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What is Speech?  Ideas, feelings, and thoughts expressed orally through a series of complex muscle movements in the head, neck, chest, and abdomen that produce decodable sounds. What is Language?  The expression of human communication through which knowledge and behavior can be experienced, explained, and shared.  Based on systematic, conventionally used signs, sounds, or gestures that convey understood meanings within a group or community. Did You Know? By the first grade roughly 5% of children have noticeable speech disorders. Between 6 & 8 million individuals in the U.S. have some form of language impairment.

 Under the IDEA definition, a speech or language impairment is a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.

Speech Disorder  Children who have trouble producing speech sounds correctly  Children who hesitate or stutter when talking  Children who have difficulty putting sounds and syllables together in the correct order to form words (Apraxia) Language Disorder  Children who have trouble understanding what others say (receptive language)  Children who have difficulty sharing their thoughts (expressive language)  Children who have a specific language impairment (SLI)

Speech  Childhood Apraxia of Speech  Dysarthria  Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders  Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonological Processes  Stuttering  Voice Language  Language-Based Learning Disabilities  Preschool Language Disorders  Selective Mutism Medical & Developmental Conditions  ADHD  Autism  Cleft Lip and Palate  Right Hemisphere Brain Injury  Traumatic Brain Injury

Communication  Frequently do not perform at grade level and have difficulty with tests  Struggle with reading  Have difficulty understanding and expressing language  Misunderstand social cues  Avoid attending school  Show poor judgment Language  Difficulty in learning to listen, speak, read, or write  Have difficulty using language to communicate, think, and learn  Exhibit problems in the production, comprehension, and awareness of language sounds, syllables, words, sentences, and conversation

Speech Consult a speech language pathologist before planning assignments and activities. Anticipate areas of difficulty and involve the student in problem-solving. Provide assistance and positive reinforcement when the student shows the ability to do something unaided. Use a peer-buddy system when appropriate. Language Focus on interactive communication & use tactile and visual cues. Have a speech therapist present language units to the entire class. Be aware of the student’s functioning level in auditory skills, semantics, word recall, syntax, phonology and pragmatics. Work at the student’s pace. Academics & Behavior Reduce unnecessary classroom noise. Allow more time for the student to complete assignments and tests. Have routines that the student can follow. Use augmentative communication systems to ensure that nonverbal students and students with severe physical disabilities have effective ways to communicate. Ensure that the student has access to their communication system across all contexts, all the time.

/ Activities to encourage speech and language development: peech/development/Parent- Stim-Activities.htmhttp:// peech/development/Parent- Stim-Activities.htm Directory of Organizations: ctory/ ctory/ Learning Strategies: abilities/CharacteristicsAndStr ategies/SpeechLanguageImp airment_Strategies.htmlhttp:// abilities/CharacteristicsAndStr ategies/SpeechLanguageImp airment_Strategies.html