Communication and Learning disabilities - PowerPoint Presentation

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Communication and Learning disabilities - PPT Presentation

Incidence of Speech Language and Communication Disorders A survey carried out in Ireland in 1988 reported that 712 of all people with learning disabilities have some degree of impairment in communication ID: 919797

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Slide1

Communication and Learning disabilities

Slide2

Incidence of Speech, Language and Communication Disorders.

A survey carried out in Ireland in 1988 reported that 71.2% of all people with learning disabilities have some degree of impairment in communication.

Range of Speech, Language and Communication Disorders

Breakdown can occur at one or more levels in the communication process with the result that the range of speech, language and communication disorders found in people with a learning disability is vast

Slide3

. They include:

Language

delay

i.e

. language development is slower than

the

normal rate of development

Language disorder

i.e. language development is not only slower, but is also not following the normal developmental pattern

Problems with speech intelligibility

i.e

. speech is difficult to understand due to a

number

of reasons.

For

example,

difficulty articulating

certain sounds, presence of a

hearing

loss, problems with muscle tone.

Problems with non-verbal communication

e.g

. difficulty with eye contact, turn taking,

facial

expression, listening skills etc

Slide4

Factors influencing Speech, Language and Communication

Disorders

A variety of factors determine the type of communication disorder and its severity.

The

most important of these are

Degree of Cognitive Impairment

The

incidence of speech and language disorder rises as the measured level of intelligence falls.

Slide5

Cause of Disability

Certain groups of syndromes are particularly prone to certain disorders

e.g

. The Down’s Syndrome population are more likely to have problems of speech intelligibility, while other groups, for example those with Autism, are more likely to have language disorders

Slide6

Environment

The highest incidence figures for communication disorders in people with learning disabilities are found among those who live in large institutions

Studies have shown that the type of language learning experience available in institutions is limited

Studies have also looked at language learning environments in the home and many researchers have found differences in early mother and child interactions when the child has a disability.

Slide7

Additional Disabilities

Other factors also influence the development of communication.

These

include the presence of additional disabilities such as a hearing loss, an emotional problem, a neurological problem, such as epilepsy, and abnormal oral anatomy, such as a cleft lip and palate

Slide8

The Impact of Having a Communication Disorder

Perception of disability

The diagnosis of learning disability is made by professionals on the results of a psychological assessment.

However

, people are most frequently identified as having a learning disability by the ordinary people they come into contact with , because of the way they communicate.

In general, the less effective the communication skill, the stronger is the perception of a disability

Slide9

Learning

A communication disorder also influences the person’s ability to learn.

Language is used to teach skills ranging from making a cup of tea to handling money.

this way language deficits can compound and exaggerate a fundamental learning difficulty.

Slide10

Access to Life Experiences

Access and inclusion in a range of ordinary life experiences is also reduced for those who have a communication disorder.

Just think how difficult it would be to go to the pub, buy a pair of shoes, or order a meal in a restaurant without effective communication skills

Slide11

Interpersonal Interaction

Having a communication disorder also affects the way others interact.

Studies

have examined the interactions between primary caregivers and people with learning disabilities in a hospital setting.

was found that people with poor communication skills were interacted with in a limited and restricted way.

Slide12

Challenging Behaviour

Finally, a number of studies have examined the relationship between communication difficulties and challenging behaviour.

Research has shown that poor communication skills are closely linked with increased rates of behaviour difficulty and physical aggression

It is clear then, that having a communication disorder can compound and exaggerate the problems of having a learning disability.

Slide13

Selective Mutism

Selective

Mutism

has been recognised as a rare complex childhood anxiety disorder which is characterised by the child’s inability to speak in

specfic

social groupings such as the school setting.

While

these children do not speak in some specific groupings they understand the spoken language and are able to communicate normally in settings in which they are relaxed.

Slide14

Researchers believe that many children with selective

mutism

also have other social phobias/anxieties.

is currently estimated that 1 in every 1,000 school age child is affected.

