special education teacher vs speech language pathologist

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How to Make a Career Change from Teaching to Speech Pathology

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Teach.com / Online Education / Healthcare Degrees / Online Speech Pathology Master’s Programs (SLP) / How to Make a Career Change from Teaching to Speech Pathology

Teachers and speech language pathologists (SLPs), also known as speech therapists, share many characteristics and skills. Individuals in each profession are typically compassionate and have a desire to help others. Because of an existing overlap in traits, teachers can become effective SLPs.

Making this mid-life career change to speech pathology often requires additional coursework. But for SLPs like Kristin Immicke, who works at a special ed co-op in Texas , switching her career to speech pathology was worth it.

“I have never once regretted my decision to leave teaching to become an SLP,” Immicke shared via email.

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Why Would Teachers Switch to a Speech Therapy Career?

Teachers decide to switch from teaching to speech pathology for many reasons. Compared to teaching, speech language pathologists typically have more steady hours. They don’t have to stay after school grading student papers. This position reduces stress and pressure surrounding standardized test scores. Additionally, remote work options are growing, as some SLPs provide virtual services through telepractice.

Kristin Immicke thought she’d teach forever. But after her first five years in the classroom, she began rethinking her career choice. It wasn’t the actual teaching of lessons or the students that led to her desire for change. Those were aspects of teaching she enjoyed. The lack of time to get everything done in the classroom, and the constant emphasis on test performance caused burn out. Teaching to the test is not what she envisioned.

Because of her passion for helping students, Kristin knew she wanted to stay in the school setting. She started researching what other options were available. This led her to investigate speech therapy. The more she learned about speech pathology, the more she felt like it was what she wanted to do. After doing more research, she began moving into a career in speech therapy, a decision she believes was a rewarding one.

“I love being a part of the school setting. I love helping students and being a part of their education. I get to work with students of all ages and abilities,” Immicke said.

The Role of Speech Language Pathologists in Schools

School-based speech language pathologists like Immicke focus on speech and language disorders in children. In general, SLPs evaluate students for speech, language, or swallowing difficulties , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). After evaluation, SLPs develop appropriate treatment plans for students who need extra help. Then the SLP works with classroom teachers and other school staff members to implement the plan. They also communicate with parents, working as a team to support the student.

An SLP’s job varies throughout the day as they meet with individual students or small groups. Their work could include helping students with speech impediments such as a lisp, stuttering, or dyslexia. They may help students adjust to speaking after getting braces or overcome challenges due to an overbite or underbite. They spend time completing required paperwork and preparing for upcoming sessions.

Speech language pathologists help students succeed. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association emphasizes that SLPs try to prevent academic failure for students with communication disorders. As a part of their role, they must gather and interpret data about the treatment plans so they can make data-driven decisions.

School-Based SLP Jobs

In 2018, there were about 153,700 SLP jobs. These included speech therapists in schools, medical facilities, and private clinics , along with self-employed speech therapists. Altogether, 40% of SLP jobs in 2018 were based in educational settings. These include jobs in state, local, and private school settings. Some SLPs must travel between multiple schools or facilities. While larger districts may have both an elementary school-based speech pathologist and a high school speech therapist, many smaller districts do not.

School-Based Speech Pathologist Salary Outlook

The BLS reports that speech language pathologist employment is growing much faster than average for all occupations. This field is projected to grow 27% between 2018 and 2028. Because of the projected growth, speech pathology is a wise career choice.

In 2018, SLPs earned a median salary of $77,510 , according to 2018 BLS data. The BLS further breaks this down by placement. Speech language pathologists in residential care facilities top the chart. They have an average annual salary of $94,680. Child speech therapists in the school setting are at the other end of the scale, earning a median salary of $68,270 a year.

Do Speech Pathologists Make More than Teachers?

The average annual salary of speech pathologists is more than the average annual salary of teachers . SLPs often earn about $10,000 more each year than the teachers they work with. However, this pay can vary depending on the salary schedule of a specific location.

Speech therapists who leave the school setting have the potential to earn even more.

Making the Transition to Speech Language Pathologist

The path from teacher to speech language pathologist will take some time. Here are five key steps to consider taking throughout your journey.

Before enrolling in any coursework, take the time to talk to local speech language pathologists. Schedule a meeting with the SLP in your district or from a neighboring school. Before you meet, make a list of questions to ask. The goal of this meeting is to gain insight. Try to determine some pros and cons of this potential new field. Ask about hours worked, the number of students on the caseload, and favorite parts of the job. Also ask about the challenges faced. You want a clearer picture of the good and the bad that come with this career change.

Speech and language pathologists come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all need a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. You need this degree to legally practice as an SLP. There are plenty of SLP programs for working adults, so find the one that best meets your needs. You can attend on-campus classes or earn an online master’s in speech pathology. While you can enroll in SLP school while working full-time, it will take longer to complete the degree compared to someone who is in a program full-time. Melisa Yar, an SLP who works at Bound Brook School District in New Jersey , taught full-time and took evening courses to complete her degree. It took her six years to complete the requirements, participating in part-time speech pathology programs.

Once you choose a school, you must complete any SLP graduate school requirements. You may need to complete prerequisite courses before getting accepted.

To complete your online speech pathology master’s program, you will likely need to complete a clinical practicum. This will provide you the opportunity to put your new knowledge into practice. Typically, online SLP programs will help you find local placements for these practicums.

Your path from being a teacher to an SLP will not be complete until you earn your SLP license. This process varies by state, so take the time to look into the requirements where you live. Typically, you will need field experience, an active teacher certification, and completion of the SLP licensing requirements.

Home » The Role of Speech Language Pathology in Special Education

The Role of Speech Language Pathology in Special Education

It’s not uncommon for kids to have trouble speaking or communicating. In fact, one in 12 children ages 3-17 will develop a speech, voice, or swallowing disorder. Many parents think that their kids will just “grow out of it” as they get older. But putting off treatment could have a long-term impact on a child’s learning and social development.

That’s where speech-language pathology comes into play. Speech-language pathologists, better known as SLPs, can help kids with a wide range of speech problems, language issues, and other disorders. Throughout my career in special education, I’ve worked alongside dozens of excellent SLPs. So I have tons of first-hand experience with the profession and how this role fits under the special education umbrella.

There are lots of different career paths in the speech-language pathology world, but if you’re like me and passionate about helping kids, the education field will be your best option. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or interested in becoming an SLP, this guide is perfect for you. I’ll explain exactly what a speech-language pathologist does and how this role translates to special education.

Everything You Need to Know About Speech Language Pathology in Special Education

Below you’ll learn more about speech pathologists, what they do, and their specific role in special education.

What is Speech Language Pathology?

What Does a Speech Pathologist Do?

How SLPs Fit Into an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

Ways SLPs Can Help Students With Disorders, Disabilities and Special Needs

Lots of people hear the term “speech pathology” and automatically associate it with speech impediments, stuttering, or trouble pronouncing words. While this isn’t wrong, this just barely scratches the surface of what speech-language pathology entails.

By definition, speech-language pathology is a scientific study that focuses on speech, fluency, feeding, and swallowing. It encompasses all aspects of speech and language. This includes applying corrective and augmentative therapy to help with various disorders related to speech and communication.

According to the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) , there are certain disorders that fall within the scope of speech-language pathology:

Speech Disorders — Anyone who has trouble pronouncing words or speech sounds accurately or fluently could be diagnosed with a speech disorder.
Language Disorders — This includes difficulties sharing thoughts, understanding other people, and expressing ideas or feelings. Having issues using proper language in a way that’s functional or socially appropriate would fall into this category as well.
Swallowing Disorders — People who have trouble eating and swallowing may be diagnosed with a swallowing disorder. This is often due to an illness or injury.
Cognitive Communication Disorders — Cognitive disorders are related to people who struggle to plan, pay attention, organize their thoughts, or solve problems.
Social Communication Disorders — Social communication disorders occur when people struggle with the social aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication. It’s common for children with autism diagnoses to have trouble with social communication.

As you can see, lots of this goes far and beyond what most people think of when they hear speech-language pathology. The practice even includes things like accent modifications and overall communication skills improvements. Helping a person change the way they communicate based on the social setting or listener would also fall under the umbrella of speech-language pathology.

What Does a Speech Language Pathologist Do?

Also known as speech therapists or speech-language therapists, SLPs are highly trained health professionals that have a wide range of responsibilities, depending on the setting.

SLPs may work in research programs, schools, physician’s offices, healthcare clinics, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. If someone has a stroke or gets into a car accident, they may need to work with an SLP to help them overcome new cognitive challenges. Some SLPs even work in a private practice.

But for our purposes here today, we’re going to focus more on an SLP’s role in education and schools—specifically as it relates to special education.

Here are some of the common roles and responsibilities for SLPs in this setting:

Conduct evaluations and general screenings for at-risk students
Train teachers and educators to help recognize and mitigate speech and language disorders
Offer services in one-on-one sessions or small group classes
Help families of children with speech problems to ensure the child is getting treatment at home and school alike
Help students in special education with speaking, reading, writing, listening, and learning
Maintain accurate and up-to-date information on students under their supervision
Assisting with the creation of an individualized education plan (IEP)

An SLP’s job will change based on the age and educational levels of the students. Let’s look at some examples to showcase these differences.

Role in Preschool and Early Grade Levels

Communication issues in the early stages of a child’s life can lead to long-term learning disabilities. So it’s crucial to get a proper diagnosis and begin treatment as soon as possible.

SLPs working with young children typically focus on pronunciation basics and vocabulary. This can be accomplished through practice conversations, rhyming games, and other activities. Some SLPs will use AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) devices, which provide mediated communication using pictures or symbols.

Role in Middle School and High School

When working with older students, SLPs will typically shift to advanced vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. They’ll also help the students create their own treatment plans. SLPs will explain the importance of treatments and how some exercises work better than others.

At this age, it’s important for the students to continue with self-therapy. SLPs can help these students prepare for real-world scenarios that they’ll encounter outside of the education system and classroom environment.

special education teacher vs speech language pathologist

If you’re unfamiliar with the term IEP, it’s an acronym that stands for “ individualized education program .” This is designed for children who have special needs or need special education services in a public school setting.

SLPs play a crucial role in the public school system. They provide assessments for children who have issues with speech, language, and communication. By conducting evaluations, an SLP can identify kids who would benefit from additional speech and language services.

The great part about an IEP is that it’s uniquely created for each student’s specific needs. An SLP will be present when an IEP is made. So the SLP will come up with a plan based on the child’s specific struggles or disorders. SLPs will explain the types of treatment they recommend and what outcomes should be expected through completion.

SLPs will work directly with parents, teachers, and educators when formalizing the IEP. They’ll tell parents what exercises can be done in the home setting and how often they should happen.

Depending on the diagnosis and specific situation, everyone will have to come to a consensus about when the therapy should occur. In some cases, the child might spend a certain portion of their day in a one-on-one or group session where they’re removed from the traditional classroom. In other cases, the speech therapy sessions may occur after school hours, so the general class environment isn’t disrupted.

Whenever possible, students working with SLPs should be placed in the “ least restrictive environment .” In simple terms, this means that the student should be in the general education classrooms as much as possible.

After the IEP has been formalized, SLPs will continue working with parents and teachers. They’ll provide therapeutic plans, goals, progress reports, and general information resources.

As a parent, you can find comfort in knowing that you’ll be kept in the loop throughout the process. If you’re not getting updates from the SLP or school, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions.

Ways SLPs Can Help Students With Disorders, Disabilities, and Special Needs

SLPs treat a diverse range of disorders. Some treatment plans are relatively mild, like basic speech therapy. Other disorders, like dysphagia, are a bit more complex.

Examples of disorders and disabilities that may qualify for speech-language therapy include:

Cerebral palsy
Hearing loss
Asperger’s syndrome
Cleft palate
Cognitive-linguist conditions
Language disorders
Social communication disorders
Auditory processing disorders

Since speech therapy is tailored to meet each child’s specific needs, there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment or program to follow. A child who stutters will have very different needs than a child who has dyslexia.

