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| Mr. Monk/me communicating in China |
Chapter 7 addresses the following questions on teaching students with communication disorders. What are communication disorders? What signs should you look for in students with communication disorders? What are some classroom strategies for accommodating students with communication disorders? Why is it important to consider a student's cultural, dialectic and/or whether or not they learned English as a second language (being careful not to label such students as having a communications disorder due to these factors)?
Communication Disorders refers to difficulties with the transfer of knowledge, ideas, opinions, and feelings (Vaughn, et al.). Since schooling is based on speaking and listening behaviors, students who suffer with communication disorders are very easily identified if they are not operating at the expectations of age-appropriate behaviors. Students with this disorder usually manifest it in at least one of three areas: speech, hearing and language. Speech and language disorders are discussed in chapter 7. Speech disorders refer to challenges with voice articulation, fluency and/or quality. Language disorders refer to developmental delays in receptive and/or expressive language.
Recognizable Signs of Communication Disorders
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| oldest daughter - Deigh |
My husband and I adopted our oldest daughter at the age of two months. She did not begin talking in complete sentences until she was two years old. She attended a Catholic school beginning in kindergarten where it was noted that she was having communication problems, however the school did not provide the services she needed and I allowed her to attend the school again in 1st grade (of course part of this was due to my being in total denial). By second grade, I enrolled her in the neighborhood school: the problems persisted (not paying attention, blank stare when you ask her a question, not answering when you ask her a question). At that time, we had a complete psychological work up done on her and she was diagnosed as having "inconclusive ADD", along with needing the services of a speech pathologist. She received those services through twelfth grade and they benefited her immensely. Early recognition by knowledgeable teachers is a great benefit to such children, especially when caretakers/parents do not want to hear such. The earlier the problem is identified the better for the child in terms of length of intervention and success in the general education classroom. On a beautiful note, Deigh graduated high school on time, reluctantly attended college for one semester, and now works for Hope Institute, serving students with special needs. She loves it!
Considering a student's cultural, dialectic and English as a second language background Students who are just learning the English language may not be candidates for speech disorders, they are simply learning a new language! Some students' cultures may explain the uniqueness in their approach to the English language also. How students communicate verbally can be a result of their cultural upbringing and as classroom teachers we must acknowledge and respect that, not 'passing off' such students as having articulation disorders. For example, in the following article discussing low context vs. high context cultures, much of the differences between these two cultural upbringings is reflected in they way they each communicate:
A low context culture is one in which things are fully (though concisely) spelled out. Things are made explicit, and there is considerable dependence on what is actually said or written. A high context culture is one in which the communicators assume a great deal of commonality of knowledge and views, so that less is spelled out explicitly and much more is implicit or communicated in indirect ways. In a low context culture, more responsibility is placed on the listener to keep up their knowledge base and remain plugged into informal networks.
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| Capt Jim Lund and David Letterman |
African American students who have been reared in a cultural setting that speak the AAVE dialect may face challenges in the classroom when it comes to speaking in formal English register. Such students may not be candidates for speech therapy, however. They should learn formal English, along with being respected for knowing the dialect of their culture. I always say that I can speak at least two languages fairly well, AAVE and English. I know some Spanish from high school Spanish courses that I have taken, but I can speak both AAVE and English rather fluently! I recommend you visit the Language Varieties website for further reading: http://www.hawaii.edu/satocenter/langnet/. NOTE: the photo with Capt Lund and David Letterman was given to me by Capt Lund: he was one of my first online students deployed to Iraq, taking this course while he was abroad; the communication was great! :)
Classroom Strategies for accommodating students with communication disorders
See Strategies for Teaching Students with Communication Disorder .
For General Strategies
See http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/text/comm.html
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Pragmatically Speaking - How to use this information in the classroom:
Pay attention to students' conversation as they are involved in various settings. How do they conversate in your classroom? the hallways? the playground? the lunchroom? Use this informal knowledge of what students are talking about to build into a new lesson or classroom concepts. Make similarity connections to what students already know to help them learn the new content.
Practice 'wait time.' Give students several seconds to respond after asking them a question. Refrain from 'jumping in' to fill up the silence while students are thinking, trying to retrieve the appropriate words. Allow sufficient time for students to speak for themselves!
Only give instructions for an activity or lesson when students are paying attention.
Learn students' names as quickly as possible and use their names when speaking to them .
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After reading the chapter, read the following article and post your response [comment] to the questions on the blog. The text talks about language development in children and how there is a three year variance between late and early bloomers. Screenings are usually done around age three. This test was given to 18 mos. old children. The results were mixed. While it proved to be better than other screening tests, it did produce false positives. How early should children be screened for language impairments? How might different factors (SES, family structure, location/geography etc.) play a role in the assessment of language delays or with language development in children?
In my opinion, even with the drawbacks of early screening, primarily the low sensitivity rates in the Communicative Development Inventories (CDI) screenings of 18 month olds highlighted by Westerlund, Berglund, and Eriksson (2006), it is still of greater benefit to screen children earlier for communication disorders and delayed language development. This is warranted as the textbook cites that even though most children “outgrow” early language problems, still 20% to 25% of children with such problems at age 2 continue to show problems throughout preschool and school years. Moreover, the text states that two-thirds of kindergarteners that have communication disorders will continue to have such difficulties through high school (Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm, 2011). Thus, though the test sensitivity rates may be a concern as only half of the children that test positive for communication disorders in the screening actually develop them, the risk is too great considering the potential lasting effects of such communication disorders. Therefore, based on the evidence provided in the article, and the potential repercussions presented in the textbook, I believe that screening for communication disorders should begin at approximately 18 months. This provides ample time for intervention.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I do feel that there is significant room for improvement, beyond developing better test sensitivity. I think that the biggest modification is to develop an overall risk profile for each child. One large component of the risk assessment should include the CDI screening. Thus, instead of labeling those children that are identified by the CDI as having a language disability, the children should be labeled high risk for potential development of a language disability. This is not merely a difference in semantics. By classifying children as having a language disability from the 18 month CDI, it may generate a self-fulfilling prophecy, primarily from the parents and future teachers. By stating that the child is high risk for a language disability, the parents and future teachers are more apt to provide interventions to aid the child’s communication, vocabulary, and comprehension.
