Chapter 6
Understanding Students with Communication Disorders
Chapter Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
• Identify and define communication disorders.
Chapter Overview/Presentation Outline
I: Introduction
Slide 2: Chapter 6 Objectives
-Present slide 2 and review the chapter objectives
II. Identifying Students with Communication Disorders
Slide 3: Defining Communication Disorders
-Present slide 3 and discuss definitions of communication disorders
Slide 6: Speech Disorders
-Present slide 6 and discuss speech disorder
Slide 7: Language Impairments
-Present slide 7 and discuss language impairments
III. Evaluating Students with Communication Disorders
Slide 10: Evaluating Students with Communication Disorders
-Present slide 10 and discuss evaluation and determination of speech and language impairments
IV. Designing an Appropriate IEP
Slide 14: Planning for Universal Design for Learning
-Present slide 14 and discuss UDL strategies for students with communication disorders
V. Using Effective Instructional Strategies
Slide 17: Early Childhood Strategies
-Present slide 17 and discuss facilitative language strategies
VI. Assessing Students’ Progress
Slide 20: Measuring Students’ Progress
-Present slide 20 and discuss curriculum-based measurement and ecological inventories
Class Activities
1. At the beginning of class, have students read the case study at the beginning of the chapter.
Discuss the student’s strengths, weaknesses, support systems, family-professional collaboration,
and educational program.
2. Have students create a brochure about the disability addressed in the chapter. The brochure
can be trifold and include: a definition of the disability, causes of the disability, characteristics of
3. Assign each student or pair of students a disability. Have the students prepare a class
presentation of the disability to include definition of the disability, causes and prevalence,
4. Think-Pair-Share: Ask students to think about the differences between receptive and
expressive language and when each is used in the classroom. Have students pair up and discuss
the differences and write down examples of the uses of receptive and expressive language. Pairs
can then share their list with the class.
5. Nell © 1994, 113 minutes—Show a portion or all of Nell and allow students to discuss the
film.
6. At the end of class, have students revisit the case study at the beginning of the chapter. Use the
questions at the end of the chapter, “What do you think?” to facilitate discussion.