Therapy Intervention for Students with Speech/Language NeedsBetsy Molden, M.S. CCC-SLP

What does a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) do?•Screen, evaluate, and diagnose speech,

language, cognitive-communicative, and swallowing disorders▫Screening: an informal observation of the

individual to see if there is a need for further evaluation with no prior parent permission

▫Evaluation: a formal observation of the individual for which the parent must consent

•Treat the above disorders in people from infancy to the golden years.

Speech Disorders

•A speech disorder is characterized when a person is unable to produce speech sounds correctly and/or fluently or if they have difficulty with their voice▫Examples include: articulation disorder,

stuttering, and having a hoarse voice▫Practice good hygiene for your voice so you

don’t have to visit an SLP!!

Language Disorders

•Expressive Language▫Sharing thoughts, ideas, feelings

completely (i.e. using a grammatically and syntactically correct age-appropriate sentence)

▫Social skills•Receptive Language

▫difficulty understanding others, following directions

Language-Based Learning Disability• Difficulty with age-appropriate reading,

spelling, and/or writing.▫Examples include but are not limited to:

Expressing ideas clearly Learning new vocabulary that the child hears

and/or sees Understanding questions and following directions

(heard and/or read) Recalling numbers in a sequence Understanding and retaining the details of a

story’s plot or a classroom lecture Reading and comprehending material

Language-Based Learning DisabilityExamples Continued • Difficulty with:

▫ Learning words to songs and rhymes▫ Telling left from right (a skill required for reading

and writing)▫ Letters and numbers▫ Learning the alphabet▫ Identifying letter-sound correspondence▫ Mixing up the order of letters in words while writing▫ Mixing up the order of numbers that are part of

math calculations▫ Spelling▫ Memorizing the times tables▫ Telling time

What can you do?

•Refer any student who is suspected of showing signs of a speech-language disorder or delay to the IST-team

•Provide examples of student behavior to support your inquiry

• For more information visit www.asha.org▫Information from this presentation was

retrieved from www.asha.org .