Risk of reading difficulty among students with a history of speech or language impairment: Implications for Student Support Teams

ABSTRACT

Many students with a history of speech or language impairment have an elevated risk of reading difficulty. Specific subgroups of these students remain at risk of reading problems even after clinical manifestations of a speech or language disorder have diminished. These students may require reading intervention within a general education system of supports and services. The first part of this article describes three speech-language disorders that place elementary students at risk of reading problems: functional speech disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, and specific language impairment. Emphasis is given to research findings on the reading outcomes of students with these disorders. The second part of the article provides recommendations within an RTI framework that will assist Student Support Teams in identifying, monitoring, and supporting these students.

KEYWORDS:

• Assessment
• language impairment
• reading disability
• RTI
• speech sound disorders

Note

Notes

1. A detailed discussion of English language learners (ELLs) is beyond the scope of this article. In general, ELLs require language and literacy instruction that is culturally responsive and targeted to the student's level of linguistic proficiency (Klinger, Sorrells, & Barrera, 2007). Academic supports for ELLs may include direct services and/or consultation from a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and/or bilingual education (Echevarria & Vogt, 2011).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Richard P. Zipoli

Richard P. Zipoli, Jr. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders at Southern Connecticut State University. His current interests include language disorders, learning and reading disabilities, and service delivery in high-need schools.

Donna D. Merritt

Donna D. Merritt is a speech-language pathologist and consultant for the Connecticut State Educational Resource Center (SERC), where she provides professional development to educators. She specializes in the links between oral language, literacy, and classroom discourse and is the author of journal articles and Language Intervention in the Classroom (1998).