearing the word or phrase.
Vocabulary
Voice- the pitch, pitch patterns, range of pitch, vocal quality, loudness or loudness patterns of speech.
Fluency- refers to speech that moves along easily and without undue interruptions. An example of a fluency disorder is stuttering.
Articulation-the actual movements of the speech organs that occur during the production of various speech sounds.
Pragmatics- the method of using language to communicate effectively in a natural context, focusing on considerations like eye contact between speaker and listener, how close to stand, taking turns and selecting topics of conversation.
These were from Speech, Language and Hearing Disorders, a guide for the teacher, by Barbara J. Hall, Herbert J. Oyer and William H. Haas, Allyn and Bacon: Boston, 2001
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