It is important to remember that this is not a developmental disorder, this child in every other area of development is progressing at an age appropriate level

Slide15

This problem has been linked to anxiety, and one of the major ways in which both children and adults attempt to cope with anxiety is by avoiding whatever provokes the anxiety.

Slide16

Causes

The

following list below is under current review by experts in this field of study:

Researchers believe that there is a genetic link.

Children

with selective

mutism

have inherited the tendency to be anxious from specific family members.

Slide17

Studies have shown that some children are born with inherited temperaments, this means that even as small babies they are more likely to be fearful of new situations.

In some situations the child’s anxiety response is triggered by specific social interactions such as school, the playground or other social groupings.

Slide18

Researchers believe that this anxiety is experienced in social settings where this child may be in an unknown situation or be asked in some way to engage with the group (such as in school where the child would be expected to answer questions and respond to the teacher verbally).

The

child in these situations will either refuse to speak or speak in a whisper thus avoiding the embarrassment of saying the wrong thing.

Therefore

it can be seen why school is such a difficult place for this child.

Slide19

Researchers also believe that a significant number of children with selective

mutism

may have expressive language disorders and research is underway in this area

Slide20

Characteristics

Inability to speak in certain setting such as school, but can speak normally in other settings where the child feels relaxed

Being withdrawn in certain social settings which are unfamiliar or uncomfortable to the child

Anxiety/Nervousness

Slide21

Social relationships with peers can be a difficulty

Avoid eye contact

Difficulty in non-verbal communication in such settings

Some children may communicate via gestures, nodding, or very brief utterances. Additional features may include excessive shyness, oppositional behaviour, and impaired learning at school.

Slide22

Associated conditions

Separation anxiety

Heightened sensitivity to noise and crowds

Temper tantrums

Bedwetting

Excessive tendency to worry

Slide23

The diagnosis is made when the child has persisted in his/her

mutism

for at least one month

The child has an inability to speak in “select” places

The child can speak normally in at least one environment such as the home

The child’s inability to speak at school (or other social settings) is affecting their ability to function fully at school

The

mustism

is not caused by a communication disorder such as stuttering or by other disabilities such as autism

Slide24

Medical/Alternative Treatments

There are two recommended treatments at present for selective

mutism

behaviour

modification therapy

and

antidepressant medication.

Treatment

is dependent on each individual child.

The

Speech Therapist may also have a role in the management of this condition.

The condition itself may disappear suddenly without any treatment or

programme

However

, other associated conditions such as difficulty with learning or school-based activities can persist into adulthood.

Slide25

How can the SNA help the child with Selective

Mutism

Never

make the child feel as though you are waiting for them to speak.

In some cases the child should be

familiarised

with the school building and teachers/special needs assistants before beginning a new school.

The SNA should be there to meet the child when dropped to school by a parent so that the child is in the classroom before the day begins.

Slide26

Talk to the child about the previous day’s events (or items of interest to them) encouraging conversation but not expecting a response. If the child does engage in discussion at this point do not make an issue of it.

For many children with Selective

Mutism

programme

will have been drawn up for the child and the Special Needs Assistant would be an important component in this plan ensuring that the “

programme

” is continued throughout the school day

Remember that the main objective should be to do whatever is possible to make the child feel comfortable and relaxed

Slide27

A PRATICAL APPROACH TO LANGUAGE AND

COMMUNICATION IN THE CLASSROOM

IMOGEN HAWES

Speech and Language Therapist

BA (

Hons

)

Msc

MRCSLT MIASLT

Slide28

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES

Factors affecting speech and language development:

· learning disability

· experience of language and stimulation

· medical factors e.g. cerebral palsy, cleft palate

· language opportunities

· attention skills

· sensory skills: hearing and eyesight

· psychological factors

· general health

Slide29

A child may experience difficulties in the following areas:

· comprehension

· expression

· speech

· language use

Speech and language development may be “delayed” or “disordered”.

Slide30

COMPREHENSION

Comprehension of language refers to the individual’s ability to understand that words refer to objects, people’s names, places, actions, attributes etc

It also refers to understanding a number of words combined together in a simple/complex sentence.

