Communication Supports in the Early Childhood Classroom Many thanks to Andrea Kirkman, M.S., CCC-SLP, Siskin Children’s Institute for her support

Articulation: What is it? Articulation (phonetic or speech) impairments are mispronunciations or omissions of speech sounds They are considered by some to be the most common communication disorder in school populations. They are due to a disorder of oral motor movement or a flawed rule system

Articulation: Examples Substitution of one sound for another (tar for car) Omission of sounds (at the initial, medial, or final positions, as in ca for cat) Distortion of sounds Addition of extra sounds

Articulation: Concerns Atypical patterns Context Intelligibility based on setting and person Struggle to form sounds Poor imitation Limited oral motor movements

Articulation: Supports Set a good speech model/example Repeat/model the mispronounced word correctly without correcting the child Model with emphasis Take away the meaning; focus on sound Pair a visual sign with the sound Don’t pressure; mistakes are okay! Talk and read with the child Encourage pleasant speaking opportunities

Fluency (stuttering): What is it? It is estimated over 3 million Americans stutter (Stuttering Foundation of America) Occurs most frequently in young children between 2 and 6 years of age Stuttering affects 4 times as many boys as girls 25% of all children go through a stage of development during which they stutter Early identification and intervention are crucial

Fluency: Concerns Frequent repetitions of speech sounds, syllables, or words Frequent prolongations of speech sounds, syllables, or words Inability or difficulty starting a word Facial grimacing or struggles with speech Upper body struggles with speech efforts

Fluency: Supports Do not react negatively Do not ask the child to repeat correctly Listen attentively Keep natural eye contact Speak in a slow, relaxed manner Wait for the child to say the intended word by not interrupting or finishing the words for her/him

Language: What is it? Language is a complex system of symbols & rules that we learn to use in order to communicate ideas and express our wants/needs Receptive language is what a person understands Expressive language is the ability to convey information meaningfully

Language: Concerns Difficulty understanding others Difficulty expressing wants/needs or making self understood Absence of words by 18 months Poor social interaction with peers in activities like play Difficulty following simple directions Delayed developmental language milestones

Language: Supports Be a model: keep it simple, talk about the concrete, and use clear speech Expand on what the child says Repeat what the child says, but use the correct form of the word and grammar Repetition will help the child develop understandings of concepts and solidify knowledge Demonstrate/model/gesture/show so the child will understand the meaning

Language: Supports “Play dumb”—pretend to not understand while encouraging child to use his/her language to clarify Disrupt expectations “Mess up” Be quiet READ, READ, READ!!!

Delay versus disorder: Children at risk Prematurity Socio-economic status Prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol Multiple births Recurrent ear infections (otitis media)

Communication issues specific to diagnosis Down Syndrome Autism Hearing loss Cerebral Palsy Cleft palate Apraxia Developmental delay

Impact of communication disorder or delay Frustration Interference with social relationships Effect on self image When a child cannot respond to a situation verbally, s/he will often respond physically Affects learning and performance in the classroom

Forms of communication Our educational goals for children involve moving them from the least abstract to the most abstract forms of communication tantrum (least abstract) motor object gestures pictures signs verbal (most abstract)

Teacher supports for communication Understand the child’s form of communication Use visual supports Break down complex or multi-step tasks Keep messages simple and concrete Offer choices Talk about “do” rather than “don’t” Use sign language

Visual supports: Purpose Provide structure that allows a student to anticipate what will happen next Reduce anxiety by providing the student with a vision of his/her day Promote calmness between transitions Promote expressive language Promote understanding

Visual supports: Benefits Increase independence by allowing the child to start an activity without adult support Provide motivation to work through a less favored activity knowing a more favored activity is to follow Visual schedules provide a structure which encourages the student to begin to do some choice making

Visual supports: Types Daily schedule Transition symbols First/then Sequence boards

Resources National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); (www.naeyc.org) TEIS (Tennessee Early Intervention System) First Words Project (www.firstwords.fsu.edu) Child Care Resource and Referral Center (www.tnccrr.org) Center for the Social and Emotional Foundation for Early Learning (www.csefel.uiuc.edu) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); (www.asha.org)