What is Language? An Overview for Neurodivergent Students
Did you “go to speech” when you were in school? Or are you “in speech” right now?
Many of my middle and high school students start to wonder why they’re in speech. Especially when they can say all of the speech sounds and they don’t stutter.
“I can talk fine!” many of my students tell me.
They’re probably working on language skills.
What is language?
Language is how we use words to communicate.
Most species communicate with one another. Animals, trees, and even fungi have ways of “talking.” But only humans use words.
Words are the names we give to ideas and things. We create words by combining sounds (when we talk) and letters (when we write). Then, we combine words to create sentences and say what we want to say.
The 5 Big Areas of Language
There are five different areas of language that speech therapists and teachers think about. You don’t need to know all of the details, but knowing a little bit might help you understand your language strengths and your language weaknesses.
Phonology = Sounds
Every word is made of sounds. Cat has three sounds. Cats has four sounds.
You might have trouble…
hearing the difference between words (Did they say “bat” or “cat?”)
pronouncing words correctly (Does that word start with a “b” or a “c” sound?)
reading, writing, and spelling
Morphology = Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words
Morphemes are the smallest parts of a word that have meaning. Morphology is hard to explain, so we usually lump it together with vocabulary. The important thing to remember is that adding morphemes changes the meaning of a word.
You might have trouble with….
prefixes (morphemes like “pre,” “un,” and “dis” that are added to the beginning of words)
suffixes (morphemes like “ly,” “ed,” and “s” that are added to the end of words)
root words (morphemes like “run,” “glass,” and “watch” that you can add prefixes and suffixes to)
Vocabulary = Meaning
Words have meanings. If you add a prefix or suffix to words, it changes the meaning. If you put words together into a sentence, it has a more specific meaning.
You might have trouble with…
understanding what words mean
using the right word at the right time
figuring out what words mean if you’re not sure
Syntax = Sentences
We follow rules when we put words together to make sentences. Following the rules helps people understand us. Understanding the rules helps you understand other people.
You might have trouble with…
putting words in the right order (“I tea drank ” instead of “I drank tea”)
organizing what you’re saying
understanding sentences, directions, lectures, or long conversations
Pragmatics = Social Skills
Pragmatics is how we talk and listen to people in our daily lives. It’s how we ask questions, answer questions, say what we need, explain ourselves, or have conversations.
You might have trouble…
telling someone what you need or want
asking questions to find out information
staying on topic when you talk to other people
Don’t forget our definition of language from the beginning. Language is how we use words to communicate. Pragmatics is the overarching skill that allows us to communicate.
The Two Ways We Use Language
There are two kinds of language: receptive language and expressive language. Some people have trouble with both, and some people only have trouble with one. So, what are they?
Receptive language is what you understand. We use receptive language when we read and when we listen.
Expressive language is what you do. We use expressive language when we talk and when we write.
What My Students Tell Me
If you’re still not sure if some of the things you’re struggling with are language or not, read some of the things my students have told me they have trouble with.
I can’t explain things the way I want to.
I can’t think of the right words to say what I want to say.
When I tell people things, it’s all out of order. I start talking, think of something I should have already said, backtrack, and then jump ahead. People are confused.
When I read, there are a lot of words I don’t know. I don’t understand what things are about because there are too many words I don’t know.
I can’t remember the directions people gave me.
The longer something is, the harder it is for me to understand it or remember it.
What You Can Do
If any of this sounded like you, you might have language weaknesses. Here are some things you can do.
If you’re already in speech therapy, tell them what you need! We love to hear your thoughts!
If you’re in speech therapy, ask your therapist questions. Ask about what you’re doing in speech each day and why.
If you’re not in speech therapy, find out if you should start.
If you’re in school, talk to an adult you trust. They can point you in the right direction. Also, talk to your parents. They’ll need to fill out paperwork first.
If you’re not in high school, search for options where you live. You can search for speech therapy services at a hospital or a clinic. You can also search for speech therapy services online. Online services are called teletherapy or telehealth. Talking to your family doctor can be a great place to start!
If you’re not in speech therapy and it’s not an option for you, bookmark this website! I share things that can help you help yourself. You can also follow speech therapists on social media. Many of us share tips and ideas that could help you!
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You can check out the products I offer in my TpT store. This will hopefully help you also!
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