Transcript Learning Disabilities - Valdosta State University

Learning
Disabilities
Speech/Language Disorders:
by
Holly Schools, Malikah Lawson, Charles Crawford and Berniece
Taylor
Speech/Language
Disorder: What is it?
• Difficulties pronouncing
sounds, or articulation
disorders, and stuttering are
examples of speech disorders.
• Speech disorders may be
problems with the way
sounds are formed, called
articulation or phonological
disorders, or they may be
difficulties with the pitch,
volume or quality of the voice.
Characteristics of
Speech/Language Disorders
• Improper use of words and their meanings.
• Inappropriate grammatical patterns
• Inability to express ideas.
• Inappropriate grammatical patterns.
• Reduced vocabulary.
• Inability to follow directions.
Behaviors
Some children exhibit
behaviors that fall outside
of the normal, or
expected, range of
development. These
behaviors emerge in a way
or at a pace that is
different from their peers.
Behaviors cont…
Atypical behaviors should be noted and
carefully recorded. They may be isolated
events that have little or no impact on later
development. They might, however, be early
warning signs of later and more significant
problems
Who are these
students?
• Families and teachers should be concerned if a
child’s language is noticeably not at the same level
as the language of peers of the same age.
• In the Fall of 2003, students aged 3 to 21 that
were being served under Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B numbered
1,460,583, which translates to 5% of the schoolaged population.
Who are these students
continued…
• Studies show that between 28% and 60% of
students with language and/or communication
disabilities have a sibling or parent that also are
affected by language and/or communication
disability (Compiled by Castrogiovanni, 2008).
• Most students with language difficulties are
identified before they begin school, however
some students may not be identified until they
begin school (Compiled by Castrogiovanni, 2008).
Students continued…
• All teachers (both general education and
special education teachers) should be aware of
language and communication disabilities as
this is a problem that we will see and that will,
at some point in time, need to be addressed in
our classrooms.
What should parents
do?
Early detection of
speech/language disorder is
important to getting treatment
started early. Language is known
before the child speaks as a
result of the environment they
are in. Parents should talk to
their child in regular language as
well as read to their child
regularly.
What should parents
do? cont…
Other activities such
as reading books
aloud, singing songs,
and encouraging but
not forcing children
to interact, is another
way parents can
promote speech and
language
development.
What should teachers
do?
Keep lectures clear, simple, pronounced, and in proper
language syntax (no slang) to keep the attention of the
student. Proper eye contact with the student while
listening and speaking also keeps the student engaged
and also allows the student to participate regularly in the
classroom.
Recommendations for
teaching
• Dudley-Marling and Searle (1998) identified four
suggestions for working with students who have
language disabilities:
(1) the physical setting must promote talk;
(2) the teacher must provide opportunities for
children to interact as they learn;
(3) the teacher needs to provide opportunities for
children to use language for a variety of purposes
for a variety of audiences;
(4) the teacher needs to respond in ways that
encourage the student to continue the
conversation.
Recommendations for
teaching cont’d
• Working in small groups, students can learn to
use context clues to understand difficult
words and learn to ask questions about how
the word may be used (Kuder, 2008).
• The ability to communicate and converse with
peers helps open up the communication
beyond just one word answers.
Recommendations for
identification
• Language disabilities are very difficult to
assess and as educators we must make sure
that we are aware of these difficulties when
trying to identify.
• For example with screening, we must keep in
mind that the results tend to over-identify or
under-identify (Kuder, 2008).
Recommendations for
identification cont’d
• The best way to identify language issues is to
observe in a classroom setting.
• When we watch students converse with their
peers, this will give us the most realistic view of
their communication abilities.
• It is important to keep in mind that adolescents
speak differently with their peers, meaning they
are more relaxed, more talkative and more
concerned that their conversation partners
understand what they are staying (Kuder, 2008).
Summary
Almost 1.5 million students are
identified as having language
and communication
disabilities. Educators and
family members must be
aware of the warning signs of
language and communication
disabilities. For the success of
children with language and
communication disabilities,
early identification and
effective intervention is
imperative.
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (2005). Helping Children with Communication Disorders in
Schools. Reading Rockets. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/5128/
Cazden, C. B. (1986). Classroom discourse. In M.C. Wittrock (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (pp. 432-464).
New York: Macmillan
Compiled by Castrogiovanni, A. (2008). Incidence and Prevalence of Communication Disorders and Hearing Loss in
Children – 2008 Edition. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved from
http://www.asha.org/research/reports/children.htm
Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/childpsychology/children_with_communication_disorders.shtml
Early Identification: Normal and Atypical Development Retrieved from: http://www.ldonline.org/article/6047
Dudley-Marling, C., & Searle, D. (1988). Enriching language learning environments for students with learning
disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21, 140-143.
Kuder, S. J. (2008). Teaching Students with Language and Communication Disabilities (272-331). Boston: Pearson
Education.
NICHY Disability Fact Sheet (2011). Speech and Language Impairments. National Dissemination Center for Children
with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/speechlanguage