To complete the risk assessment, factors associated with socioeconomic status (SES), family structure, location, geography, and culture should also be considered. These factors are not mutually exclusive in regard to language development. According to the textbook, the average child of age 3 from a welfare family is exposed to only 616 words per hour. Meanwhile a 3 year old from a working class family and a professional family were exposed to 1251 words per hour and 2153 words per hour, respectively (Vaughn, et al, 2011). Thus, by including some general background information in regard to the child’s home life, environmental risk factors can be examined.
When the CDI and environmental risk factor screenings are completed, it should provide a clearer picture as to what children have the greatest potential for developing communication disorders. This method not only reduces the potential issues due to false positives, it also develops a more global picture of the individual situation for each student. More importantly, the early risk assessment provides sufficient time for intervention.
Works cited:
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
I feel that children should be screened for language impairments at multiple ages. I talked to my father who is a Superintendent and he stated that children need to be tested at an early age. Future problems can be avoided if they are detected early enough. The text states that students should be screened in preschool or elementary school (Vaughn et al., 2011). The article by Westerlund et al. (2006) stated that children were screened at two different ages: 18 months and 3 years old. I feel that children should be screened at the preschool level as suggested by the textbook. I like that the textbook was very general because students are going to enter grades with different ages and development levels. Although I do feel that students should be screened before they start school and at different ages as suggested by Westerlund et al. (2006). Cognitive capabilities are rapidly developing early in life as will communication. My science background is the foundation behind my reasoning on this topic. Our bodies are rapidly developing all the way into our early 20's and even further for some individuals. I don't feel that screening at two ages at least a year or more apart is not really representing children development. In conclusion, I propose that children be screened at least three different times. The times for screening can vary, but it should be done at the earliest age possible where results will be informative.
ReplyDeleteFactors such as socioeconomic status (SES), family structure, location, and culture are major influences in communication. Children from a low SES are exposed to a limited amount of vocabulary, which means that they could develop language impairments (Vaughn et al., 2011). Conversely, children from a professional family will have a much larger vocabulary (Vaughn et al., 2011). Children located near areas with information and culture can have a larger vocabulary. These areas are filled with museums, zoos, or universities. Each one brings with it a unique influence that affects each person differently. When assessing language, speech/language pathologists should work with the teacher to see if there are any detrimental outside influences. Eliminating negative influences and working with students in the classroom will help them work through any issues they be experiencing.
Works Cited
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., and Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching Students Who Are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk (Fifth edition). New Jersey: Pearson.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., and Eriksson, M. Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at 18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 49, 237-247.
I believe children should begin being screened for language impairments no later than three years of age, but no earlier than two years of age. I also believe that proof of a recent documented language screening should be required for children entering kindergarten, just as an eye exam is a requirement. This will enable teachers and administrators to prepare language and/or speech services for children using a proactive approach. In turn, children will be better equipped with the skills necessary for learning.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to the research of Westerlund, Berglund, and Eriksson, I did not find the results of the screenings done at 18 months and 3 years of age to show any correlation or significance to each other. However, I do agree with their findings that delays in language development at an early age are associated with other concurrent problems, such as ADD/ADHD, and are negatively associated with scholastic achievement. While the assessment of language development in young children is difficult and time-consuming, I agree early and effective intervention is necessary.
Furthermore, it is important to understand that there are several factors which play a role in the language development of young children. These factors include, but are not limited to socioeconomic status, family structure, and ethnic background and/or location/geography. According to research in the text, the average child in a welfare family is exposed to 616 words per hour, whereas the average child in a working class and professional family is exposed to 1,251 and 2,153 words per hour, respectively (p.180). This information suggests that students from low-income families are less likely to have an extensive speaking and receptive vocabulary. Family structure is also a key component of language development. According to the text, 86% to 98% of words in a child’s vocabulary are words contained in his/her parent’s or parents’ vocabularies, suggesting children from a one-parent family will be less exposed to vocabulary compared to that of a two-parent family (p. 180). In addition, as indicated in our lecture for this week, ethnic background and/or location/geography also play a role in the language assessment of young children; as some cultures are high context (in which less is spelled out explicitly, requiring more implicit communication) and some cultures are low context (in which things are explicitly spelled out, and there is considerable dependence on what is said or written).
Based on my own personal experience, as a mother of two girls 31 months apart, children are different when it comes to language development. My oldest daughter, now 9 ½, began speaking complete sentences by the time she was 2 ½. My youngest daughter, however, created concern for me, as she had no desire to communicate verbally. I was (and have been) a stay at home mom; therefore both of my children grew up in the same environment. Due to my concern, my husband and I had our youngest daughter’s hearing checked around the age of two, and no problems were evident. My sister, who knows sign language, began working with my daughter to develop an alternate form of communication. My daughter picked up on it immediately. I was amazed by her ability to associate the gestures with words; but signing was just what she needed. She didn’t have a language impairment, however she greatly increased my awareness about them. Needless to say, she has no problems holding her tongue now at almost 7 years old.
--Sarah Dame
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ReplyDeleteHow early should children be screened for language impairments?
ReplyDeleteI think that children should be screened for language impairments at an early age. I agree more with the article in which it states that students should be screen at 18 months to three years as opposed to the textbook stating preschool to kindergarten. The reason that I agree with this is because the textbook states “20% to 25% of children with delayed language development at age 2 continue to have communication problems throughout their preschool and school years, and two-thirds of kindergarteners who have difficulties with language will continue to have language problems in middle and high school” (p.g. 176, Teaching Students). To me it is all about catching it as early as possible but at the same time I don’t see a problem with continued testing for students who may struggle at an older age. Students develop at different times than others and need to be accommodated so making sure that their needs are being met is very important.
How might different factors (SES, family structure, location/geography, etc.) play a role in the assessment of language delays or with language development in children?
There are many factors that play a role in how children learn to communicate and speak. One major factor, that I have witness personally, would be family structure. I have personally seen children develop these communication disorders because they are not getting enough help at home. Parents don’t work with their children for many different reasons ranging from busy work schedules to simply not addressing an unknown problem. If a child is not getting the interaction and constant practice of communicating at home then it can definitely carry over into school which will cause a negative effect on them. One suggestion that I found helpful in the text on “Identifying and Assessing Students with Communication Disorders” is to “call the student’s parents and ask them about the student’s communication at home” (pg. 189, Teaching Students). Doing this step helps teachers and parents decide if a student needs to be evaluated and see a speech specialist.
This can even go for students who speak a different language other than English. If they are solely around Spanish, for example, at home and then come to school where English is the primary then it is important for the teacher to accommodate those needs. Contacting a language specialist can help students become comfortable with a different language to where they can succeed in the classroom. In all it’s about accommodating the student, helping them either with self teaching or with the help of specialist. It is also extremely important to communicate with the parent/guardian of the student. What may be a problem at school may not be an issue at home.
