A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Speech Pathology Terms

For parents and family members, seeking Speech Pathology services for the first time can be daunting. The array of Speech Pathology terms you encounter in your initial appointments may feel like you’re learning a new language! 

As a passionate team of Speech Pathologists, we aim to make your journey smoother. This guide is designed to clarify common terms you might come across when discussing assessments, appointments, and reports with your treating Speech Pathologist. 

If you have more questions or specific terms from your Speech Pathologist that you’re unsure about, don’t hesitate to ask during your next appointment. Speech Pathologists are here to ensure you are involved and engaged throughout the therapy process for the best possible outcomes. 

Ready to get started? Keep reading to uncover the meanings behind common Speech Pathology terms. 

 

Speech Pathology Terms You Might Come Across in Your Initial Appointment 

Your first Speech Pathology appointment can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first experience with this field. If you’re unsure what to expect, check out our other blog post for a comprehensive overview. Otherwise, let’s dive into some common Speech Pathology terms you might hear during your initial visit. 

Communication: In Speech Pathology, communication involves the exchange or sharing of meaning using words, tone, symbols, gestures, and more. Our goal is to help you share and interpret meaning effectively with others. 

Speech: This term refers to the production of sounds using the muscles of the tongue, lips, jaw, palate, and vocal tract. It encompasses the ability to create recognizable sounds that form language. 

Language: Language involves choosing the right words and understanding their meaning. It’s a cognitive skill crucial for both expressing and comprehending messages. 

 

Common Speech Pathology Terms in Assessment Reports 

After completing a Speech Pathology assessment, you’ll receive a detailed report outlining the results and recommendations for treatment. These reports can seem overwhelming at first, especially when they include terms you might not be familiar with. Here’s a guide to some common terms found in these reports: 

Expressive Language: Refers to difficulties in expressing thoughts and ideas through speech, writing, or gestures. 

Receptive Language: Involves challenges in understanding what others are saying. It’s often important to address receptive language issues before improving expressive language skills. 

Phonology: The study of speech sounds and their patterns within language. 

Semantics: The study of meaning in language, understanding how different words or sounds convey different meanings (i.e. sale and sail sound the same when said aloud, but mean different things). 

Syntax: The rules governing the structure of sentences, or how words are arranged to form coherent sentences. Think of Yoda from Star Wars – the way he structures his sentences is because he uses a different syntax structure to what we do! 

Morphology: The study of word structures and how they change (e.g., adding prefixes or suffixes). 

Pragmatics: The social rules governing language use in different contexts, such as how to appropriately ask a question or interact with others. 

 

Common Speech Pathology Approaches and Terms 

Your Speech Pathologist may refer to different speech pathology therapy approaches and terms during your care. Here is a brief overview of the most common terms you should look out for.  

Early Language Stimulation: Strategies used by parents, caregivers, and Speech Pathologists to encourage language use in children. Learn more about early language speech therapy here.

Articulation vs. Phonology: 

Articulation: The physical production of sounds using the mouth’s structures. An articulation disorder involves difficulties with producing specific sounds beyond the typical developmental age. 

Phonology: Concerns the rules and patterns governing sound production. A phonological disorder involves breaking these rules, affecting how sounds are articulated. 

Oromotor Assessment: Evaluates the function and structure of oral muscles to determine if they impact speech production. 

Generalisation: Ensuring that communication skills learned in therapy are applied across various settings and situations. 

Intelligibility: How clearly speech is understood by others. 

 

Literacy Terms 

If your child has literacy difficulties and are receiving support for reading, writing and spelling, here are some additional speech pathology terms you may come across. 

Phoneme: The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes words (e.g., “pat” vs. “pot”). 

Letter-Sound Knowledge (LSK): Understanding which letters or letter groups represent individual speech sounds. 

Grapheme: A letter or group of letters representing a sound in written language. 

Digraph: Two letters representing a single sound (e.g., “sh” in “ship”). 

Phonological Awareness: Awareness of the different components of spoken language, such as phonemes, and the ability to manipulate these components. 

Blending and Segmenting: Skills for combining individual sounds to form words and breaking down words into their component sounds. 

Decoding and Encoding: Decoding involves sounding out words, while encoding involves breaking down spoken words into their written forms. 

 

Home Practice 

Home practice for speech therapy involves activities that reinforce the goals set in therapy sessions. Just like learning a sport or playing an instrument, practice is crucial for developing and maintaining new skills. Find more about home practice here. 

Dosage: Refers to the number of appointments, frequency of therapy sessions, and time spent on specific skills during each session. 

Frequency: The regularity of therapy sessions or practice opportunities. 

 

Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) 

AAC encompasses strategies and tools that support or replace spoken language. This can include: 

Unaided AAC or Low-Tech AAC: Uses no external tools, such as body language and sign language. 

Aided AAC or High-Tech AAC: Uses tools or devices, such as communication boards or speech-generating devices. Learn more about AAC here. 

 

Fluency vs. Dysfluency 

Fluency: Refers to the smoothness of speech. 

Dysfluency: Includes disruptions in speech flow, such as stuttering, which may involve repeating sounds, prolonging sounds, or blocking. 

 

Additional Terms 

Cue: A prompt given to help a person remember or produce a word or sound. 

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP): Integrating the best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. 

 

Conditions and Terminology 

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): A motor speech disorder affecting the planning of speech movements. 

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD): Persistent difficulties with language skills. Learn more here. 

Late Talker: A child with delayed speech development but typical understanding and social skills. 

 

Anatomy 

Vocal Folds: Muscular bands in the voice box that produce sound. 

Alveolar Ridge: The bony ridge containing the sockets of the teeth. 

Frenulum: A membrane fold supporting or restraining parts like the tongue. 

Velum: The soft part of the roof of the mouth. 

For visual references and diagrams, consider including images of these anatomical parts. 

 

We hope this guide helps demystify Speech Pathology terms and makes your experience a bit easier. If you have any more questions, remember that your Speech Pathologist is there to support you and your family through every step of the therapy process.