Teaching Learners
with
Difficulty in Communicating
OBJECTIVES
1.Identify the different difficulties in
communication and differentiate each
type from the others.
2.Apply accommodations, strategies and
interventions in teaching learners with
difficulty in communicating.
OBJECTIVES
3. Express acceptance of learners with
difficulty in communicating.
Let’s watch
Communication
-is such a fundamental part of the human
experience. It entails interactive exchange
of information, ideas feelings and desires.
Communication
Difficulty/Disorder
-is a problem in the ability to receive,
send, process, and comprehend
concepts or verbal, nonverbal and graphic
symbol system.
-may be evident in the process of hearing,
language and/or speech.
Let’s Play
Hear through your Eyes
Let’s Play
Hear through your Eyes
Language and Speech Interrelation
Language
is a formalized code used by a group of people to
communicate with one another. All languages consist of
a set of symbols and a system of rules for combining
those symbols into larger units. Language has five
dimensions that define its form ( phonology, morphology
and syntax) , content (semantics) and use (pragmatics) .
--- ( Owens, 2005 )
Language and Speech Interrelation
Speech
is the oral production of language. It is the
fastest, most efficient method of
communication by language.
Main Feature of Language and
Speech Difficulty
Communication Difficulty
problem in the ability to receive, send, process
and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal,
and graphic symbol system.
Two Categories :
1. Speech Difficulty
2. Language Difficulty
Two Categories
Speech Difficulty
is an impairment of the articulation of
speech sound, fluency, and or voice.
1. Articulation Difficulty
Three Types 2. Voice Difficulty
3. Fluency Difficulty
Two Categories
1.Speech Difficulty – Three Types
a. Articulation Difficulty
is the typical/ errors in the production of speech
sounds
the learner cannot produce a given sound physically
because the sound is NOT in his/her repertoire of
sounds
e.g. Yeh me yuh a da wido (Let me look out the window)
De toop is dood (The soup is good)
Two Categories
1. Speech Difficulty – Three Types
a. Articulation Difficulty
Characterized by:
Substitution – a learner substitutes sounds for
another sound (e.g. “tapatot" for “sapatos" where “t"
is substituted for “s".)
Omissions – a learner drops (omits) a sound from a
word. (e.g. "at" for "hat" or "ba" for "bag".)
Two Categories
1. Speech Difficulty – Three Types
a. Articulation Difficulty
Characterized by:
Additions – a learner adds a sound that shouldn’t be
there. (e.g. "doga" for "dog“)
Distortions – a learner distorts a sound usually
caused by a deficient oral motor skills. (eg. “thoup” for
“soup”)
Two Categories
1. Speech Difficulty – Three Types
b. Voice Difficulty
Problem with the quality or use of one’s voice
Abnormal production and absences of vocal quality,
pitch, loudness, and resonance.
Laryngitis- swelling of the vocal cords
Vocal cord paralysis- results from abnormal nerve
input to the voice box muscles (laryngeal muscles).
Spasmodic dysphonia- nerve problem that causes
vocal cord spasm
Two Categories
1. Speech Difficulty – Three Types
c. Fluency Difficulty
Difficulty with the flow or rhythm of speech
Stuttering- rapid-fire repetitions, prolongations,
hesitations, and stops interjections and complete
verbal blocks (Ramig & Shames, 2002)
Cluttering- rapid speaking rate, erratic rhythm,
syntax or grammar, and words unrelated to the
sentence.
Two Categories
2. Language Difficulty
Is an impaired comprehension and/ or use of
spoken, written and / or other symbol systems.
Usually classified as either receptive or
expressive.
Involves problems in one or more of the five
forms/ dimensions of language such as:
Two Categories
2. Language Difficulty
five forms/ dimensions of language:
Phonology- sound combination/ sound
system
Morphology- structure and construction of
word forms
Syntax- order and combination of words to
form sentences
-relationship among sentence elements
Two Categories
2. Language Difficulty
five forms/ dimensions of language:
Semantics- meanings of words and sentences
(content)
Pragmatics
- language functions
-combines all language forms/components
Accommodation
Assessment
Collaborative Consultation
• Speech-language pathologist
• Speech therapist
• Speech clinician
• Speech teacher
Note: Assessment and consultation could be the basis on the child’s
educational placement to surely start where the child is. It guides
teachers and parents.