Work Cited:
Vaughn, Sharon, Candace S. Bos, and Jeanne Shay Schumm. "Chapter 7. Teaching Students with Communication Disorders." Teaching Students Who Are Exceptional, Diverse, and at Risk in the General Education Classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2011. 176+. Print.
Language impairments, like many learning, developmental, and behavioral problems occur at different ages depending on the individual child. While early intervention is important, screening for language problems is most effective once the student is 3 years old. Children typically make substantial developmental progress between 2 and 3 years old (Westerlund, Berglund, Eriksson, 2006). Once the student reaches this developmental stage, we are able to get a much clearer picture of language development problems and other problems that might be a factor in the child’s difficulties.
ReplyDeleteStudents entering preschool come from vastly different backgrounds. Culture, family structure and education, socioeconomic status, and many other factors influence a child’s language development. The way language is used in the home, the vocabulary the child is exposed to, and the child’s development can make determining a ‘norm’ difficult. The number of spoken words a child is able to use is key to successful language development. Some parents do not have the time, the knowledge, or the proper environment to work with their children at a very young age. More than 80% of the words in a child’s vocabulary come directly from their parents (Hart & Risely). While early screening might help to uncover some developmental problems, screening a student after they have had the opportunity to learn and use language successfully is most effective. This allows the educators (and parents) to eliminate any of the other factors that may be negatively influencing normal development.
Location and Geography play a huge role in language development. If a student uses a language other than English or speaks a different dialect at home, developing ‘normal’ language skills may be difficult. It is important to note these language varieties, and not look at them as language development or learning problems. It is important to stress to the student that their language variety is not wrong, just different (Siegel, 2011).
It is difficult to determine an ideal age to screen students for language impairments. We must make sure that all students are on as even of a playing field as possible, and have had equal opportunities for success. We must factor in different physical and environmental factors that are very different for every child, and still hold development to a standard.
Works cited:
Vaughn, S.R., BOS, C.S., & Schumm, J.S. (2011). Teaching Students Who Are Exceptional, Diverse, and at Risk in the General Education Classroom (5th ed.).
Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at 18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
Siegel, Jeff. Language Varieties (2011).
After reading the text and the article, “Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at 18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur –Bates Communicative Development Inventories”, I believe 3 years old is probably the earliest a child should be screened for language impairment. As stated in out text, about “20% to 25% of the children with delayed language development at age 2 continue to have communication problems throughout their preschool and school years” (Vaughn 176). The text also mentions when discussing the articulation disorder that there can be a 3 year difference between an early learner and late learner as far as producing letter sounds and combinations (177). One last fact the text mentioned that made me lean towards testing for language impairment around the age of 3 was, stuttering usually appears in a child between the ages of 2-4 (179).
ReplyDeleteThe article we read discussed communication screenings of 18 month olds in Sweden. The article explained how the process was completed and that the same children were tested again at 3 years old which is the standard age for testing in Sweden. The socioeconomic status was determined for the group based on the mother’s employment. The results indicated that the higher level of language impairment was directly related to lower socioeconomic status. The parents were also involved in the testing process when asked to provide information about their child’s communications skills. For the most part, the parents were not very helpful in providing information regarding the child’s language abilities. After the test was complete the researchers determined 18 month old was too young to test for language impairments due to the large variation in toddler’s vocabulary. Once again this article made me lean towards the age of 3 for testing for language impairments.
The article mentioned socioeconomic status being a possible factor relating to a child’s language abilities, but family structure and geographical location can also affect a child’s language development. Children who are raised in poor families or ones without an adult role model may not get the attention and guidance they need when it comes to developing academically. It is possible for a child to be raised in a home with an uneducated caretaker or parent. This child will not learn proper English and will be behind on developmental skills. A child can also face barriers relating to geographical locations regarding accents.
I have a person story relating to language development. My youngest son, Cody, could not say his “R’s” correctly and he sounded like he was from the east coast. I had noticed the problem when he began talking and it got worse through preschool as his vocabulary grew. When he was screened for Kindergarten his teacher picked up on it instantly. She told me they would be working on the letter “R” first quarter and if he didn’t start to correct himself by Christmas break we would meet again to discuss putting Cody into a speech class. When the class started working on the letter “R” the teacher sent home some extra words and sentences or Cody to work on at home. By Christmas he had improved and his “R” sound was much better so he did not have to take a speech class. After reading the text may Cody was a late learner when it came to producing the “R” sound combination. This makes me realize how important teaching letters and their sounds in kindergarten really is.
After reading the chapter in our text along with the Swedish study on screening for language impairment, my belief is that there is not a “best age” to screen for language impairments. Although there is no optimal age, I would error on the side of frequent and regular observation and, where resources are available, screening by a professional. Westerlund describes a number of studies indicating that delays in language development can cause a number of concurrent problems in the classroom and that slow language development is negatively associated with scholastic achievement (2006). “Early identification of language delay is a prerequisite for early and effective intervention” (2006). While the study found that testing at 18 months produced substantial false positives and was not deemed reliable due to the wide variance of children’s number of spoken words (which was deemed to be the best indicator of language impairment) at that age, that does not mean that the screening was harmful. The study acknowledged that the screening primarily consisted of parental observations and I think it would ultimately be positive to make parents more aware of their children’s language development and possibility of impairment at a young age so that they can both facilitate the development and conduct regular observation that may help assist in diagnosing whether there is an impairment at a later age.
