Communication Disorders | Presentation | Language Structure Usage & Linguistics IV

Communication Disorders

 IDEA definition: a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, or voice impairment that adversely affect a child’s educational performance. 

 Language disorders – problems receiving, understanding, and formulating messages. 

 Speech disorders – problems related to the verbal transmission of messages.

Language Disorders

 Form Disorders

• Phonology - sounds used to make word parts (e.g., 40 phonemes in English language)

• Morphology - rules for constructing words (e.g., plurals, suffixes)

• Syntax - rules for connecting words together (e.g., word order, organization)

 

 Content Disorders

• Semantics - rules that dictate meaning (e.g., vocabulary)

 

  Use Disorders

• Pragmatics – application of language in social contexts (e.g., conversation)

Speech Disorders

 Articulation Disorders (common)

    • Phonological – mental representation problem (can make sound, but doesn’t)

    • Articulation – structural problem (can’t make sound) 

    • Substitutions, omissions, additions, distortions 

 Fluency Disorders – interruptions in the flow of speaking (e.g., stuttering)

 Voice Disorders - pitch, duration, intensity, resonance, vocal quality

 Motor Speech Disorders

    • Apraxia - lack of coordinated muscle movement 

 

    • Disarthria – weak, slow, or paralyzed muscles

Should I Talk to the SLP?

 How is the student’s intelligibility? (By age 4, should be 100%.)

 How easy is it to communicate with the student? (Can you have a normal conversation?) 

 How does the student interact with others? (Does s/he avoid talking?)

 Does the student have unusual speech characteristics (e.g., substitution, omission, stuttering, hoarseness, etc.)?

Identification

 Review developmental, educational and medical history

 Interview parents, teachers, etc.

 Questionnaires

 Systematic observation

 Language sampling

 Formal tests

Service Delivery

 Service Delivery Models

• Monitoring

• Collaborative consultation

• Classroom-Based

• Pullout

 Issues

• Shortage of SLPs

• Heavy caseloads

Collaboration

 Discuss concerns about students 

 Know what student is working on 

 Ask how you can help students achieve and generalize skills

 Communicate progress

 Discuss behavioral challenges 

 Ask how to improve the communication skills of the whole class.