SLPs can help students build their vocabulary, boost phonological skills, understand inferences, and improve reading comprehension. Depending on the disorder, the SLP can teach children how to improve their reading skills, improve communication skills, and learn to express complex ideas.

Speech-language pathology is a broad term that covers a wide range of scientific and therapeutic elements. But don’t let this overwhelm you. When it comes to speech-language pathology and special education, here are the most important takeaways. If you think your child has a speech, language, or communication disorder, it’s important to get them diagnosed right away. Starting treatment early can help prevent lifelong learning disabilities.

If you’re interested in becoming a speech pathologist, there are lots of different career paths. But I urge you to consider a role in special education. Leave me a comment or question below, I’d love to hear from you!

About the author

Emily Cummings

I am a mom of two crazy, amazing, independent, little feminists. They bring so much light to my life and a lot less sleep. Since becoming a mother and increasingly in the last year, I have witnessed parents struggling to connect with their child's special education team with no success. I have become more aware of the gaps in our public school system and how parents may benefit from empowerment and advocacy tools.

My work experiences range from a juvenile detention center to an autism specialist in the Issaquah School District and a special education teacher in a self-contained program in the Lake Washington School District. My master's in teaching focused on special education and behavioral disorders from Seattle Pacific University. I completed my BCBA coursework from Montana State University.

Want to get in touch?

I'm happy to help however I can. Email me at hello at behaviorist .com.

SLP in Special Education

Imagine a child with a speech impediment that makes it difficult to communicate with their peers and teachers. They struggle to express themselves and fit in, causing them to feel isolated and frustrated. That’s where a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) comes in, and their role in special education is nothing short of life-changing. In this blog, we’ll dive into the world of SLP in special education, exploring how they work together to help children reach their full potential.

What does SLP in Special Education mean?

Speech language pathologist.

Speech-Language Pathologist is referred to as SLP. It refers to a qualified healthcare professional with a license or certification focusing on diagnosing and treating speech, language, and communication impairments. They work with people who have speech and language impairments, especially kids and people with developmental disabilities, and they frequently have a significant impact on special education programs.

SLPs are essential in special education since they specialize in speech-language pathology. They assist kids who struggle with speech and communication issues to overcome obstacles that might impede their ability to learn and achieve academic success. SLPs also work with educators, parents, and other specialists to develop treatment programs and instructional approaches tailored to each student’s requirements.

SLPs evaluate and identify speech and language impairments and employ a range of techniques to assist kids in developing their communication abilities. Working on speech sound generation, language comprehension, and social communication abilities may be part of this. SLPs may also use technology to improve their therapy strategies, such as computer programs and assistive gadgets .

SLPs are crucial in the special education environment for supporting students who have speech and language impairments. They try to guarantee these pupils get the modifications and assistance they need to flourish in the classroom and beyond. Making suggestions for assistive technology and working with educators to establish efficient communication practices may be part of this. You can find more details on assistive technology from Understood.org, a leading resource for learning and thinking differences.

The SLP’s job in special education is to give kids the tools they need to communicate successfully and realize their full potential. Through their knowledge, compassion, and dedication, SLPs make a difference in students’ lives with speech and language challenges daily.

SLP Role in IEP Meeting

Individualized Education Programs IEPs CaseloadWorkload

In an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting, the function of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is to offer knowledge and help in the creation and execution of educational programs for students with speech and language challenges. The SLP will discuss the student’s communication abilities, including their strong points and places for improvement, at the IEP meeting . Additionally, they will offer suggestions for modifications and assistance to help the youngster achieve in the classroom and beyond.

To ensure that the IEP covers the student’s unique speech and language requirements, the SLP will work with a team of teachers, parents, and other specialists. This could involve suggesting speech therapy services, assistive technology, or other changes to the school setting.

It is crucial to remember that the SLP’s function at the IEP meeting is to offer direction and assistance. Still, the IEP team ultimately decides on the IEP’s recommendations and content. The SLP’s involvement is essential to ensure that the IEP appropriately reflects students’ communication needs and positions them for success.

A speech-language pathologist’s attendance at an IEP meeting often guarantees that the student’s speech and language requirements are completely considered and addressed, resulting in a more successful and comprehensive educational plan.

What is PT in Special Education?

The branch of speech therapy specifically devoted to addressing the communication requirements of students with disabilities in a special education environment is known as speech-language pathology in special education. SLPs are qualified individuals who collaborate with kids to evaluate, identify, and treat speech, language, and communication impairments. To better understand PT in special education, you can visit the American Physical Therapy Association .

Special Education Teacher vs. Speech-language Pathologist

A Special Education teacher focuses on helping students with speech and language issues and is known as a speech education instructor. They conduct individual and group therapy sessions while working in a school setting. Along with collaborating with other teachers and experts, they may also be in charge of performing assessments. At the same time, a speech-language pathologist is a specialist who specializes in diagnosing and treating speech and language disorders. They may work in a school and a clinical or private practice setting. Their role includes conducting assessments, developing and implementing treatment plans, and providing direct therapy.

Diagnosis Eligibility and Dismissal Criteria

The procedure for deciding whether a pupil is eligible for speech and language services and when it is appropriate to dismiss them from receiving these services is called diagnosis eligibility and dismissal criteria in speech-language pathology (SLP).

Typical diagnosis eligibility requirements include the following:

The child must exhibit a substantial communication issue in one or more speech and language domains, such as articulation, fluency, language comprehension, or voice.
Impact on Functioning: The student’s capacity to engage in academic and daily activities must be hampered by communication.
Communication problems must not be largely brought on by another ailment, such as hearing loss or an intellectual handicap.

Dismissal criteria decide when it is appropriate to stop providing speech and language services after a student is qualified for them. Depending on the following elements:

Progress: The student’s speech and language abilities have improved significantly, and he or she no longer needs assistance.
Maintenance of Skills: The student has shown they can keep up verbal and written communication without assistance.
Changes in Needs: Speech and language services are no longer necessary because the student’s needs have changed.
Graduation: The student has completed their studies and is no longer qualified to receive assistance.

It’s crucial to frequently assess a student’s development and decide whether more speech and language therapies are required. The choice to exclude a student from these services should be decided in consultation with the student, their family, and the rest of the educational team based on the student’s unique requirements.

OT Special Education

Occupational therapy is referred to as OT in special education. Occupational therapy is a type of rehabilitation service that aids people in enhancing their capacity to carry out regular chores and activities. Occupational therapists work with special education students with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments to help them develop the skills and abilities necessary to participate in everyday activities and educational settings.

The occupational therapist evaluates the student’s strengths and limits and then develops a personalized treatment plan to meet their needs. This could involve practices and games that enhance fine motor abilities, hand-eye coordination, and sensory integration. Occupational therapists may also suggest using assistive technology and other adjustments to help the kid flourish in the classroom and other settings.

Occupational therapists are essential to helping disabled children in special education overcome obstacles to learning and achievement. They collaborate closely with parents, teachers, and other experts to ensure students receive the support required to realize their full potential. By assisting them in achieving their objectives and leading satisfying lives, occupational therapy services can significantly enhance the quality of life for students with disabilities.

SLP IEP Cheat Sheet: Laws Individualized Education Programs IEPs

For speech-language pathologists (SLPs), the following is a cheat sheet on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs):

Share details on the student’s present speech and language abilities, including their strengths and areas of weakness.
Develop clear, quantifiable speech and language goals and objectives for the student in collaboration with the IEP team.
Determine the number and length of speech therapy sessions depending on the specific requirements of each student.
Suggest adjustments and adaptations, such as using assistive technology or changing the learning environment, to help the student succeed in the classroom.
Progress monitoring entails giving regular updates on the student’s development in reaching his or her speech and language objectives and, as necessary, recommending modifications to the IEP.
Collaboration is key to ensuring the educational plan adequately addresses the student’s speech and language requirements. This team should consist of teachers, parents, and other experts.
Advocate for the student’s speech and language needs and uphold their rights and services.

When participating in IEP meetings and creating lesson plans for students with speech and language challenges, SLPs can quickly turn to this cheat sheet. Remember to collaborate with the IEP team to ensure the student’s success and consider the student’s unique requirements and strengths. We hope you enjoy our discussion of today’s topic, SLP in Special Education.

Jennifer Hanson is a dedicated and seasoned writer specializing in the field of special education. With a passion for advocating for the rights and needs of children with diverse learning abilities, Jennifer uses her pen to educate, inspire, and empower both educators and parents alike.

Peer mediated instruction, academic enrichment.

Teacher vs. Speech Pathologist: What Are the Differences?

Learn about the two careers and review some of the similarities and differences between them.

Both teachers and speech pathologists work with individuals to help them improve their communication skills. If you’re interested in working with people and helping them overcome communication difficulties, either of these careers may be a good fit for you. In this article, we compare and contrast the job duties, education requirements and salaries of teachers and speech pathologists. We also provide information on other careers you may be interested in pursuing.

What is a Teacher?

Teachers typically work in schools, colleges or universities, where they are responsible for instructing students and preparing them for exams. They also develop and grade coursework, assign homework and assess student progress. Teachers typically specialize in a particular subject area, such as math, science or English. In some cases, they may also teach multiple subjects. Teachers often work with students one-on-one to help them improve their understanding of course material and prepare for exams. Some teachers also coach sports teams or advise extracurricular clubs.

What is a Speech Pathologist?

Speech Pathologists, also called Speech-Language Pathologists, work with patients who have trouble speaking or producing sounds correctly. They also work with patients who have trouble swallowing or who have voice disorders. Speech Pathologists assess patients to determine the root of the problem and create a treatment plan. They might work with patients one-on-one or in small groups. Speech Pathologists might also work with family members or caregivers to teach them how to best support the patient.

Teacher vs. Speech Pathologist

Here are the main differences between a teacher and a speech pathologist.

One of the biggest differences between speech pathologists and teachers is the type of duties they perform. Speech pathologists work with individuals to improve their communication skills. They do this by identifying a patient’s challenges, like stuttering or mispronouncing words, and creating treatment plans that help them overcome these issues.

In contrast, teachers have many different job responsibilities depending on the grade level and subject they teach. For example, elementary school teachers typically educate their students in core subjects like reading and math. In contrast, high school teachers often act as counselors, advising their students about post-secondary education options.

Job Requirements

To become a teacher, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field. You also need to complete a state-approved teacher preparation program and earn your teaching license. Some states require teachers to pass a basic skills test and a subject area exam as well.

To become a speech pathologist, you need at least a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from an accredited program. You also need to complete a clinical fellowship year and pass a national exam administered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Some states also have their own licensure requirements for speech pathologists.

Work Environment

Speech pathologists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools and private practices. They may also travel to different locations to provide services for clients. Teachers typically work in school classrooms, but they can also teach students in after-school programs or summer camps. Speech pathologists often work long hours during the week, while teachers usually have more regular schedules with fewer overtime hours.

Both teachers and speech pathologists need to have excellent communication skills. They both work with individuals or groups of people and need to be able to clearly explain concepts, give instructions and provide feedback.

Both teachers and speech pathologists also need to be patient as they work with students or clients who may not understand a concept immediately or who may need extra time to process information. In addition, both professions require the ability to be organized in order to create lesson plans or therapy goals and track progress over time.

However, there are some key differences in the skills needed for these jobs. Teachers typically need to have content knowledge in the subjects they teach, while speech pathologists need to have knowledge about human anatomy, physiology and linguistics. Speech pathologists also need to be able to use specialized equipment, such as computers and software programs, to help them assess and treat patients.

The average salary for a teacher is $54,715 per year, while the average salary for a speech pathologist is $84,821 per year. The salary for a teacher may vary depending on the grade level they teach, their location and their years of experience. A speech pathologist’s salary may vary depending on their location, the type of facility they work in and their years of experience.

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OT, SLP, AT & IEP … Making Sense of Special Education Alphabet Soup

By Laura Greiss Hess and Kerrie Lemons Chitwood

Estimated Reading Time: 18 min.

Creating an IEP — or individualized education program — can be an incredibly confusing and daunting experience. The “alphabet soup” of acronyms and legalese can increase the anxiety and uneasiness for families.

