Trying to learn with a speech disorder can be a frustrating experience.
Speech disorders or disabilities affect many students and take a variety of forms. Students can have disabilities with speech, language and hearing that include stuttering, dysfluency, autism, cleft lip or palate and articulation problems, among other things. Students with speech disabilities may generally feel frustrated over having difficulty expressing themselves and making their thoughts clearly known. There are things you can do as a teacher to help students with speech or language disabilities feel welcome and encouraged about learning in your classroom.
General Techniques
Meet privately with the student during the first week of school to acknowledge the disability, welcome him with it and decide how the student will let you know when he needs help. Focus on practicing clear and proper speech yourself which will help not only the disabled student but the rest of the class as well. Consult a speech language expert about the disabled student and maintain regular communication so that the two of you are working together to help the student develop and excel. Allow the student to tape lectures and provide a sign language interpreter if necessary. Practice patience and good listening with the student.
Laboratory Techniques
Allow the disabled student additional time to complete laboratory activities and make sure the student is seated close to you to aid in hearing or receiving your instructions. If a particular assignment is outside of the student's capabilities, craft an alternate laboratory exercise that is still challenging for the student and will help him grow. Pair the student with a caring and compassionate classmate who can help the student understand and follow your instructions.
Discussion Techniques
Encourage the rest of your class to accept the student with a speech disability and refuse to tolerate bullying or discriminatory behavior on the part of the other students. Consider planning one or more lessons about disabilities in general and speech or language disabilities in particular. Emphasize that disabilities do not reduce the value of the person with them and that they can happen to anyone. Encourage the disabled student to participate in group discussions, allowing extra time for him to express himself.
Testing Techniques
Understand that a disabled student may need more time to fairly complete an exam than a student without a disability needs to complete it. Allow the student to complete the exam in his best communication mode. For example, if the student is strong in signing but not speaking, allow him to complete an exam with an interpreter present after the rest of the students have completed the exam and are busy working on another assignment. Allow time to make sure that the student clearly understands the test instructions before starting the examination period for him.
Tags: disabled student, with speech, speech language, complete exam, Allow student, help student, language disabilities