Speech-Language Pathologists' Attitudes and Involvement regarding Language and Reading

Abstract

A survey was conducted to explore public school speech-language pathologists' attitudes and perceptions of their knowledge, competencies, educational needs, and involvement with children regarding the relationship between oral language and reading disorders. Data indicated that public school speech-language pathologists believe they ought to be involved with children with reading disorders, yet they report that they are not involved to a great extent. Those surveyed also reported a present lack of competencies and available training to assist them in assuming a more integral role in the management of children who possess a reading disorder. ...the speech pathologist's role in reading instruction is something more than the identification and remediation of coexisting defects of articulation or auditory perception.... The speech pathologist has an essential contribution to make to the process of reading acquisition, in normal and language disordered children ?. The speech pathologist has the responsibility to assess and develop the linguistic prerequisites for reading, as well as to assist the child in developing the specific linguistic awareness required for reading (Rees, 1974, pp. 257-258). ...we believe that there is a significant amount of evidence to indicate that speech pathologists can make a very important contribution to the prevention and treatment of reading problems (Stark, 1975, p. 834). Because the speech-language pathologist is a specialist in the area of language, he/she is, in many cases, the best qualified to identify, assess and remediate the language-based reading problems exhibited by many reading-disordered children (Catts & Kamhi, 1986, p. 335).