Slide31

EXPRESSION

The way in which we express ourselves, using sounds, words, signs, sentences etc.

talk about “expressive language” referring to the words, signs, sentences etc. used.

“Speech” refers to the mechanics of making sounds.

Slide32

USE

This is also called “Pragmatics” of language.

It refers to how an individual uses their language best to communicate.

involves verbal and non-verbal skills such as eye contact, turn taking, asking/answering questions, commenting, getting attention, greeting, repairing etc.

Slide33

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY TRAINING

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE

COMPREHENSION

Slide34

Hearing

· Find out about the child’s hearing status

· A child’s hearing may fluctuate.

Warning

signals of a hearing loss

may

include:

The child may turn the music up

The child may constantly ask you to repeat things

The child says “what?” or shouts

The child has lots of ear infections and colds

Slide35

Use non-verbal cues e.g. gestures if necessary to help

· Position the child close to you and facing you in the classroom

· Try to reduce background noise

Slide36

2. Auditory Short Term Memory

Auditory

short-term memory refers to the ability to store and process units or information that is heard.

When

given a list of numbers to recall, most adults remember about 7 digits (digit span).

Children

with a learning disability frequently have a reduced auditory short-term memory

It may take them longer to process pieces of information and they may only be able to process two pieces of information at one time.

Many

children have strengths in the area of visual processing and can be helped by visual clues e.g. pictures, signs, gestures.

Slide37

3. Vocabulary

Children

with language difficulties frequently have reduced vocabulary. You can help the child by:

· Using the easier, more recognisable word unless teaching the more difficult

word. e.g.

“drive the car”

is easier to understand than

“drive the automobile”

· Using a gesture or visual cue (e.g. picture or written word) when talking.

Slide38

New vocabulary may be more quickly learned, remembered and later found or retrieved (and used) if words of similar meaning or association are discussed and taught together.

Teach vocabulary in categories. Begin with broad categories e.g. food, animals and then in narrow categories e.g. fruit, meat, vegetables, farm animals, zoo animals, animals with four legs

For each item consider: description of the item, what the item is used for, where you find it etc.

Slide39

Form

Children with communication difficulties often have difficulty understanding different sentence types and grammatical terms e.g.

“The horse was bitten by the dog”

is harder to understand than

“the dog is

biting the horse”

When working on sentences, use the written words where appropriate.

Children with language difficulties are more likely to have difficulties generalising rules.

You

may have to work on the rule e.g. “add an s for more than one” each time.

Slide40

5. Length

The

length of a sentence can alter the difficulty e.g.

“give me the little spoon”

is easier to understand than

“I want you to give the

little spoon to me like a good boy”

although both are the same command.

When working with people with comprehension difficulties, try to get to the point

A longer sentence makes too many demands on the person’s memory when a shorter phrase would be sufficient

Slide41

Conceptual understanding

Many people with a learning difficulty or comprehension difficulty have difficulty with concepts e.g. colours, amounts, directions (up, down, across) locations (in, on, under) etc.

not assume an understanding of these.

Difficulty

understanding concepts will affect the child’s ability to understand mathematical vocabulary as well as other areas of school work.

Slide42

Help the child by:

Agreeing the vocabulary you will use for maths etc. Work on all using the

same

words.

When

teaching new concepts,

consider the

developmental level of language development. E.g. teach hot/cold before heavy/light.

· Work on concepts that can be experienced. When working on prepositions, stand “in front/behind” etc.

· Teach each new concept one at a time. Remember, focus on the child being able to understand the concept first.

Slide43

The amount of words a person MUST understand

to complete a command.

Think about the child you work with.

they understand at the:

One

word level

(show me your

pencil

, give me the

book

)

Two word level

(put the

ruler

in the

box

, go to the

big

table

)

Three

word level

(put the

blue pencil

in the

box

, put the

book beside

the

table

)

Four

word level

(put the

big book

front

of the

box

)

Slide44

You can cue people to understand by:

· Breaking the instruction up e.g.

take the

blue pencil

(when achieved)

put it in the

box

· Reducing the amount of choices or items

· Looking at specific items

· Pointing or holding your hand out towards specific items

· Modelling the action before asking the person to do it

Slide45

Many children with language difficulties have problems with aspects such as humour, inference, prediction, sequencing, problem solving.

