Communication skills are the foundation for the successful acquisition of educational skills.  At Freetown Elementary School each child's speech and language development is screened when they are enrolled in school at the kindergarten screening.  If difficulties are noted the student is referred for a speech and/or language evaluation.  Prior to the kindergarten screening, between the ages of 3-5, a child may be referred for a screening/evaluation by a parent, nursery school teacher, medical doctor or other interested adult.

    With parental permission an evaluation can be conducted consisting of careful observation and standardized tests which measure a child's speech/language abilities.  At that time a determination is made to determine if the child is developing within normal limits or if there is a communication delay/disorder which would benefit from intervention to stimulate more appropriate skills in the area of difficulty.

   Common delays or disorders of speech/language found in children are listed below:

• articulation - how sounds are formed into words
• phonology - how speech sounds are organized into "sound patterns" or "sound contrasts"
• form - grammar, verb tenses, and sentence structure rules
• content - understanding/choosing words to convey meaning or express ideas
• use - asking questions or conversational skills (using language in a variety of situations)
• voice - commonly caused by vocal nodules or nasality due to cleft palate
• fluency - speech that does not have a smooth flow
• auditory processing - remembering, understanding and deriving meaning from what is heard

    If a determination is made that a child has a speech and\or language difficulty which will have an affect on his/her ability to profit from educational instruction in the classroom speech and/or language therapy will be recommended.  At that time an Individual Educational Plan will be written with input from parents and the classroom teacher.  The amount and location of service delivery will depend on the type and severity of the problem.  Therapy can take place in a pull-out setting, in the inclusion classroom or through consultation with the classroom teacher and the parents.

    Specific goals will be written to be addressed during the child's daily schedule.  The objective is to help the child overcome his delay/difficulty.  The goals will be addressed over a period of time in fun and rewarding activities that will not frustrate or embarrass the child.  The ultimate goal is to make the child a better communicator in a way that will insure him that speech and language is fun and communication is a key to a rewarding and successful life.