What Teachers Should Know Students with language impairments have difficulty understanding what is being communicated to them or difficulty expressing themselves. These difficulties may be verbal, nonverbal, or written. Language impairments may be: expressive — difficulty expressing ideas or needs receptive — difficulty understanding what others are communicating mixed — a combination of expressive and receptive Students with language impairments have problems with one or more of the basic components of language required to understand or use spoken or written language. Students with language impairments may: have difficulty finding the right words, combining words to form sentences, and understanding the meaning of words and sentences have problems understanding or following directions use vocabulary, tenses (past, present, and future), or other grammatical rules improperly have difficulty reading, writing, or spelling have trouble with social aspects of language, such as taking turns in a conversation miss class time to attend speech/language therapy benefit from an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 education plan What Teachers Can Do Language impairments in kids and teens can range from mild to severe. Students may face social issues in school and at home because of communication problems. You can help a student with a language impairment by: making sure the student understands and writes down assignments correctly to help avoid confusion about what is expected being patient — and encouraging classmates to be patient — when the student is speaking in class having the student sit close to you so you can help with questions and instructions giving additional time or assistance to complete class work, homework, and tests learning about the student's specific needs by talking with the student, parents or guardians, and the speech/language therapist Back to Articles Related Articles Speech Problems Do you know someone who stutters or has another speech disorder? Find out how speech disorders are treated, how you can help a friend or classmate cope, and lots more. Read More Going to a Speech Therapist You might visit a speech therapist if you're having trouble speaking or understanding others. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Delayed Speech or Language Development Knowing what's "normal" and what's not in speech and language development can help you figure out if you should be concerned or if your child is right on schedule. Read More Speech-Language Therapy Working with a certified speech-language pathologist can help a child with speech or language difficulties. Read More Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) Some kids may be eligible for individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge. Understanding how to access these services can help you be an effective advocate for your child. Read More 504 Education Plans If your child has special needs in the classroom, he or she may be eligible for a government-supported learning plan. Read More Learning Problems Having a learning disability doesn't mean you can't learn. The trick will be figuring out how you learn best. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.