Speech and Language Development Vielka Scott, MS CCC-SLP Janice Brown, MS CF-SLP

Speech and Language Development Communication is the exchange of information through various verbal or nonverbal actions. Verbal Communication Nonverbal communication Total communication

Speech and Language Development Verbal Communication – achieved thru spoken words and language; maybe accompanied by culturally appropriate normal gestures and facial expressions Nonverbal communication – achieved without oral speech; maybe in the form of signs, gestures, facial expressions, and symbols. Total communication – achieved thru the simultaneous use of verbal expressions as well as sign language.

Speech and Language Development Phonology: The study of speech sounds, their patterns and sequences and the rules that dictate sound combinations to create words.

Speech and Language Development Fluency: the aspect of speech production that refers to the continuity, smoothness, rate, and/or effort with which phonologic, lexical, morphologic, and/or syntactic language units are spoken. Fluency Disorder. A fluency disorder is a “speech disorder” characterized by deviations in continuity, smoothness, rhythm, and/or effort with which phonologic, lexical, morphologic, and/or syntactic language units are spoken. Traditionally, fluency has been defined in the area of speech-language pathology by what it is not, namely speech that does not contain perceptible deviations in smoothness or flow of speech. Also, in a more restricted clinical sense, fluency is used as the converse of stuttering to identify speech sequences that are free of stuttering, as in the statement, “Stuttering was followed by instructions to repeat, and fluency was reinforced verbally.” And in recent years, fluency has been used increasingly to refer specifically to stuttering (e.g., “a fluency client”).

Speech and Language Development Semantics – the study of meaning in a language Syntax- the study of sentence structure Morphology – the study of word structure

Speech and Language Development Pragmatics: The study of social use of language and the rules of such language. It means using language appropriately in social situations The development of pragmatic skills is simply the development of language that is appropriate to a situation and in everyday conversation. We use pragmatic skills in three major ways: We use language for different purposes, such as in greeting, informing, demanding, requesting, and promising. We adapt or change our language in accordance with the needs or expectation of the listener or situation. We follow conversational rules, such as rules for taking turns in conversations staying on topic, and rephrasing when misunderstood. There are also rules for appropriate nonverbal behavior in conversation, including distance between speaker and listener, facial expressions, and eye contact. Promoting social language? It is best to use real-life situations, toys, books, or activities that stimulate real conversations. Activities should vary depending on the chronological and developmental age of your child. Practice correct greeting for different individuals Practice requesting items – politely vs impolitely Practice situational language – quietly vs loudly; staying on topic; retelling stories; or talking about certain topics. Practice nonverbal signals used in language – frowning vs smiling

Speech and Language Development Language Difference vs Language Disorder Language Differences may exist for various reasons which does not account for a language disorders: Differences: Dialectical, Environmental, ELL students.

Speech and Language Development Communicative Intent Communicative Intent is encouraged or fostered: Using open-ended questions Encouraging the use of verbal response Minimizing suggested choices Encouragement of dynamic conversations.

Frequency of occurrence Sound Frequency /t/ 1st or 2nd /th/ 8th or 9th /b/ 18th /n/ 1st or 2nd /k/ 10th /y/ 18th /r/ 3rd or 4th /w/ 11th /v/ 19th or 21st /s/ 3rd or 4th /h/ 12th or13th /th/ 20th or 21st /l/ 4th or 9th /f/ 15th or 16th /sh/ 20th or 21st /d/ 5th or 6th /g/ 15th or 19th /j/ 22nd /m/ 6th or 8th /p/ 16th /ch/ 23rd /z/ 7th /ng/ 17th /er/ 24th

Speech Intelligibility How intelligible is your child’s speech to a stranger during his early years? There is a broad range of normal, but typically a child at… 19 to 24 months of age is 25% to 50% intelligible 2 to 3 years, the child is 50% to 75% intelligible 3 to 4 years, the child is 80% intelligible 4 to 5 years, the child is 90% to 100% intelligible How intelligible is your child’s speech to a stranger during his early years? There is a broad range of normal, but typically a child at 19 to 24 months of age is 25% to 50% intelligible to strangers. At 2 to 3 years, the child is 50% to 75% intelligible. At 3 to 4 years, the child is 80% intelligible. At 4 to 5 years, the child is 90% to 100% intelligible to a stranger, though few articulation errors may be present. Individual speech sounds are developed gradually. Many studies have reported the ages at which children typically produce each speech sound in the first or final position in words. A child may produce a sound correctly 50% of the time for months and sometimes a year or two, before the sound is always corret.

Articulation Development Sounds AGE CHILDREN BEGIN USING THE SOUND AGE 90% OF CHILDREN ARE USING THE SOUND /p/, /m/, /h/, /n/, /w/ < 2 years 3 years /b/ 2 years 4 years /k/, /g/, /d/ /t/, /ng/ 6 years /f/ ,/y/ 2 years 6 months /l/ Your child’s speech begins with early vocalizations at 2 or 3 months, followed by babbling (playful, vocal sounds) around 5 to 7 months, and then jargon (strings of sounds or syllables produced with a variety of stress and intonation) from 8 to 24 months. These various types of vocalizations usually continue through the child’s first 50 words. By 12 months, the child is starting to string the sounds together to form ‘true words”.

