Communication Sciences & Disorders – Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering foundational terms and concepts from the Communication Sciences & Disorders study guide.

Communication Disorder

Any impairment in the exchange of information that deviates from typical communication; may be developmental, acquired, organic, functional, or idiopathic.

Speech Disorder

A communication disorder involving atypical sound production, disrupted fluency, or reduced speech intelligibility.

Language Disorder

Difficulties with receptive or expressive language, comprehension, or written expression.

Code of Ethics (CSD)

Guidelines that safeguard client welfare, uphold professional competence and dignity, and require honesty, responsibility, and respect.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Clinical decision-making that integrates current research, practitioner expertise, and client values for optimal care.

Language (Component of Communication)

A socially shared, rule-governed code consisting of form, content, and use.

Speech

The act of producing sounds through articulation and fluency.

Voice

Features of pitch, loudness, and quality generated by the vocal mechanism.

Swallowing (Dysphagia)

The process of moving food/liquid from mouth to stomach; impairment is termed dysphagia.

Nonverbal Communication

Information conveyed through body language, proxemics, chronemics, and other non-spoken means.

Hearing

Auditory perception and processing, including consideration of hearing loss.

Form (Language Ingredient)

Phonology, morphology, and syntax—rules for the structure of language.

Content (Language Ingredient)

Semantics, or the meaning system of language.

Use (Language Ingredient)

Pragmatics—the social rules governing language in context.

Dysarthria

A motor speech impairment (speech disorder) often associated with cerebral palsy.

Assessment

Systematic identification of strengths, weaknesses, severity, and possible causes of a communication disorder.

Intervention / Treatment

Planned actions with measurable objectives designed to improve communication skills.

Diagnosis

The clinical label that identifies a specific communication disorder.

Etiology

The underlying cause or origin of a disorder.

Goals of Assessment

Determine disorder presence, severity, strengths, causes, prognosis, and recommendations.

Case History

Background information collected (usually before evaluation) from clients, caregivers, and records to inform diagnosis.

Goal Component: Audience

Specifies who will perform the behavior (e.g., client).

Goal Component: Behavior

Describes the observable action to be performed.

Goal Component: Condition

The context or cues under which the behavior occurs.

Goal Component: Degree

The performance level or accuracy required.

Goal Component: Expected Date

The timeframe for achieving the goal.

Treatment Plan

Document that sets baselines, outlines hierarchical goals, promotes generalization, and educates caregivers.

Respiratory System (Speech)

Structures such as oral/nasal cavities, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and diaphragm that provide airflow for speech.

Laryngeal System

Includes epiglottis, hyoid bone, thyroid, cricoid, arytenoid cartilages, and vocal folds; generates voice.

Articulatory System

Structures—tongue, lips, teeth, velum, nasal cavity, pharynx—that shape speech sounds.

Bernoulli Effect

Aerodynamic principle where high-velocity air through the closed glottis creates negative pressure, drawing vocal folds together for phonation.

Infant Language Development

Cooing, sustained gaze, and early babbling behaviors.

Toddler Language Development

Growth to 50+ words and emergence of two-word combinations.

Preschool Language Development

Ability to follow multi-step directions and rapid vocabulary expansion via fast mapping.

School-Age Language Development

Mastery of verb tenses, figurative language, and metalinguistic skills.

Types of Language Disorders

Developmental, acquired, SLI, intellectual impairment, autism spectrum disorder.

Formal Testing

Standardized, norm-referenced or criterion-referenced procedures with set administration protocols.

Informal Testing

Flexible, non-standardized assessment tailored to client needs.

Adult-Centered Therapy

Insight-oriented treatment focusing on functional, client-selected goals.

Child-Centered Therapy

Play-based, naturalistic intervention embedded in everyday activities.

Place of Articulation

Location in the vocal tract where a consonant is formed (e.g., bilabial, alveolar, velar).

Manner of Articulation

Type of constriction used to produce a consonant (e.g., stop, fricative, nasal).

Voicing

Whether the vocal folds vibrate (voiced) or not (voiceless) during consonant production.

Cooing (2 Months)

Early vocal behavior characterized by vowel-like sounds.

Babbling (4-6 Months)

Consonant-vowel repetitions such as “ba.”

Reduplicated Babbling (6-7 Months)

Repeated CV sequences like “bababa.”

Variegated Babbling (8-12 Months)

Diverse syllable combinations, e.g., “bagadu.”

Speech Sound Assessment

Tools such as speech sound inventories, phonological pattern analyses, and the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation.

Bottom-Up Drill Approach

Treatment focusing on accurate phoneme production from simple to complex contexts.

Minimal Pair Therapy

Phonological approach using word pairs differing by one phoneme to highlight contrasts.

Complexity Approach

Targeting later-developing, complex sounds to promote widespread phonological change.

Phonological Awareness

Conscious knowledge of sound structure; deficits impede decoding, reading, and spelling.