1. Speech Disabilites
Sousa
Chapter 4

2. Language Processing of the BRAIN
Broca’s area stores vocabulary, grammar, and possibly the syntax of one’s native language
Wernicke’s area stores one’s native language sense and meaning
Neural networks in left hemisphere and some in right
Broca, damage to left frontal lobe---> aphasia (muttering of sounds or complete loss of speech). Patients could understand language but could not speak fluently.
Wernicke, damage to left temporal lobe, above left ear---> another type of aphasia (no sense of words spoken or heard). Patients could could speak fluently but what is said is meaningless.

3. Learning Spoken Language
Infants are born with the ability to learn any of the 6,500 languages
Debate- Is language genetically prewired?
Birth- response to prosody
10-12 months- distinguishes and remember phonemes of native language
Age 1- pruning begins
Prosody- rhythm, cadence, and pitch of mother’s voice- not words
Pruning- neural networks focus on the sounds of language being spoken in environment

4. Learning Spoken Language
Phonemes to words
8 months:
Word boundaries
10 words a day
Meaning to words
Learning Grammar
Toddlers detect word order- person, action, object
3 years- 90% correct
Exposure to spoken language- not T.V.
Phonemes to words- the brain detects words from the stream of sounds it is processing
Learning grammar- Chomsky: common rules dictate how sentences are constructed and brain is preprogrammed with circuits to respond to rules VS. modern linguists: brain not responded to basic language rules but to regularities heard in the flow on native language.

5. Effect of T.V. on language
Live human interaction
Prolonged- impair growth of brain
Visual system not properly stimulated - critical for reading
Speed of changing images impact frontal lobe
Reduces chances for creating internal images
American Academy of Pediatrics and National Literacy Trust in UK recommendations- no or very limited exposure
Live human interaction to attach meaning to words
Visual system not properly stimulated- no pupil dilation, eyes stare and don’t move from one point to the next- critical skill for reading
Frontal lobe- higher thought area
Limited Exposure- toddlers under age of 2 need more face-to-face interaction. Eliminate or strictly limit exposure to TV

6. Putting Language Components Together
Phonology- phonemes
Morphology- word formation
Syntax- sentence formation
Semantics- word & sentence meaning
Prosody- intonation and rhythm
Pragmatics- use of language for different purposes
Semantics- especially idioms
Pragmatics- following rules of conversation and staying on topic
Say this at the end of this slide- most brains get it right. But problems sometimes occur due to time, physiological difficulties, trauma, genetic influences, or other factors.

7. Language Delay (Sousa, page 73)
Symptoms around age 1.5 and 2
Uses only a few word during speech
Uses only a few phrases during speech
Speech in not coherent
Most toddlers speak around months; lang. delay speech not coherent until 2 years of age
Evidence suggests language delay to 2 years is inherited, not easily remedied by environmental interventions. STRESS can cause delay in some kids.

8. Specific Language Impairment (Sousa, page 73)
Symptoms
Complexity of speech not developing with age
Little or no growth in vocabulary
Consistently poor grammar with little or no improvement
Difficulty remembering recently used words
- 7 % of children
- Normal language development during subsequent 2 years
- Some: difficulty building vocabulary, written language, and dyslexia
Broad range included in this catagory
Cognitive functions in most are normal, but some develop verbal memory deficits---less functional verbal working memory capacity and management of working memory abilities
Difficulty in word recall

9. Expressive Language Disorder (Sousa, page 74)
Symptoms
Below average vocabulary skills
Difficulty producing complex sentences
Improper use of correct tenses
Problems in recalling words
Treatment
Language therapy focusing on increasing number of phrases to build upon
Children understand language but have trouble expressing themselves in speech
Cause UNKNOWN but cerebral damage, head trauma, and malnutrition in combination with genetic influences MAY be associated
Encouraging recovery rate with early intervention

10. Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder (Sousa, page 74)
Symptoms
Impairment in language comprehension
Impairment in language expression
Speech containing many articulation errors
Difficulty recalling early visual or auditory memories
May appear inattentive
Have trouble understanding certain aspects of speech. Hearing is fine, but they can’t make sense out of certain sounds, words, or sentences they hear.

11. Adolescent Language Disorder (Sousa, page 75)
Symptoms
Doesn’t understand or follow rules of conversation
Difficulty using different language (situation)
Difficulty asking for more information to aid understanding
Incorrect use of grammar and poor vocabulary
Difficulty with instructions
Extreme forgetfulness
Difficulty understanding puns, idioms, jokes, riddles
Feelings of failure, low self-esteem, poor academic and social success, and high dropout rate
Reasons: no intervention, still have language difficulty despite early intervention, some traumatic event, other learning disability
Computer programs can create interest for intervention

12. Stuttering and Learning a Second Language
Cause not known
Genetic- muscles movements don’t string together
Treatment- choral speech, speaker specific skills
Second Language
Language deficits that arise when learning a first language are very likely to arise when learning a second language (Sousa, page 77).
Provide instructional setting that translate research into educational practice (Good teaching)!

13. What we should consider...
Address speech and language problems to rewire brain
Give more attention to adolescent language problems and training to teachers
Know that it does not represent a permanent disorder
Second language acquisition is possible with appropriate instruction
Don’t assume that children with language learning problems have cognitive difficulty