INTRODUCTION TO

SPEECH - LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION

Dept. of CAP – academic program

August 2023

Dr. S.S. Meera

Associate Professor &
Wellcome Trust-DBT India Alliance Early Career Fellow in Clinical and Public Health,
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, NIMHANS
PI: The Infant-Toddler Language Development and Intervention Lab (LiL’) 1
https://ssm-lab.org/
 What does a speech language pathologist do?

Language
Pre-linguistics
Speech Communication
Play
Oro motor and verbal and non-
Fluency – Receptive
sensory asst verbal modes:
stuttering
e.g. for drooling Expressive Swallow
Articulation- the heart of a
due to weakness Use of speech assessment and
/l/ for /r/
Food preferences language language management
Voice – (Pragmatics) pathologist’s (dysphagia)
and placements
hoarseness work
due to sensory Home
issues Apraxia of language Candidacy for
speech environment AAC
For all NDD
cases
SPEECH – LANGUAGE &
COMMUNICATION

3
1.Ramu is 4 years old. It is hard to understand him when he talks. He is soft when
he speaks, and his sounds are not clear.
2.Shilu is in high school. She has had learning problems since she was young. She
has trouble reading and writing and needs extra time to take tests.
3.Aadi is 2 years old. He does no respond to his name but runs to the TV room
when he hears his favorite advertisement on TV. He knows his dad is home the
moment he hears the sound of the Enfield but does not greet or answer simple
questions his dad asks.
4.Mala a 12-year-old had a stroke. She can only say one or two words at a time. She
cannot tell her mother what she wants and needs. She also has trouble following
simple directions.
5.Kanthi a 10-year-old is reciting a poem in her class. The class has large windows
opening onto Hosur Road close to Silk Board Junction. Teacher says her speech is
not clear and she must improve her skills in recitation.

COMMON?
DIFFERENT?

4
1.Ramu is 4 years old. It is hard to understand him when he talks. He is soft
when he speaks, and his sounds are not clear.
2.Shillu is in high school. She has had learning problems since she was
young. She has trouble reading and writing and needs extra time to take
tests.
3.Aadi is 2 years old. He does not respond to his name but runs to the TV
room when he hears his favorite advertisement on TV. He knows his dad
is home the moment he hears the sound of the Enfield but does not greet
or answer simple questions his dad asks.
4.Mala a 12-year-old had a stroke. She can only say one or two words at a
time. She cannot tell her mother what she wants and needs. She also has
trouble following simple directions.
5.Kanthi a 10-year-old is reciting a poem in her class. The class has large
windows opening onto Hosur Road close to Silk Board Junction. Teacher
says her speech is not clear and she must improve her skills in recitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All have trouble COMMUNICATING

But their problems are different à Speech and/or Language disorders

5
SPEECH LANGUAGE

COMMUNICATION
 Speech
• Oral form of communication
• Simplest - Talking
• It is a motor movement
• Mechanical aspects of language
production and not the content.
• Coordinating muscles into specific
motor sequences
• Complex integration of
& has Neurological inputs

Articulation
Resonation
Phonation
Respiration
 SPEECH

ü Speech is how we say sounds and words.

ü Fluency, Articulation, Voice
ü Speech Production- Integrated functioning of

Speech organ Speech process Speech function

Lungs Respiration Power supply

Sound Generation
Larynx Phonation
Vibrator

Speech- sound
Vocal tract Articulation
molding Resonator

https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/Speech-and-Language/
 Language

• Cognitive skill
• Language refers to the words we use
and how we use them to share ideas and
get what we want.
• Socially shared code or symbol set
Includes
• Sign language, Emails, Writing, Texting
Phonology
• Receptive and Expressive language Morpho-
Syntax
Semantics &
Pragmatics
https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/Speech-and-Language/
Communication

• Two-way process
• Encompasses all modes of reception and expression
including non-verbal forms
• Exchange of ideas, information, thoughts, and feelings
• Can be verbal – through speech
• Can be non-verbal – through gestures, writing, body
movement, eye gaze, picture exchange, pointing to pictures
etc.
• 70% of our communication comprises non - verbal forms #
COMMUNICATION (SPEECH) CHAIN

Denes and Pinson, 1992

 COMMUNICATION CHAIN
Pre-lingual Stage Message interpretation

Language encoding
Language decoding
Motor programming

Feedback
systems Motor Perception/Recognition
execution/Speech

Transmission Reception

David Crystal & Rosemary, 1998

 Communication Chain

Pre-lingual Stage – Cognitive Impairment

Message interpretation -
Cognitive impairment

Language encoding – Specific Language

Impairment/ Soc. Comm Disorders/
Aphasia Language decoding –
SLI, Aphasia
Motor programming –
Apraxia of Speech
Perception/Recognition –
Pure Word Deafness
Motor execution - Dysarthria

Transmission – Reception – CHL, SNHL

Background Noise

David Crystal & Rosemary, 1998

Your thoughts?

• Use single language with your child – will help them learn
language. Multiple languages confuse your child

• Speech therapist/Speech language pathologist will make your

child speak

• Speech therapist/Speech language pathologist – do therapy

Myths:

MYTH 1
• Use single language with your child – will help them learn language.
Multiple languages confuse your child
üNO – One must assess the home language environment before giving this
advice

MYTH 2
• Speech therapist/Speech language pathologist will make your child speak
üNO – we work on communication - an aspect of communication is
speech

MYTH 3
• Speech therapist/Speech language pathologist – do therapy
üNO – we are part of a multidisciplinary team that helps in diagnosis,
differential diagnosis and we also work on intervention
 What does a speech language pathologist do?

Language
Pre-linguistics
Speech Communication
Play
Oro motor and verbal and non-
Fluency – Receptive
sensory asst verbal modes:
stuttering
e.g., for drooling Expressive Swallow
Articulation- the heart of a
due to weakness Use of speech assessment and
/l/ for /r/
Food preferences language language management
Voice – (Pragmatics) pathologist’s (dysphagia)
and placements
hoarseness work
due to sensory Home
issues Apraxia of language Candidacy for
speech environment AAC
For all NDD
cases
Clinical services - SLPA

• G-14 (ground floor ) OPD block

• Monday – Saturday OPDs
• Morning – dedicated to assessments (new and follow up),
afternoon – therapy sessions
• Referral –
To
The consultant,
Dept. of Speech Pathology and Audiology
NIMHANS
§ Assessments are done
• To arrive at a diagnosis
• To help in differential diagnosis – MDI (Primary DLD vs DLD + mild
ASD)
• To plan intervention
• To help making appropriate referrals
 CONTACT

Dr. S.S. Meera

Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Speech Pathology and Audiology, NIMHANS
ssmeera@nimhans.ac.in
080-26995571/68

Infant-Toddler Language Intervention Lab

https://ssm-lab.org/

Ssm.lab.lil @SSMeera2