Welcome to Speech and Language

Learning to communicate is one of the most crucial accomplishments of children.  Nearly 1 in 12 (7.7%) U.S. children ages 3-17 has had a disorder related to voice, speech, language, or swallowing in the past 12 months.  The Non-Public Speech and Language Program provided by the Chester County Intermediate Unit is available to help children who are having difficulty in one or more of the following areas:

Articulation - the production of speech sounds (errors could include sound omissions, substitutions, distortions or additions)

Language - the ability to understand and use oral language to communicate ideas (basic concepts; word meaning; word relationships; grammatical structures; the organization, sequencing and formulation of ideas; figurative language; and understanding of questions)

Disfluency/Stuttering - interruptions in the flow or rhythm of speech

Voice - a vocal quality which is not appropriate for age or gender

Kindergarteners and new students are screened routinely for appropriate speech and language development.  If a student is identified as having a possible need, they are evaluated when it is deemed developmentally appropriate, and a Speech and Language Individual Plan (SLIP) is written.