Speech and Language Disorders

Chapter 9

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IDEA Definition of Speech or
Language Impairment

…a communication disorder such

as stuttering, impaired articulation,
language impairment, or a voice
impairment that adversely affects a
child’s educational performance.

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 Communication
Speech= audible representation of language.
Language= message that is contained in
speech.
Communication
 Exchange of ideas, information, thoughts, and
feelings between senders and receivers
 The process does not require speech or language

 Gestures

 Posture

 Eye contact

 Facial expression

 Head and body movement

 Language

The system of symbols that

individuals use for communication,
based on their culture

Expressive Receptive
Language Language
5 Components of Language

Phonology Semantics Pragmatics

Morphology
Content Function
Syntax

Form
Structure of language
 Phonology = rules regarding how sounds can
be used and combined.

 Syntax = the way sequences of words are

combined into phrases and sentences.

 Morphology = the form and internal structure

of words.

 Semantics = the understanding of language.

 Pragmatics = rules that govern the reasons for

communication as well as the choice of codes
to be used when communicating.
Definition
 Language process involves:

 Memory.
 Learning.
 Message reception and processing.
 Expressive skills.

 Language delays= sequence of development is

intact but the rate is interrupted.

 Language disorders= sequence of language

acquisition is not systematic or sequential.

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Language development
 Stages in developing language.
 Crying, then cooing, and babbling.
 Different tones and vocal intensity.
 Echoing or mimicking responses.
 Words begin to become attached to people or
objects.
 Strings of two and three words.
 Basic syntactical structures by age 4.
 Six word sentences by age 5.
 Articulate nearly all the speech sounds correctly by
age 8.

 There are variations to the age ranges for each

stage!! “Copyright© Allyn & Bacon 2006”
Language Disorders

Specific language impairment

Language delay

Aphasia

Central Auditory Processing

Disorder
Classification
According to cause.

 Receptive language = difficulties in comprehending

what others say.

 Expressive language = difficulty in formulating and

using language.

 Aphasia = impairment of language comprehension,

formulation, and use due to injury, disease, or mal-
development of the brain.

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Receptive Language Problems

 Encounters difficulty with understanding

oral presentation of information
 Does not understand humor, figurative
language, or abstract thought
Expressive Language Problems

 Limited use of vocabulary

 Searches for the right word
 Poor social language skills
 Hesitates to ask questions
 Jumps from topic to topic
 Topics chosen are concrete rather than
abstract, temporal, or spatial
 Repetitive and unspecific
 Dimensions of Speech
 Voice
 Pitch, intensity,
quality
 Resonance
 Articulation
 Fluency

Speech disorders can occur in all of these

areas
Speech disorders
 Speech behavior that is sufficiently deviant from normal that it
attracts attention.

Fluency Disorders

 Repeated interruptions, hesitations, or repetitions that

seriously interrupt the flow of communication.

 Cluttering = speech that is overly rapid, disorganized, and

occasionally filled with unnecessary words.
 Stuttering = flow of speech is abnormally interrupted by
repetitions, blocking, or prolongations of sounds, syllables,
words, or phrases.

Childhood apraxia of speech

Speech disorders
Articulation Disorders
 Abnormality in the speech-sound production process
resulting in inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate
execution of the speaking act.
 Omissions.
 Substitutions.
 Additions.
 Distortions of certain sounds.
 Causation
 Physical malformation, nerve injury, or brain
damage.
 Cleft palate.

 Occlusion/malocclusion.

 Defective learning of the speaking act.

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Causation

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Cleft lip and palate

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Speech disorders
Voice Disorders

 Unusual or abnormal acoustical qualities in a

person’s speech.
 Subjectivity in determining voice normalcy.
 Problems are persistent when not treated.
 Nasality, hoarseness, or breathiness.

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 Prevalence of
Speech Language Disorders
 19% of all students receiving special
education
 2:1 ratio, boys to girls
 Does not include students who receive
speech and language therapy as a
related service
Causes of Speech and Language
Disorders
 Biological causes
 Physical causes
 Emotional causes
 Brain injury
 Heredity
 Environmental
causes
 Neglect or abuse
 Poverty, malnutrition
 Cognitive and Academic
Characteristics
 Problems occur across the entire range of
cognitive abilities
 Problems may profoundly affect a student’s
learning
 High risk of reading difficulties for students
with speech and language delays
 Social/Emotional Characteristics
 Students may have low self-esteem
 Students may experience social
isolation
 Students may develop behavior
problems
Speech Assessments

Formal tests of articulation

Spontaneous language samples

Developmental history

Examination of mouth, teeth, palate

 Language Assessments
 Formal and informal assessments
 Samples of student’s written schoolwork
 Observations
 What child talks about
 How child talks about things
 How child functions in context of community
 How child uses language socially

 Precautions necessary when assessing

students whose first language is not
English Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006
Figure 10.4 Educational Placement of Students with Speech and Language Disorders
Communication and Technology

 Augmentative and alternative

communication (AAC)
 Unaided – sign language

 Aided – depends on equipment

or materials
 Communication board

 Computer with speech

processor
 Word prediction software

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Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2006