- How may a speech or language disorder affect my child's learning and performance in school?
- What are speech sound disorders?
- How can I tell if my child has a speech sound disorder?
- My child is bilingual, is his/her accent considered a speech sound disorder?
- How can my child's speech disorder be treated?
- What does a speech/language evaluation entail?
- How can my child receive speech/language services in school?
- How can I contact you?
- Will my child receive homework?
How may a speech or language disorder affect my child's learning and performance in school?
Language is the basis of communication: Reading, writing,
gesturing, listening, and speaking are all forms of language.
Speech and language skills are essential to academic success and
learning.
Children with speech and language disorders demonstrate
difficulty with reading, taking tests, understanding and
expressing language, and understanding social cues. Children may
also avoid attending school, participating in classroom
activities, as well as social & extra curricular activities.
What are speech sound disorders?
A speech sound disorder can include problems with producing
sounds and sound patterns. A speech sound disorder occurs when
children produce sounds incorrectly past a certain age. Every
sound has a different age range when the child should make the
sound correctly.
How can I tell if my child has a speech sound disorder?
In order to diagnose your child with a disorder, an evaluation
needs to be completed. However, there are signs that could
indicate a possible issue.
Sounds can be substituted, omitted, distorted, added or changed.
These errors may make it difficult to understand what your child
is saying.
Sometimes sound errors involved patterns, such as leaving all
final consonant sounds of words or simplifying two consonant
sounds into one (for example: broken becomes boken). These error
patterns may make it more difficult for your child to be
understood.
On the other hand, some sound errors are completely normal for
developing children. If you are unsure or have any questions,
feel free to email me or contact your child's teacher.
My child is bilingual, is his/her accent considered a speech sound disorder?
Accents are a natural part of spoken languages and are NOT a
speech or language disorder. Accents are referred to as dialects.
How can my child's speech disorder be treated?
Treatment may involve demonstrating to the child how to produce
the sound correctly by teaching tongue and lip placement,
learning to recognize which sounds are correct and incorrect, and practicing
sounds in different words, sentences and finally in conversational speech.
Treatment of sound pattern errors may include teaching the rules of speech and
speech sounds.
What does a speech/language evaluation entail?
The purpose of the speech/language evaluation is to measure your child's
communication by how well your child speaks and understands. The types of
measures and test materials based on your child's age. During the evaluation
process, we will be looking at how your child makes his or her speech sounds
and expresses his/herself, how easy it is to understand your child's speech,
how he or she understands language and how your child
uses words to communicate thoughts and answer questions. An oral-motor
examination will also take place. This is when the speech therapist will look
into your child mouth and evaluate the movement of the lips, jaw and tongue.
Your child's hearing will also be screened by the school nurse.
Following the evaluation, comprehensive report will be written , which will
explain the results to you. Recommendations will then be discussed by
yourself, the speech therapist, the classroom teacher and anyone else who
maybe involved.
How can my child receive speech/language services in school?
There are 2 ways in which your child can receive services.
Speech/Language therapy can be utilized as a related services when the child becomes a classified
special education student. When a child is classified, therapy typically
targets he/her language weaknesses.
Speech/Language therapy is also used as an accomodation within a child's 504 plan.
Children receiving speech/language services through his/her 504 plan
typically works on remediating speech sound production.
How can I contact you?
Because I rotate between Roosevelt School and Weehawken High School, the best
and quickest way to reach me is by email. I check it frequently and will
respond as soon as possible. Click on the email icon on the top right hand
corner of my homepage to send me an email or you may use my email address
cbachman@weehawken.k12.nj.us
I am also available by phone from 8am to 3pm at 201-422-6140.
Will my child receive homework?
Yes, your child will receive homework on a weekly basis that will reinforce
what we covered during our session(s) together. It is imperative that your
child complete his/her homework in order for his/her skills to be carried over
into the classroom setting.