Use

visual cues where necessary.

The

class timetable in picture form will mean more to a child and may help him to be able to predict aspects of the day ahead.

Slide46

USE OF LANGUAGE

Use of language refers to the child’s ability to use language for a range of different communicative functions, e.g. to protest, request, label, express feelings, make friends etc.

also refers to non-verbal aspects of language such as eye contact, listening, body language and turn taking. For children developing normally, these skills develop from the first interactions as a baby.

Children with communication difficulties may not have acquired these skills.

is important therefore to work on these skills and to reinforce them in all activities

Slide47

Ways to reinforce some of the skills:

· Use simple language to explain the concepts and always model and demonstrate the appropriate behaviour.

Slide48

Examples:

Turn taking

· Reinforce turn taking in all activities

· In group activities, play non-verbal and verbal turn taking games

(good ideas in “Circle Time” Jenny Mosley)

· Agree on rules for turn taking: e.g.

1. One person to speak at a time

2. Put your hand up if you want to speak

3. Wait until the other person has finished speaking

Slide49

Listening

Reinforce good listening in all activities

· Be specific when praising the child for good listening, say “good listening”

rather than

just “good boy/girl”

· Be specific about what good listening is.

You may want to use pictures in the classroom to represent each of these.

1. Sitting still and

2. Looking at the speaker

Slide50

SPEECH

Difficulties may occur in the following areas:

Articulation

Speech sound development

Omitting sounds or part of the word

Putting the correct sounds together to make the word

Stammering

Voice

On-going difficulties with speech can affect the child’s ability to be able to read and spell.

Slide51

If your child is having difficulty saying certain sounds or words:

· Say the word clearly after the child but do not always ask him/her to repeat it.

· Do not correct the child.

· Let your child point or use gesture to get the message across.

· Try to listen to what the child says rather than how he/she says it.

· If your child can read, he/she may be able to pronounce the word more clearly if reading it than simply saying it. If so, make up a wordbook with your child containing words the child has difficulty saying.

· Work on phonological awareness skills e.g. rhyme, syllables, onset etc

Slide52

Developmental verbal dyspraxia

Developmental verbal dyspraxia refers to a speech disorder that affects the child’s ability to produce sounds, syllables and words correctly

The child does not have difficulty with non-speech activities performed with the muscles e.g. coughing, chewing or swallowing.

It is the loss of the ability to consistently position the articulators (tongue, lips, jaw) for the production or consistently position the articulators (tongue, lips, jaw) for the production of speech sounds and for sequencing the sounds into words.

Slide53

STAMMERING

Stammering

and stuttering mean the same thing.

Stammering

can be defined as involuntary repetitions, prolongations and or blocks of sound.

Stammering generally originates in childhood.

Between the ages of 2 and 7 many children develop normal non-fluency.

Stammering

is four times more common in males.

There

is no single cause.

Avoidance

and anxiety can lead to severe difficulties.

There

is no guaranteed cure for stammering.

Therapy focuses on increasing self-esteem and confidence and lessening the amount of stammering

Stammering is frequently observed in children with Down’s Syndrome

Slide54

Unless directed otherwise by a Speech and Language Therapist or parent, help the child in the following ways:

· Listen to what the child says rather than how he/she says it.

· Give the child time to say what he/she wants.

· Do not finish the child’s sentences.

· Do not show your anxiety about speech or draw attention to the child’s speech.

· Avoid putting pressure on the child with questions.

Slide55

READING WITH CHILDREN WITH DOWN’S SYNDROME

Why

does reading help?

· Print is visual, many children have better visual than auditory skills.

· Print can be looked at for as long as necessary to process the information for meaning (unlike speech).

· Print is permanent.

· Print helps to show sentence rules and word order.

· Print helps to show features such as plurals or verb tenses.

· Reading enables children to practise sentences improving articulation and speech skills.

