Whole Language and the Speech-Language Pathologist

Abstract

Although many speech-language pathologists service children who have difficulty with oral and written language, many have expressed a lack of confidence in their knowledge of the oral language-reading relationship (Casby, 1988). There is an approach to literacy known as whole language which is largely based on the principles of oral language acquisition. A speech-language pathologist based in a school that utilizes a whole language approach would not only be able to address the language needs of her students, but could assume a leadership role in the literacy program by virtue of her expertise in oral language acquisition.