Mary Planchart
M.A. Speech and Language Pathologist
Indiana University, 1987
Language and Learning
January 22, 2010
Language:
Symbol system developed by man to communicate.
It is made up of socially shared rules that include
the following components:
Phonology
Sound system of the language.
Rules governing their combination.
Actual realization in connected speech.
Semantics
What words mean.
Grammatical organization of these words.
Context: general and text.
Semantic interpretation:words, sentences and texts.
Language
Grammar
a) Syntax: Rules governing how words combine into
sentences.
b) Morphology: System of meaning units within language.
Includes rules for changing words in form
for number, gender, etc.
Pragmatics
Rules governing language use in social contexts. Speakers
must adapt to their listeners. Involves observing social
conventions for communicating in ways that are:
Socially appropriate.
Clear and orderly.
Encoding-producing & decoding-understanding
Speech
It is the oral representation of language
Articulation
How speech sounds are made.
Must learn how to produce the "r" sound:
“Rabbit" / “Wabbit“.
Voice
Use of the vocal folds and breathing to produce sound.
Abuse from overuse or misuse.
Leads to hoarseness or loss of voice.
Fluency
The rhythm of speech.
Hesitations or stuttering can affect fluency.
Language & Speech disorders
Language disorder
a) Receptive language: Trouble understanding others.
b) Expressive language: Trouble sharing thoughts, ideas,
and feelings.
Speech disorder
Unable to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently.
Problems with voice.
Language development
Development of communication skills begins in
infancy, before emergence of first word.
Language is the basis of communication.
Any speech or language problem is likely to have a
significant effect on social and academic skills and
behavior.
Reading, writing, gesturing, listening, and speaking
are forms of language.
Learning takes place through the process of
communication
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Birth-3 Months
Hearing and Understanding
Startles to loud sounds.
Quiets or smiles when spoken to.
Seems to recognize voice and quiets if crying.
Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to
sound.
Talking
Makes pleasure sounds (cooing, gooing).
Cries differently for different needs.
Smiles when sees you.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
4-6 Months
Hearing and Understanding
Moves eyes in direction of sounds.
Responds to changes in tone of voice.
Notices sounds in toys.
Pays attention to music.
Talking
Babbling sounds more speech-like with different sounds,
including p, b and m.
Chuckles and laughs.
Vocalizes excitement and displeasure.
Makes gurgling sounds when left alone or playing with others.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
7 Months-1 Year
Hearing and Understanding
Enjoys games: peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
Turns and looks in direction of sounds.
Listens when spoken to.
Recognizes words like
“Cup", "shoe", "book", or "juice"
Begins to respond to requests:
"Come here!" "Want more?“.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
7 Months-1 Year
Talking
Babbling has long and short sounds: "tata upup bibibibi”.
Uses speech or non crying sounds to get and keep attention.
Uses gestures to communicate: waving, holding arms to be
picked up.
Imitates different speech sounds.
Has one or two words around first birthday although sounds
may not be clear:
Hi, dog, dada, mama.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
One to Two Years
Hearing and Understanding
Points to a few body parts when asked.
Follows simple commands/ understands simple questions:
"Roll the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?“
Responds to “no”.
Listens to simple stories, songs, rhymes.
Points to pictures in a book when named.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
One to Two Years
Talking
Says more words every month:
About 20 words at 15 – 18 months.
About 200 words by 18-21 months.
Uses some one- or two- word questions:
"Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's that?“
Puts two words together:
“More cookie" “No juice," “Mommy book"
Uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of
words.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Two to Three Years
Hearing and Understanding
Understands differences in meaning:
“Go-Stop," “In-On," “Big-Little," “Up-Down"
Follows two requests:
"Get the book and put it on the table"
Listens to/ enjoys hearing stories for longer periods of time.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Two to Three Years
Talking
Has a word for almost everything.
Uses two/ three words to talk about and ask for things.
Uses k, g, f, t, d, n sounds.
Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
Often asks for/ directs attention to objects by naming them.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Three to Four Years
Hearing and Understanding
Hears you when called from another room.
Hears television/radio at same loudness level as other family
members.
Answers simple Wh questions:
“Who?" “What?" “Where?" “Why?"
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Three to Four Years
Talking
Talks about activities at school or at friends' homes.
People outside family usually understand speech.
Many sentences have 4 or more words.
Usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Four to Five Years
Hearing and Understanding
Pays attention to short stories/answers simple questions
about them.
Hears/understands most of what is said at home/school.
Speech and language development
from ASHA.org
Four to Five Years
Talking
Uses sentences that give lots of details:
"The biggest peach is mine“
Tells stories stick to topic.
Communicates easily with others.
Says most sounds correctly. Except l, s, r, v, z, ch, sh, th.
Says rhyming words.
Names some letters and numbers.
Uses same grammar as the rest of family.
Important Milestones
*From Dr. Genese Warr-Leeper PhD. University of Western Ontario
Average 24 month to 30 month/old produces 50 different
words and/ or two word combinations:
*: “Car go”. “Throw ball”
Normal dysfluencies -whole word and easy repetitions- occur
as they develop. Will spontaneously disappear. Females
between 2 and 3 years. Males between 3 and 4 years.
Communication partners -parents, siblings, teachers- should not
react or interfere but listen attentively, speak slowly, and remain
calm
…Important Milestones
*From Dr. Genese Warr-Leeper PhD. University of Western Ontario
The average 3 year-old says 50% of sounds in English
correctly and is 90 % intelligible.
The average child´s sentence length should equal
chronological age up to 5 years with more sentences
exceeding child’s age as he/she proceeds from 2 word
combination onward.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Kindergarten
By the end of kindergarten the child should be able to do the
following:
Listening
Follow 1-2 simple directions in a sequence.
Listen to and understand age-appropriate stories read aloud.
Follow a simple conversation.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Kindergarten
Speaking
Be understood by most people.
Answer simple "yes/no" questions.
Answer open-ended questions:
"What did you have for lunch today?“
Retell a story or talk about an event.
Participate appropriately in conversations.
Show interest in and start conversations.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Kindergarten
Reading
Know how a book works. Left to right/top to bottom.
Understand that spoken words are made up of sounds.
Identify words that rhyme:
“Cat” “Hat”
Compare and match words based on sounds.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Kindergarten
…Reading
Understand that letters represent speech sounds and match
them.
Identify upper lower case letters.
Recognize some words by sight.
"Read" a few picture books from memory.
Imitate reading by talking about pictures in a book.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Kindergarten
Writing
Print own first and last name.
Draw a picture that tells a story. Label and write about the
picture.
Write upper lower case letters. May not be clearly written.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
First Grade
By the end of first grade the child should be able to do the
following:
Listening
Remember information.
Respond to instructions.
Follow 2-3 step directions in a sequence.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
First Grade
Speaking
Be easily understood.
Answer more complex "yes/no" questions.
Tell and retell stories and events in a logical order.
Express ideas with a variety of complete sentences.
Use most parts of speech (grammar) correctly.
Ask and respond to "wh" questions.
Stay on topic and take turns in conversation.
Give directions.
Start conversations.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
First Grade
Reading
Create rhyming words.
Identify all sounds in short words.
Blend separate sounds to form words.
Match spoken words with print.
Identify letters, words, and sentences.
Sound out words when reading.
Have a sight vocabulary of 100 common words.
Read grade-level material fluently.
Understand what is read.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
First Grade
Writing
Express ideas through writing.
Print clearly.
Spell frequently used words correctly.
Begin each sentence with capital letters and use ending
punctuation.
Write a variety of stories, journal entries, letters/notes.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Second Grade
By the end of second grade the child should be able to do the
following:
Listening
Follow 3-4 oral directions in a sequence.
Understand direction words: location, space, time.
Correctly answer questions about a grade-level story.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Second Grade
Speaking
Be easily understood.
