Speech & Language Services
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​The Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) team provides Speech Therapy services for students at Berrien Springs Public Schools who qualify. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates that we provide speech-language services for children with communication disorders that adversely affect their educational performance. There are a variety of disabilities that SLP’s work with in the school setting which include: Language, Articulation/Phonology, Voice, and Fluency (stuttering).
  • Language disabilities include: Slow development of vocabulary, concepts, or grammar, the inability to use different communication styles for different situations, poor comprehension/expression, social development
  • Articulation/Phonology disorders: Saying one sound for another ("wabbit" for "rabbit"), omitting a sound in a word ("i-cream" for "ice-cream"), distorting a sound ("thee" for "see"), or consistent errors in sound patterns (“tup” for “cup”)
  • Voice disorders: Speech that is too high, too low, or monotonous. Speech that is interrupted by breaks, voice that is too loud or too soft, harsh, hoarse, breathy, or nasal
  • Fluency (stuttering) problems: Interruptions in flow or rhythm, which can include hesitations, repetitions, or prolongations, which can affect sounds, words, or phrases.

If you think your child is having difficulty in any of these areas, please speak with your child's classroom teacher. They are able to determine along with the building principal whether a speech screening is necessary.  

Speech therapy services are provided via several different models, including:
  • Pull-Out:  The SLP works with an individual student or a small group of students to address communication impairments in a separate room
  • Push-In: The SLP works with an individual or small group of students to address communication impairments in the student’s classroom
  • Co-Teaching: The SLP works together with the classroom teacher, special education teacher, or school social worker as part of a team providing instruction to a whole classroom or to a small group of students
  • Consult:  The SLP provides consultation to interventionists so that they may support the educational needs of students with language and communication disorders.


Resources
  • www.asha.org/public - ASHA is the American Speech and Hearing Association, a
    fantastic website for all things speech related.
  • http://mommyspeechtherapy.com/ - A great blog by Heidi Hanks, a private-practice
    speech-language pathologist who lives in Utah.
  • http://thespeechroomnews.com/ - Another blog by Jenna Rayburn, a pediatric speech-language-pathologist in Ohio.
  • http://www.stutteringhelp.org/ -A link to The Stuttering Foundation website.
    http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/resources-for-students-with-disabilities/ - College Resources for Students with Disabilities