ReplyDeleteWesterlund et. al.’s study was interesting in that the 18 month age for screening was not selected by practitioners because 18 months old is an optimal time for screening for language impairments (2006). Rather, it was one of a number of things screened at 18 months old because this is a time where regular checkups occur in Sweeden. The study further acknowledged that the 3 year screening was selected for a similar reason and that while the study couldn’t evaluate whether screening at other points in time would be beneficial as well, based on other studies this would likely be helpful in increasing the early identification of language impairments. As teachers, it is important to keep in mind that this early detection and screening of language impairment (along with other learning impairments and disorders) is an important part of our job. As our text describes, particularly at the elementary grades, the classroom teacher spends more time with the students than anyone else at the school. While a teacher may not be specially trained as a speech pathologist, knowing some of the general characteristics for language delay and impairment may allow the student to be properly directed to a speech professional who can use a variety of the tools described in this chapter to facilitate language development. Professor Herring relayed a good example in this week’s posting about how the early detection by teachers of language or learning impairments can allow students to be directed to the right resources and be tremendously beneficial to their development. When I was in second grade, I had a stutter and lisp that, if gone untreated, may have resulted in a continued decrease in self-confidence, withdrawal from class and possibly long-term negative impacts on my learning development. However, it was identified by my second grade teacher, I was referred to the school’s speech pathologist and we began meeting once a week to work on skills that I could apply in the classroom and every day life to correct this impairment. Within a fairly short period of time I had made substantial gains and the frequency of our meetings was reduced and eventually eliminated. However, it is not unreasonable to assume that had I not been referred by a classroom teacher, that this would have been a persistent and ongoing problem. I think it is very important that we utilize the resources available to us in the classroom and best help our students not only through our own teaching methods but also by helping to identify relevant disorders.
POSTING CONTINUED
ReplyDeleteEnvironmental and other factors substantially impact the assessment of language delays or with language development in children. As Vaughn describes, the “oral language of the students in [our] classes is influenced significantly by the oral language they are exposed to at home.” (2011). Based on observations by Betty Hart and Todd Risley, by the age of 3 children have had very different exposures to language and in their findings, the average child in a welfare family was exposed to 616 words an hour, the average working-class child was exposed to 1,251 words an hour and the average child in a professional family was exposed to 2,153 words an hour (2011). When one considers that most children do not attend any school until three and that these are hourly totals that are magnified by the many hours children spend at home during those years, it is easy to understand that this would have a substantial impact on trying to evaluate a 3 year old for language impairment. What might seem to be a language impairment may more accurately described as the result of a different home environment. That said, those students may benefit from being provided with additional resources in the form of language development exercises and general facilitation of language development.
ELL students may also appear first to have language delays or language impairments but they may not be exposed to any English language at home and may need early additional resources and assistance. Again, taking a factor like this into account during assessment is important. ELL students may benefit from additional resources in English while being encouraged to also continue the development of their native language skills. It would not be particularly helpful to identify them as having a language impairment or language delay and to intervene from that perspective.
Students come from different backgrounds, with different home environments and different exposures to language. In assessing students for language impairments and formulating proper intervention and development strategies, it is important to consider all factors. Regular observation and communication about those observations with parents and other teachers may help to provide the base of information necessary to formulate the best strategy. While regular screening is important, factors like native language, SES and home environment may also come into play and should be considered when conducting an assessment. What may appear to be an impairment may actually be the result of one of these characteristics. While the end result may be activities to help the student’s development in either case, the approach taken and the instruction necessary with likely be different based on this evaluation. In conclusion, what the article suggests to me is that assessment of language impairments is an ongoing process that requires regular observation by parents, teachers and specialists. While there may be some debate as to when the appropriate time to start form screening is, I would question whether we as teachers and parents can’t engage in informal observation and assessment regularly.
Resources Cited:
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E. & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severely Language Delayed 3-year olds be identified at 18 months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
I feel that children should be initially screened for language impairments at 18 months of age. Our text cites a finding which says that 20% to 25% of children with delayed language development at age 2 continue to have communication problems throughout their preschool and school years (Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm, 2011). Because of this fact alone I think it would be hugely beneficial to screen children earlier than later for language impairments. This being said, it is important that an 18 month language development screening be evaluated as one factor among multiple assessments in determining the possibility of a language disorder. Perhaps the most important assessment should come from the parents. “Parental reports are more suitable and have been used in some large-scale studies of language development in infants and toddlers.” (Westerlund, Berglund, and Eriksson, 2006).
ReplyDeleteAlthough it is possible that a language disability screening will return a false positive at the age of 18 months, this outcome can be mitigated by using other assessments and follow-up screenings to determine whether a child truly has language impairment. The fact that there are early-talkers and late-talkers means that screening for language disability at 18 months can be dicey. Studies show that children typically make substantial language progress between 2 and 3 years of age (Westerlund, et al, 2006). Some would cite this as a reason to hold off on screening until sometime after 2 years of age but to me it seems that it is important to identify children with language disabilities before this milestone in order to intervene and try to take advantage of this seemingly dynamic period of language development in a child’s life.
Along with formal screenings, language development assessments must also take into account other factors. As mentioned above, parental reports could be the most crucial assessment but other factors such as cultural background and socio-economic status need to be figured in as well. In some instances a child may be labeled as being language impaired when he/she really is not. This could happen because the child may not be using the register or morphology that is recognized by the assessment or assessor, or another reason, related to socio-economic status, could be that a child has simply not been exposed to the quantity or quality of vocabulary necessary to display age-appropriate proficiency with language development. Children could also develop articulation irregularities (“accents”) which could be perceived or assessed as language impairment.
Works cited:
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S.(2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
A child with a language delay can have many problems through school and life. Because of this, it is important to have successful testing that can recognize language delays at an early age. I think that testing should be started as early as possible and 18 mos. is a suitable age to begin the testing. Even with mixed results from the CDI the chances are better that a child with language delay will be identified and actions can be taken to correct it. Along with early screening, children should be screened for language development problems throughout their early childhood to make sure they are on the right track with other children their age.
ReplyDeleteMany factors can play a role in assessing a child’s delay in language development including Socio-economic status, family structure, location/geography. If a family comes from a lower socio-economic status then they may not be able to afford screening for their child. Also, children from families with a lower socio-economic status, will most likely be exposed to a much smaller vocabulary from their parents than a child from a family of higher socio-economic status. Likewise if the school is in a lower socio-economic area then the school may not have the funding to support a speech therapist in the school to assist with language delays. Family structure can have an impact on assessing a child with language delays in different ways. One way is If a child is in a one parent house then the child wont be exposed to as much language than with a two parent household. This can effect the language development of the child. The location can have a significant role in language development. Families in urban areas will be exposed to a much larger variety of information than someone raised in a rural community.
How early should children be screened for language impairments? How might different factors (SES, family structure, location/geography etc.) play a role in the assessment of language delays or with language development in children?
ReplyDeleteI believe that children should be screened for language impairments around the time they start to read, so after 3 or 4. I believe that reading helps create language. Young children only seem to mimic words and actions that they experience from their parents and immediate family. When children begin to read they start to understand what the words they hear and say look like and they can start to fully understand the meanings of words. Testing for impairments then would result in children who have a harder time reading I believe may have a harder time speaking as well, therefore catching early signs of language impairments may be as easy as teaching them how to read.