Answer more complex "yes/no" questions.
Ask and answer “Wh" questions.
Use increasingly complex sentence structures.
Clarify and explain words and ideas.
Give directions with 3-4 steps.
Use oral language to inform, persuade, entertain.
Stay on topic, take turns, use appropriate eye contact during
conversation.
Open and close conversation appropriately.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Second Grade
Reading
Have fully mastered phonics/sound awareness.
Associate speech sounds, syllables, words, phrases with
written form.
Recognize many words by sight.
Use meaning clues when reading:
Pictures, titles/headings, information in the story.
Reread/self-correct when necessary.
Locate information to answer questions.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Second Grade
…Reading
Explain key elements of a story:
Main idea, main characters, plot.
Use own experience to predict and justify what will happen in
grade-level stories.
Read, paraphrase/retell a story in a sequence.
Read grade-level stories, poetry, dramatic text silently and
aloud with fluency.
Read spontaneously.
Identify/use spelling patterns in words when reading.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Second Grade
Writing
Write legibly.
Use variety of sentence types in writing essays, poetry, or
short stories (fiction and nonfiction).
Use basic punctuation and capitalization appropriately.
Organize writing to include beginning, middle, and end
Spell frequently used words correctly.
Progress from inventive spelling -spelling by sound- to more
accurate spelling.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Third Grade
By the end of third grade the child should be able to do the
following:
Listening
Listen attentively in group situations.
Understand grade-level material.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Third Grade
Speaking
Speak clearly with an appropriate voice.
Ask/respond to questions.
Participate in conversations/group discussions.
Use subject-related vocabulary.
Stay on topic, use appropriate eye contact, take turns in
conversation.
Summarize a story accurately.
Explain what has been learned.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Third Grade
Reading
Demonstrate full mastery of basic phonics.
Use word analysis skills when reading.
Use clues from content and structure to help understand
what is read.
Predict and justify what will happen next. Compare and
contrast stories.
Ask and answer questions regarding reading material.
Use acquired information to learn about new topics.
Read grade-level books fluently -fiction and nonfiction-
Reread and correct errors when necessary.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Third Grade
Writing
Plan, organize, revise, edit.
Include details in writing.
Write stories, letters, simple explanations, brief reports.
Spell simple words correctly, correct most spelling , use a
dictionary to correct spelling.
Write clearly in cursive.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Fourth Grade
By the end of fourth grade the child should be able to do the
following:
Listening
Listen to and understand information presented by others.
Form opinions based on evidence.
Listen for specific purposes.
School age Communication Abilities
from ASHA.org
Fourth Grade
Speaking
Use words appropriately in conversation.
Participate in group discussions.
Give accurate directions to others.
Summarize/restate ideas.
Organize information for clarity.
Use subject area information/vocabulary for learning.
Make effective oral presentations.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Fourth Grade
Reading
Read for specific purposes.
Read grade-level books fluently.
Use previously learned information to understand new
material.
Follow written directions.
Take brief notes.
Link information learned to different subjects.
Learn meanings of new words through knowledge of origins,
synonyms, multiple meanings.
School age Communication Abilities
from ASHA.org
Fourth Grade
…Reading
Use reference materials –dictionary-
Explain author's purpose and writing style.
Read/understand variety of types of literature, including
fiction, nonfiction, historical fiction, and poetry.
Compare and contrast in content areas.
Make inferences from texts.
Paraphrase content.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Fourth Grade
Writing
Write effective stories and explanations, including several
paragraphs about the same topic.
Develop a plan for writing: beginning, middle, and end.
Organize writing to convey a central idea.
Edit final copies for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Fith Grade
By the end of fifth grade the child should be able to do the
following:
Listening
Listen and draw conclusions in subject area learning activities.
Speaking
Make planned oral presentations appropriate to the audience.
Maintain eye contact, use gestures, facial expressions,
appropriate voice during group presentations.
Participate in class discussions across subject areas.
