Chesterbrook Elementary School

This site has been created to provide parents with general information on common speech and language disorders, developmental norms for articulation, and links to helpful communication websites.

What types of problems are addressed through the speech and language program?

School speech pathologists work with disorders of articulation, voice, verbal fluency, and language which negatively impact a student in his/her classroom setting.

Articulation: Speech problem in which sounds are distorted, omitted, or substituted for other sounds. These misarticulations may reduce the intelligibility of the spoken message.

Voice Problems: Speech problem in which the person's voice sounds rough, hoarse, or nasal.

Fluency: Speech problem in which the person frequently stutters when speaking.

Language: Language is different from speech. Language is a code made up of a group of rules that include:

• What words mean
• How to make new words (friend, friendly, unfriendly)
• How to combine words together
• What word combinations are best in what situations ("Would you mind moving your foot?" could quickly change to "Get off my foot, please!" if the first request got no results). This is also referred to as "pragmatics"

When a person cannot understand the language code, then there is a receptive problem. If a person does not know enough language rules to share thoughts, ideas, and feelings completely, then there is an expressive problem. One problem can exist without the other, but often they occur together in both children and adults.

Speech Sound Development

How does speech develop? Research has shown that speech is acquired in stages, and that the majority of children develop the use of certain sounds at approximately the same age. Dr. Irene Poole's research provides us with the following scale, which has been substantiated by other investigators.

3.5 years....p, b, m, w, wh

4.5 years....d, t, n, g, k, ng, y, f

6 years....j, sh, l, v

7 years....s, z, r, ch, er, th

The normal rate of development is highly variable with some children mastering all their sounds before their fourth birthday, while others do not completely master all of their sounds until around their eighth birthday. Also, many blends (dr, cr, sn, sk, etc.) in the English language are not mastered and produced accurately until eight years of age. Additionally, often children will be able to produce a sound in some word, but not consistently in all words. The fact that they are producing it correctly within certain words is a positive sign that the sound is emerging within their speech.

Speech/language clinicians consider the following factors before proposing therapy:

• How consistently does the child produce the sound in error.
• Can the child imitate the sound following visual/verbal cues (i.e., when adult demonstrates how to place lips, tongue, and/or teeth).
• Will the child be able to follow therapy directions to make sessions productive? Starting therapy too soon can frustrate child and take unnecessary time away from the classroom.
• Does child produce multiple sound incorrectly so that he/she can to be understood at least 80% of the time.

What can a parent do if child is pronouncing sounds incorrectly?

• Model good speech for child. If child says, "I saw a wabbit", the parent might respond, "You saw a rabbit."
• Occasionally ask child to imitate the sound after you make it. Keep it playful.
• Be sure child is hearing well enough to learn speech sounds. Frequent colds and allergies can cause fluid in the ears, which can make hearing others' speech unclear.

Preschool Child Find
(Children 20 months to 5 years of age)

Does your preschool child seem to have a speech problem or difficulties with gross motor or behaviors that his or her peers do not have? Has your child’s doctor or preschool teacher noticed an area of concern which you would like investigated? If so, Fairfax County Public Schools offers FREE developmental screenings to identify potential problems early and FREE programs that address any weaknesses that may be uncovered.

To learn more about the many resources available to residents of Fairfax County, go to this website:

http://www.fcps.edu/dss/sei/preschool/index.htm

Children who are of school age (5 years old) are tested in their neighborhood school.

Helpful Internet Sites:

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/

Information on normal development as well as various disorders of speech and language. Printable information packets. Information on finding licensed professionals.

http://www.stuttersfa.org/