Language disorders quiz 3

preschool age range

3-5 years

clinical clues for a language disorder

lack of:

plural s

following directions

give reasons (wear a coat when its coldoutside)

location words

present progressive (ing)

trying to read alone or with others

blending words (cupcake)

longer, complex, grammatically correct sentences

early learning standards from NYSED

1. all children are capable of learning, acheiving, and making developmental progress, regardless of economic, linguistic, and cultural differences or physical, learning, and emotional challenges

2. children develop at different rates and each child is unique in their own development, growth, and acquisition skills

3. a primary approach to learning is through purposeful play

4. early development and learning are dimensional. children’s learning is integrated and ocurs simultaneously across all domains, which are related and interactive with eachother

5. children learn through interactions and relationships with family members, caregivers, teachers, and other children in their immediate environment in their community

6. the family is a significant contributor to children’s development and learning. the caregivers are essential to children’s success

7. these standards can be used as tools to empower parents, teachers, and caregivers to better support and enhance young children’s development and learning

CPSE

committee on preschool special education

a district level team responsible for identifying and arranging special education services for eligible preschool children with disabilites

IEP

individualized education program

a legal document developed by the CPSE that outlines the child’s learning needs, goals, and the special education services they will receive

Preschool student with a disability

a child aged 3-5 who has been evaluated and found to have a disability that impacts their learning and requires special education services

multidisciplinary evaluation

a comprehensive assessment conducted by qualified professionals to determine a child’s eligibility and needs for special education. Includes cognitive, communication, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive skills

least restrictive environment

a setting that allows a child with disabilities to learn and participate with typically developing peers as much as possible

related services

support services like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling that are provided to help the child nenfit from special education

FAPE

free appropriate public education

the right of every child with a disability to recive an education that meets their unique needs at no cost to the family

continuum of services

the range of every child with a disability to receive an education that meets the individual needs if oreschool students with disabilities, from least to most intensive

developmental language disorder (DLD)

used when the spoken language disorder is a primary disability without a known medical cause

also used when the language disorder co-occurs with other diagnoses like ADHD or developmental coordiation disorder, but there is no causal relationship

specific language impairment (SLI)

also may be used in literature when talking about language disorders. some researchers may still use this term with distinctions from DLD

language disorder associated with ___

used to describe a spoken language disorder that is socondary to another condition or diagnosis such as autism, down syndrome, intellectual disability, TBI, or sensory impairment

where the terms are used

in research and paractice (ASHA)

• SLI and DLD terms in the literature and on ASHA website

• means language disorder primary (no known etiology)

educational setting (IDEA)

• SLI is on of the education classifications in the legislation

• used on IEPs as an educational classification

Medical setting (DSM)

• langugae disorder (receptive, expressive) are listed in the DSM

• used for diagnosis of children in medical setting

• will not see SLI or DLD here

clinical characteristics of SLI

1. Limited use of complex sentences

2. Difficulty finding the right words

3. Difficulty understanding figurative language

4. Grammatical errors when speaking

5. Difficulty following directions

6. Struggle learning new words & making conversation

clinical characteristics of DLD

1. Symptoms emerge in childhood, which does not mean they will grow out of it; it may change as they grow.

2. Neurodevelopmental communication disorder that interferes with understanding, use, and learning of language

3. Affects speaking, listening, writing 

4. Late to put words together and form sentences

5. Difficulty understanding directions and figurative language

6. Grammatical and spelling errors

7. Lack of complex sentences

difference between DLD and SLI

Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) both describe significant, persistent language difficulties in children without a known cause. DLD is now the preferred, broader term, often covering children with lower nonverbal IQs (below 85) or other co-occurring conditions, whereas SLI conventionally required a high IQ and no other deficits.

what are the skills that may be impacted if children present with SLI/DLD characteristics

reading

writing

language comprehension

math: word problems

the suggested practices for the identification of children with SLI

1. Direct observation of the child.

2. Interviews and questionnaires completed by parents

and/or teachers.

