What is language?
Language is a code
that we learn to use in order to communicate ideas and express our wants and needs.
Reading, writing, gesturing, and speaking are all forms of language.
TOP
What
makes up this language code?
Language is made up
of a series of rules for: creating words or signs from smaller units like sounds, letters,
or body movements modifying the meaning of root words (e.g., girl + -s = girls, walk + -ed
=walked, teach + -er = teacher, quick + -ly = quickly, dis- + obey = disobey) combining
words together (the grammar of the language) attaching meaning to words holding a
conversation; telling a story; and using different forms of language for different
listeners, purposes, and situations.
TOP
What
is speech?
Speech is the spoken
form of language. Contact us for more information.
TOP
How
do children learn all these language rules?
Children learn
language and speech by listening to the language around them and practicing what they
hear. In this way, they figure out the rules of the language code. It is not learned all
at once but in stages over time.
TOP
How
can parents help a child learn to talk?
Talk to the child.
Read to the child. Encourage the child to communicate, but don't demand speech. Make
talking fun.
TOP
How
do you know that a child's language and speech are what they should be for a particular
age?
There are
expected language behaviors for different ages. For example, by 1 year of age, a child
should use one or two words, follow simple requests ("Come here"), and
understand simple questions ("Where's your shoe?"). By 2-3 years of age, the
child should be using two or three word sentences to talk about and ask for things and
following two requests ("Get the ball and put it on the table"). Children are
individuals and do develop at slower or faster rates than expected. What is most important
is that the child shows continuous language growth. Contact us for more information.
TOP
When
should I seek professional help?
When you become
concerned. Don't delay. If there is a problem, early attention is important. If there is
no problem, you will be relieved of worry.
TOP
Will
hearing problems affect speech and language development?
Yes. The first years
of life are important for learning speech and language. Even mild hearing losses may
result in children missing much of the speech and language around them. Parents should
make sure that their children receive a regular hearing evaluation from an audiologist
certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), particularly if
there is a history of ear infections, frequent colds or other upper respiratory infections
or allergies.
TOP
Are
there ever other physical causes of language disability?
There are, but most
often language disability exists without any known physical cause.
TOP
How
about other causes?
Sometimes children
are not exposed to enough language to learn the rules.
Sometimes the child
has no need to talk because parents respond to pointing and gestures instead of speech.
But most language disabilities occur without an identifiable cause. Contact us for more information.
TOP
What
can be done about language disabilities?
A speech-language
pathologist with experience in child development can evaluate the child's language
development, design an organized plan of language learning, and carry out the plan in
individual or small group session. Educated at the master's or doctoral level, certified
by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and licensed in almost all
states, this professional will also help you help your child.
TOP
Where
can I find a speech-language pathologist?
Speech-language
pathologists provide services ins schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, clinics,
private practices and other settings. To find a speech-language pathologist near you,
write or call
NJSHA
203 Towne Centre Drive
Hillborough, New Jersey 08876
(908) 359-5308
Contact us for more information.
TOP |
