4.3: Speech and Language Disorders
- Page ID
- 228266
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Students with Communication Disorders: Speech and Language
Communication is the expression of thoughts, including ideas, feelings, and opinions, between two or more people using language and speech. Communication disorders may be caused by congenital conditions such as Down syndrome or acquired after birth, for example, a traumatic brain injury.
Communication disorders are classified as organic or functional.
- organic communication disorders result from an abnormal structure or neuromuscular malfunction in the speech organs (e.g., cleft palate)
- functional communication disorders have no organic cause but are presumed to result from environmental risk factors.
Language as a concept is a rule-governed system of symbols that people use to communicate. Language may also be expressed using sign languages such as American Sign Language. In addition, language also includes nonverbal cues such as gestures, body posture, proximity, eye contact, and facial expressions. Communication requires using both verbal and nonverbal components of language. A language disorder is characterized by difficulty conveying meaning using speech, writing or even nonverbal gestures.
Speech is the physical ability to articulate language. A speech disorder is characterized by difficulty with speech and sound production, voice, resonance, or fluency (the flow of speech).
Image Source: Freepik
Communication Disorders
A communication disorder is an impairment in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal, or written systems. A communication disorder may show up in a child's hearing, language, and/or speech. Many children will experience a temporary delay in speech and language development. While most will eventually catch up, still other will continue to experience difficulty with communication.
Communication disorders
- may range in severity from mild to profound
- may be developmental or acquired
- may demonstrate only one or have a combination of communication disorders
- may result in a primary disability or it may be secondary to other disabilities
- can adversely affects a child’s educational performance.
Stuttering
Fluency is the natural “flow” or forward movement of speech. Stuttering is the most common type of fluency disorder. Stuttering happens when there are an abnormal number of repetitions, hesitations, prolongations, or blocks in this rhythm or flow of speech. Tension may also be seen in the face, neck, shoulders or fists. The cause is likely linked to underlying neurological differences in speech and language processing. Other names for stuttering are stammering and childhood-onset fluency disorder.
Speech Sound Disorders
A child with a speech sound disorder is unable to say all of the speech sounds in words. This can make the child’s speech hard to understand. For most children, the cause of the speech sound disorder is unknown, but other speech sound disorders can be linked to cleft palate, problems with the teeth, hearing loss, or difficulty controlling the movements of the mouth.
Voice Disorders
The voice is produced as air from the lungs moves up through and vibrates the vocal folds. With voice disorders, the voice may be harsh, hoarse, raspy, cut in and out, or show sudden changes in pitch. Voice disorders can be due to vocal nodules, cysts, papillomas, paralysis or weakness of the vocal folds.
Resonance Disorders
Resonance is the overall quality of the voice. A resonance disorder is when the quality of the voice changes as it travels through the different-shaped spaces of the throat, nose and mouth. Depending on the resonance issue, a child may sound “stopped up," sound overly nasal, or sound muffled and quiet.
Receptive Language Disorders
- difficulty understanding words and/or sentences
- difficulty attending to the speech of others
- difficulty with following directions and learning
Expressive Language Disorder
- difficulty using the right words when talking
- difficulty combining words to make sentences
- limited vocabulary
- difficulty putting sentences together correctly
Inclusion Strategies for the Classroom
Consult a Speech Language expert concerning each child with a communicative disorder in your class and work with him/her throughout the class. A Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) works with other members of the multidisciplinary team, such as parents and psychologists, to determine how the disorder may impact other areas of a child's life. They may also conduct observations in different classroom settings, during different activities, and with different conversational partners to assess the impact the communication disorder has on the child’s ability to learn and identify the appropriate interventions.
- treat the student with a disability as you would any other student
- speak to the child naturally
- create a classroom atmosphere conducive to easy and good interactive communication
- stay up-to-date on the child's accomplishments in speech therapy
- give the child the opportunity to speak in class
- be a good listener
- patiently give the child time to express themselves without interrupting or trying to fill in gaps for them
- use a peer-buddy system when appropriate
Sources
- Communication Disorders. National Science Teaching Association.
- Communication Disorders. Speech-Language Pathology. Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
- Students with Communication Disorders. The Psychology of Exceptional Children. LibreTexts, Social Sciences Library.