Articulation Development Sounds AGE CHILDREN BEGIN USING THE SOUND AGE 90% OF CHILDREN ARE USING THE SOUND /r/, /s/ 3 years 8 years /ch/, /sh/ 3 years 6 months 7 years /z/ /j/ 4 years /v/ /th/ 4 years 6 months /zh/ 6 years < 8 years You can help a child speak more clearly if you… Use short sentences but don’t use baby talk Model correct speech for your child Pronounce words slowly and correctly for the child to hear and imitate Look at your child when you both are talking Let the child watch your face, lips, and tongue as you form sounds and words, prolonging the speech sound the child has difficulty saying (for example, “Where is your sssock?”) Repeat new words ad sounds over and over, and use them often in your conversation with the child Praise child when sounds are correct, especially if the sounds were previously difficult for the child

Language Development Vocabulary Development Depends heavily on environmental exposure as well as the individual capacity each child brings to the learning situation Grows rapidly to around 2,000 words by his or her fifth birthday Expanding vocabulary is a lifelong process that begins during a child’s earliest months. Long before a child can speak in simple words, phrases, and sentences, the child is forming an extensive vocabulary of words he or she understands. This learning takes place every time you name things for your child, sing a song, talk, recite nursery rhymes, and describe the world as he or she goes through daily activities. Expand vocabulary? Talk, read, and sing to your child, starting at birth Teach the names of everyday objects as your experience daily activities together Provide experiences to stimulate new vocabulary – go to the park or zoo, go grocery shopping and talk about what you could make with the items and describe the appearance and taste of foods, have a picni, take a walk, clean the house together, plant a garden Use a variety of words in your everyday conversation so the child is exposed to a rich vocabulary Repeat new words until the child uses them Talk about how things are similar and different

That includes descriptions and multiple meaning words Words, Words, Words English is a morpho-phonemic language (both meaning and sound) English has a deep structure English has the largest vocabulary in the world (750,000) English has many nuances, similar word meanings, synonyms, and words borrowed from other languages Many poor readers have deficits in vocabulary… (ASHA, 2001, p. 370) Students with communication disabilities often have limited vocabularies in both spoken and written language. They need explicit, systematic instruction in vocabulary development to be successful in the classroom. In English we average 1000 new words a year! That includes descriptions and multiple meaning words

Four Types of Vocabulary Listening Speaking Reading Writing Start with sight words (240-260) to increase memory skills. After age nine, vocabulary develops from reading not from talking. Students who do not read often, do not increase their vocabulary.

Words, Words, and More Words Children begin first grade with a 6,000 spoken word vocabulary Children learn 36,000 more words by 12th grade (spoken language) Children learn 5 words a day Children still need 55,000 words for printed school English (Chall, 87; Gunning, 04) We learn explicitly through reading—we continue to learn words throughout our lives. Remember… Children need to learn five (5) words a day!

Language Development 2.5 – 3 years Syntax-morphology: Semantics: Child uses word combinations, has beginning phrase and sentence structure; Combines 3-4 words in subject-verb-object format; e.g., “Daddy throw ball.” Semantics: Comprehension usually precedes production Expressive vocabulary is 200 – 600 words Meanings seem to be learned in sequence: objects, events, actions, adjectives, adverbs, spatial concepts, temporal (time) concepts Pragmatics: Child’s utterances, although occasionally egocentric, generally have a communicative intent Interpersonal communication expands; the child learns to adopt a role to express his own opinions and personality

Language Development 3 – 4 years Syntax-morphology: Semantics: The child uses mostly complete sentences; at 48 months, sentences average 5- 5 ½ words per utterance. MLU is approximately 3 – 5 words. uses simple (regular) plural forms correctly – e.g., boys, houses, lights Semantics: Comprehends up to 4200 words by 42 months Uses 800 – 1500 words expressively Labels most things in the environment Pragmatics: Child maintains conversation without losing track of topic Child uses communicative functions such as protests (Don’t touch that!, Don’t want that!)

Language Development 4 – 5 years Syntax-morphology: Semantics: Child speaks in complete sentences Child uses comparisons Semantics: Child uses concrete meanings and words but sometimes responds to abstract ideas appropriately Uses how and why Can name items in a category Pragmatics: Child modifies speech as a function of listener age (beginning at 4 years) Child can maintain topic over successive utterances

Language Development 5 – 6 years Syntax-morphology: Semantics: Child increases understanding and use of complex sentences; decreases grammatical errors as sentences and vocabulary become more sophisticated Child uses all pronouns consistently Semantics: Child defines objects by use Child know functions of body parts Child tells long stories Pragmatics: Child can recognize a socially offensive message and reword it in a polite form Child modifies speech according to listeners needs

Does the Child’s Environment Play a Part? Environmental situations… oral stimulation vocabulary development language deprivation Oral-Motor Development – tongue is a muscle

Facilitating language enriched classroom environment? Have students repeat directions orally (sequentially) Require students to respond in complete sentences. Redirect focus with repetition of same stimulus statement/question Combine oral and written (visual and auditory) presentation of materials to reinforce structure Calls child’s name, touch shoulder, and/or whisper to regain attention of child who appears to be distracted. Practice sound and symbol association drills consistently to facilitate appropriate sound production Give children alternative vocabulary – use multiple words to express one concept Teach vocabulary explicitly Have children define words based on concept Redirect children who exhibit behavior problems How a child communicates in a classroom – how does it look? What supports are available? When would you refer someone to the SST? if child consistently appears to lose focus during instructional period if child is unable to follow class routine given numerous reminders and examples