The ability to communicate what you're thinking and feeling is such a fundamental aspect of humanity. It is important to help and be patient with children who struggle with communication disorders as they try to express themselves.
One of the things that really stood out to me in this chapter on communication disorders were the ways in which teachers can help students who have trouble communicating. Above all, patience is key. It is important to be encouraging and supportive. Speaking at a moderate pace, not interrupting the student when they are talking, and asking the right type of questions are all important. With questions, it is important to phrase them correctly. Questions with one word answers like yes or no do not give the student an opportunity to exercise using language. However, asking too many questions can also be overwhelming.
Teaching literacy requires a different approach as well. Sometimes the problem is that the student cannot decode what they have read (and translate the words on the page to spoken words). It is important for the teacher and special education staff to work together with the student to help them.
As someone who was typically a fast learning when it came to reading and writing, I remember sometimes getting frustrated when some of my peers would take a long time to read their assigned passage during class read-aloud time. I sometimes even got in trouble for reading ahead of the group and then not knowing where we were when it came time for me to read aloud. As a teacher, I will always have to be mindful and courteous of any potential students I may have with communication disabilities. With an emphasis on early intervention, by the time children reach middle school, the percentage of those with disabilities of this kind is very low. However, I still need to be prepared.
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