¶ … educationists and teachers in the classroom today is identifying and dealing with children who have a speech, language or communication impairment, which negatively impacts on learning.. Many children find it difficult to understand how conversation works or don't make use of language at all. There are different terms used to describe specific speech and language difficulties, including "phonological difficulties, articulation difficulties, verbal dyspraxia, dysarthria, semantic pragmatic disorder, Asperger Syndrome and selective mutism." (Speech Impairments)
These specific speech and language difficulties can impact severely on the development and natural psychological and social growth of the child. Furthermore, it can also lead to further and more complicated problems - as will be discussed in this paper. "Children with a variety of speech and language impediments are increasing at risk as their language abilities fall behind those of their peers." (Children and Mental Health)
Emphasis must also be placed on recognizing the speech or learning disorder or impediment. This is where the teacher plays such a vital role. Some impediments may manifest themselves as bad behavior or even aggression and unless the teacher identifies the problem, the difficulties may result in further developmental and psychological damage. Throughout the following discussion the focus will also be on practical activities and tasks that the teacher can implement to help those with impediments. However, some impediments are more severe than others and necessitate specialized care and therapy. Even when the teacher cannot directly intervene with therapy, he or she can play a vital role in the identification of problems.
An estimated 10-15% of children in the United States have a speech disorder "as well as six percent of children in grades one through twelve." (Fleming C. 1991) Research suggests that in many cases the cause of these difficulties is not due to any other disability or condition but "that there may be a genetic cause for specific speech and language difficulties" while on the other hand, it has been found that "... other children find it hard to use language because of another disability like deafness or cerebral palsy." (Speech Impairments)
The United States Office of Education has variously estimated that 3% to 4%, or roughly 2,500,000, of school-age children in the United States have speech disorders. For the rest of the population, an extremely conservative figure is 3%, or close to 5,000,000.
(Johnson, Wendell)
The danger of leaving these disorders untreated can be serious for the short as well as the long-term development of the child.
Left untreated, a speech disorder can become a big problem for a child. The taunts of classmates can leave lasting psychological scars. Children with speech problems often do poorly in school because they are afraid to speak up. The earlier a problem is detected, the better.
(Fleming C. 1991)
By definition a speech or language impediment is a communications disorder which is associated either with the impaired ability to produce sounds or normal voice or to speak fluently. (Laberge, D.) As a communications problem speech disorders are often linked to and associated with the various learning disorders and language learning issues. Learning impediments may impact on speech disorders and vice versa. There are many different speech disorders which are generally characterized " ... By an interruption in the flow or rhythm of speech such as stuttering, or by problems with the way sounds are formed, also called articulation or phonological disorders, or they may involve voice problems such as pitch, intensity, or quality. Often, there is a combination of several different problems." (ibid) Speech disorders can also be associated with hearing loss and hearing deficiencies. There is a wide classification process with regards to speech disorders and impediments. These include the following:
Disorders of speech are commonly classified as follows: (1) disorders of voice; (2) disorders of articulation; (3) stuttering (stammering); (4) aphasia (dysphasia); (5) retarded development of speech or language; and (6) speech disorders associated with hearing loss or deafness, cleft lip and cleft palate, cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular impairments, laryngectomy, facial or oral injury or deficiency, mental retardation, and emotional illness.
(Johnson, Wendell)
It has also been found that young people with speech or language impairments struggle to understand abstract concepts like time; have problems learning to read and find it difficult to switch conversation topics. They generally feel isolated and don't make friends easily.
Types of Speech and Learning impediments
1. Stammering and Stuttering
This is a common impediment that many teachers might find among their students. Stuttering is essentially...
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