There are often many professionals in the room, some just popping in and out during the meeting, and families can feel isolated and not fully part of the process. One way to offset these feelings is to prepare ahead of time.

We’ve designed this article to be an at-a-glance format, combining our professional expertise and some handy resources. This information is presented via frequently asked questions and IEP insider tips . In addition, we’ve included insights and perspectives of families from the NFXF community based on their personal, first-hand experiences about the IEP process. We’ve kept the families anonymous and sincerely thank them for their valuable comments and suggestions.

Be sure to check out the many handy resources at the end. It’s our sincere hope that families can find some helpful information to aid them in confidently participating in your child’s IEP as a key member of the team.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is idea.

IDEA = Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

IDEA is the federal law that makes early intervention and special education available for students with special needs.

What are FAPE and LRE?

FAPE = Free and Appropriate Public Education

This is central to the federal law and is a protected right of children eligible for special education. Just like all other children, students with special needs have the right to a free public education.

LRE = Least Restrictive Environment

This means that schools must consider teaching a child with special needs in general education whenever possible. There is a continuum of “restrictiveness” ranging from the most restrictive of residential placements, to special education centers where all children on the campus have special needs, to special education classrooms on general education campuses, to resource-style classes where students spend parts of a day in special education and parts of the day in general education plus full inclusion in general education settings. The graphic is a representation of “restrictiveness.”

Most to least restrictive environments for learning

What is an IEP?

IEP = Individualized Education Program

An IEP is a written document for each child with a disability. It is developed, reviewed, and revised according to the requirements of IDEA.

IEPs are typically held once per year, but the timing may vary depending on the needs of your child. ( Tip: You can call an IEP meeting any time.)

IEPs typically have a flow of how things will proceed. Each team is different, but generally the team should collaboratively brainstorm the following:

Identify present levels of performance.
Develop goals and objectives.
Discuss and document necessary therapy supports.

What is a SLP? Is it the same as a ST? What is an LSH Specialist? And what else do I need to know about speech and language?

SLP = Speech-Language Pathology (or Pathologist) ST = Speech Therapy (or Therapist) LSH = Language, Speech, Hearing Specialty

Often in schools, SLP, ST, and LSH are used interchangeably — though LSH is typically only used in school settings.

Communication is an “umbrella” that includes many concepts. Here is a breakdown that we find helpful:

What is Speech?

Speech is production of phonemes (sounds), voice, and fluency. In other words, articulation.

What is Language?

Language is the area of functioning most crucial for cognitive and social development. Language includes both verbal and visual input and is comprised of:

Receptive Language: The understanding — or what the individual receives via communication in the environment.
Expressive Language: Ability to communicate or express wants and needs.

What are Pragmatics?

Pragmatics is the use of language, sometimes referred to as “social language” (e.g., taking turns, waiting, sharing, eye contact, facial expressions). Pragmatics also includes flexibility of thought and language use depending upon the situation.

What do Speech-Therapy Services in Schools Mostly Focus On?

Socialization/pragmatics.
Design of a language-rich environment.
Encouraging language through various modalities on an everyday basis.

Language, speech, hearing (LSH) therapists are support staff who can assist in the development of communication tools, which should be used on a consistent basis and embedded into the IEP.

What is OT?

OT = Occupational Therapy

Definition: The word “occupation” comes from how we “occupy” our time. Our daily life’s roles and activities, including self-care, play, work, social engagement, leisure, and learning, are all daily occupations , thus occupational therapy teaches daily life skills.
OT Services: Students participate in occupational therapy to meet annual goals as outlined in the IEP. In school settings, OTs support student learning, access to and overall participation in educational settings, and routines, including academic and non-academic domains. Sensory processing differences are the most common reason for needing occupational therapy.

What is SI?

SI = Sensory Integration

Definition: The organization of sensation for use.*
Attention and focus.
Language processing.
Overall functioning.
Research : Sensory integration issues have been well-documented in many individuals with FXS.

What is AT?

AT = Assistive Technology

Definition: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of children with disabilities. ( Source: IDEA)
Requirement: Assistive technology must be considered on every IEP.

What is AAC?

AAC = Augmentative and Alternate Communication

Augmentative and alternate communication (AAC) is the part of assistive technology (AT) that focuses on communication.
AAC is not just a “device that talks,” it includes a broad spectrum of applications including symbols, gestures, pictures, and icons to enhance communication.
Use of AAC applications will not stop someone from talking.

Before the IEP Meeting

What to ask for in advance of the IEP meeting:

An IEP agenda.
A draft copy of the IEP, including present levels and proposed goals.
Assessment reports.

NOTE Requests for present levels, goals, and assessments prior to the meeting may need to be in writing. This can often be done via email or by dropping off a note at the school. Be sure to find out how much advance notice is required in order to have your requests honored and to allow the school team to adequately prepare your drafts. This can vary by district (e.g., 3 days, 1 week).

Prepare your own thoughts about your child’s present levels. Have strengths and areas of concern in mind. Consider bringing this information in a handy note format that is comfortable for you to share with the team. (See Positive Student Profile below)

During the IEP Meeting

You are the best source of information on your child, and their best advocate. Go in as a collaborator not as an adversary. Begin with your child as an individual who has strengths and gifts, and from there:

Ask to have the IEP notes read aloud at the end of the meeting with all team members present. This helps to make sure the team is in agreement about what was discussed and will help to clarify any issues.
Pointedly discuss collaboration during the IEP meeting.
Schedule team meetings monthly or quarterly.
Define expectations for team communication (e.g., logs in notebooks or email).
Many therapists and teachers have good intentions, but unless we have formal collaboration spaces, time, and places , it may not actually happen in the way we all want it to happen.
You do not need to sign the IEP right away at the end of the meeting. You can take it home, review it, share with partner/family and sign later.

Many families make this their regular practice, not just when things are contentious.**

Positive Student Profile Examples

Tips from Parents: Meetings

My input as a parent is really important in the IEP. So, I always write a detailed page for the “Parent Concerns” section. All year long I add bullet points to a document I keep on my computer. When something comes to mind — a particular challenge, a great success, a dream for him — I type a bullet point. Then when it’s time to write my part of the IEP, I have my bullets to refer to. I try to do my piece well in advance of the meeting in hopes that his teacher might use some of my thoughts to form the goals.
I always tried to act as another part of the whole team. I did things, I volunteered to provide things, and expected others to do the same. I never went in just pounding my fist and requesting unrealistic things. It has to be cohesive!
It never hurts to ask for something, the worst they can say is no.
Trust your gut.
Educate the IEP team on FXS and what you as the parent know about FXS learning styles each year.

Questions to ask about goals:

What the goal will “look” like during the school day? (Provides context)
How will skills be generalized?
How and when will progress be updated?
How will parent-school communication work?
How will the goal will be measured?
How will data be collected and shared?

Goals should be:

Interdisciplinary — not just a “speech goal” or “OT goal.”
Functional, measurable, and data driven.
Clear and easily understood by anyone.
Highly individualized to your child.

Tips from Parents: Food and IEPs are a great pairing!

For every meeting (monthly or IEP) we bring food. Muffins, scones, cut up fruit-yogurt and paper bowls since we usually meet in the early morning. We know their dietary needs as well and provide something healthy. It lets them know that we care about them and appreciate their help.
I believe it’s a nice gesture AND it’s harder to say no with a bagel in your mouth. Pete suggests bringing enough so there is extra. Then when it’s in the teachers’ lounge and someone says, “Where’s this from?” the answer shows you’re generous parents as opposed to the talk in the teachers’ lounge being about your list of demands.
We bring food in as well. I always come in a few minutes early and stop in the front office and make sure the secretary and principal have some as well as anyone else on the team who may not be at the meeting (like the paraprofessionals!). These small gestures have always helped not just with IEPs but also throughout the year because they all KNOW me so when we have had to be firm about a decision, they understand a little better. They are also more likely to go out of their way for us. 🙂

After the IEP

Collaborate and follow through!
Actively engage in the agreed upon team communication strategies — you are a key team member!
Don’t hesitate to ask follow up questions . Remember, you can call an IEP meeting at any time, so if you want to meet again with the team, that is your prerogative.

Assistive Technology and the IEP (PDF) From the National Fragile X Foundation (that’s us!)

Understanding IEPs From understood.org, previously known as the National Center for Learning Disabilities, or NCLD

IDEA Fact Sheet (PDF)

SMART IEPs The term SMART IEPs describes IEPs that are specific, measurable, use action words, are realistic and relevant, and time-limited.

Special Education: Federal laws vs. state laws

Find Your Parent Center There are nearly 100 Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in the U.S. and territories.

10 Things to Know Before Your Next IEP Meeting (YouTube)

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Assistive Technology

UC Davis MIND Institute Assistive Technology Video

*This definition was conceptualized by Jean Ayres (1979) an occupational therapist and scholar who pioneered what we understand sensory integration to be today.

**According to WrightsLaw, IDEA does not require parents to “sign” an IEP. Threatening to not sign an IEP does not really mean much. Also, if you do not sign the IEP, others may think you agree to it. You have an absolute right to disagree with the IEP. Do not sit on that right. If you disagree with the IEP, go ahead and sign it, but put a note below or to the side of your name saying that your signature does not mean that you agree with the IEP.

Laura Greiss Hess & Kerrie Lemons Chitwood

Laura Greiss Hess, PhD, OTR/L Laura is an assistant professor in the department of occupational therapy at Dominican University of California. She began her career as a special education teacher in 1992 and became a school-based occupational therapist in 1998. She worked at the UC Davis MIND Institute for 12 years on the FXS team under the mentorship of Randi Hagerman. Laura’s research and practice interests include: neurodevelopmental disorders such as Fragile X syndrome and autism, examining intervention outcomes as measured in daily life contexts with schools and families, interdisciplinary team collaboration, sensory processing, and assistive technology applications.

Kerrie Lemons Chitwood, PhD, CCC-SLP Kerrie is a licensed speech language pathologist with 18 years of clinical and research experience. Kerrie currently is an adjunct professor in the Education Department at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). In addition, she is the program coordinator for the Masters of Arts in Education at CSUMB. Previously, from 2002 to 2012, Kerrie worked at the UC Davis MIND Institute, where she was part of the Fragile X team. She values intervention research and has extensive experience working as an integral member of a collaborative interdisciplinary team. She is committed to translational research and thrives to bridge the gap between research and practice specifically as it pertains to students and families with FXS and other neurodevelopmental disorders in various educational settings.

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Special Education Teacher Vs Speech Language Pathologist

The differences between special education teachers and speech language pathologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a speech language pathologist has an average salary of $62,340, which is higher than the $54,290 average annual salary of a special education teacher.

The top three skills for a special education teacher include classroom management, autism and behavior management. The most important skills for a speech language pathologist are patients, SLP, and speech-language pathology.

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist overview

What does a special education teacher do.

A special education teacher is responsible for teaching students with disabilities. Special education teachers are trained professionals to provide distinct learning instructions for children with special cases for them to achieve their potentials and improve their self-confidence. A special education teacher must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist the students with their learning areas. Special education teachers should be able to come up with engaging activities to support the students' behavioral and intellectual development.

What does a speech language pathologist do?

A speech-language pathologist specializes in diagnosing disorders in speech, language, and communication among children and adults. They are also responsible for devising and providing suitable treatments and therapeutic solutions that would improve a patient's condition. With each case varying from the rest, a speech-language pathologist must conduct an extensive assessment, research, analysis, and observation. Aside from providing treatments, a speech-language pathologist can also supervise other personnel in the same field, engage in various programs to share expertise, and provide consultations.

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist salary

Special education teachers and speech language pathologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Differences between special education teacher and speech language pathologist education

There are a few differences between a special education teacher and a speech language pathologist in terms of educational background:

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist demographics

Here are the differences between special education teachers' and speech language pathologists' demographics:

Differences between special education teacher and speech language pathologist duties and responsibilities

Special education teacher example responsibilities..