As for other factors, I truly believe that family structure plays a large role in language development because the more time a child is attended to, the more opportunity for learning to be engaged. If both parents dont have enough time to spend around their child, the more potential they have of learning language skills. I also believe that location plays a large role, in that students who come from a very small town may not experience the best teachers that are offered, and students in large schools may not get enough attention. Also in rural areas, it seems that life is a little more laid back than in the city, so parental teaching may be more engaging in a smaller town setting.
I feel it is important to screen children at an early age that way the child can begin being helped so they do not fall behind. As stated in out text, about “20% to 25% of the children with delayed language development at age 2 continue to have communication problems throughout their preschool and school years” (Vaughn 176). Early detection can help parents, educators, and professionals to begin working on developmental goals for the child. I tend to agree with the article, rather than the text, that students should be screened at ages 18 months and 3 years of age. While the article did state that the testing at 18 months produced negative outcomes, I do not think that testing the children is harmful. It may also be beneficial because it will allow teachers and parents to begin to work more directly with each child.
ReplyDeleteThere are many factors that can affect a child’s developmental stages. Working in a head start, I can see that family structure definitely plays a role in the child’s abilities in the classroom. If the students do not get enough help at home from parents, older siblings, and other family members, they tend to fall behind in the classroom. Students who do receive help at home are able to effectively communicate with the teachers and classmates. However, I can also see those students who struggle to communicate with their peers and the teachers. I also agree that socioeconomic status plays a role in the child’s development. When a child is raised in a poor family, the child may not receive the attention they need either because the parents do not have time or the parents are undereducated. I found it interesting, according to the text, that students who are raised in a welfare family are exposed to 616 words per hour, compared to a child in the working class family being exposed to 1,251 words and hour, and a child in a professional family being exposed to 2,153 words per hour (Vaughn, 180). Location and geography can also play a role in the child’s development. Depending on the location, the child may be exposed to dialects and other languages. During a screening, a dialect may be assessed as a language development issue.
Works Cited
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., and Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching Students Who Are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk (Fifth edition). New Jersey: Pearson.
The book states on page 176 that 20 to 25 percent of children with delayed language development at age two continue to have problems through their preschool and school years. Along with this, the book also states that 2/3 of kindergarteners with language difficulties will continue to have problems throughout middle and high school. Following what the book says, I think two years old is the right age to start screening children for language impairments. I also believe students should be screened before they start school. For some students, this means getting screened again before starting preschool (3 or 4 years old). Other students who do not go to preschool should be screened before they enter kindergarten (5 years old). I think at least a second test is necessary because language can improve dramatically between two and five years old.
ReplyDeleteIt is known that there are many different factors that contribute to language difficulties. These include but are not limited to SES, family structure, and where you live geographically.
On page 180 of our text, it says the average child of a welfare family is exposed to 616 words an hour while a working class child is exposed to 1,251 words. This could be contributed to less educated parent(s) and/or less time at home due to issues related to jobs or other things. Family structure can have a negative effect on language develop if there is only one adult in the house or if the adult(s) in the house are neglectful. I think geographical reasons can be one of the most obvious reasons a child is having learning difficulties. Different dialects of English can provide problems with properly pronouncing words. And on top of that, coming from a place where English is not spoken at all can provide language difficulties to children.
Based on the readings from the article and the text, as well as personal experience I think earlier is better. As the text states, many children with language difficulties may "out grow" the issues by school age. However, the text also states that two-thirds of children with language difficulties in kindergarten will have problems in middle school and high school (Vaugh, 176). I believe that because of this factor children must be tested prior to school. Early intervention is the key. However, when children are evaluated at as young as 18 months, the test results should be consider as only one factor. I think that early intervention (extra support of parents, speech therapy, etc.) can only be helpful whether the child has a language deficiency, is a reluctant speaker or is just a "late bloomer".
ReplyDeleteIn my own personal experience I feel that early intervention is most helpful. My step-brother's child has a delay in his speech. At 18 months his doctor showed concern that he wasn't speaking and their family began speech therapy in the home. Of course, it is not intrusive or extra pressure, but it is allowing my nephew to get the extra support he needs in language development. His parents are hopeful that he out grows this "stubbornness to talk" (as they describe it) and have little to no problems once he is ready for school. When parents are attuned to their child's behaviors they can help put in the supports to solve problems before they become too great.
I think SES, family structure, and many other factors are a huge part of student's language development. As a primary teacher I constantly ask parents questions about the students' life before school. I want to know if my students as toddlers were talked to, if they explored new words, and developed the oral skills to manipulate words and sounds. These pre-reading, phonemic awareness skills are essential to not only developing effective communication, but also being a successful reader. In my teaching position in Chicago Public Schools I often encounter children who are unprepared communicators for school. Often, it is not due to a communication disorder, just a delay in their abilities. Speaking from personal experience and observation, the parents of these children are unskilled in how to talk to a toddler. Often times, these children come to kindergarten with far less words in their vocabulary than those of families that were more supportive.
I'm hesitant to make a claim that all of one race, SES, or part of the city influence the development of language in children more than others. I do believe that all the factors of a child's upbringing play a role in the development of language in a child. A poor single mom can raise children who are well versed in vocabulary and excellent speakers well before the expected age. A poor single mom can also raise children who are unprepared and delayed in their communication development. Factors beyond SES, location, and race effect the development of language. Involvement in key to development. I often encourage my students' parents to have conversations over dinner. I often find myself saying... "Just talk to your child!" I believe that children who are engaged in interesting, rigorous and meaningful conversations see the need to communicate and therefore develop skills to participate in the communication. Involvement and intervention earlier is always better. When children experience engaged, excited and involved families they are able to develop the skills necessary to succeed in school (communication, reading, etc!)
Works Cited:
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S.(2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Communication disorders refers to difficulties with the transfer of knowledge, ideas, opinions, and feelings (Vaughn, et al.). Communication is an important factor to have when in the classroom. It is good to catch any communication disorders when the child is younger. When children are diagnosed at an earlier age, preschool, daycares, parents, and/or caregivers can start to make adjustments and/or modifications to help the child improve before they enter the school atmosphere. I agree with the article when it suggests that children should get screened or tested at 18 months. This is an ideal age because they’re starting to develop their vocabulary and/or communicative gestures. I know that children develop at different ages, but I think this is an overall average age where kids develop these types of behaviors. If a child gets tested at 18 months and has a struggle with at least one area, then they should come back at least by age 2 to be tested again, just to make sure they’re at the level the average child should be. We need to make sure our children are ready. Parents knowing their children’s’ needs can help future teachers, in that, teachers can help their child reach his/her full potential.
