As a speech-language pathologist with over thirty years of experience, I have observed, assessed and provided intervention for children challenged with speech and language for many different reasons.

Here’s what I know for sure:

       Speech and language are developmental and specific skills in both areas can be predicted at certain ages from birth to five years.

       80% of language is learned by the age of 3.

        Children can be delayed in this development or they can have a specific learning disability in language.

       Assessment determines whether it is a delay or a specific learning disability.

       Early assessment and intervention are paramount in young children with challenges, whether it is a delay or a disability, to set the stage for success in Kindergarten.

       Early assessment and intervention can be successful when provided in a supportive, structured, developmental manner.

       Parental support and reinforcement are key to the child’s success.

       Understanding and expression of language concepts + clear speech production = excellent communication skills.

       Children with language challenges are at risk for the next step of development, which is reading. 

       Children learn emergent literacy skills during the preschool years that are the foundation for reading readiness (see language literacy section on emergent literacy).

       Children who come to Kindergarten with insufficient emergent literacy skills and/or language challenges have difficulty learning sound/symbol relationships, sound blending, sight word identification, and other decoding skills.

       While struggling to learn to read, these students are at risk for falling behind in academics.

       If children continue to struggle to learn the code and comprehend what they have read by the time they reach fourth grade, most likely they will struggle with reading as an adult.