In the school setting, Speech Therapists wear a number of hats. They are highly trained professionals responsible for evaluating students and providing specialized intervention in the areas of articulation, language, fluency, and voice disorders.
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Articulation |
Language |
Articulation is the process of producing speech sounds. Children with articulation disorders often demonstrate:
Sound Deletion: Saying 'ca' instead of 'cat', Sound Substitution: Saying 'tar' instead of 'car' Sound Distortion: Making a 'slushy' sounding /s/ Sound Development Chart: mommyspeechtherapy.com/wp-content/downloads/forms/sound_development_chart.pdf |
Language is made up of socially shared rules that include:
Vocabulary/Semantics: What words mean and how they're related Grammar/Syntax: How to arrange and put words together to convey meaning Comprehension: Ability to understand what is being said and read. Pragmatics: Using all areas of language in proper context |
FluencyStuttering is the interruption of speech fluency characterized by:
Repetition: Repeating a sound, word, or phrase (c-c-c-c-c-at) Prolongation: Extending a word longer than typical (l........ion) Blocks: the inability to produce any sound due to excess tension Interjections: Using 'umm' or 'ahh' excessively to avoid other stuttering behaviors (umm...umm...ummm...cat) Avoidance: Not using certain words that appear to cause stuttering |
VOICEVoice is the instrument we use to create speech. Voice disorders can be characterized by:
Pitch: Speaking either with a higher or lower pitch than expected Volume: Speaking either louder or softer than expected Quality: Speaking with a hoarse, strained, or breathy voice |