A child with developmental language disorder (DLD) may struggle to interpret tone of voice, explain why a peer became angry, understand another person’s intent, or put their own emotional state into words. Too often, these difficulties are treated as a separate “social” problem or immediately viewed as autism-like, while the child’s language disorder is discussed
Young adults who enter language therapy in college or after college are often very different from teenagers whose parents bring them to treatment. Many already know they are struggling. Some were identified with developmental language disorder (DLD) late. Some never received services. Others received limited or poor-quality intervention and spent years compensating, avoiding difficult tasks,
Why Good Language Therapy Still Fails in Young Adults Read More »
By adolescence, language therapy changes. A younger child can make progress because adults structure the session, prompt practice, and carry many of the supports into daily life. A 16-year-old can sit through excellent therapy every week and change very little if they see no problem, do not own the goals, or have no intention of
Why Language Therapy Works for Some Teens and Fails for Others Read More »
As a profession, speech-language pathology has appropriately focused on reducing the misidentification of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Furthermore, we now recognize that dialect, bilingualism, second-language acquisition, and limited educational opportunity are not disabilities. Assessment must be nondiscriminatory in evaluating bilingualism. However, protecting students from over-identification cannot come at the cost of missing real disability.
When “Difference” Hides Disability Read More »
For parents, educators, and speech-language pathologists working with children with developmental language disorder One of the most frustrating conversations I have with parents and professionals happens after a reevaluation. Everyone has seen the child improve. The child explains ideas more clearly and asks better questions. They need less support, write more effectively, and repair misunderstandings.
The Test Score Stayed the Same. The Child’s Skills Didn’t. Read More »
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is often misunderstood in educational settings because it is frequently conceptualized too narrowly as a “speech” or oral-language impairment. This framing is incomplete and clinically problematic. DLD affects the language systems students use to understand instruction, comprehend text, formulate ideas, organize written expression, participate in academic discourse, and access curriculum. In
DLD Is a Language-Based Learning Disability Read More »
When attention gets blamed, and language gets missed I need to state this as clearly as possible. We need to stop using ADHD as the explanation for students” school struggles. When a child cannot understand language, explain ideas, or navigate social expectations, that is not attention. That is language. And confusing the two costs kids
What looks like a simple sound error is often a deeper language weakness that quietly undermines reading and writing. I keep seeing the same referrals over and over. “The student doesn’t say his R.”“She drops sounds.”“His speech is sloppy.” On paper, this gets labeled as articulation. A simple speech issue. A few drills, practice the
When a child struggles with planning, organization, or self-regulation, the label “executive function” is often applied, and executive function coaching or ADHD coaching is presented as the solution. These services are routinely marketed as evidence-based or grounded in neuroscience, despite limited attention to what is actually impaired. The Problem: Language is the Engine Executive functions
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Most parents hear the word pragmatics and think it means manners, politeness, or social skills. That is not what it actually is. Pragmatics is how language is used to think, organize ideas, and understand what matters. Without it, language breaks down, even when a child knows vocabulary, speaks in sentences, or can read words on
Pragmatics: The Glue That Holds Language Together Read More »