ReplyDeleteThere are many factors that play a role in the assessment of language delays or with language development in children. Some factors that play a role are such things as SES and location/geography. Although, I feel the most important factor is family structure. I feel that the development process starts in the home from the time children are born. I remember watching a psychology video, Genie, and it tore my heart out. Her parents never talked, looked, or took care of her since the time she was an infant. They shut her in a room with little to no food everyday and no interaction with the outside world. She developed many disabilities from this like not being able to speak, walk correctly, or hardly function when they finally rescued her from her parents. This is why I believe parents should speak to their child to have human interaction from the time they’re babies. Keep the development process going throughout childhood because this is a vital time in their life where they pick up behaviors for the rest of their lives. This is a great time where parents should be encouraging and helpful to their child to create a basis for the child and to be there to support them.
Kady- I like how you said family is a major factor. I am really big on family and love them so much for all the support they’ve given me. I know some children don’t have good backgrounds, but I feel us teachers can give them support to get them on the right track for life. When kids don’t have a good home structure they look to school as their escape, so it’s our jobs to do the best we can.
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
Bruce and Hansson’s research says, “...by the age of three, most children can understand the essential meaning of language directed to them as well as making themselves understood.” This statement makes a good argument for screening at the age of three. I believe it is vital for screening to occur at the age of three, as well as a multitude of other ages. One screening is not going to properly record the progress of children through their development. Just because a child is doing well at age two, doesn’t mean that the same child will be properly developed by age three, four, or five.
ReplyDeleteMultiple screenings allows a continuous assessment of language development, which is necessary when taking into account the multiple factors that have the potential to harm the process. A person’s SES (socioeconomic status) plays a large part in how well they will be able to speak. Children with parents in the higher range tend to have a more developed set of language skills, because they are exposed to a plethora of vocabulary. They have parents who have had a better education and use a wide range of words in normal, everyday conversations. Parents from the lower end of the SES scale do not have as much schooling, and therefore, they do not know the same amount of words. Their vocabulary is expected to be very basic.
Family structure plays an important role in a child’s language development. A child is more likely to have better language development if he or she has two parents or siblings, because there is more likely to be someone in the home to communicate with. One parent households tend to have less interaction between parent and children. The one parent faces the burden of supporting himself or herself and his or her children, so he or she must work full hours. Two parent households are a little more flexible, seeing as two parents give two incomes.
There are many factors that can threaten the language development in our children and students. It is important for screenings to occur systematically, so our students get the help they need. Early discovery means there is quicker help.
Bruce, B. and Hansson, K. (2008). Early communication skills; important in screening for language impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders. Current Pediatric Reviews. 4, 53-57.
Part One
ReplyDeleteAs I read the chapter and the article, I found myself reflecting on my early years of my life. You see, I was one of those children who had problems with articulation and fluency of my words. I still remember the frustration of not being able to speak clearly.
My oldest granddaughter, Chelsea, was born with cerebral palsy, and a sub-mucus cleft pallet. I have shared in her frustration, as she tries to find ways to communicate her thoughts to others. I am also worried about my youngest grandson, Shea, as he is now over two-years of age and lagging behind on his use of speech. So as you can probably guess, I am in favor of testing children for communication disorders at an early age. My reasons are not just based on my emotions but are also founded in logical thought.
I think that testing should be done at an early age is because, it is in this early stages of life that language development takes place. Our textbooks states that children go through four states of metalinguistic development (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011, p. 187). Children enter state-two around the age of two-years. According to Matt Whitaker who is a psychology instructor at Lincoln Land Community College, it is during these years that the neurons are developing pathways within a child’s brain. These pathways will help the child to perform task, such as speaking, writing, and interpreting code (Whitaker, 2009). Whitaker also stated, that if these pathways are not established at an early age they become less likely to be developed at an older age (Whitaker, 2009) According to his lectures, when these pathways are not used new pathways are lost or replaced, in short; “ they use them or loose them” (Whitaker, 2009).
With that being stated it only seems logical to test children at a young age. I know that my granddaughter’s neurologist wanted her to begin speech therapy when she was two-years old. I know that the article states the conclusion of the study was: “. . . that 18months seems to be too early for identification of severe language disabilities (Westerlund, Berglund, & Eriksson, 2006). When one takes into account that it is at that age that children begin to enter the second stage of their development, the results are not surprising. I say this because the child is at the beginning of the stage two. This is the age at which my granddaughter was diagnosed with “CP.” The doctors did not know if she had not entered stage two or if there was a medical reason for her lack of speech. When she turned 30 months of age it was apparent that her lack of verbal speech was in part because of the “CP.”
The interesting thing about my granddaughter was that even though she struggled to verbally express language, she demonstrated that she had highly advance receptive language skills. Actually when she started to learn American Sign Language her expressive language skills quickly took hold.
Both Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget study how child development takes place and how children used language. However their views differed, Piaget’s thought that their student’s knowledge was constructed from personal experiences (Garhart-Mooney, 2000). In contrast to Piaget, Vygotsky demonstrated that children’s cognitive development is not just affected by their physical development but also by social surroundings and personal interactions (Garhart-Mooney, 2000). Vygotsky theories give us insights to issues which were raised in Chapter 7. This explains why children whose parents have a limited vocabulary also may develop a limited vocabulary (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011). It gives an explanation of why some may develop speech articulations similar to their parents. In chapter seven the text addresses the issue how dialects vary from region to region. It explains how a person in Boston may pronounce a word such, as ideal as idear (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011). According to the text the students are not having articulation problems, but a strong dialect.
Part Two
ReplyDeleteThe chapter readings also discuss that teachers should model language for their students with communication disorders. It says that teachers should use the oral language that they want the students to use and demonstrate it (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011). This method helps the students to internalize the language.
Another thing discussed in the chapter was that teachers should use self-talk to describe what they are doing and parallel talk to explain what the students are doing (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011). Vygotsky believed that children use such speech to communicate with him or herself in order to guide them through task (Bee & Boyd, 2010).
