Speech and Language Course

Lesson 1 • Neurological Bases of Communication

Examines brain regions governing speech production and language comprehension. Links neuroscience to observable communication behaviors.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Phonetics

Introduces the International Phonetic Alphabet and articulatory phonetics. Enables accurate transcription of speech sounds for clinical use.

Lesson 3 • Overview of Language Components

Surveys phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics as the five domains of language. Prepares students to analyze language at multiple levels.

Lesson 4 • Defining Speech Versus Language

Distinguishes speech as motor output from language as a symbolic rule system. Sets the conceptual framework used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • School-Age and Adolescent Language

Addresses metalinguistic awareness, academic language, and figurative language development. Shows how language demands shift with formal schooling.

Lesson 2 • Early Word and Sentence Acquisition

Examines first words, vocabulary spurt, and early multi-word combinations from ages one to three. Connects lexical and syntactic growth to cognitive development.

Lesson 3 • Language Changes in Adulthood and Aging

Examines normal cognitive-linguistic changes in older adults, including word retrieval and processing speed. Distinguishes normal aging from pathological decline.

Lesson 4 • Pre-Linguistic Communication in Infants

Covers joint attention, intentional communication, and early vocalizations before first words. Establishes the communicative foundation that precedes formal language.

Lesson 1 • Dysarthria in Children and Adults

Describes the six dysarthria subtypes and their neurological origins. Connects subtype characteristics to targeted treatment approaches.

Lesson 2 • Typical Articulation Development

Presents age-of-acquisition norms for consonants and vowels across developmental stages. Provides the baseline for identifying disordered sound production.

Lesson 3 • Articulation Disorders

Covers motor-based errors including distortions and substitutions not explained by phonological patterns. Differentiates articulation from phonological disorders.

Lesson 4 • Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Examines the motor planning deficits underlying childhood apraxia and its distinguishing features. Prepares students to recognize inconsistent error patterns.

Lesson 1 • Intellectual Disability and Language

Describes language characteristics associated with intellectual disability and syndrome-specific profiles. Connects cognitive level to language intervention goals.

Lesson 2 • Bilingual and Multilingual Language Development

Addresses typical bilingual acquisition patterns and how to distinguish difference from disorder. Prevents misdiagnosis in culturally and linguistically diverse children.

Lesson 3 • Language in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Covers the range of language profiles in autism, from minimally verbal to hyperlexic. Emphasizes social communication deficits as a core feature.

Lesson 4 • Language and Literacy Connections

Explores the bidirectional relationship between oral language and reading and writing development. Highlights the clinician's role in supporting literacy.

Lesson 1 • Aphasia Classification and Profiles

Presents the major aphasia syndromes, their lesion sites, and characteristic language profiles. Provides a classification framework for clinical decision-making.

Lesson 2 • Traumatic Brain Injury and Communication

Covers cognitive-communication deficits following traumatic brain injury, including attention, memory, and discourse. Distinguishes TBI profiles from aphasia.

Lesson 3 • Voice and Resonance Disorders

Covers organic and functional voice disorders, hypernasality, and hyponasality. Connects vocal pathology to underlying structural and behavioral causes.

Lesson 4 • Right Hemisphere Communication Disorders

Examines deficits in prosody, inference, and discourse coherence following right hemisphere damage. Highlights subtle but functionally significant communication changes.

Lesson 1 • Stuttering Assessment and Severity

Teaches frequency counts, duration measures, and impact scales for comprehensive stuttering evaluation. Links severity data to treatment goal prioritization.

Lesson 2 • Voice Rehabilitation Techniques

Presents resonant voice therapy, vocal hygiene programs, and laryngeal massage for voice disorders. Connects technique selection to vocal pathology type and severity.

Lesson 3 • Cluttering and Other Fluency Disorders

Distinguishes cluttering from stuttering by its rate, clarity, and self-monitoring deficits. Introduces assessment and treatment strategies specific to cluttering.

Lesson 4 • Understanding Stuttering

Covers the neurological, genetic, and psychological factors contributing to stuttering onset and persistence. Establishes a multidimensional model of the disorder.

Lesson 1 • Language Sample Analysis

Teaches collection and analysis of spontaneous language samples using measures such as MLU and TTR. Provides a naturalistic complement to standardized testing.

Lesson 2 • Dynamic and Functional Assessment

Introduces test-teach-retest and ecological assessment methods for diverse and hard-to-test populations. Expands assessment beyond static standardized measures.

Lesson 3 • Formal Language and Speech Testing

Reviews major standardized batteries for language, articulation, and phonology across age groups. Teaches score calculation, interpretation, and reporting.

Lesson 4 • Case History and Interview Techniques

Covers structured and open-ended interviewing to gather developmental, medical, and social history. Positions the case history as the foundation of the diagnostic process.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Evidence-Based Practice

Defines the integration of research evidence, clinical expertise, and client values in treatment decisions. Establishes the ethical and scientific basis for all intervention choices.

Lesson 2 • Intervention for Speech Sound Disorders

Presents motor-based, phonological, and minimal pairs approaches for treating speech sound errors. Matches method selection to disorder type and severity.

Lesson 3 • Goal Writing and Treatment Planning

Covers SMART goal construction, baseline measurement, and session planning frameworks. Ensures treatment is targeted, measurable, and systematically organized.

Lesson 4 • Language Intervention Across Contexts

Covers pull-out, push-in, and collaborative service delivery models for language intervention. Addresses generalization strategies to promote real-world communication gains.