My job as a Speech Language Pathologist is to help my students communicate to the best of their abilities, whether it be through verbal language, gestures, pointing, pictures, sign language, writing, etc. I believe every student is unique and has an innate desire to communicate with those around them. Speech therapy sessions typically focus on any of the following speech and language areas:

Speech Disorders
• Articulation - the way we say our speech sounds
• Phonology - the speech patterns we use
• Apraxia - difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed to make speech sounds
• Fluency - stuttering
• Voice - problems with the way the voice sounds, such as hoarseness

Language Disorders
• Receptive Language - difficulty understanding language
• Expressive Language - difficulty using language
• Pragmatic Language - social communication; the way we speak to each other

Other Disorders
• Deafness/Hearing Loss - loss of hearing; therapy includes developing lip-reading, speech,
and/or alternative communication systems
• Oral-Motor Disorders - weak tongue and/or lip muscles