Communication—

The First Basic Skill

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I have been a speech-language therapist in District 26 since December 1980. I received my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from Northern Illinois University. Also, I hold the following certifications/license:

· American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

· State of Illinois Speech-Language Pathology License

Illinois Teaching Certificate

                                      

The goal of speech-language therapy is to use language to acquire, assess and communicate information, as well as to become effective listeners and speakers in a variety of situations.

 

There are four areas that speech-language addresses:

 

ARTICULATION- This is pronunciation or sound/speech production. Sounds develop at different ages. For example, p, m and b develop by age 3, while s and r are not fully developed until age 7. Some students may also experience oral-motor difficulties in conjunction with articulation difficulties.

 

LANGUAGE- This refers to receptive language (comprehension) and expressive language (verbal expression). This includes vocabulary, word order, word endings, grammar, pragmatics (social language) and semantics (the meaning of the message).

 

FLUENCY- This refers to stuttering, or the flow of speech

 

VOICE- This is a person’s vocal quality. The most common voice problem in school- aged children is hoarseness which can be caused by excessive loudness or use of incorrect pitch.

 

Referral Process

 

                 A teacher or parent can refer a student to me if there are speech or language concerns. I usually begin by observing the student in their classroom. Based on that observation, I either recommend home practice or a case study evaluation depending on the severity of the problem.  Many children exhibit speech-language difficulties. However, developmentally, some students need more time to acquire a skill on their own.

 

In order for a student to be eligible for speech-language services, the problem must be significant enough to negatively impact the child’s educational functioning. Once a student is eligible, an IEP (Individualized Educational Program) would then be written following state and federal guidelines.

 

Speech-Language Services- most children are serviced in the speech room for one or two sessions per week, either individually or in small groups. Some are seen in their classroom.

 

Contact me by phone or e-mail if you have any questions or concerns. I can also provide you with articles or other resources. Also, look for speech-language information in the Indian Grove monthly newsletter.

1340 Burning Bush

Mt. Prospect, IL  60056

To contact us:

Phone: 847-298-1976 ext 329

E-mail: ceggert@rtsd26.org