3. Assessments of the child’s learning ability.

4. Standardized tests of current language performance.

**Type of evaluation depends on the child’s age and the concerns that led to the evaluation.

the suggested practices for the identification of children with DLD

1. Naturalistic Observation

2. Caregiver/ Related Service Providers Interviews 

3. Standardized Assessment

4. Assessment of Learning Ability

how to refer to a preschooler with SLI or DLD

Even if a child's language profile fits the criteria for SLI or DLD, they are most often identified under the broader educational category of "Preschooler with a Disability" to ensure access to services and support. 

CPSE Steps

step 1: initial referral for special education services

step 2: individual evaluation process

step 3: determining eligibility for special education services

step 4: individualized education program (IEP)

step 5: annual review/reevaluation

does a child need to be enrolled in a preschool to receive intervention?

no, the do not need to be enrolled

eligibility for CPSE services requirements

• child must be between 3 and 5

• the child must have a disability or developmental delay that adversely affects their educational performance and requires special education or related services

• a multidisciplinary evaluation must be conducted in all relevant developmental areas to determine eligibility

• the CPSE must consider providing services in the least restrictive environment

• for children transitioning from EI, the determination of CPSE eligibility must ccur before the Childs 3rd birthday if the family wants to continue services post- age 3

therapeutic principles for language therapy in preschool aged children

• Children learn best when they are actively engaged in activities they enjoy. Consider the ‘serve and return’ concept as a metaphor for engagement.

• Children with language difficulties need lots of exposure to a word in order to learn it with sufficient depth of understanding. Verbal routines (“ready, set, go!”), songs, and fingerplays are highly repetitive and can help towards this end.

•  It’s important for children to hear a sufficient variety of words in a variety of contexts.

• Multimodal learning is beneficial for young children. Gestures, sensory components,  and key word signs can all help to enrich the input we provide. 

• Simplifying the complexity of what we say can help to reduce the processing demands that we place on a child, but we need to do this in a way that doesn’t sacrifice grammar. Telegraphic speech might not be best, but considering the linguistic complexity is a must.

therapeutic focus for language therapy in preschool aged children

• Tx targets both receptive and expressive delays, when delays are present in both areas. 

• Tx is often embedded in play-based activities as a natural context for language learning 

• Functional communication is emphasized - helping children communicate in everyday situations (e.g., requesting, commenting, etc) 

• Tx may focus on…

  • building core vocabulary (frequently used words) 

  • morphology and syntax - especially with common preschool errors (i.e., Brown’s morphemes) 

  • social communication in different social contexts (e.g., taking turns, initiating conversation, staying on topic)

  • Developing narrative abilities is important in this time period - telling simple stories with a sequence of events. 

• Tx may include pre-literacy skills like phonological awareness are often embedded as they support later reading development. 

• Visual aids like pictures, gestures, sign language, or communication boards support understanding and expression. For children with severe language delays, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools may be introduced.

direct setting for therapy

Approaches where an interventionist (usually a clinician or educator) works directly with a child rather than coaching another person to work with the child, and specific targets are addressed in intervention sessions via structured activities—in keeping with the clinician-directed approach.

indirect setting for therapy

Involve an SLP or expert coaching another person (usually a parent) to provide intervention—in keeping with the parent-implemented approach. The activities of indirect approaches are typically naturalistic (i.e., child-centered) and promote general language or communication skills.”

hybrid setting for therapy

Could have a clinician or expert working directly with the child and/or coaching others (usually a parent) to work with the child, and there may be specific targets but taught in naturalistic activities and contexts.

goals for preschool language therapy

Goals should focus on FUNCTIONAL communication.

Preschool goals should support real-life communication needs, such as:

• Requesting items or help

• Following directions

• Engaging in play-based interactions

• Answering basic questions

• Naming and describing familiar objects

Goals should be integrated into NATURAL environments

Design goals that can be practiced:

• In play routines

• During circle time or storytime

• With peers or adults

• In daily routines (e.g., snack, clean-up)

Goals should be based on developmental milestones or standards