Lead a DIBELS intervention group.
Lead the data team with interpreting results, including NWEA and other benchmark assessments.
Design a unique and differentiate curriculum that addressed state standards for both mathematics and special education.
Educate special needs kids with mental and physical disabilities using proven conventional and improvise teaching/learning methods.
Plan appropriate lessons align to NYS CCSS.
Instruct and create ELA lessons through Fountas and Pinnell and Fundations.

Speech Language Pathologist Example Responsibilities.

Plan and provide speech therapy services to preschool and elementary school children with autism, communication disorders and developmental disabilities.
Offer speech therapy services in schools k-12 grade.
Perform tasks prescribe, direct, and supervise by ASHA certify speech language pathologist.
Diagnose, assess and provide treatment in private practice for kids of all ages presenting a language delays.
Act as primary liaison between administrative staff, rehabilitation managers, multidisciplinary team members and SLP staff.
Provide formal evaluation of communication, cognitive-linguistic, and swallowing deficits for both short term rehabilitation patients and long term residents.

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist skills

Classroom Management, 11%
Autism, 10%
Behavior Management, 6%
Professional Development, 6%
Student Learning, 6%
Patients, 19%
Speech-Language Pathology, 13%
Rehabilitation, 10%
Home Health, 8%
Patient Care, 6%

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Role Of A Speech Pathologist In Special Education

When our son was a tiny toddler, he didn’t develop as fast as his older sister…

Using words that didn’t make sense even to us, was his way of communicating.

His frustration grew as he aged…

We could tell he was trying, but we just didn’t understand.

It wasn’t until he was four-years-old, we finally had him tested…

Just as I thought, he was delayed but could be helped by an SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist)!

Why did we wait?

Well, my husband who is not a special educator just kept selling me on the idea that he would “grow out of it…”

Speech Pathologist Video

Check it out.

With this, I learned to trust my professional instincts…

Disabilities come in many forms –

All disabilities can lead to a child with special needs having trouble learning.

Developmental Disability

A developmental disability means the child is not performing at the same standards as their age-appropriate peer group.

This can be due to several factors and is often incredibly frustrating for both parents and children to cope with.

For this reason, there are all manner of specialists to help your child overcome their stumbling blocks to educational success.

Speech-Language Pathologist

A speech-language pathologist is a trained medical professional who can help your child with several oral disorders such as;

Trouble Swallowing
Motor Skills
Speech Issues
Cognitive-Linguistic Conditions

An SLP’s role is to;

Help assess a condition
Diagnose precisely what the problem is
Develop a plan to help treat the disorder
Follow through with therapy and other methods to ensure the child with special needs is getting the help they need.

Speech issues are sometimes caused by neurological damage or impairment from an extenuating circumstance, like a sudden disease or accident, while others are inherently present from birth.

No matter the reason for the issue, a speech pathologist is trained to handle whatever problems they might be presented with.

After a diagnosis is made and a course of treatment agreed upon, a speech pathologist will work closely with the affected child to correct the issue as best as possible.

They help to correct;

Speech sounds
How language is perceived in children with developmental disabilities
Other disorders – such as speaking in a harsh or inappropriate tone during certain moments

No matter the need for speech therapy, this specialized pathologist can help your child succeed in changing their speech habits for the better.

Speech Pathologists In The School

If a child with special needs attends a school with active special education services, it’s likely there is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) available to assist with your child’s unique disorder.

These therapists work in a public school setting to support those children whose speech impairments affect their ability to perform well in the classroom, social activities, and overall literacy levels.

A disability of this nature can be understandably scary and frustrating for the child, which is why SLPs often see children in a contained environment for personal attention and learning.

School-based speech pathology services are only provided once a child has been evaluated and diagnosed with a speech disorder, and it has been proven that their disability will immediately impact their continued educational success.

Once an SLP has been brought in to assist your child with special needs, they will work closely with both you and the school to communicate;

Therapeutic Plans and Goals
Continued Progress or Setbacks
General Information or Resources

They will help your child get the educational support needed for a bright future.

IEP and SLP: Roles and Definitions

If you are not familiar with an IEP, the acronym stands for Individualized Education Plan and is necessary for children with special needs to receive special education services in a public school setting.

Working with teachers, school officials, and speech pathologists, you will agree upon a designated plan of action to achieve individual goals, which the SLP will then work towards with your child during their sessions together.

IEP’s are uniquely created for each child’s specific set of needs– there is no standard goal to reach or plan to follow. Your child’s abilities concerning their condition will be taken into consideration first before an IEP can be finalized, and results will be communicated every step of the way.

The speech pathologist can provide therapy information to you at any time, should you request it, which eliminates the parental worry of not knowing what’s going on with your child.

The school’s SLP is required to be present during the creation of an IEP, as their intimate working knowledge of the specific condition provides valuable insight into how the disorder should be managed and what outcome to expect from treatment.

Your opinion on the child’s action plan also plays a vital role into how the IEP is constructed, especially since you spend each day with your child’s unique learning struggles both in the home and at school.

Important Note

Do not be afraid to speak up during the meeting, as you want your child to receive the best services possible.

Getting the Help You Need

It might take a while for you to notice that your child requires speech pathology services, especially if they are four years of age or under; if they are showing signs of having trouble speaking, making noise or only use hand gestures, it is time to seek a professional diagnosis.

Between 12 and 18 Months

A child between the ages of 12 and 18 months, and especially by two years, should be able to use hand gestures to convey concepts and understand simple verbal requests, such as “drink” or “bring the ball.”

Between Two and Four years

Between two and four, children should be starting to speak in a manner which is easier to understand, using more complex words, and slowing down the use of hand gestures.

If your child seems to be exhibiting behaviors that are not expected of their age group, seek specialized help; catching an issue early on gives your child a higher rate of success when it comes to learning later on.

Do not be afraid to ask for assistance regarding your child’s possible special needs, and remember to be patient and kind towards your child, as they undoubtedly have a harder time than you can imagine.

Finding a qualified SLP can help your child reach a high level of achievement beyond your expectations, and set them on a continued course of learning that goes above their limitations.

Special Education Resource wants to help by providing you with as much information as possible regarding all aspects of special education so you can make an informed decision regarding your child’s educational choices.

Luke Dalien

I find it so interesting that speech pathologists are able to help people train their tongues to produce different sounds. I imagine that you would have to understand a lot about the anatomy of the mouth and throat to be able to help with speech redirection. My cousin has a speech impediment and I’m sure he would love to work one on one with someone.

It’s interesting to know that speech pathology can help diagnose what might be the problem with one’s speech impediments. My child is a fast learning when it comes to mathematics and physical education but tends to struggle a lot with public speaking and pronouncing certain words. Hopefully, these problems can be dealt with sooner rather than later in life.

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Think Differently About Education. We Believe…

We assess your child’s learning style, personality, and interests to pair them with the ideal special ed tutor based on their individual needs.

Through technology and one on one learning, their future path to success can be made clear again.

Are you ready to see confident progress in your child?

Get started with a no-obligation consultation today!

There are hundreds of resources found on our website, SpecialEdResource.com, and on our YouTube channel that were created to help parents JUST LIKE YOU understand the cryptic language of special education.

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Speech and Language Impairments

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Acronyms, Abbreviations, Definitions

Acronyms, Abbreviations, Definitions - A list of acronyms, abbreviations, and definitions related to speech and language disorders.

Activities for Speech

Resources and support library - A list of resources and support tools related to speech and language disorders.
Speech Paths - Speech Paths is a speech pathology community resource providing resources and information to speech language pathologists and related medical specialties including audiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, respiratory therapy and dysphagia clinicians.
Speech Therapy Activities - This site has a variety of printable activities and ideas for different ages, all FREE! Help yourself and share with your colleagues. Parents are also encouraged to enjoy the activities.

American sign Language

American sign language browser - 1. Click on desired letter below to open an index of words that begin with that letter to the right. 2. Then click on a word to the right to obtain its sign.
American Sign Language - American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, complex language that employs signs made with the hands and other movements, including facial expressions and postures of the body. It is the first language of many deaf North Americans, and one of several communication options available to deaf people. ASL is said to be the fourth most commonly used language in the United States.
Anatomy & Physiology of the Larynx - Voice production is a complex action, and involves practically all systems of the body. Voice production begins with respiration (breathing). Air is inhaled as the diaphragm (the large, horizontal muscle below the lungs) lowers. The volume of the lungs expands and air rushes in to fill this space.
Aphasia-Overview - Aphasia is a disorder that results from damage to language centers of the brain. For almost all right-handers and for about 1/2 of left-handers, damage to the left side of the brain causes aphasia. As a result, individuals who were previously able to communicate through speaking, listening, reading and writing become more limited in their ability to do so.
Aphasia Therapy in the New Millennium - This article highlights national and international developments in aphasia therapy research over the past two years. We will focus on three areas: 1 ) the emergence of nontraditional treatments for aphasia, 2) the need to place aphasia treatment within the context of the complex brain mechanisms involved in the recovery process as well as the need for clinicians to apply theoretical frameworks in deciding the course of patient treatment, and 3) developments in the frontiers of neuroscience.
Understanding Primary Progressive Aphasia - Primary progressive aphasia is a rare neurological syndrome in which language capabilities become slowly and progressively impaired. This information sheet was prepared by the NAA to help explain the condition of Primary Progressive Aphasia to the general public.
Diagnosing Primary Progressive Aphasia - Aphasia usually results from damage to the left side of the brain; it is unusual for aphasia to result from right-sided brain damage. The severity of aphasia and prognosis for recovery depend on the volume of tissue damage and its exact location(s), the type of injury, and whether other parts of the brain are also damaged. The onset of aphasia is usually sudden as the cause is most often stroke or traumatic brain injury. Infection can also cause the rapid onset of aphasia.
Effective Tools for Family Education - There is no doubt that the education of family members about the nature of an acquired communication disorder and effective communication strategies has a significant positive effect on social relationships. It also may positively affect perceived quality of life and ultimate functional abilities.
Booklets, Books, and Newsletters on Aphasia - A list of books, booklets, and newsletters related to aphasia. Appropriate for individuals with aphasia, their families, and professionals.
Apraxia - Apraxia (also referred to as apraxia of speech, verbal apraxia, or dyspraxia) is a motor speech disorder caused by damage to the parts of the nervous system related to speaking. It is characterized by problems sequencing the sounds in syllables and words and varies in severity depending on the nature of the nervous system damage.
Apraxia in Adults - People with apraxia know what words they want to say, but their brains have difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words and they may say something completely different, even nonsensical. For example, a person may try to say "kitchen", but it may come out "bipem". The person will recognize the error and try again, sometimes getting it right, but sometimes saying something else entirely. This can become quite frustrating for the person.
Apraxia of Speech-signs and symptoms - Apraxia of speech is a motor-speech programming disorder resulting in difficulty executing and/or coordinating (sequencing) the oral-motor movements necessary to produce and combine speech sounds (phonemes) to form syllables, words, phrases and sentences on voluntary (rather than only reflexive) control. Many children are able to hear words, and are able to understand what they mean, but they can’t change what they hear into the fine-motor skill of combining consonants and vowels to form words.
Apraxia, Hypernasality and Velopharyngeal Incompetence (VPI) - A list of online resources to learn about hyponasality, hypernasality, and Velopharnygeal Insufficiency (VPI).
Characteristics of Children with Apraxia of Speech - This list was compiled from professional literature which is referenced at the end. Professionals and researchers do not all agree on the characteristics that define apraxia and some of those listed below may also be present in children with other severe speech sound disorders.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech - Childhood apraxia of speech is a disorder of the nervous system that affects the ability to sequence and say sounds, syllables, and words. It is not due to muscular weakness or paralysis. The problem is in the brain's planning to move the body parts needed for speech (e.g., lips, jaw, tongue).

Articulation Disorder

Articulation Disorders- signs and symptoms - Articulation disorders are speech sound errors that do not change in different word contexts. These errors occur during the production of isolated speech sounds (phonemes) and are thus misarticulated at the syllable and word levels as well. Articulation errors on individual consonants or vowels do not necessarily change due to context.
The Uses and Misuses of Processing Tests - If you have ever been involved in an educational evaluation for learning disabilities---whether as a parent, teacher, or in some other role---you have probably heard about "processing tests" and "processing disorders." Many aspects of these evaluations can be problematic, but perhaps none more so than those entailing the use (and potential misuse) of processing measures. Yet the right measures, carefully interpreted, can be enormously helpful in education.

