What is the SLP's Role in Literacy Development?

Many educators, including SLPs, either don't know or refuse to recognize that literacy development is within the scope of practice of the speech language pathologist. But the SLP's roles and responsibilities in literacy development are clearly established by the American Speech Language Hearing Association's (ASHA) position statement regarding the matter.

At the most fundamental level, spoken language provides the foundation for the development of reading and writing. Therefore, speech language pathologists are often the first professionals to formally identify the root cause of reading and writing problems by recognizing a child’s difficulty with language. So it only stands to reason that children who have problems with spoken language frequently experience difficulties learning to read and write.

Identifying reading difficulties early means children have more time to learn to be successful readers. And since reading is learned more easily and effectively during the early years, identifying language-based learning disabilities and providing appropriate interventions early on gives children more time to become proficient readers.

Your SLP plays a critical and direct role in the development of literacy for children and adolescents with communication disorders. She has the specialized education, knowledge and experience needed to identify communication problems and to provide the help that children need to build critical language and literacy skills.

Key Responsibilities

There are many ways in which SLPs support literacy development. Below are some of their key responsibilities.

• Build and reinforce relationships between early spoken language and early pre-literacy abilities
• Address difficulties involving
  • Phonological awareness
  • Memory
  • Retrieval
  • Comprehension
• Teach children to use a variety of language strategies in reading and writing
• Analyze how the language demands of textbooks, academic talk, and curriculum may stress a student’s capabilities at different age and grade levels
• Suggest modifications
  • Reduced assignments
  • Extra time allotment
  • Use a multi-sensory approach
  • Graphic organizers
• Conduct analysis of written language to generate intervention that matches the needs of individual students

Additional Information

Please click on the following links from the ASHA website if you would like to learn more about the SLP's role  literacy and reading development.

• Learning About Literacy: SLPs Play Key Role in Reading, Writing
• Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists With Respect to Reading and Writing in Children and Adolescents

You might also be interested in...

• 3 Essential Literacy Assessments for SLPs

• Toll-free: 1-888-440-MIND (6463)
• © 2005-2010 MindWorks Resources