Speech and language are important skills that are essential for successful day to day communication. If your child has a speech and language difficulty, you will likely notice that he may struggle in other areas as well, especially in relation to his academic performance at school.
Your Child May Struggle With:
Literacy – The ability to read and write is called literacy. When your child has a speech and language disorder, you will most likely notice that he has difficulty in these subjects, including, but not limited to spelling, reading comprehension, fluent oral reading, and relationships between letters and sounds. Also read: Literacy and Writing.
Understanding/following directions – A huge part of language skills is understanding what is being said to you. Your child may have difficulty understanding directions for assignments, and what is expected of her, if she has a speech and language disorder.
Asking for help – It is common for your child to have low self esteem and lack of confidence if he has a speech and language disorder. Both may hinder his ability or desire to ask for help with school concepts that he may be struggling with, leading to low performance in these subjects.
Relationships – Positive friendships and relationships are an important part of childhood. However, children with speech and language disorders often struggle with finding and maintaining friendships.
What You Can Do
Early intervention/speech language therapy – Early intervention and therapy services are tools that will help your child learn techniques and strategies that may help him overcome his speech and language difficulties. The earlier the services are started the greater the success rate.
Communicate openly with your child’s teachers and therapists – They are with her when you are not, and they see her in a different setting than you do at home. Having an open line of communication will benefit her in many ways. Not only does it keep everyone “on the same page”, it allows for collaboration in finding strategies and techniques that work for her. What works in the classroom, may not work at home and vise versa.
Read often – Reading to your child has many benefits. While it provides you some one-on-one bonding time with him, you are also modeling proper speech sounds, diction, and sentence structure. Make reading enjoyable and part of your daily routine, and he is more likely to develop a desire to read on his own time as well.
Encourage and support your child – While it may be frustrating for you, imagine how she feels. It is not uncommon for children with speech and language disorders to have low self esteem. Just because she may not be improving at a desired or expected rate, does not mean she is not trying her hardest. Your unconditional love, encouragement, and support are necessary for her desire to continue to do her best.
Sources: Perry.k12.ny.us | SuperDuperInc.com | ASHA.org
Speech and Language Disorders Affect Your Child’s School Performance
Shandy Marso, Contributor