Auditory Processing Disorder

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) — An Overview - Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a complex problem. The term is used by many people, in very different ways. There is research underway to help understand this disorder. There also is research to investigate therapies that will help individuals who may have an auditory processing disorder.
Auditory Processing Disorder in Children - Human communication relies on taking in complicated perceptual information from the outside world through the senses, such as hearing, and interpreting that information in a meaningful way. Human communication also requires certain mental abilities, such as attention and memory. Scientists still do not understand exactly how all of these processes work and interact or how they malfunction in cases of communication disorders. Even though your child seems to "hear normally," he or she may have difficulty using those sounds for speech and language.
Basic Principles of Auditory Processing Disorder - Management of APD should incorporate three primary principles: (I) environmental modifications, (2) remediation (direct therapy) techniques, and (3) compensatory strategies. All three of these components are necessary for APD intervention to be effective.

Central Auditory Processing Disorder

Central Auditory Processing (CAP) - A number of children with learning disabilities demonstrate Central Auditory Processing (CAP) problems. These children usually have normal hearing and normal intelligence. They are unable to effectively utilize auditory information, especially when competing sounds are present. They are described as inattentive, easily distracted by background noise, and exhibit difficulty following verbal directions.
Central Auditory Processing Disorder — An Overview - Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a complex problem. The term is used by many people, in very different ways. There is research underway to help understand this disorder. There also is research to investigate therapies that will help individuals who may have an auditory processing disorder.
Central auditory processing disorder-about CAPD - Life is complicated these days, for children as much as adults. There's a lot to remember and a lot to do. But sometimes a child may seem to be more than simply distracted by a complex life. Although their hearing may be normal, kids with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) can't process the information they hear in the same way as others because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate.
Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD's) - Not all the hearing is done in the ear. In fact, simply stated, the ear merely brings in all the environmental sounds human beings can hear and delivers them unseparated to the bottom of the brain in the brain stem (just above the spinal cord). As the hearing nerves criss-cross up these several inches the "sorting out" or processing begins.
Central Auditory Processing Disorders-signs and symptoms - A CAPD is a receptive language disorder. It refers to difficulties in the decoding and storing of auditory information (typically incoming verbal messages). This type of receptive language disorder is a result of genetic factors and/or early otitis media though causal factors may not be able to be found.
Treatment For Central Auditory Processing Problems - One approach focuses on training certain auditory and listening skills such as auditory discrimination (e.g. telling the difference between peas and bees), localization of sound, sequencing sounds, or identifying a target sound in a noisy background. Training these skills in isolation, however, may not help a child to understand complex language, such as a teacher's instructions. Therefore, another approach concentrates on teaching more functional language skills (e.g., vocabulary, grammar, conversational skills) and uses strategies (e.g., visual aids and repeating directions) to facilitate the processing of languages.

Cleft Lip and Palate

Cleft Lip and Palate Resource - One child in 700 is born with a cleft. It is the fourth most common birth defect, and the first most common facial birth defect. And yet so many parents feel so alone. WIDE SMILES was formed to ensure that parents of cleft-affected children do not have to feel alone. We offer support, inspiration, information and networking for families everywhere who may be dealing with the challenges associated with clefting.

Developmental Milestones

Speech & Language Milestone Chart - These milestones are behaviors that emerge over time, forming the building blocks for growth and continued learning.

Developmental Delays in Speech and Language

Delayed speech and language development - It's important to discuss early speech and language development, as well as other developmental concerns, with your child's doctor at every routine well-child visit.
Developmental Speech and Language Disorders - Developmental expressive language disorder is a disorder in which a child has lower-than-normal proficiency in vocabulary, the production of complex sentences, and recall of words.
Developmental Speech Apraxia Resources - Cincinnati Children's recommends the following Web resources for more information about Developmental Speech Apraxia.
Late Blooming or Language Problem? - Parents are smart. They listen to their child talk and know how he or she communicates. They also listen to his or her playmates who are about the same age and may even remember what older brothers and sisters did at the same age. Then the parents mentally compare their child's performance with the performance of these other children. What results is an impression of whether or not their child is developing speech and language at a normal rate.
Speech delay - This website was created to help parents, caregivers, teachers, friends, therapists, and relatives of language/speech delayed children. We cover a variety of topics, with "talking tips" for adults; a speech forum to communicate with a speech-language and/or hearing expert, or peers; links to many other helpful sites, a sign language section with multiple common signs, and a "books/products" section if you choose to obtain further information/helpful products.
Dysphagia - People with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing and may also experience pain while swallowing. Some people may be completely unable to swallow or may have trouble swallowing liquids, foods, or saliva. Eating then becomes a challenge. Often, dysphagia makes it difficult to take in enough calories and fluids to nourish the body.
Feeding and Swallowing Disorders in Children - Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia (dis FAY juh), can occur at different stages in the swallowing process.
New Visions (Feeding and Swallowing Resource) - New Visions provides continuing education and therapy services to professionals and parents working with infants and children with feeding, swallowing, oral-motor, and pre-speech problems.

Expressive Language Disorder

Expressive language disorder – developmental - Approximately 3 to 10% of all school-age children have expressive language disorder. The causes of this disorder may vary, or may be unknown. Cerebral damage and malnutrition may cause some cases -- perhaps in combination with genetic factors.
Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder - Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder is a language disability which causes impairment of both the understanding and the expression of language.
Frequently Asked Questions from Parents of Children Recently Diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech - What is apraxia of speech and how does it differ from a developmental delay of speech? What is the usual prognosis for children with apraxia of speech? What is the usual method of treatment for apraxia? What causes apraxia? Will my child ever be able to speak "normally"? What are other associated features of apraxia? How do you know if you have a "good" therapist? Will my insurance company pay for therapy?

General Information

How Do We Learn Language? - How do children learn so much about language in so little time? Adult-like knowledge of language requires many complex skills, and it's not at all obvious how we acquire them. We possess phonological skills: the ability to perceive and analyze sounds in real time, and to produce sounds by coordinating our larynx, pharynx, tongue, palate, jaw, and lips. We possess a lexicon: thousands of vocabulary words. And we possess syntactic skills: the grammar rules of our native language, which govern how words and morphemes can be combined to produce correct sentences.
How to Help Your Child Get the Most Out of Speech Therapy - Parents are an extremely important part of their child’s therapy program. Parents help determine whether or not their child’s experience in speech/language therapy is a success. I have seen over and over again during my years as a speech/language specialist, that the children who complete the program most quickly and with the most lasting results are those whose parents have been involved.
How to Think About a Speech/Language Evaluation - The following are tips for parents who suspect apraxia of speech may be an issue in their child and are seeking a speech/language evaluation. The tips were put together by an experienced mom involved with the Apraxia-KIDS (SM) Network.
Language Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - The child or adolescent with ADHD and learning problems will often present to the Speech Language Pathologist with a range of clinical problems in language that are contributing to the learning disorder.
Low Cost Speech Therapy - Often universities that offer a masters degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences or Speech-Language Pathology have speech and language clinics where their students gain valuable experience under the direction of clinical faculty...
Signs and symptoms of speech and language disorders - See the menu on the left to view an overview of the signs and symptoms of a multitude of speech and language disorders.
Taking Care of Your Voice - We rely on our voices to inform, persuade, and connect with other people. Your voice is as unique as your fingerprint. Many people you know use their voices all day long, day in and day out. Singers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, sales people, and public speakers are among those who make great demands on their voices. Unfortunately, these individuals are most prone to experiencing voice problems. It is believed that 7.5 million people have diseases or disorders of voice. Some of these disorders can be avoided by taking care of your voice.
Students Who May Have Word Finding Difficulties - Six different groups of students who may have word finding difficulties are identified and described. References about students who are affected by word finding difficulties are also presented.
What is a language disorder? - Children whose language development lags significantly from the timetable may be considered developmentally delayed in language acquisition. A child with a language disorder may not use the language commensurate with her peers. She may be delayed in acquiring the vocabulary, syntax, grammar and pragmatics of her age mates.
What is a speech disorder? - Although some children are precocious in the acquisition of speech and may be able to produce understandable speech by the time they are 30 months of age, in some children, it is not uncommon for one or two speech sounds to remain "unlearned" until 72 months of age. By the time a child is 48 months old, however, she should be speaking well enough to be understood all of the time.
What is a Speech/Language Specialist? - This article will address the question, "What is a Speech/Language Specialist?" It will discuss the various names we are known by and the various roles you might find us in. I will also discuss the training one needs to pursue this as a career choice.
What Is Voice? What Is Speech? What Is Language? - The functions, skills, and abilities of voice, speech, and language are related. Some dictionaries and textbooks use the terms almost interchangeably. But for scientists and medical professionals, it is important to distinguish among them.
A general reference - A reference of frequently used medical terms related to speech and language impairments.

Hypernasality

Hypernasality: a voice or resonance disorder? - Hypernasality is often mislabeled as a voice disorder. In fact, it is a resonance disorder! Voice disorders are caused by dysfunction of the larynx. Hypernasality is caused by a dysfunction of the velopharyngeal mechanism.

Landau-Kleffner Syndrome

Information on Landau-Kleffner syndrome - Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) is a childhood disorder. A major feature of LKS is the gradual or sudden loss of the ability to understand and use spoken language. All children with LKS have abnormal electrical brain waves that can be documented by an electroencephalogram (EEG), a recording of the electric activity of the brain. Approximately 80 percent of the children with LKS have one or more epileptic seizures that usually occur at night.

Laryngeal Papillomatosis

Information on Laryngeal Papillomatosis - Laryngeal papillomatosis is a disease consisting of tumors that grow inside the larynx (voice box), vocal cords, or the air passages leading from the nose into the lungs (respiratory tract). It is a rare disease caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).
Information on lisping - A lisp is a Functional Speech Disorder (FSD). A functional speech disorder is a difficulty learning to make a specific speech sound, or a few specific speech sounds.
Speech & language, literacy and inclusion - Narratives are important because they engage students in learning activities that support oral and written language development concurrently and interrelatedly; they provide a bridge between oral communication - regulating social interaction, and writing - providing information. With narratives, Speech Pathologists support development of specific language skills, provide repeated exposure to concepts and teach literate styles of language use.

Organizations

American Academy of Audiology - The American Academy of Audiology promotes quality hearing and balance care by advancing the profession of audiology through leadership, advocacy, education, public awareness and support of research.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - ASHA is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 123,000 members and affiliates who are speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally.
Canadian Association of Speech and Language Pathologists - CASLPA is the single national body that supports the needs, interests and development of speech-language pathologists, audiologists and supportive personnel across Canada.
National Aphasia Association - The NAA's mission is to educate the public to know that the word aphasia describes an impairment of the ability to communicate, not an impairment of intellect. The NAA makes people with aphasia, their families, support systems, and health care professionals aware of resources to recover lost skills to the extent possible, to compensate for skills that will not be recovered and to minimize the psychosocial impact of the language impairment.
National Center for Voice and Speech (NCVS) - The NCVS was organized on the premise that a consortium of institutions is better able to acquire and maintain resources to fulfill the global mission of the sponsors than a single organization. NCVS members, although geographically separate, were linked by a common desire to fully understand the characteristics, limitations and enhancement of human voice and speech.
National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association (NSSLHA) - The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) is a pre-professional membership association for students interested in the study of communication sciences and disorders.
National Stuttering Association - If you are a person who stutters, a parent of a child or teen who stutters, a speech-language pathologist, a teacher, an employee, a doctor or other professional who works with people who stutter…you will want to take advantage of the helpful opportunities and benefits from a NSA membership!
The National Coalition on Auditory Processing Disorders - The mission of the National Coalition on Auditory Processing Disorders, Inc. is to assist families and individuals affected by auditory processing disorders through education, support, and public awareness as well as promoting auditory access of information for those affected by auditory processing disorders.