Accommodation
Interactive Approach
-Operant Conditioning (Reward/ Reinforcement
stimulus)
-Incidental Teaching (Mood Projection Teaching)
-Augmentative and Alternative Communication
(ACC)
(use of symbols, aids, strategies, and techniques to
enhance the communication process)
Accommodation
Regular Classroom Speech Modification
(depends on child’s needs/ area for improvement)
1. Allow longer oral response time.
2. Shorten and 0r modify oral directions.
3. Provide preferential seating.
4. Design tests and presentations that are
appropriate for the learner
5. Reduce the amount of background noise in the
classroom.
Accommodation
Regular Classroom Speech Modification
(depends on child’s needs/ area for improvement)
6. Devise alternate procedures for an activity with
the learner
7. Reinforce every little achievements
8. Use tactile/ visual cues
9. Discuss concerns with speech pathologist, if
needed.
10. Monitor/ evaluate child progress.
Strategies/Interventions
Naturalistic Intervention-”Milieu Teaching
Approach” (2006, Kaiser and Grim)
-Resembles normal conversational interchanges
that follow the learners “attentional lead”.
-Is carried in the natural environments as
opportunities occur for teaching functional
communication.
Strategies/Interventions
Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (ACC)
• Unaided Techniques
-do not require physical aid or device
-eg. Key Word Signing, Body Sign, Touch Cues
Strategies/Interventions
Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (ACC)
• Aided Techniques
-entails the use of simple, low-tech. or high-tech
electronic equipment or assistive devices
-involves the use of symbol sets and systems
Other Strategies
Attention and Listening
Make sure you have the child’s attention before
speaking to them.
Remind the child to use good “listening skills” and
praise them when they do.
Give instructions before an activity.
Encourage child to repeat back instructions.
Other Strategies
Understanding of Spoken Language
Speak slowly and pause between key phrases
Use short, simple sentences.
Emphasize key words.
Use visual support such as gestures or pictures
when giving information.
Give extra time.
Give one concept at a time.
Other Strategies
Modeling
Provide fun activities/ simulations
Have routines day by day
Incorporate the learner’s interests into
speech
Use books
Apply a peer-buddy system when
appropriate
Other Strategies
Give the child a chance to lead
Vocabulary attack
Provision of class rules/standards
Make every little activity an opportunity
for language activity
Introduce tongue twister/articulation
Other Strategies
Music Therapy
Adopt some SLP’s Techniques if trained or
accredited to do so like:
Vocal/Speech helpers exercises
Other Strategies
Vocal/Speech helpers exercises
Other Strategies
Vocal/Speech helpers exercises
Other Strategies
Vocal/Speech helpers exercises
Other Strategies
Vocal/Speech helpers exercises
Application
Group Activity:
“Situation Inside the Classroom”
The following behaviors may indicate that your
student has language difficulty or disorder. What
type of intervention or accommodation would you
apply to address the difficulty of the student:
Application
“Situation Inside the Classroom”
1. The student mispronounces sounds and words
recurrently.
2. Child uses immature vocabulary, overuses empty
words such as “one” or “thing” or seems to have
difficulty recalling or finding the right word.
Application
“Situation Inside the Classroom”
3. The student has difficulty following directions to
accomplish a task.
4. There are long pauses between the remark of the
teacher and the student’s reply as if the child is
searching for a response or is confused.
Application
“Situation Inside the Classroom”
5. The students stutter or make rapid repetitions of
consonant or vowel sounds especially at the
beginning of words, prolongations, hesitations and
complete verbal pauses.
Application
Situation Accommodation Strategies
4Ps
Practice
Patience
Passion
Progess