So the question then is: why do we not screen children for communication disorders at early ages? One reason is because screenings cost money. Allow me to return to my granddaughter as an example. When Chelsea was first diagnosed with CP her mother, my daughter, was considered low-income. She received assistance from both state and federal programs. However as her income increased those services decreased or ended. My point here is that those in poverty may be eligible for assistance; the rich may be able to afford the screenings; while many parents of middle- class children cannot afford such services. While this is my opinion, it is one that has been based on observation. Low income families who receive medical cards have no or little deductable cost which to meet. When this is contrast to a family that has to meet a two thousand dollar deductable, it becomes harder to afford to send your child for testing.
In my opinion that is why it is critical that preschool programs such as ‘Head Start’ be in place. So that children can be tested for learning disabilities at an early age. I truly believe the sooner that a child learns to cope with a disability the better.
The textbook offers many suggestions on how to educators can work with children with communication disorders. It suggest things such as allowing children time to form their answers, and ways they can signal that they are comfortable responding (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011). The textbook addresses the fact that some students may have to communicate using augmentative communication devices (Vaugh, Bos, & Schumm, 2011). I have experience with such a device. These devices have to be programmed even ones that use flip cards have to be updated. For these devices to be effective the classroom teacher must communicate with both parents and speech pathologist, so student can give proper responses.
While I acknowledge that it may be difficult to diagnose an 18- months old child with a severer communication disorder, it is still worth doing a screening. If the screening does not determine a problem; it has establishes a benchmark of a child’s communication abilities, which can be used to make comparisons to future tests. If such testing does confirms just one child, out of one-hundred, as having a communication disorder, I think that it was worth it.
Works Cited
Bee, H., & Boyd, D. (2010). THe Developing Child (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Garhart-Mooney, C. (2000). Thheories of Childhood: An Introduction to Montessori, Erickson, Piaget, & Vygostsky. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Vaugh, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teachin Students Who Are Expetional, Diverse, and At Risk in the General Education Classroom. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severly Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Indentifieid at 18 Months? Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. , 49, 237-247.
Whitaker, M. (2009, Fall). Instructor of Psychology. Lincooln Land Community College . Springfild, Illinois.
According to our text, 20% to 25% of children who have delayed language development at age 2 continue to have communication problems throughout their pre-school and school years, and two thirds of kindergartners who have difficulties with language will continue to have language problems in middle school and high school (Vaughn, Bos, and Schumm, 2011, p. 176). Based on that information, the earlier we are able to identify communication disorder and intervene the more of a chance a child will have to overcome the disorder. For that reason, screening for such disorders at the young age of 18 months is worth while.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the reality is, we do not have the ability to make such detections and in fact, we need to come up with better ways to effectively to do so. According to the article, Can severely language delayed 3-year-olds be identified at 18 months? Evaluation of a screening version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories, the outcome states that although the effectiveness of the SCS18 was better than that of traditional assessment, it cannot be recommended as a routine identification of severe language disability. Thus, we just are not yet able to pinpoint issues at that young age. In my opinion, there are so many factors that are influencing a child's communication at that age, that it becomes difficult to identify a language disability versus environmental influence or lack thereof. So, I guess I have to side with the opinion of that from the article which states that such tests designed for somewhat older children would produce better results. While I would love to be able to intervene at 18 months old we don't have the correct methods to do so.
As a side note, while I think that it would absolutely be beneficial to screen children as early as 18 months old if we were able to catch problems at that early age, I just don’t see how that would be accomplished here in the United States. The United States has a much different composition than Sweden does and a drastically different health care system. Their health care system is more socialized and therefore such screening can be incorporated into routine medical exams/procedures. In the United States, we would be at the mercy of insurance companies and the medicaid/medicare system to agree to such coverage. For this reason, such screening will not occur in the US unless a parent seeks it out and has the means to pay for it.
Resources
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can severely language delayed 3-year-olds be identified at 18 months? Evaluation of a screening version of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
I believe children should be screened for language impairments between the ages of two and three. I think ages work better than saying to screen in “pre-school” because some children do not attend pre-school and the ones that do can go into it at different age levels. Screening before children start kindergarten will prepare the teachers, as well as the parents, if there are any areas the child needs help in. Also, it is good to catch any problems at an early age because, as the book states, “20% to 25% of children with delayed language development at age 2 continue to have communication problems throughout their preschool and school years” and “two-thirds of kindergarteners who have difficulties with language will continue to have language problems in middle and high school” (176). By screening early children will have extra time to develop language skills, and may even have the opportunity to work with a speech specialist.
ReplyDeleteHowever, regardless of screening age, there are going to be factors that influence a child’s development. Children of higher economic standing may have access to better educational facilities that children of lower economic status would have. Also, they may be able to afford outside help, such as sending their children to Sylvan and other centers, which some parents cannot afford to do. Where the children were raised is also important. Even if English is their first language, there are many and diverse dialects of English. Many people from Illinois have trouble understanding someone from the south or someone who has a strong accent of any kind. When children are learning ESL it is doubly hard. Teachers may think children have a learning disability or dyslexia if given a spelling test because the words are consistently wrong, and not even spelled phonetically the way the teacher would. However some students learning ESL tend to spell words phonetically how they would say them in their cultures. Teachers need to be aware of the diversity of their students. They need to be able to determine which students are actually experiencing language impairments and which are simply not used to the teacher’s, or area’s, definition of correct English.
In general, I believe that identifying problems early and being proactive is the best approach 99% of the time. In particular, development in early childhood is so rapid that I think even a small deficit can snowball by the time the child enters school. Therefore, I think early screening can be a valuable tool in identifying students that may need additional resources in order to progress developmentally. I emphasize the word may because, as the study by Westerlund et al (2006) found in the case of the SCS18, some screenings may have poor sensitivity (i.e. many false positives). However, I think that a screening tool that identifies children that would otherwise develop normally is not harmful (as long as they are not “labeled,” denied enrollment at a particular school, or kept out of a general classroom on the basis of this). Screenings for language development should be as routine as growth charts. As long as everyone understands the difference between a screening and a medical diagnosis, I think this is an important tool in making sure every child is on track for success.
ReplyDeleteSocioeconomic status (SES), family structure, and geographical location can all effect methods of assessment and language development. A family with lower SES is less likely to seek wellness care and developmental screenings for children. In addition, Vaughn, Bos, & Schumm discuss that children are exposed to different amounts of vocabulary based on SES; a child of a welfare family is exposed to 616 words/hour while a child of a professional family is exposed to 2153, more than triple (2011, p. 180). An example of family structure could be a child of separated parents that may live with both under shared custody. The parents may model language differently and assess the child’s language development differently; this may make screening complicated since the parents may provide different reports. Geographical location can be a barrier to screening if families cannot reasonably access services. In addition, some regions may have one or more dialects of English (or another language) which can also complicate screening.
