Language Delays DO affect Reading and Writing Skills

I have discussions every week with classroom teachers stating their concerns about the children in their classroom with language deficits. Children with language delays experience more difficult in many areas; PARTICULARY IN THE AREAS OF READING AND WRITING! 

Students with Language Delays already have difficulty with:

Understanding Oral Directions

Using complete sentences or correct grammar

Completing assignments independently

Vocabulary Skills

AND

Becoming easily frustrated

So......... parents and teachers need to make special efforts to know how language deficits affect classroom performance:  

                  

Children with language delays may find Reading and Writing difficult in the following ways:

1. Reading Comprehension

2. Organizing thoughts on paper

3. Forming letters and words on paper

4. Fluent oral reading

5. Poor spelling

6. "Guessing" at words based on pictures and beginning sounds

7. Difficulty learning sight words

8. Discriminating between sounds

9. Learning the relationship between letters and sounds

?Now What? How do we help?

*Figure out how your child learns best? (using clues, using hands-on materials/objects, flashcards, visuals, acting things out...etc..)

*Narrow down what the weaknesses are in reading/writing

*Build on the strengths in reading/writing and what he is can actually do-

*Read books with your child (talk about new vocabulary & what the word means)

*Restate sentences that your child may say that is not grammatically correct so you will model correct grammar and sentence structures.

*Promote phonemic awareness skills. (Play with Rhyming words, songs, and chants. Tell your child what makes words rhyme and point out words that begin with the same letter.)

*Use ENCOURAGEMENT! Tell your child, "Great job" or "You are really good at that"......