Slide56

AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION

Slide57

LAMH is

a system of communication based on gestures and manual signs. It is an Irish system that has been standardised and is now in use all over the country.

Lamh

/ gestures can help if a child has difficulties with understanding and speaking. Through

Lamh

/gestures, a child is able to develop communication skills.

Lamh

is not an alternative to speech. Experience and research indicate that using signs promotes and stimulates speech.

There are over 400

Lamh

signs. Some of the signs were adapted from Irish sign language.

Slide58

WHAT IS A GESTURE

A gesture is a body movement (often a hand and arm movement) that can express the meaning of a word so that others can understand it.

WHY USE LAMH/GESTURES?

Signs/gestures provide extra information that can be seen. Research has shown that signs and gestures are easier to learn than spoken words

For example, babies use gestures before they speak to tell us what they want e.g. pointing to a bottle or holding arms out to be lifted.

Slide59

Using

Lamh

signs/gestures with a child provides visual information as well as the sound of the word making it easier for a child to understand.

Lamh

signs/gestures also give a child a way of sending a message when he/she cannot speak. This helps to reduce a child’s frustration

Slide60

Types of questions:

Use an appropriate form of questioning

· Yes/no questions e.g. “do you like

Boyzone

?” may be appropriate for someone with little language but such questions are limiting for people with lots of language.

· Open questions such as “tell me about your favourite pop group” can lead to more conversations with people who have more language.

· Some people respond best to questions involving a choice e.g. “do you like

Boyzone

or U2?”

Slide61

Work on organisational skills with children with poor conversational skills or children who tell you a story with all parts muddled.

In order to use language effectively, you need to recognise sequential patterns of events and relate several ideas in logical order.

This is difficult for children who cannot order their thoughts.

· Work on concepts first, next and last

· Work on early time concepts

· Always encourage the child to work from left to right

· Familiarise the child with his/her timetable (use pictures to represent parts of the timetable)

Slide62

Help the child with word finding difficulties

Not simply filling in the word for the child but helping him/her to retrieve the word him/herself by:

1. Giving the first sound of the word “it starts with a ‘k’ sound”

2. Giving the child a forced alternative “Is it a cat or a dog?”

3. Giving information about the item “it goes ‘

miaow

’”

4. Or providing a lead in sentence if relevant “shoes and …..(socks)”

Slide63

A child with no functional expressive language may use forms of

augmentative communication

e.g.

Lamh

sign language

· Picture symbols

· Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

Slide64

WHO BENEFITS FROM LAMH?

People with:

· No speech

· Unclear speech (speech can deteriorate with a hearing loss)

· Difficulties finding the word they want to use (this deteriorates with age)

· Difficulties understanding what is said to them

Slide65

Lamh

can help:

· People who are reluctant to talk for whatever reason.

Lamh

can help to take the pressure off speaking with an emphasis on communication.

· Using

Lamh

signs can help to ease frustration for people who find it hard to communicate through speech.

· It is easier to learn from seeing than from listening.

Slide66

SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO USE LAMH

Using

Lamh

can help to develop some of these skills:

· Visual skills

· Physical skills

· Conversation skills

· Ability to copy in order to learn

Lamh

signs.

· Basic understanding of language

Slide67

THE LAMH USER NEEDS US IN ORDER TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO:

· Communicate

· Express needs and preferences

· Talk about interests etc.

Slide68

Improving Communication Skills

Slide69

Ten tips on communication with children

'Fact or Fiction? The Top 10 Assumptions about Early Speech and Language Development By Lauren Lowry

Hanen

Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and

Hanen

Staff Member

Slide70

Do you ever wonder if boys really do talk later than girls?

Or if it’s confusing to speak two languages to a child?

And when grandma says using a pacifier is going to cause speech problems later, should you believe her?

Slide71

You should never use “baby talk” with babies

1. False

Baby talk, also known as “

motherese

”, “

parentese

” or “infant-directed speech”, refers to the very recognizable speech patterns people use when speaking to babies.

Baby talk has a higher-than-normal and more varied pitch, a slower rate of speaking, simpler vocabulary, lots of repetition, emphasis of important words, and exaggerated, positive facial expression.