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders

Information on orofacial myofunctional disorders - With an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD), the tongue moves forward in an exaggerated way during speech and/or swallowing. The tongue may also lie too far forward during rest, or may protrude inappropriately between the upper and lower teeth during speech, swallowing, and at rest.

Phonological Disorders

Phonological Principles - The terms phonological therapy and phonological remediation permeate the current speech-language pathology literature. They are often used ambiguously, and it is not always clear whether they refer to intervention for developmental phonological disorders, or intervention that is, by nature, somehow 'phonological'.

Receptive Language Disorder

Receptive language disorders-signs and symptoms - Receptive Language Disorders include: Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD), Aphasia, Comprehension Deficit, "delayed language," "delayed speech." Also receptive language disorders refer to difficulties in the ability to attend to, process, comprehend, retain, or integrate spoken language.
Overview of Receptive Language Disorder : Receptive Language Disorder is a type of learning disability affecting the ability to understand spoken, and sometimes written, language. They often have difficulty with speech and organizing their thoughts, which creates problems in communicating with others and in organizing their thoughts on paper.
From the National Library of Medicine: Mixed receptive-expressive language disorder is a language disability which causes impairment of both the understanding and the expression of language.
From ASHA : Late Blooming or Language Problem?
Also, many students with Receptive Language Problems are actually diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder, which can be found through NASET- CLICK HERE

Resources to Use in the Classroom

Hard of Hearing and Deaf Students: A Resource Guide to Support Classroom Teachers - If you are a classroom teacher who for the first time is about to have a student who is hard of hearing or deaf, this guide can be helpful. Your new student is likely to be as excited and anxious as you are, and that human energy can be used for remarkable learning relationships in the classroom.

Semantic and Pragmatic Difficulties

Information on semantic and pragmatic difficulties - Semantics is the aspect of language function that relates to understanding the meanings of words, phrases and sentences, and using words appropriately when we speak. Children with semantic difficulties have a very hard time understanding the meaning of words and sentences.

Sensory Integration and Motor Disorders

Sensory integration and motor disorders - signs and symptoms - Not all children with learning, developmental, or behavioral problems have an underlying sensory integrative disorder. There are certain indicators, however, that can signal a parent that such a disorder may be present.

Spasmodic Dysphonia

Spasmodic Dysphonia-Overview - We have all experienced problems with our voices, times when the voice is hoarse or when sound will not come out at all! Colds, allergies, bronchitis, exposure to irritants such as ammonia, or cheering for your favorite sports team can result in a loss of voice. But, people with spasmodic dysphonia, a chronic voice disorder, face the persistent question: "What's wrong with your voice?"
Spasmodic Dysphonia-About - Spasmodic dysphonia (or laryngeal dystonia) is a voice disorder caused by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx or voice box. Individuals who have spasmodic dysphonia may have occasional difficulty saying a word or two or they may experience sufficient difficulty to interfere with communication. Spasmodic dysphonia causes the voice to break or to have a tight, strained or strangled quality. There are three different types of spasmodic dysphonia.
Early childhood stuttering - This site is dedicated to providing information about the nature of early childhood stuttering and ways to prevent its development. You will find numerous articles about early childhood stuttering, including warning signs, ways to reduce communication demands for children, and intervention programs for preventing and treating early childhood stuttering.
Stuttering - Stuttering is a communication disorder that affects the fluency of speech. It begins during childhood and, in some cases, persists throughout the life span. The disorder is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds. Speech-language pathologists refer to these disruptions as "disfluencies."
Stuttering-Overview Stuttering-About - Stuttering is a disorder of speech that affects the fluent production of sounds, words, phrases, and sentences. Repetitions, hesitations, or prolongation of speech sounds at the beginning of words or within words are frequently heard, as are repetitions, single or multiple, of entire words or phrases.
The Stuttering Homepage - The Stuttering Home Page, created by Judith Maginnis Kuster and maintained at Minnesota State University, Mankato, is dedicated to providing information about stuttering for both consumers and professionals who work with people who stutter.
Research and Comment from the Researchers at East Carolina University on stuttering - Instead of being the core stuttering ‘problem’, syllabic repetitions may be a biological mechanism, or ‘solution’, to the central involuntary stuttering block. Simply put, stuttering is an endogenous transitory state of ‘shadowed speech’, a choral speech derivative that allows for a neural release of the central block.
NASET's comprehensive overview of 18 different types of transition services

Velocardiofacial Syndrome

Information on velocardiofacial syndrome - Velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS) is a disorder that has been associated with over thirty different features. (A disease or disorder that has more than one identifying feature or symptom is a syndrome.) The name velocardiofacial syndrome comes from the Latin words "velum" meaning palate, "cardia" meaning heart and "facies" having to do with the face.

Voice Disorders

Vocal Abuse and Misuse - When you abuse or misuse your voice, you can damage your vocal folds, causing temporary or permanent voice changes.
Vocal Cord Paralysis - Vocal cord paralysis is a voice disorder that occurs when one or both of the vocal cords (or vocal folds) do not open or close properly. Vocal cord paralysis is a common disorder, and symptoms can range from mild to life threatening.
Voice problems in children - Pediatric voice problems involve pathologic laryngeal conditions, including inflammation of the vocal folds, chronic laryngitis, vocal nodules, vocal polyps and contact ulcers, all of which can be identified by the child’s Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. These conditions, usually caused by vocal abuse, are normally reversible with the elimination of laryngeal overuse and tension, along with a program of vocal hygiene.

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Changing How Speech-Language Pathologists Think and Talk about Dialect Variation

Janna b. oetting.

1 Louisiana State University,

Kyomi D. Gregory

2 Salus University

Andrew M. Rivière

In this article, we argue for a change in how professionals in speech-language pathology think and talk about dialect diversity in the US and elsewhere. Our recommendation is evidence-based and reflects a change we have made to better serve children and advocate for the field of communication disorders. The change involves replacing the phrase dialect vs. disorder with disorder within dialect . While this change in wording may seem superficial, it generates dramatically different types of conversations a professional can have with others about childhood language impairment across different dialects of English.

Clinician 1: Teachers at my school refer children to me all the time, and I send the children back because they speak a nonmainstream dialect of English. Clinician 2: That happens to me too. Dialects are not disorders but teachers don’t always understand this. Clinician 3: I just went to a talk about some of the dialects our children are using in our schools. Clinician 4: That’s great. You can help us decide who is speaking a dialect and who is presenting a language disorder. Clinician 3: Yes – the dialect vs. disorder conundrum – if the child’s language reflects a dialect difference, we don’t want to misdiagnosis the child’s language as disordered.

The above conversations are typical of many we have heard at various conferences, work settings, and social gatherings, and the content within them should not be surprising. The dialect vs. disorder phrase was introduced to the field in the 1980s ( ASHA, 1983 ), and it has been further endorsed through presentations of linguistic contrast analysis as a method to determine whether a child’s language productions should be classified as dialectal differences or as errors ( McGregor, Williams, Hearst, & Johnson, 1997 ; Seymour, Bland-Stewart, & Green, 1998 ). As a professional meme, the dialect vs. disorder phrase has helped unify the thoughts and discussions of generations of speech-language pathologists. However, over the past few decades, we have learned a great deal about the ways a childhood language impairment 1 manifests within the contexts of different dialects. Recently, we have also learned that children from minority backgrounds (African American and Hispanic), some of whom may speak a nonmainstream dialect of English, are less likely to receive services by a speech-language pathologist than otherwise similar White children ( Morgan et al., 2015 ; 2016 ). In this article, we recommend changing our field’s meme to more accurately reflect the scientific evidence and better meet the needs of children with language impairments. By making this change, clinicians will also find themselves better able to advocate for their services and the field of speech-language pathology.

Change Dialect vs . Disorder to Disorder within Dialect

Dialects of a language do not reflect a language disorder. This statement remains as true today as it was in the 1970s and 1980s. Our interest in changing the dialect vs. disorder phrase does not relate to this truth statement. Instead, a change is needed because: 1) the preposition versus within the phrase suggests that dialects and disorders are conceptually equivalent, which is inaccurate, and 2) the placement of dialect first within the phrase leads to conversations about dialects rather than conversations about the nature, identification, and treatment of childhood language impairment.

Consider first the preposition versus , which serves to express opposition between conceptually equivalent terms such as boys vs. girls and children vs. adults. For any equivalent X vs. Y proposition, the two boxes in Figure 1 work well -- items or concepts reflecting X can be placed in the first box and items or concepts reflecting Y can be placed in the second. As illustrated by the labels within the boxes, the dialect vs. disorder phrase characterizes the clinician’s task as determining which box is most relevant for any given child.

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Dialect vs. Disorder

Now think about the terms, dialects and disorders . Unlike boys and girls, children and adults, or any other equivalent pair of X and Y terms, dialects and disorders are not conceptually equivalent. Dialects are spoken by sizeable groups of speakers, and many members of the same school or community can be speakers of same dialect. In contrast, language disorders are present in only a small percentage of speakers within the same school or community. In a large epidemiology study of kindergarteners, Tomblin et al. (1997) calculated the prevalence of childhood language impairment at 7.4%. Within rural Louisiana kindergartens, where we have extensively studied the African American English (AAE) and Southern White English (SWE) dialects spoken in the schools, we have also found rates of childhood language impairment to be low (e.g., children classified as language impaired represented 8% of those who returned signed consent forms in Oetting, McDonald, Seidel, & Hegarty, 2015 ). These prevalence rates for childhood language impairment are far lower than the near 100% prevalence of nonmainstream English speakers we have identified within the same schools. Given this and as shown in Figure 2 , we have re-sized the dialect and disorder boxes to better represent important differences between the prevalence at which dialects are spoken by children and the prevalence of childhood language impairment.

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Dialect and Disorder

The re-sized boxes in Figure 2 are also useful for representing differences in the ease at which dialects and disorders can be identified. Typical dialect variation among speakers is extremely easy to detect. Studies supporting this statement have included listeners who were well-trained researchers familiar with the dialects being evaluated ( Cottrell & Taran, 2011 ; Garrity & Oetting, 2010 ; Oetting & McDonald, 2002 ; Oetting et al., 2015 ; Pruitt & Oetting, 2009 ), untrained speech-language clinicians with minimal exposure to the dialects being evaluated ( Robinson & Stockman, 2009 ), untrained landlords solicited from the general public and untrained college students ( Purnell, Idsardi, & Baugh, 1999 ), and even untrained, young adults who presented with high-functioning Autism ( Clopper, Rohrbeck, & Wagner, 2012 ). Anecdotally, we also know that very young children are able to detect dialects that differ from their own fairly easily. It is not uncommon to hear queries such as Where you from? and You from X ? (with X usually referring to a local community some distance from the child’s school) when our dialect(s) do not match those of the pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners we are testing.

In contrast, childhood language disorders are extremely difficult to identify. Within Tomblin et al.’s (1997) epidemiology study, less than 30% of the kindergarteners classified as language impaired presented with a history of parental or teacher concern. This finding is similar to the 25% of children Oetting et al. (2015) classified as language impaired who were also receiving services by a speech-language pathologist in the schools. While unfortunate, this finding may be expected. Teachers have been shown to refer children to special education services more often for behavioral reasons than for academic reasons ( Gottlieb, Gottlieb, & Trongone, 1991 ), and speech and language screenings conducted by pediatricians, nurses, and other uncertified professionals have yet to be deemed accurate and effective ( Voiǵt & Accardo, 2015 ; Wallace et al., 2015 ). As members of a relatively small profession among others in education and medicine, speech-language pathologists are uniquely trained to identify children with language impairments, and our training requires an advance degree from an accredited graduate program, numerous hours of supervised clinical hours, and a supervised clinical fellowship, post degree.

Yet the boxes in Figure 2 still do not fully capture the relationship between the terms dialect and disorder for the speech-language pathologist, because it is not possible to discuss a child’s language disorder without reference to his or her dialect. Anyone who speaks a language speaks a dialect of that language. For this reason and as shown in Figure 3 , we have replaced the two-box model with a single box that recognizes all children as speakers of some type of dialect, and the smaller box is placed within the larger one to represent those few children who present with a language disorder within the context of their dialect(s). Note that the preposition within rather than vs . or and is ideally suited to describe the single box model. Unlike the dialect vs. disorder phrase, disorder within dialect characterizes the speech-language pathologist’s task as one of identifying those children who present linguistic weaknesses within the context of any given dialect.

