IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR SPEECH IMPAIRMENT WITH AN ARTICULATION DISORDER* TEXAS SPEECH LANGUAGE HEARING ASSOCIATION 2010 *This manual is to be used as an extension of, or to augment, the TSHA Eligibility Guidelines for Speech Impairment, 2009. It is not intended to be used as a standalone guide. Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICULATION ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES I. General Information: Purpose and Intended Use of the Articulation Eligibility Guidelines II. Informational Materials Regarding Articulation A. Information on Articulation and Disorders of Articulation for Parents and Teachers* 1. What is Articulation? 2. When is a Sound Error a Concern? 3. Going Forward with a Concern 4. Suggestions for Teacher/Parent Presentations B. Classroom Considerations and Articulation Intervention Recommendations III. Data Collection for Student Support Team A. Health Information** B. Parent and Teacher Information 1. General student information from teacher** 2. General student information from parent** 3. Parent/Teacher Articulation Observations C. Student Support Team Deliberations** D. Results of Classroom Interventions** IV. Standardized Assessment of Articulation A. Guidelines for Administering Standardized Tests of Articulation B. Standardized Tests for Articulation 1. Goldman-Fristoe 2 Test of Articulation a. Test Information b. Goldman-Fristoe 2 Ages for Concern 2. Arizona Articulation Proficiency Scale, 3rd Revision C. Use of Developmental Norms for Determining an Articulation Disorder V. Informal Assessment of Articulation A. Rationale for Informal Assessment B. Instructions for Informal Evaluation Measures of Articulation 1. Point-to-Point Comparison 2. Percentage of Consonants Correct a. Percentage of Consonants Correct Scoring for Goldman-Fristoe 2 b. Percentage of Consonants Correct Scoring for Arizona 3 c. Percentage of Consonants Correct Scoring for Spontaneous Speech Sample 3. Error Consistency Index—Calculation of the Consistency Index 4. Assessment of Intelligibility C. Considerations for Exceptions to Standard Procedures for Evaluating Articulation Disorders Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 2 VI. Making a Recommendation for Eligibility as Speech Impaired with an Articulation Disorder A. Articulation Disorder Checklist B. Guidelines for Determining an Articulation Disorder C. Documentation of Adverse Effect of an Articulation Disorder on Academic Achievement and Functional Performance and Need for Specialized Instruction D. Reporting Use of Informal Measures *For information regarding articulation evaluation in students with cultural and linguistic diversity, see the CLD Articulation Eligibility Manual. **Indicates forms that are essential to completing a comprehensive evaluation but are district specific and therefore not included in this manual. Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 3 I. General Information Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 4 PURPOSE AND INTENDED USE OF THE ARTICULATION ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES The purpose of the Articulation Eligibility Guidelines is to provide a structure within which the speech-language pathologist (SLP) can use consistent, evidence-based evaluation practices in accordance with the law to: o Provide information to teachers and parents regarding the nature of articulation and disorders of articulation and, when indicated, provide classroom intervention recommendations based on data collected by the Student Support Team (SST). o Complete a comprehensive evaluation of a student’s articulation abilities following a referral for articulation concerns for a Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) for special education. o Identify whether an articulation disorder is present. o Determine if the presence of an articulation disorder results in a disruption in academic achievement and/or functional performance, and document the need for specially designed instruction by the speech-language pathologist (SLP). o Make recommendations to the Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) Committee regarding eligibility for special education services and support based on speech impairment (SI). These guidelines are intended to be used in combination with the information provided in the Texas Speech Language Hearing Association (TSHA) Eligibility Guidelines for Speech Impairment, 2009, with the understanding that use of the tools in this articulation guidelines manual require additional, specialized training. SLPs should become very familiar with the information in that manual and be aware that information from both manuals is essential to completing a comprehensive evaluation of articulation. Please see the Texas Speech Language Hearing Association (TSHA) Eligibility Guidelines for Speech Impairment, 2009, for additional information (available online at www.TSHA.org). Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 5 II. Informational Materials Regarding Articulation Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 6 A. INFORMATION ON ARTICULATION AND DISORDERS OF ARTICULATION FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS* What Is Articulation? Articulation Articulate: 1. In speech, to execute the movements and adjustments of the speech organs necessary to make a speech sound. 