For example, “Are you looking at the light?

D’you

like that light? It’s a bright light!”

Slide72

It has been well-established that babies prefer “baby talk” as it helps them pay closer attention to speech, especially amidst background noise. “

Baby talk” makes it easier for babies to figure out how language works and which words are most important to the meaning of what’s being said.

This helps them learn what words mean and, in time, helps them learn to say words.

Therefore, don’t be afraid to use baby talk with your baby – it’s helping him tune in to you and what you are saying!

Slide73

Speaking “telegraphically” helps young children learn to talk.

2. False

Telegraphic speech involves using only content words with little or no grammar. Examples of telegraphic speech include “Where coat?” (instead of “Where’s your coat?”), or “This Mama spoon” (instead of “this is Mama’s spoon”).

Some people believe that telegraphic speech makes it easier for babies to learn to talk because it allows babies to hear only the important words in a sentence. But the experts disagree.

Slide74

According to Marc Fey, PhD., Professor at the University of Kansas Medical

Center

, Department of Hearing and Speech, telegraphic speech may hinder children’s learning of grammar and word meanings as it deprives children of the helpful cues and information that come from grammatical speech.

For example, babies realize that words that end in “–

ing

” are verbs, making it easier to figure out the word’s meaning.

Slide75

So when you use “baby talk”, make sure it’s grammatical.

Try to use short, simple phrases or sentences with proper grammar.

A good rule of thumb when deciding if your sentence is appropriate is to think about whether you would say the same thing to an adult.

If the answer is no, then you are probably using telegraphic speech.

Slide76

Using “educational” products, such as DVDs or flashcards stimulates young children’s language development

3. False

While it can be tempting to purchase special products marketed as “educational” for young children, these products are not necessarily effective in helping children learn how to communicate.

Baby DVDs – several DVDs geared towards infants and very young children have been marketed in recent years, with the aim of promoting babies’ development, including their language skills.

However, the research on such DVDs to date has not provided evidence that these products produce better language skills

Slide77

In fact, these DVDs may be the cause of somewhat smaller vocabularies in children who spend more time watching them

. For more details, click here to read

Hanen’s

article “Educational DVDs: What Helps Babies Learn and What Doesn’t”.

Flashcards – Learning a new word from a flashcard teaches a child to say a word in response to a picture.

Slide78

this, however, does not mean that the child will understand the full meaning of the word or how to use it appropriately in real-life situations.

New vocabulary has to be learned in meaningful interactions during everyday life and repeated many times before becoming part of a child’s vocabulary.

Roberta

Golinkoff

, PhD., co-author of “Einstein Never Used Flash Cards:

How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less”, explains that “babies learn best through playful interactions with people who love them” and had the following advice for parents about educational products:

“Save your money! Play with your child

Slide79

4. Using a pacifier causes speech and language problems

Unclear

The verdict on this issue may still be out.

Prolonged pacifier use has been linked to dental problems and increased ear infections

both of which can have a negative impact on speech and language learning.

However, a couple of recent studies examining the speech (pronunciation) of children with prolonged pacifier use found different results.

One study found no difference in the speech (pronunciation) of children who used a pacifier for a long period.

However, in 2010, another study found increased odds of speech disorders among children who used a pacifier for 3 or more years or sucked their fingers extensively

Slide80

While the verdict may still be out about this issue, most professionals would agree that a child’s opportunities for babbling, imitating sounds, and engaging in conversations are reduced if she or he has a pacifier in the mouth much of the time.

Therefore, reducing pacifier use may be recommended by speech-language professionals

Slide81

Second- and third-born children are late to talk because their older siblings do the talking for them

5. False

Several studies have shown that the language development and skills of first-born and later-born children are similar.

In fact, some studies have shown superior skills in later-born children in the areas of pronoun use and conversation skills.

One study showed that first-born children reach the 50-word milestone earlier, but that once children had reached the 50-word milestone, there were no differences between first- and later-born children.

So while older siblings often interrupt and talk for their younger siblings, this does not seem to have a negative impact on the younger sibling’s development.

