What is a speech language pathologist?

A speech language pathologist is a professional who evaluates and treats children or adults who have needs within the areas of speech, language, or swallowing.

Speech Language Classifications

     1.  Speech Improvement - Students have a mild to moderate delay in speech and/or language skills.  Service is provided 1 day a week for 30 minutes.

     2.  Speech Impaired - Students have a moderate to severe delay in speech and/or language skills.  Services are provided 2 to 5 days a week for 30 minutes.  Students who are Speech Impaired have been classified through the Committee of Special Education.

Areas of Service

Are Speech and Language skills the same thing?  

• The short answer is, NO, they are not the same.  Speech refers to sound production, and language refers to ideas we understand, speak, read and write.  

Speech and Language Services are provided to students at Alden Central Schools who have delays and disorders in the following areas:

Speech

• Articulation Therapy - working to improve sound production
• Fluency Therapy - learning skills and strategies to improve fluent speech
• Voice Therapy - working to improve respiration (breathing), phonation (producing voice), and resonance (nasality)

Language

• Receptive language - understanding language
• Expressive language - oral and written expression of language
• Cognitive aspects of communication - critical thinking and higher level thinking skills
• Auditory skills - improve ability to understand auditory information and memory skills
• Social Language and Communication - using language to communicate effectively with others