The areas of communication that are evaluated and treated in school-aged children and adolescents include:
Language Comprehension
School-aged children and adolescents may experience delays in their understanding of vocabulary and/or concepts (e.g., quantity, location, description, time & sequence, etc.). They also may be challenged by sentence-level language, particularly when instructions are complex (e.g., "Clean off your desk before you get your lunch") or multiple sentences are given at once. Your child may require assistance if s/he has trouble understanding questions, instructions, and/or conversations at home or in the classroom.
Language Expression
The areas of language expression that are evaluated in school-aged children include the ability to use: correct and specific vocabulary, complete and age-appropriate sentence structures (such as compound and complex sentences), and correct grammatical forms. School-aged children continue to develop their vocabulary each year. While their sentences should be grammatically correct and complete, they will gain more advanced and creative methods of language expression throughout their school years. If you notice difficulties in your child's grammar, vocabulary, sentence formation or in his/her ability to tell a story, this area may require assessment and possible treatment.
Speech Production or Articulation
By Grade 1, speech is expected to be clear and understandable. The last consonants which develop are often the TH and R sounds; if not present in any context by age 6, therapy is recommended. The S sound may also be perfected and refined up until approximately age 6 or 7. By age 7, no speech production errors are expected.
Fluency
Stuttering is a common, short-term occurrence in preschoolers and typically disappears within one to six months. Once children are of school age and continue (or begin) to stutter, the stuttering is less transient and is more likely to continue if not treated. Some common forms of dysfluencies are: repetition of sounds, syllable, words or phrases; prolongations of sounds; and blocks, where a child cannot get a sound out. An assessment and treatment is recommended if your child stutters.
Reading
In kindergarten and Grade 1, children learn how to sound out words and are starting to read a variety of simple text. If your child is behind in his or her reading skills relative to expectations for his/her grade, additional assistance may be required. The Wilson Reading System is a program I use for reading and writing skills that may be appropriate.
Writing
Children and adolescents learn how to write (or "encode") words. They determine what sounds are in a word they hear and write the letters in the correct order. Children must learn a variety of spelling words and the exceptions and irregularities that are part of the English language. As noted in the Reading section above, the Wilson Reading System is used in treatment to strengthen spelling and encoding skills.
Writing also involves the organization of ideas into a paragraph and later into an essay or narrative story. Weaknesses in the ability to use vocabulary, sentence structure and sequences of ideas may be noted in one's writing. Treatment may include various planning, writing and editing activities.
If you or your child's teacher has concerns about the fine motor skills involved in writing correctly and neatly, your child may benefit from a referral to an Occupational Therapist. This may be arranged privately or through the School Board.
Writing also involves the organization of ideas into a paragraph and later into an essay or narrative story. Weaknesses in the ability to use vocabulary, sentence structure and sequences of ideas may be noted in one's writing. Treatment may include various planning, writing and editing activities.
If you or your child's teacher has concerns about the fine motor skills involved in writing correctly and neatly, your child may benefit from a referral to an Occupational Therapist. This may be arranged privately or through the School Board.