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Disorder within Dialect

Now consider the order in which we talk about dialects and disorders . Dialects are fascinating, as is evident by the many documentaries produced about them and the many cartoons and social media posts that celebrate the different ways humans speak. In fact, it is easy to engage just about anyone into a conversation about the prestige and stigmatization of different dialects within the US and elsewhere. It is also easy to engage others into discussions about different local dialects within their communities. While there is nothing wrong with these conversations, notice the lack of content within them that is related to the nature, identification, and treatment of childhood language impairment. Revisit the hypothetical conversations offered at the beginning of this article – they too lack content related to childhood language impairment.

Disorder within dialect as a phrase places the speech-language pathologist’s area of expertise at the forefront of the conversation. Conversations about the nature and prevalence of childhood language disorders across dialects are naturally generated by the wording change as are opportunities for the speech-language pathologist to talk about a host of professional topics. Among others, these topics include positive family history as an important risk factor for childhood language impairment across dialects; active involvement of the speech-language pathologists in universal language screenings across dialects; and the use of diagnostic accuracy indices when selecting dialect-appropriate tests and measures. In the space remaining, we present examples of information about these topics that the disorder within dialect phrase has helped us think about and highlight when talking to families, teachers, and others about the services speech-language pathologists provide to children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. We present these topics broadly, recognizing that speech-language pathologists are likely working with children, families, and teachers in a variety of ways and as part of, or in concert with different models of response-to-intervention (RTI) or multitier systems of supports (MTSS; see Joint Report of DEC-CEC, NAEYC, & NHSA, 2013; Ehren & Nelson, 2005 ; Reschly, 2014 ).

Positive family history as an important risk factor for childhood language impairment.

Delayed acquisition of early language developmental milestones and a positive family history of oral and/or written language impairment are documented risk factors for childhood language impairment in both monolingual and bilingual samples ( Grimm & Schulz, 2014 ). Of these, the predictive value of a positive family history of impairment is probably the least likely to be utilized in clinical practice. In a review of 14 studies, Leonard notes the repeated finding of a higher-than-expected familial concentration of speech and language impairments in samples of children with language impairment. Across studies, the percentage of family members with a positive history of impairment among children with impairments ranged from 20% to 63%. For those studies with typically developing controls, percentages of family members with a positive history of speech and language impairment were much lower, ranging from 3% to 19%.

Pruitt, Garrity, and Oetting (2010) and Oetting et al. (2015) also found higher-than expected concentrations of familial speech and language impairment in children who spoke either AAE or SWE. In the former, the data were from 161 African American children who attended daycares, pre-kindergartens, or kindergartens known to enroll high numbers of AAE speakers. In this study, the children classified as language impaired were two times more likely to present a positive family history of impairment than those with typical development (50% vs. 21%). In the latter, the data were from 70 kindergarteners who spoke AAE and 36 who spoke SWE. In this study, 45% of those classified as impaired presented a positive family history of speech and language impairment compared to 15% of those classified as typically developing. As indicated by these findings, not all children with a language impairment present with a positive family history of impairment, and not all children with a positive family history present with a language impairment. Nevertheless, we consider the evidence from the family history studies sufficient to warrant the collection and consideration of this information across dialects as part of our screenings and comprehensive language evaluations.

For screenings, family history information can be collected ahead of time through an easy-to-read document that informs caregivers about the nature and goals of the screening, asks about their concerns for their child, and requests information about others in their child’s family who presented with difficulties in speech, language, reading, writing, or hearing. For comprehensive language evaluations, information about a family’s history can then be more thoroughly discussed so that this information can be considered along with direct measures when making decisions about a child’s language impairment status. Following Lewis and Freebairn (1993) , when we inquire about family history information within an evaluation, we first ask families to list all of the child’s immediate and extended blood-related family members. Then for each family member listed, we ask about his or her history of speech and language difficulties, reading and writing difficulties, spelling difficulties, learning disabilities, stuttering, and hearing loss.

Universal language screenings in preschool and kindergarten.

Language screenings typically take less than 30 minutes and are often designed to determine if broad, criterion-based developmental milestones have been attained by a child (Pindzola, Plexico, & Haynes, 2016). In traditional models of service delivery, screenings also identify children for whom a comprehensive language evaluation is required to rule in or rule out a diagnosis of language impairment. In RTI or MTSS models of service delivery, screenings identify children for whom positive supports and progress monitoring can be offered as part of the regular education curriculum at Tier 1 or as part of a more intensive level of service at Tier II. In each of these cases, screenings should include the speech-language pathologist and over-identify rather than under-identify children with language impairments. Findings from Tomblin et al.’s (1997) study support this claim. In their school-wide screening of 7,218 kindergarteners, 26.2% of the children failed the initial screening. This fail rate was over three times that of the 7.4% of children eventually classified as language impaired.

Although Tomblin et al., (1997) did not report screening fail rates by the children’s dialects, two dissertations in our lab have evaluated different screeners for AAE- and SWE-speaking children. Moland (2013) examined the validity of the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation-Screener ( Seymour, Roeper, & de Villiers, 2003 ), the Fluharty Preschool Speech and Language Screening Test - 2 ( Fluharty, 2001 ), and an experimental language screener by Washington and Craig (2004) . The data came from 73 AAE-speaking children, aged four to five years, who attended public pre-kindergartens or Head Starts. All three screeners were given to each child, and the order of administration was counter-balanced so that practice effects could be evaluated. Results showed that the three screeners did not differ in their fail rates. Fail rates also did not differ by the children’s gender, caregiver education, or use of nonmainstream AAE forms. After the first screener, fail rates ranged from 46% to 57%, and these fail rates were deemed too high to be valid or clinically feasible. However, during the second session and when the third screener was administered, fail rates decreased to a more manageable 33%.

Using data from 77 kindergartners, Gregory (2015) evaluated the validity of five different screeners. The data came from 26 children classified as language impaired (with some also presenting low nonverbal IQ scores) and 51 classified as developing language typically; 35 were speakers of AAE and 42 were speakers of SWE. The screeners included two teacher questionnaires, the Children’s Communication Checklist-2 ( Bishop, 2006 ) and the Teacher Rating of Oral Language and Literacy ( Dickinson, McCabe, & Sprague, 2001 ), and three other screeners, the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation-Screener ( Seymour et al., 2003 ), the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV ( Dunn & Dunn, 2007 ), and the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills Next ( Good, Gruba, & Kaminski, 2009 ). Results indicated that scores from all five screeners differed by the children’s clinical status (impaired < typical developing); however, all five under-identified the children with language impairments when cut scores taken from the screeners’ manuals were employed. Using those cut scores, the sensitivity of the screeners ranged from .12 to .62. In other words, only 12% to 62% of the children classified as impaired failed one or more of the screeners.

Fortunately, the accuracy of the screeners improved through the use of empirically-derived cut scores and step-wise discriminate function analysis. Empirically-derived cut scores maximize the number of children correctly classified as impaired or typical within a sample, and step-wise discriminant function analysis allows scores from the best screener(s) to be combined to further maximize the number of children correctly classified. When these methods were employed, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV by itself with a standard score of 89 as the cut score was 95% accurate in classifying the clinical status of the children, and this same screening outcome was obtained by using a cut score of 92 on the Teacher Rating of Oral Language and Literacy and a standard score of 89 on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV . The results of this study (and the established cut scores) need to be tested with a larger, independent sample, but if they replicate, they suggest a two-step approach to screening in kindergarten, with the first step involving a teacher questionnaire and the second step involving direct testing of only those children who scored lower than desired on the teacher questionnaire. For clinicians working within a RTI or MTSS model of service delivery, we recommend the use of both a teacher questionnaire and direct testing to maximize the number of children identified for positive supports and progress monitoring. To support this recommendation, note that the 95% accuracy rate for the teacher questionnaire and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-IV did not over-identify the children with language impairments. Instead, the 95% accuracy rate corresponded to 88% of the children with impairment correctly identified as impaired and 98% of the typically developing children correctly identified as typical.

Findings from the Moland (2013) and Gregory (2015) studies are consistent with those of Washington and Craig (2004) who also found screening fail rates of nonmainstream English-speaking children to be higher in pre-kindergarten than in kindergarten. Importantly, though, in both the Moland and Gregory studies and the Washington and Craig study, results were dependent upon the speech-language pathologist’s use of more than one screening instrument. Given this, when we talk with families, teachers, and other professionals about screening services for children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, we advocate for not only active involvement of the speech-language pathologist, but also for the use of more than one type of screener. Based on Tomblin’s et al.’s (1997) findings, we also state that the goal for screening to over-identify and refer those screened for a comprehensive language evaluation, with the expectation that a formal diagnosis of impairment will be ruled out for most of these children. For clinicians working within a RTI or MTSS framework, we recommend the ~30% fail rate at Tier I for supports and monitoring within the regular classroom, with the expectation that this percent of children with needs will dramatically decrease as part of Tier II and Tier III services.

Using diagnostic accuracy indices to select dialect-appropriate tests and measures.

Regardless of whether clinicians are working within a traditional service delivery system or within an RTI or MTSS system, they will complete comprehensive language evaluations for some children. When this occurs, dialect-appropriate testing methods are necessary. Cultural and linguistic biases within comprehensive language tests are well-recognized concerns within the field, and many commercially available tests recommend scoring modifications for different dialects of English. This practice is consistent with a dialect vs. disorder approach to assessment, because scoring modifications make it less likely to classify a child’s nonmainstream dialect responses as errors. However, with a disorder within dialect approach, scoring modifications are appropriate only if the test with the modified scoring accurately identifies children with language impairments across dialects. If test developers have not established the diagnostic accuracy of the test with the scoring modifications, we recommend against this practice.

Scoring nonmainstream dialectal responses produced by a child as correct reduces the number of items available on the test to identify children with language impairments. Scoring these items as correct for all speakers of a particular dialect also makes it impossible to document rate-based differences between children with and without language impairments on these items. Untested modified scoring systems are particularly problematic for tests of grammar because children with language impairments across dialects (and across languages) typically do not differ from their typically developing, same dialect-speaking peers in the nature of their grammatical productions. Instead, across dialects and languages, children with and without language impairments differ in the frequency and/or rate at which they produce particular types of grammatical structures -- and these grammatical structures include some that also vary across dialects.

Craig and Washington (2000) documented this finding in a study of 72 AAE-speaking children, aged four to 11 years. Their study included some grammatical structures (e.g., conjunctions, such as and, but, so ) that do not vary across dialects but also some that do (e.g., relative clause markers, such as the truck that …, and infinitival TO, such as … need to stand ). For the structures combined, the AAE-speaking children with language impairments produced lower rates of overt marking than did their typically developing, same dialect-speaking peers. We have replicated this finding for relative clause markers and infinitival TO structures in other groups of nonmainstream dialect speakers ( Oetting & Newkirk, 2008 ; Rivière, 2016 ). In a series of studies, we have also identified other grammatical structures that both vary across dialects and lead to rate-based differences between same dialect-speaking children with and without language impairments ( Oetting, Lee, & Porter, 2013 ). Tests targeting grammar are unable to capture these types of frequency-based differences between children with and without language impairments when clinicians score children’s dialectal productions targeting these grammar structures as correct.

As an alternative to untested modified scoring systems, we recommend language tests with high levels of diagnostic accuracy across dialects. Currently, the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation-Norm Referenced ( Seymour, Roeper, & de Villiers, 2005 ) is the only standardized tool that meets this criterion. This test is normed for children, aged four to nine years, and its diagnostic accuracy, as measured by sensitivity and specificity indices, is reported by the test developers to be above .90 when – 1 standard deviation below the mean is used as the cut off for impairment. Sensitivity reflects the percentage of children classified as language impaired who are identified on the test as impaired, and specificity reflects the percentage of children classified as typical who are identified as typical. Sensitivity and specificity values at or above .90 are considered ideal, and values at or above .80 are considered fair ( Mant, 1999 ).