2. Able to satisfactorily express oneself with words; easy and fluent verbal expression of thoughts, attitudes, feelings, etc. (Nicolosi, 1989). An individual has an articulation problem when he or she produces sounds, syllables, or words incorrectly so that the listener does not easily understand what is being said. For example, children who say “ring” as “wing” are substituting /w/ for /r/. Another example of a substitution is the interchanging of /th/ for /s/ so that “soup” is pronounced “thoup.” Substitutions are the most frequent speech errors. When a sound is said inaccurately, but sounds something like the intended sound, it is called a distortion. The child may also omit sounds. The articulation disorder affects the student’s ability to accomplish the listening and speaking grade level standards or TEKS. It may also impact the student’s oral reading, spelling, and relations with peers. In a school environment, articulation therapy refers to the remediation process for correcting errors of specific speech sounds that impede the learning process. Are some sounds easier to produce than other sounds? Defined most simply, a phoneme is a speech sound. Phonemes differ across regions of the United States. These are what we hear as a region’s “accent” or “dialect.” An example of this is the way a Texan may pronounce the /r/ in comparison with someone who is native to New York. Phonemes are produced by moving the articulators of the mouth. These include lips, tongue, and teeth. Varying sounds can be made when articulators are used either together or alone. The earliest sounds a child makes are usually either bilabial or lingua-alveolar. Bilabial sounds refer to using both lips, as in the /p/, /b/, and /m/ phonemes. Lingua-alveolar refers to using the tongue and the ridge of tissue behind the teeth, as in the /t/ or /d/ phonemes. This explains why a baby’s first words may be “dada” or “mama.” As a child develops, his mouth grows. Sounds requiring elaborate tongue placement are very difficult for a young child due to the size of his mouth and the amount of control he has over his tongue movement (Weiss & Gordon, 1987). Later-developing sounds include /r/, /s/, /z/, /th/, /sh/, and /ch/. Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 7 Why do some children exhibit articulation errors? Learning speech sounds begins at a very early age. Sounds are learned as the child listens to the speech around him/her. Frequent ear infections during this important listening period may result in later articulation errors. Articulation problems may also be directly related to dental problems or physical handicaps, such as cerebral palsy, cleft palate, or hearing loss. While it is possible that the above issues may result in speech errors, not all causes are readily identifiable. What should I do if I suspect a child has an articulation problem? Consult with your speech-language pathologist (SLP) to determine whether the errors you are hearing are developmentally appropriate for that child’s age. If not, or if you note a number of sound errors, contact the person in charge of the Student Support Team (SST) and ask that the child be added to the meeting’s agenda for discussion with parents and teacher(s). It is recommended that the hearing and vision screening and the parent and teacher Articulation Observations be completed before concerns are addressed by the SST. The SST may make recommendations for interventions by the general education teacher and/or SLP; see “Classroom Considerations and Articulation Intervention Recommendations” in Section II-B of this manual. If these interventions are not deemed successful in a reasonable time period or if the child presents with an obvious disability, a referral for a Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE) for special education may be warranted. With parental notice and consent, the SLP will then begin the process of evaluating the child. If the child exhibits an articulation disorder that interferes with mastery of grade level objectives or TEKS, an Individual Education Program (IEP) may be designed for the child so that remediation of the error(s) can be addressed. Nicolosi, L. (1989). Terminology of Communication Disorders, 3rd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. Weiss, C., & Gordon, E. (1987). Clinical Management of Articulatory and Phonological Disorders, 2nd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins. Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 8 When Is a Sound Error a Concern? K/G plus additional sounds Kindergarten S plus additional sounds First grade S only or R plus additional sounds Second grade R only Third grade /th/ as the only sound error can possibly be remediated in the classroom Note: Very rarely will other sounds, such as /l/, /sh/, /ch/, /f/, and /v/, be the only sound a child will produce incorrectly. These sounds are considered the “additional sounds” referred to in the list above. Normally, if these additional sounds are produced incorrectly, /s/, /r/, /k/, or /g/ may also be produced incorrectly. Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 9 Going Forward with a Concern Based on the information provided in the preceding pages, look at the following students and indicate one of the following: going directly to a referral, implementing classroom interventions, or waiting to see if the student develops the sound given more time. (R= referral; C = consider waiting or classroom intervention) 1. A 1st grader who pronounces “red” as “wed.” 2. A 4th grader who pronounces “paper” as “papah” and “several” as “sevewal.” 3. A 2nd grader who pronounces “calling” as “cawing.” 4. A 3rd grader who says “dood” for “good.” 5. A kindergartener who says “fumb” instead of “thumb.” 6. A 1st grader who pronounces “please” as “pweath.” Practice: What are two sounds that are still developing in a kindergarten student? Show your partner how these sounds are frequently misarticulated. What forms should be completed prior to a referral for speech evaluation? Think of one way you can help address the correct production of a sound in your classroom for a student who exhibits a speech error. Texas Speech Language Hearing Association Articulation Guidelines, 2010 10