Slide82

6. Boys talk later than girls.

True

It is true that boys produce their first words and sentences later than girls.

However, these differences are only in terms of a matter of a few months.

There is a normal range within which children acquire certain language milestones.

“Girls tend to be on the earlier end, and boys on the later end, of this age range”, according to researchers

Seyda

Özçalskan

and Susan

Goldin

-Meadow (2010).

Therefore, boys are not actually delayed in their language development, just a little behind girls.

So if a young boy is really lagging behind in his speech and language development, don’t assume that it’s because he’s a boy and that it’s perfectly normal.

He may require some speech and language intervention.

Slide83

7. More boys have language delays than girls.

True

There are definitely more boys than girls with a variety of language difficulties.

The incidence of language impairment is higher among boys than among girls, a ratio anywhere from 2:1 to 3:1.

The incidence of Autism in boys is also higher, four times more common in boys than girls

Slide84

8. Twins are at greater risk for language delay.

True

In a review of the research regarding the development of twins, Karen Thorpe summarized the following in her 2006 article:

Twins, particularly male twins, have higher risk of language delay.

Language delay is usually mild and it seems to reduce by middle childhood.

There is great variation in language scores among twins.

Therefore, while not all twins have language delays, they are at greater risk for language delay.

Slide85

9. Late talking children, who are otherwise developing normally, always “catch up” to other children their age

False

Research indicates that approximately 40-50% of children who are late to talk (who have typical skills in other areas) do not catch up on their own

Late talkers who use few or no gestures seem to be at greater risk for a language delay that does not resolve itself

Even when late talkers appear to catch up to other children their age, they are still at greater risk for difficulties with reading

. Therefore, if you are concerned about your toddler’s language development, don’t listen to people who tell you to “wait and see”.

Consult a speech language pathologist since the earlier a child receives help, the easier it is to catch up, and the better the prognosis.

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10. Learning two languages at the same time (bilingualism) causes language delays in young children

False

Children learning two languages at the same time will go through the same developmental patterns in both of their languages and at roughly the same time as children learning one language

While the vocabulary of each individual language might be smaller when counted separately, the total vocabulary of bilingual children is comparable to monolingual children when both languages are taken into account

Sometimes young children learning two languages mix words or grammar from their two languages, known as “code mixing” or “code switching”.

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This is very normal and does not indicate that the child is having difficulty with language learning.

There may actually be benefits from bilingual language learning, as children who are fluent in two languages have strengths in “meta linguistic skills” (the ability to think about language), as well as in cognitive skills, such as attention

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A Thought

A man is seldom better than his

conversation

German Proverb

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Communication Skills Overview

Effective communication skills are a critical element in your career and personal lives.

We all must use a variety of communication techniques to both understand and be understood.

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What is Communication?

SENDER

RECEIVER

Feedback

receiver

sender

Communication is the process of sending and receiving information among people…

Medium

Encode

Decode

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Most common ways to communicate

Speaking

Visual Images

Writing

Body Language

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Communication Goals

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Distortions in Communication

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We need to improve communication... as

70 % of our communication efforts are:

misunderstood

misinterpreted

rejected

distorted or

not heard

6 people talking in a 2 people conversation!!

70%

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Critical success factor

The majority of your perceived ability comes from how you communicate

38% Visual

55% Tonal

7% Verbal

93% of all Communication is non verbal - SKILL

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Listening and Speaking are used a lot…

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Common Communication Errors:

Finishing others’ sentences

Preparing our response before someone has completed speaking

Multitasking while ‘listening’

Filtering content or meaning based on the speaker

Speaking for others (we…)

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A Good Algorithm

In order to have good communication:

Listen to Understand

Understand before speaking

Speak to be understood

Seek understanding before proceeding

Repeat

Communication is a two way process!

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How can it be improved

Recognition

Pavlov study

Not being judgmental

Stop egocentric communication

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What today’s workshop can achieve

Provide ‘knowledge’ about communication

Give insight on ‘skills’ needed

Suggest ways of going about it

What you need to do:

Learn the tools

Take up every opportunity

Practice, Practice, Practice!