When dialect-appropriate tests and measures are not available, we recommend existing tests and tasks with scoring modifications when the modifications yield high levels of diagnostic accuracy across dialects. To offer an example, Oetting et al. (2015) administered a 36-item sentence recall task to 106 AAE- or SWE-speaking children. Half of the children were language impaired, and the others were typically developing controls. Rather than crediting all nonmainstream dialect responses as correct, we strategically credited only those nonmainstream responses not found to differentiate children with and without language impairments across dialects. These included was for were productions ( Bert and Ernie was …), is for are productions ( Bert and Ernie is …) and zero marking of verbal –s ( Big Bird wonder Ø when …). We also scored the children’s responses using an elaborate two-point system and two simpler systems involving +/− scoring for each response. Using dialect-strategic coding, all three scoring systems led to statistical differences between the children with and without language impairments. However, dialect-strategic coding along with the simplest +/− scoring system led to the highest level of diagnostic accuracy. For the AAE-speaking children, this system yielded sensitivity and specificity values of .89 and .87, respectively. For the SWE-speaking children, sensitivity and specificity values were .94 and .83, respectively. These results not only support the use of the sentence recall task for AAE- and SWE-speaking children, but they also illustrate the importance of using diagnostic accuracy indices when deciding if a test or task should be used to identify childhood language impairment within the context any given dialect.

Changing Conversations and Clinical Practice

As we hope we have persuasively argued, adopting disorder within dialect as a phrase and professional meme can change how speech-language pathologists think and talk about dialect variation in the US and elsewhere. Identifying and treating children with speech and language impairments remains a primary goal of the speech-language pathologist regardless of a child’s dialect status and regardless of whether a school implements a traditional model of service delivery or one of the many models of RTI or MTSS. As a final illustration of the benefits of the wording change, compare the conversations at the beginning of the article to those below, which we have reframed using a disorder within dialect approach to professional practice and advocacy.

Clinician 1: Teachers at my school refer children to me all the time, and I send the children back because they speak a nonmainstream dialect. Clinician 2: Are we collecting family history information as part of our screenings and screening children within the context of their dialects? Nationally, universal language screening fail rates in kindergarten should be around 30%, with the prevalence of childhood language impairments lower, around 7–15%. What is the screening fail rate and prevalence of childhood language impairment in our schools? Clinician 3: I just went to a talk about some of the dialects our children are using in our schools. Clinician 4: That’s great. What did you learn about screening and the identification of childhood language impairment within the context of these dialects? Do we use screeners, tests, and measures at our schools that have levels of accuracy above .80 across dialects?

Acknowledgements

Appreciation is extended to Jessica Berry, Ryan James, Christy Seidel, and Tina Villa for discussions about dialect variation and the services we provide to children whose dialects are socially stigmatized.

Financial Disclosures

The writing of this article was made possible with funding to Janna B. Oetting from NIDCD RO1DC009811.

Non-Financial Disclosures

Janna Oetting, Kyomi Gregory, and Andrew Rivière have no nonfinancial interests related to the content of this article.

Continuing Education Questions

Answers: c,a,b,d,c

higher than the number who present a childhood language impairment.
lower than the number who present a childhood language impairment.
the same as the number who present a childhood language impairment.
in flux depending upon the time of day the children are tested.
more difficult to detect than identifying children with language impairments.
easier to detect than identifying children with language impairments.
detectable only after a person undergoes extensive training.
Detectable after a brief training session.
dialect differences among speakers.
the social value and stigmatization of different dialects.
the importance of dialect shifting for later reading and writing achievement.
the nature, identification, and treatment of childhood language disorders within the context of any given dialect.
are always recommended.
are never recommended.
are recommended when they lead to high levels of diagnostic accuracy across dialects.
increase the number of items on the test that can be used to identify children with language impairments.

Learner Outcome

After reading this article, the participant will be able to describe: a role of the speech-language pathologist as identifying and serving children with language impairments within the context of any given dialect, the importance of a positive family history as a risk factor for language impairment across dialects, the importance of active involvement of the speech-language pathologist and the use of multiple screeners in universal pre-kindergarten and kindergarten screenings, and the importance of using diagnostic accuracy indices when selecting dialect-appropriate tests and measures.

This manuscript was accepted for publication in 2016. The link to the published study is as follows: https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/persp1.SIG16.28

1 We use the term language impairment to refer to children typically classified by researchers as specifically language impaired. These children may be the most difficult to identify in schools because they do not have other developmental conditions such as Autism or Down syndrome. For a discussion about childhood language impairment labels, see volume 14 of the International Journal of Communication Disorders , 2014.

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Teacher vs. Speech Pathologist: What Are the Differences?
However, there are some key differences in the skills needed for these jobs. Teachers typically need to have content knowledge in the subjects they teach, while speech pathologists need to have knowledge about human anatomy, physiology and linguistics. Speech pathologists also need to be able to use specialized equipment, such as computers and ...
How speech-language pathologists work with kids
Speech-language pathologists help kids with all types of language and communication issues. They're often part of the special education team at school. They may work with kids one-on-one or in small groups, or they may co-teach lessons with the classroom teacher. When you hear the term speech-language pathologist (SLP), you might think of ...
Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools
Lifelong Learning — To keep abreast of changes in education and speech-language pathology, ... IEPs must be developed by a team that includes parents/guardians and a general education teacher. However, even when specific collaborations are not required by law, compliance with legal mandates is a responsibility shared by all educators, with ...
OT, SLP, AT & IEP … Making Sense of Special Education Alphabet Soup
SLP = Speech-Language Pathology (or Pathologist) ST = Speech Therapy (or Therapist) ... She began her career as a special education teacher in 1992 and became a school-based occupational therapist in 1998. She worked at the UC Davis MIND Institute for 12 years on the FXS team under the mentorship of Randi Hagerman. Laura's research and ...
Tiers to Communication Success
Before MTSS, students had two options: either receive direct speech-language services through special education or access no SLP support at all. With MTSS, struggling students have the chance to receive increased support in speech and language, as well as in other areas such as academics and behavioral/social-emotional realms.
Getting Started as an SLP in Schools
Salaries in schools vary widely across the country. ASHA's Schools Survey provides salary data for public-school SLPs in each state. According to the Schools Survey, the median academic-year salaries for clinical service providers in schools, by facility type, is as follows: Preschool: $67,000. Elementary: $65,000. Secondary: $75,000.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Nature of Work. The speech-language pathologist role includes: Diagnose disorders and educates students, staff, and parents. Writing Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and/or Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) Has a role in the IEP/IFSP meetings. Provides direct services to students, parents and professionals. Maintains accurate files.
SLP-educator classroom collaboration: A review to inform reason-based
Scaffolding by a general educator and special education teacher conducting emergent reading groups including two children with DLD and two typically developing children was observed over 13 sessions. ... Dohan M., Schulz H. (1998) The speech-language pathologist's changing role: Collaboration within the classroom. Journal of Children's ...
Speech and Language Services in Schools
The SLP or others in the school will help you follow this process. Your child may get speech and language services alone or in a small group. The SLP may go into your child's classroom and work with their teacher. The SLP will work with your child on what they are learning in class. The goal of speech and language services is to help your ...
Special Education Teacher Vs Speech Language Pathologist
A comprehensive comparison of Special Education Teachers vs. Speech Language Pathologists. Explore the difference between Special Education Teachers and Speech Language Pathologists in their roles, responsibilities, skills, salary, and career growth opportunities.
Role Of A Speech Pathologist In Special Education
A speech-language pathologist is a trained medical professional who can help your child with several oral disorders such as; Trouble Swallowing. Motor Skills. Speech Issues. Cognitive-Linguistic Conditions. Language. An SLP's role is to; Help assess a condition. Diagnose precisely what the problem is.
Roles of Speech-Language Pathologists and Teachers of Children ...
The teacher preparation program's curriculum consists of planned learning experiences in the following components of the joint CED CEC Knowledge and Skills Essential to Beginning Special Education Teachers of Students ... Guidelines for the roles and responsibilities of the school-based speech-language pathologist. Rockville, MD: Author. ...
The Role of the School Speech Language Pathologist and the Student with
For example, an SLP may observe the effectiveness of a teacher's discourse or oral communication with a class during group instruction. The SLP might make suggestions that could improve the attending behavior or verbal comprehension of the student with an autism spectrum disorder as well as other students in classroom.
Role Of Speech-Language Pathologists In Special Education
SLPs work with students both in and outside the classroom, as well as individually or in groups, according to the requirements of the child's Individualized Education Plan (IEP). These specialists also work in schools, hospitals, clinics, and private practices. The learning supports provided by school-based SLPs will be determined by a child ...
National Association of Special Education Teachers: Speech and Language
Stuttering - Stuttering is a communication disorder that affects the fluency of speech. It begins during childhood and, in some cases, persists throughout the life span. The disorder is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds. Speech-language pathologists refer to these disruptions as "disfluencies."
20 Ways for Classroom Teachers to Collaborate With Speech—Language
Special education procedures and services. In M. Friend & W. D ... The role of the speech-language pathologist and the special educator in the inclusive process. In M ... Google Scholar. MacDonald, V., & Speece, D.L. ( 2001). Making time: A teacher's report on her first year of teaching children with emotional disabilities. The Journal of ...
School-Based Service Delivery in Speech-Language Pathology
Service delivery is a dynamic process whereby changes are made to: Setting - the location of treatment (e.g., home, community-based, school, pull-out or within the classroom) Dosage - the frequency, intensity, and duration of service. frequency (the number of treatment sessions over a set period of time)
Academic Education of the Speech-Language Pathologist: A Comparative
Due to this, there is often reduced instruction related to the etiologies, speech, resonance, and feeding deficits associated with cleft palate and velopharyngeal dysfunction in graduate programs for speech-language pathologists (SLPs; Vallino et al., 2008). There are also limited numbers of clinicians who can provide clinical expertise and ...
PDF Taking a Different Path: From Voice Teacher to Speech-Language Pathologist
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), speech-language pathologists (also called SLPs) are experts in communica - tion who work with people of all ages to treat many types of communication and swallowing problems. 2 They have a variety of areas of focus, including addressing problems with speech sounds (how we ...
Changing How Speech-Language Pathologists Think and Talk about Dialect
In this article, we argue for a change in how professionals in speech-language pathology think and talk about dialect diversity in the US and elsewhere. Our recommendation is evidence-based and reflects a change we have made to better serve children and advocate for the field of communication disorders. The change involves replacing the phrase ...

How to Make a Career Change from Teaching to Speech Pathology

Why Would Teachers Switch to a Speech Therapy Career?

The Role of Speech Language Pathologists in Schools

School-Based SLP Jobs

School-Based Speech Pathologist Salary Outlook

Do Speech Pathologists Make More than Teachers?

Making the Transition to Speech Language Pathologist

The Role of Speech Language Pathology in Special Education

Everything You Need to Know About Speech Language Pathology in Special Education

What is Speech Language Pathology?

How SLPs Fit Into an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

What Does a Speech Language Pathologist Do?

Role in Preschool and Early Grade Levels

Role in Middle School and High School

Ways SLPs Can Help Students With Disorders, Disabilities, and Special Needs

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SLP in Special Education

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SLP Role in IEP Meeting

SLP IEP Cheat Sheet: Laws Individualized Education Programs IEPs

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Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a SLP? Is it the same as a ST? What is an LSH Specialist? And what else do I need to know about speech and language?

What is Speech?

What is Language?

What are Pragmatics?

What do Speech-Therapy Services in Schools Mostly Focus On?

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What is SI?

What is AT?

What is AAC?

Before the IEP Meeting

During the IEP Meeting

Positive Student Profile Examples

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Tips from Parents: Food and IEPs are a great pairing!

After the IEP

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Special Education Teacher Vs Speech Language Pathologist

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist overview

What does a speech language pathologist do?

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist salary

Differences between special education teacher and speech language pathologist education

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist demographics

Differences between special education teacher and speech language pathologist duties and responsibilities

Speech Language Pathologist Example Responsibilities.

Special education teacher vs speech language pathologist skills

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