Summarize main points.
Report about information gathered in group activities.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Fith Grade
Reading
Read grade-level books fluently.
Learn meanings of unfamiliar words through knowledge of
root words, prefixes, suffixes.
Prioritize information according to purpose of reading.
Read a variety of literary forms.
Describe development of character and plot.
Describe characteristics of poetry.
Analyze author's language and style.
Use reference materials to support opinions.
School age communication abilities
from ASHA.org
Fith Grade
Writing
Write for a variety of purposes.
Use vocabulary effectively.
Vary sentence structure.
Revise writing for clarity.
Edit final copies.
Do speech-language disorders affect
learning?
Speech and Language skills are essential to academic success
and learning. The ability to communicate with peers and
adults in the educational setting is vital for a student to
succeed in school.
Do speech-language disorders affect
learning?
Children with communication disorders frequently do not
perform at age level.
They may struggle with:
Reading.
Understanding and expressing language.
Producing, comprehending, being aware of language sounds,
syllables, words.
Do speech-language disorders affect
learning?
…They may struggle with:
Understanding social cues.
Judgment.
Tests.
Thinking skills: perception, memory, awareness, reasoning,
judgment, intellect, imagination.
Individuals with reading and writing problems may have
trouble using language to communicate,
think and learn
Warning signals for school- aged children
*Adapted from “Helping Kids Discover and Develop Language” by K Angus, D
Cahalan, D. Chenette, & H Emrich, (1993) HKDD Publishers
Compared to other children he/she
demonstrates:
Difficulty organizing words into sentences after age 5:
“Who name?” /“What’s your name?”
“He go to him school”/He is going to his school.
Difficulty understanding speech: stories, conversations,
television programs.
Prolonged or repeated ear infections in the first 5 years of
life.
Warning signals for school- aged children
…Compared to other children he/she
demonstrates:
Difficulty staying on task and/or waiting for his turn. Child
appears to be impatient and/or interrupts.
Problems staying seated or standing in one place. Child has
short attention span, is impulsive, and/or seems overactive.
Difficulty following directions.
Difficulty recalling and retelling events and stories. Story is
out of order or is missing important information.
Warning signals for school- aged children
…Compared to other children he/she
demonstrates:
Difficulty telling or understanding jokes.
Speech that has a lot of hesitations:
“Um...um... you know”.
Difficulty staying on topic in conversations.
Difficulty making or keeping friends.
Other children avoid playing with him/her at recess.
Warning signals for school- aged children
…Compared to other children he/she
demonstrates:
Difficulty following the rules and activities of the classroom.
Might be disruptive.
Reading at age level.
Difficulty organizing ideas into a written form.
A lot more difficulty in Grade 3 than he/she has had in
previous grades.
Warning signals for school- aged children
If the score is 0
Communication skills are within normal range for a child
his/her age.
If the score is 1 to 4
Watch for any of the other warning signals appearing in the
future.
If the score falls between 5 and 15
Strongly recommended the child be checked by a speech-
language pathologist.
What can we do to help?
Team Work
Screening, evaluation, and treatment of communication
problems entail cooperative efforts from parents, speech-
language pathologist, classroom teacher, special education
teacher, guidance counselor -and any other professional
involved- in order to make the best
from the learning experience.
What can we do to help?
…Team Work
Parents, teachers, and school personnel work together to make
sure children get the support they need. Parents and teachers
should refer any student who shows signs of a speech-
language-hearing disorder or delay.
References
1. American Speech-Language Hearing Association, 2200
Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850-3289. Available
at: www/ASHA/org.
2.Warr-Leeper Genese, PhD. Communicative Disorders,
Elborn College, University of Western Ontario. London,
Ontario N6G 1H1.
3. Angus K, Cahalan D.,Chenette D.,& Emrich H., HKDD
Publishers, Box 32105,Preston Centre, Cambridge, Ontorio
N3H 5M2 (1993).
Thank you
maryplanchart@interlink.net.ve