Speech and Language Services in Schools

Communication Problems in School

An SLP can help all children—those whose speech or language problems began before they started school and those who began having difficulties once they were in school.

You might notice your child struggling with:

Speech Sounds

• They may have trouble saying sounds.
• They may not speak clearly.
• It’s hard to understand them.

Language and Literacy

• They may have a hard time understanding what they hear.
• They may not follow directions or answer questions correctly.
• They may have trouble explaining what they think.
• They may not say the correct words or only use short sentences.
• They may have trouble reading and writing.

Social Communication

• They may have trouble talking with other children.
• They may not make friends easily.
• They may not understand what others think or feel.

Cognitive Communication

• They may have trouble remembering.
• They may struggle to solve problems.
• They may have trouble organizing their thoughts.

Feeding and Swallowing

• They may struggle to eat and drink enough during the day.
• They might have trouble controlling their saliva.

Stuttering

• They may have trouble speaking smoothly.
• They may repeat sounds or words.
• They may have long pauses when they talk.
• They seem frustrated when they need to talk.
• They may have difficulty talking with friends because of their stuttering.

Voice

• They may sound hoarse or lose their voice.
• They may sound like they talk through their nose.
• Their voice may be too loud or too soft for some situations.
• They may have difficulty talking with friends or in front of large groups because of their voice problems.

How Communication Problems Affect Learning

Your child needs language skills to communicate and communication skills to learn.

Forms of language include:

• gesturing
• listening
• reading
• speaking
• writing

Some effects of speech and language problems on learning include:

• Your child may not be able to do grade-level work.
• Your child may have trouble reading, writing, and spelling.
• Your child may have trouble understanding books that use sarcasm, jokes, or language that doesn’t mean exactly what it says, like “I told you a million times.”
• Your child may not understand how to adjust the way they talk based on who they’re talking to.
• Your child may have trouble taking tests.

Watching your child struggle can be difficult, but early support makes a real difference. If your child is experiencing signs of speech and/or language problems, talk with your child’s teacher. A school SLP may be able to help.

Role of the SLP

The SLP will assess your child's needs and, if necessary, create a plan to address your child’s needs. Every school has a process to help families like yours, and the SLP or other staff will guide you through it.

Support looks different for every child. The SLP may provide speech and language services to your child alone or in a small group. The SLP may go into your child’s classroom and work with their teacher. The goal of speech and language services in school is to help your child learn and build good relationships with others.

With the right support, children with speech and language challenges can thrive in school. You're taking an important first step by learning about these services.

Contact your school’s SLP to learn more.