Speech or Language Impairment

Legal Definition:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines a speech or language impairment as a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, oral motor disorders, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Own Definition:

I believe that a speech or language impairment is a disorder that affects a child’s ability to convey ideas or thought to adults and/or peers. As a result the students have a difficult time performing at or above the same grade level as their peers.

Prevalence:

In 2006 approximately 1.4 million students were serviced in special education programs under the speech or language impairment category. Eight to nice percent of children in the United States have some form of speech impairment. These impairments can affect the student’s ability to be understood. Language impairments affect between six and eight million people in the United States today. Recent studies have shown a higher prevalence of speech and language impairments in boys than in girls.

Etiology:

More often then not the causes of speech and language disorders is unknown. Some children are delayed in speech and language for what appears to be no reason. There are however several known causes of this disorder which include hearing loss, chronic ear infections, auditory processing disorder, delayed development due to premature birth, cleft palate, autism, mental retardation, brain injury and drug abuse.

Characteristics and Identification

Major Characteristics:

Characteristics of a speech disorder may include:
Problems with the pitch, volume, or voice quality
Stuttering (dysfluency)
Difficulty forming sounds (articulation)

Characteristics of a language disorder may include:
A misuse of words and what they mean
Unable to express ideas
Small vocabulary
Difficulty following directions
Grammatical patterns are inapt

How the Disability is Identified:

The first step in the identification process is to have a medical evaluation done in order to determine whether or not the student has any hearing loss that can contribute to the speech or language impairment. After a child’s pediatrician has evaluated them a referral may be made to a speech/language pathologist. This referral may also be made at the schools request so long as the parent has given their consent. The clinician will use formal testing to evaluate the student’s abilities. These evaluations include how a child communicates verbally and non-verbally as well as how words are expressed and understood. After the clinician has analyzed the evaluation they will make their recommendations. It is then up to the IEP team to create an effective plan for that student with appropriate intervention strategies and therapies.


Tips, Strategies, or Instructional Techniques:

1. Teachers should avoid correcting speech difficulties and should be patient as the child speaks. There are two reasons for this. First, rushing a child with a speech or language impairment is only going to increase their frustration level. Second, correcting these students can damage their self-esteem. Instead we should be sure that as teachers we continue to model proper speech patterns.

2. Using gestures and visual cues can be especially helpful for students with speech or language impairments. Visuals and gestures are much less complex then auditory cues. Since receptive language can be difficult for these students they may have difficulty with directions or material that is presented orally. Gestures (smiles, nods, pointing) can help support a students understanding and reinforce the material being presented to them. Visual cues such as pictures or charts can also help reinforce the material that is being presented. Visual cues should be placed on the child’s desk as well as around the classroom so that a child knows what is expected of them. Labeling materials in the classroom with both words and pictures is also important. A print rich environment is key for students with speech and language impairments.

3. Students with speech and language impairments will most likely work with the school’s speech therapist. Collaboration between the speech therapist and the teacher can be extremely helpful. The speech therapist may be able to provide the teacher with a better incite on the child’s particular speech and language disorder as well as some strategies that can be helpful when working with the child.

4. Give students a copy of notes that are being taken in class. Students with speech or language difficulties have a hard time copying things off the board because they must translate words to paper, which is done through language. You may also want to pair the student with a partner who can take notes for them to be photocopied at a later time. Be sure that when giving notes you make direct eye contact with the student throughout and question the student after the material/ notes have been presented to be sure that they understood. Going over the notes with the child individually can also be very helpful.

5. Students with speech and language disorders may be reluctant to join in verbal activities and it may affect their social-emotional development. In order to be sure that this does not happen it is important that teachers create a classroom environment that promotes language learning. To create this type of environment students need to be provided with several opportunities to hear and to speak. Encourage students to speak by telling the student you won’t call on him/her until they volunteer, but that you expect at least one per day. Teachers should also offers students academic activities that ask them to work, interact and communicate with other students in the classroom. Another great way to facilitate social interaction it to seat students in groups of desks or tables rather then rows.