Language Disabilities
What is a language disability?
A language disability occurs when an individual’s listening or speaking skills interfere with communicating needs, feelings and thoughts with others. A language disability can affect how an individual learns and uses sounds, words and sentences. Language disabilities also interfere with the development of reading and written expression, which can effect school and work performance. An individual with a language disability will struggle with:
- listening comprehension
- acquiring and using new vocabulary
- expressing oneself in complete thoughts
- retelling events orally or in writing
- understanding what is read
- participating in groups
- understanding directions
- interacting socially
How can the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic help?
The UCF Communication Disorders Clinic offers services designed to help those in need of therapy for language disabilities. Clinical faculty members are distinguished service providers. They are also dedicated teachers and researchers preparing graduate students to become the next generation of speech-language pathologists.
What is the evaluation procedure at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic?
The first step in determining an individual’s needs is to gather a history of the pertinent information regarding development of early language skills, such as first words and sentences. For school-age children, the history will also provide information on the development of literacy skills and current school achievement. For adults, the history will provide information about social and work related activities.
Clients who have had other evaluations or previous therapy should provide copies of reports when returning the UCF case history form.
The case history and other information provided will be used to plan a comprehensive evaluation that assesses specific strengths and abilities in all areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
The scheduled evaluation sessions take two-to-four hours over one or two days. A written report of the evaluation will be completed within two weeks and results and options for treatment, if recommended, will be discussed with clients and their families by a clinical faculty member.
Please click on the link below to complete a case history form. The completed form can be faxed or mailed to the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic (see Contact Us). It cannot be sent back electronically due to privacy issues.
Adult Speech and Language Case History Form
Child Speech and Language Case History Form
What type of treatment is provided at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic?
Treatment plans are designed to address the individual’s specific strengths and abilities determined from the comprehensive evaluation. Suggested long-term goals are discussed with the individual. Short-term goals are selected that can be reasonably achieved by the end of the semester treatment period. Progress towards treatment outcomes is measured at each session. Treatment sessions are typically scheduled twice a week. Other arrangements can be made, as appropriate.
For further information on language disabilities, visit:
Please click on Research for an abbreviated list of our recent publications and research initiatives. Click on Outreach for a list of our community outreach affiliations.
|
