Speech Therapy
Speech therapy is a specialized therapy done by speech therapists that serve students with communication delays, communication deficits or communication disorders. Speech therapy can include one or more of the following communication areas as per the students Individualized Education Plan (IEP):
- Expressive language: unable to form meaningful messages using age appropriate grammar or word finding difficulties.
- Receptive language: difficulty understanding what is being said to them.
- Articulation/speech: unable to produce age appropriate sounds.
- Social language: difficulties with turn taking, initiating and maintaining a conversation, repairing conversation breakdowns, perspective taking and interpreting non-verbal cues.
- Voice: disturbance of pitch, loudness or quality in relation to an individual’s age, gender and culture.
- Oral Motor: difficulties with muscle function and/or motor planning that affect the individual's ability to speak.
- APD (Auditory Processing Disorder): difficulties attending, poor listening skills, following multi-step directions, difficulties processing information, difficulty with reading, spelling and vocabulary.
- Augmentative : assisting non-verbal patient’s communication with a communication device or PECS (Picture Exchange System)
Jill Drewitz, Speech Clinician
507-384-6633