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Why is communication important

Inspires confidence

Builds respect in business and social life

Helps make friends

Develops a distinct personality

Reveals your ability to others

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Essentials of good communication

Knowledge

Spontaneity in conversation

Level of conversation

Organising your thoughts

Participating in discussions

Body Language

Show v Tell

Being a good listener

Listening v hearing

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How to be an active listener

Set the stage

Ensure mutual understanding

Understand body language

Suspend judgment

Behaviors that hinder effective listening

Act distracted (look at your watch!)

Tell your own story without acknowledging theirs

Give no response

Invalidate response, be negative

Interrupt

Criticize

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Techniques to improve listening skills

PARAPHRASE

Restate what was said in your own words

SUMMARIZE

Pull together the main points of a speaker

QUESTION

Challenge speaker to think further, clarifying both your and their understanding

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Two basic types of questions

Closed questions:

et a one-word response and inhibit thought.

Questions begin with

who

when

and

which

Open-ended questions:

Invite unique thought, reflection or an explanation.

Questions begin with

how

what

and

how come

(not

why

!).

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Practice Questioning

Rephrase the following closed questions to make them open-ended:

Are you feeling tired?

Isn’t it a nice day?

Was the last activity useful?

Is there anything bothering you?

So everything is fine, then?

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Adding colour to communication

Images – Describe, relive

Show, don’t tell

Use audience’s senses

Sight

Sound

Touch

Taste

Smell

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Improving communication

Don’t use cliches

Brevity

Sincerity

Don’t praise yourself

Avoid argument

Be tactful

Silence

Enunciation

Clear, loud, syllables. Flexibility of tone

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Practice

For distinct enunciation, every word, every syllable, every sound, must be given it proper form and value.

Think of the mouth chamber as a mold, in which the correct form is given to every sound.

Will you please move your lips more noticeably?

The teeth should never be kept closed in speech.

Through practices, we can learn to speak more rapidly, but still with perfect distinctness

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Ways to gain effective conversation

Good use of English – avoid errors

Improved vocabulary – overlook v oversee

Avoid old phrases

Use humour

Add interesting story

Improve clarity of voice – practice

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Public Speaking

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What does the graphic tell you about this speaker

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The 5-P‘s

rior

reparation

revents

oor

erformance

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From effective conversation to speech

Overcoming Fear

#1 fear

Idea of speech

Know your subject

Know the audience

Target their interest

Organising the speech

Tell them…

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Developing Your Presentation

What is your goal?

Research your topic

Develop an outline

Create or locate learning aids

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AIDA

ttention

nterest

esire

ction

POWERFUL opener

CLEAR connector

MAIN BODY

POWERFUL close

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AIDA

ttention

nterest

esire

ction

Establish credentials

(Me, You, What)

Key point

Create +ve expectations

Paint the future benefits

WIFM

The facts



Me, You, What is required

The facts

 3

 advantages

 benefits

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Developing Your Presentation

Making the Presentation Interesting

Informative

Fun

Variety

Energy

Audience Interaction

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Practicing Your Presentation

Simulate the presentation setting

Practice aloud

Practice standing up

Time your presentation

Memorize your opening few sentences

Watch yourself in a mirror

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Presenting

Stage fright

Feelings follow action

Talk ‘to’, not ‘at’

Eye contact

Don’t judge your audience

Pause

Volume

Pace

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Summary

He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail!

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Communication in general is process of sending and receiving messages that

enables humans to share knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Although we usually identify communication with speech, communication is composed of two dimensions - verbal and nonverbal.

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Non-verbal

communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and motions, and positioning within groups. It may also include the way we wear our clothes or the silence

we keep.

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BODILY SPEAKING…

According to the social anthropologist, Edward T. Hall, in a normal conversation between two persons, less than 35% of the social meanings is actually transmitted by words.

So, at least 65% of it is conveyed through the body (non-verbal channel).

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Have you ever heard anyone say, "His actions spoke so loudly I couldn't hear what he said?"

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