This document discusses speech and language impairments (SLI) in students. It defines SLI as a communication disorder that negatively impacts a child's educational performance. Common causes of SLI include anatomical, cognitive, genetic, neurological, and physiological factors. The document provides information on identifying and assessing SLI in students, working with speech language pathologists, and implementing instructional strategies to support students with SLI.

1. “Speech or
language
impairment means
a communication
disorder, such as
stuttering, impaired
articulation, a
language
impairment or voice
impairment, that
adversely affects a
child’s educational
performance”
- Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA)
Students with Speech and
Language Impairments (SLI)
By: Pantea
Goshtasb

2. As defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
(ASHA), a communication disorder is “an impairment in the ability to
receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, NV and
graphic symbol systems.”

3. Language delay doesn’t
necessarily mean language
disorder!
Some children will
develop language skills at
a slower pace than their
peers but this doesn’t
mean they have an SLI.
However, parents should
be conscious of typical
milestones and pay
attention to the speech
and language
development of their kids.
Early assessment and
intervention is critical!

4. Causes of SLI’s:
Usually unknown
but potential
causes include
anatomical
abnormalities,
cognitive deficits,
faulty learning,
genetic
differences,
hearing
impairments,
neurological
impairments, or
physiological
abnormalities.

5. The cause of
speech and
language disorders
are usually
unknown but the
range of origins
includes
anatomical
abnormalities,
cognitive deficits,
faulty learning,
genetic differences,
hearing
impairments,
neurologic
impairments, or
physiologic
abnormalities.

6. SLI’s are the second
most common
category of students
served under IDEA,
between 6 and 21
years old.
90% of these
children are within
the range of 6-11
years old.
The total number of
students served by
speech-language
pathologists is about
5% of all school-age
children, 2/3 of whom
are boys.

7. Early assessment and
intervention is so
important!
The American Academy
of Pediatrics
recommends ongoing
surveillance and periodic
use of broad-band
screening measures.
In the absence of these,
most providers rely on
informal milestone
checklists. These lack
criteria and are probably
why only about 1 out of
4 children with
disabilities of any
kind are referred for
needed
assistance.

8. Warning signs for SLI during
infancy include challenges in
response to sound, atypical
birth cries, or limited
response to others and
progresses through the
toddler and preschool age
with limited comprehension
of spoken language and
difficult interactions with
peers and others as well as
delays in producing first
words and word
combinations.

9. At the elementary
levels, look out for
students who have
a hard time
following verbal
instructions, find
phonics and
structural analysis
to be challenging
tasks for them, as
well as issues
grasping new
information and
knowledge.

10. Teachers who work in
the secondary level
setting should
recognize the
warning signs of
students with
potential SLI, by
those who substitute
words, struggle to
grasp abstract
themes, and process
and produce
language
insufficiently, which
directly relates to
their reading skills
and academic
accomplishments

11. Assessment requires obtaining a sample of communication skills across settings
through many procedures. It is critical to collect information not only from
standardized, formal tools but also to gather more authentic information.
Typically, this includes case history information, parent interviews, checklists from
other providers, systematic observation, hearing screening, and examination of the
speech mechanism.

12. Negative self-talk is
a common trend in
children with
speech disorders so
to counter this,
teachers should
teach their students
to adopt positive
self-talk, in order to
build their self-esteem
and image
of themselves.
Affirmations can be
extended to all
students!

13. Instructional Strategy:
Assign students who have an SLI to a partner so they have the
opportunity to practice their speech skills with someone their age and
even make a new friend. Practice can only lead to improvements!

14. Instructional
strategies cont’:
Music
For example,
teachers can
intentionally
choose songs
that incorporate
certain
instruments or
objects so that
students have to
ask for them.
They can also
take out props to
peak interest and
let students act
out the plot of
the song lyrics.

15. Instructional Methods cont’:
Storytelling
Even though storytelling is
thought to only be relevant in
elementary school, teachers
in the secondary levels should
be encouraged to use it too.
While reading a story,
teachers should remember to
pause sufficiently to give
students a chance to speak,
praise them when they do say
something, expand on their
words and ask open-ended
questions.

16. Professional collaboration between the
teacher and speech-language pathologist
is of the utmost importance.
However, this doesn’t mean that a general-education
teacher should rely solely on the
pathologist to cater to their students with SLI.
It Is their responsibility to be well-informed about
these & other disabilities, to better understand
their class.

17. Language IN the classroom:
Theory that learning should take place in a child’s most organic
environment and should accompany other material that is
being taught.
The intention is to improve their language capabilities and take
whatever was learned in therapy and apply it within a
classroom space.

18. One option for service delivery is the community-based
model, where therapy services are provided
in places where casual communication happens
naturally, such as at home or on the playground.
This model works best for students with pragmatic
language disorders and those attending vocational
programs.

19. The consultation
model:
The speech-language
pathologist does not
interact with the
student directly.
Instead, he or she
will give guidance to
family, teachers, or
other school staff,
with information,
training or resources
to help the student
achieve and exceed
certain
communication
objectives.

20. SLI’s can potentially influence a child’s
social life.
If a student is embarrassed of his or her
impairment, this may lead to not speaking
up as much in class, for fear of ridicule.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to create a
climate where students with disabilities can
thrive, among their classmates.

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