References
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can severely language delayed 3-year-olds be identified at 18 months? Evaluation of a screening version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
Children should be screened for language impairments as soon as they start developing verbally. My mom is a NICU nurse (premature or sick baby nurse) and she helps to run a follow up clinic every week. In this clinic they have a set age that the babies need to come back at (the clinic is optional and not all parents bring their children back (poor parenting if you ask me)) 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. At each stage in the development the children have goals to reach and are tested accordingly by different therapist and specialist. If they are found early then recommendations are made and set up if the parents are willing.
ReplyDeleteThe article that we read this week stated, I believe, to be similar to what my mom helps out with. But like them attendance and willingness is necessary. I found the information in the article very interesting with 2 young children of my own, but I don’t understand why parents wouldn’t want to see if their children are on course for the age and development, whether it is verbally or anything else.
In the book it had the stats on low-income vs. high-income and I know that it is always lower in the household of the low-income. Here is my problem and question of all this—the parental involvement. Which is a whole other story. The fact that high-income classes talk to their almost twice as more as parents from low-income families, it is I believe a matter of expecting higher standards from the children. If you expect more from your children you are going to be more involved in their daily lives.
Communication is a resource that most people take for granted everyday. Weather it be to get your point across to someone or to get direction on a project from someone else, it is something that is used pretty much everyday by everyone. If a person cannot communicate properly to others, they will surely struggle through life.I believe children should be tested at an early age in order to have a jump-start on an intervention for the child if needed. According to Westerlund (2006), “a general screening aimed at young children is the best strategy for early identification of children at risk of language delay”. There is question as to when a child should be tested. Because children develop at different rates, it is hard to pinpoint what the right age to start testing is. A good starting point would be between the ages of 18 to 24 months. There will be some children that are late bloomers when it comes to communicating, but testing that early can help identify potential disorders in children.
ReplyDeleteA child’s environment can play a big part in the development of their communication. Articulation disorders are the most common speech disorders (Vaughn et al. 2011). Articulation can be affected by regional dialects and cultural uses. Variations or dialects of a language are products of historical, cultural, geographic, social, and ethnic factors (Vaughn et al. 2011). I can remember growing up and listening to my grandmother, who was born and raised in the south, pronounce words differently than they are in the correct English dialect. For me, listening was a big part of learning how to communicate and if the words I got used to hearing were pronounced differently, then that is how I learned how to say those particular words. Eventually, I learned the correct pronunciation of everything, but by learning from my environment, it did not mean I had disorder.
Sources
Vaughn, S. R., Bos, C. S., & Schumm, J. S. (2011). Teaching students who are exceptional, diverse, and at risk in the general education classroom (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
Westerlund, M., Berglund, E., & Eriksson, M. (2006). Can Severely Language Delayed 3-Year-Olds Be Identified at18 Months? Evaluation of a Screening Version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 237-247.
After reading the Westerlund article and chapter 7 in our textbook, I immediately became interested in my own language progression as a child. I called my mother and asked her when I and my younger brother both began speaking words, phrases, and sentences. She stated that I began speaking words at the age of 9 months and could talk in phrases and full sentences by the age of 15 months. Thinking back, I can remember daily my mother and father asking me to recite the alphabet, read books, and recite other things like the Pledge of Allegiance at a very early age. My parents were both very consistent with their teaching and I believe it helped me develop strong language skills at an early age.
ReplyDeleteMy brother, on the other hand, began to speak words about the same age as I did but many of the words were inaudible and did not make sense. He did not begin to speak full sentences until age 3. Our family doctor was concerned about his language progression and tested his hearing around age 2. Nothing negative was found. I believe my brother and I, both raised by the same two people, in the same household, in the very same manner, are prime examples of how two different children in the same environment can learn language at different speeds. Today, both my brother and I have earned our bachelor's degrees and neither one of us have ever shown any type of language deficiency or impairment.
With the article, textbook, and my personal experiences in mind, I believe testing a child for language impairments at 18 months, as was done in the article, is ineffective. I agree more with the textbook that substantial language progress occurs between the ages of 2 and 3. I think this period of development, which is typically 1 to 2 years before the start of formal schooling, is appropriate for language impairment screening. Children can develop language skills early (like I did) or they can develop them later in childhood (like my brother). Waiting to screen until the age of 2 or 3 will give most children time to develop their language skills and should also provide time for any language impairments to surface.
Again, from my findings, children seem to develop language skills at different rates. Even siblings in the exact same environment can learn language skills at different speeds. Therefore, it seems obvious that factors like socioeconomic status, family structure, culture, and geography can contribute to delays in language development. These factors can sometimes result in language impairments. The statistics comparing the language deficiencies of welfare children to that of children of professional families is sobering. Socioeconomic status seems to be a possible indicator of the cause of some language impairments. Children of single-parent families typically hear fewer words per hour than children of two-parent families. Based on that fact alone, family structure could be another cause of language impairments. Also, the American classroom of today is comprised of students of various ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Different cultures sometimes have different ways of communicating with one another. In some cultures, the families speak often and in depth. In other cultures, there is not as much talking and conversations are brief and to the point. It is important to understand that these students may not necessarily have a language impairment; they may simply reflect their culture. Teachers should respect their student’s cultural identity, while being a consistent role model for proper language usage. Teachers should, though, continue to monitor those students and be ready to act if sufficient language development does not occur.
I believe that as both parents are forced to work outside the home and the number of single parent families increases the responsibility for the acknowledgement of many developmental skills falls on the educational system. While it is always better to learn of problems early so that intervention can take place and correction of the problem can be dealt with, I believe that in some cases we need to step back and not over analyze. In early childhood many factors play into a child's growth. I, myself, was a late talker. I have heard the story that my mom actually talked to the pediatrician about that at a regularly scheduled visit. He calmly looked over at my sister and I sitting in the corner of the office and pointed out to my mom that it would be pretty difficult for me to get a word in edge wise with "chatty cathy." My sister is 2 1/2 years older than I am, and doesn't need an audience to carry on a conversation. This is probably why she makes a great pre-school teacher. I guess my point is that while we as educators need to be observant and inquisitive we should not dismiss the simple answer and search for a more elaborate problem. I think that it is possible to over think and over test. Testing should be used as a diagnostic tool on the road to solving a problem.
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