The importance of Speech and Language

Communication skills are central to a child’s learning and development. These skills are fundamental if children and young people are to take an active part in family, school and social life. 
 
In order to understand the importance of speech and language, it is necessary to firstly define them so that their function can be understood.

The definition of speech and language is often confused. There is, however, a distinction between them.  

Speech is the verbal expression of language and includes articulation, which is the way words are formed; that is,  the physical act of speaking.  According to Hamaguchi a speech-language pathologist, it also has to do with creating ideas and sending them to the mouth and muscles that produce speech.
 
Language refers to ‘the content of what is spoken, written or understood’ says Hamaguchi. It can also be expressed with gestures, and can be divided onto two areas; receptive and expressive language.  Receptive language is ‘the ability to comprehend someone else’s speech or gestures.  Expressive language is ‘the ability to create a spoken message that others will understand.
Communication skills are central to a child’s learning and development. These skills are fundamental if children and young people are to take an active part in family, school and social life.  

As good communicators, we often take these skills for granted but many children struggle to express themselves and to make themselves understood. Some of these children might struggle with:

    * Attention and listening skills
    * Understanding
    * Talking (putting together/combining words to make sentences and phrases)
    * Speech (the way we produce sounds to form words)
    * Ability to interact with people

Gavin an SLP says, 'many parents whose children have speech delays postpone seeking professional advice and reassure themselves that they will outgrow them'. Hamaguichi believes that parents should not take a ‘wait and see’ stance before seeing a pathologist.  She says that parents should not assume their child will ‘outgrow the problems’

We know that delayed speech and language development is more likely to have an impact on learning ability and specifically reading and writing skills at school. Children with talking and understanding difficulties, who are not given help, are more likely to have difficulty in school, personal relationships and potential careers.

SLCN (Speech, Language and Communication Needs) is often called a ‘hidden difficulty’. Many children with SLCN look just like other children, and can be just as intelligent. This means that instead of communication difficulties people may see children struggling to learn to read, showing poor behaviour, having difficulties learning or socialising with others. Some children may become withdrawn or isolated. Their needs are often misinterpreted, misdiagnosed or missed altogether.
 
References:
http://www.talkingpoint.org.uk

http://www.southwarkpct.nhs.uk
 
 Hamaghuchi .P. A (1995), Childhood speech, language and listening problems,