It affects five to ten percent of preschool kids. Developmental speech and language disorder is a common reason for speech/language problems in kids. This is a learning disability that is caused by the brain working differently. These kids may have trouble producing speech sounds, using spoken language to communicate, or understanding what other people say. Speech and language problems are often the earliest sign of a learning disability.
Speech and Language Impairments Speech and language impairments are defined as impairment in four different areas: articulation, fluency, voice or language. As defined by IDEA, a speech and language impairment “means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child’s educational performance.” Characteristics The following are characteristics of a speech or language impairment as divided by type: Articulation: An impairment in this area leads to the child producing certain sounds incorrectly, as occurs commonly with a lisp. Fluency: An impairment in this area influences the flow of a child’s speech. This can be when the speech is “disrupted by sounds, syllables, and words that are repeated, prolonged, or avoided and where there may be silent blocks or inappropriate inhalation, exhalation, or phonation patterns.” Voice: An impairment in this area abnormally affects the pitch, resonance, or volume of a child’s speech. Language: An impairment in this area is characterized by when “the child has problems expressing needs, ideas, or information, and/or in understanding what others say”.
Skilled observation is important to correctly determine what is behind a child’s classroom behavior. Misinterpretation leads to difficulties for both teacher and child stemming from the teacher thinking that one cause has led to the child’s behavior, while the truth may be quite different (MacDonald, 2006). Children communicate through their bodies. Their physical actions reveal as much about them as the things they say. A major accomplishment during the early years is the development of social skills.
Children’s understanding of other peoples mind is connected to the Theory of Mind. Theory of Mind refers to children’s ability of comprehend others mental state and their own mind and to differentiate between false beliefs. Researches have shown that between the ages of 3 and 4 children are developing the necessary skills for the Theory of Mind, and even before this they have some understanding of others moods. In Theory of Mind we see that children with normal development have a special set of skills called the Executive skills which oversee and manage their cognitive function of brain. This skills are use do organise, sequence, sort, relate, differentiate and many other processes.
Language is linked to the development of literacy. Children who have poor speech will find it difficult to understand the link between sounds and letter shapes so reading could be delayed. Writing will also be affected. Finding ways to help the child communicate will help their self esteem and help prevent them from antisocial behaviours. If it’s listening or talking, some children and young people find it very difficult to communicate.
The late talking is usually a sign of a language learning disorder of some sort. Once children do start to talk it becomes clearer if there is impairment present. Currently it is believed that 7% of children suffer from specific language impairment. (Van Der Lely{2005,p53-59}) As the child develops, if there is an impairment tests will be carried out to see if they have any other cognitive defects, such as autism, or if there are any physical explanations, such as an inner ear problem, or deafness, which can impact the child’s ability to learn language. Once all the developmental and environmental factors are ruled out, the child is diagnosed with specific language impairment.
Mild disabilities are a grouping or composition of students with different disabilities for instruction, such as Learning Disabilities, Mild Mental Retardation, Emotional Disabilities, and other. Students identified as having a learning disability has decreased because these students are being more specifically classified. Also, more recent in Special Education, more students are receiving inclusion and general education settings and instructions. 2. How have the roles of teachers of special education and learning disabilities changed?
This definition is also set out in the Education Acts 1991 and 1996 and the Children and Families Act 2014. Special Educational Needs refers to children or young person who has learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn at the same pace as their peers of the same age to which a provision can be made for them. Children or young person who are referred as SEN have: * Specific learning difficulties – with reading, writing, number work or understanding information * Moderate learning difficulty – basic skills in an early years setting, school or college * Speech, language and communication needs – expressing themselves or understanding what others are saying * Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties – making friends, relating to adults or behaving properly in an early years setting, school or college * Visual and hearing impairment – wears hearing aid or poor eyesight * Physical disability - Cerebral Palsy, heart disease, Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and Muscular Dystrophy. Pupils with physical disabilities may also have sensory impairments, neurological problems or Learning Difficulties. Some pupils are mobile but have significant fine motor difficulties which require support.
Students undergoing intellectual and adaptive assessments often display specific characteristics that lead to the suspicion that they may qualify for special education services. A few characteristics of a student that has an ID is that the student has a lower IQ then most individuals of the same age group, causing them to have difficulties learning content at the same rate as peers, difficulties with oral expression, listening comprehension, at risk in the areas of social/emotional/adaptive, and is not responding to interventions being put in place by the general education teacher. Intellectual functioning of an individual refers to
Communication: To communicate is to be able to convey thoughts, information or feelings using signals, speech, body language, or by the written word. Speech, language and communication needs: A child who is diagnosed with a SLCN is experiencing a communication breakdown due to a difficulty with one or more of the different elements of speech, language or communication. This may be a minor, temporary or a long-term