What Teachers Should Know Speech impairments can make it hard to communicate. Someone with a speech impairment may have trouble with: articulation (production of speech sounds) voice (pitch, resonance, or loudness) fluency (flow of speech) Some kids and teens with speech impairments have oral–motor problems. This means there's inefficient communication in the areas of the brain responsible for speech production. Speech impairments also can be: part of a more general developmental delay related to medical conditions, such as a hearing impairment, weak muscles around the mouth, cleft lip or palate, vocal nodules or hoarseness, autism, or a breathing or swallowing disorder Stuttering, or stammering is a problem that interferes with fluent speech. Lisping is an articulation disorder. It refers to a specific substitution involving the letters "s" and "z." A person who lisps replaces those sounds with "th." Students with speech impairments may: feel nervous, embarrassed, and frustrated when they're talking in class have to miss class time to attend speech therapy programs, in or out of school use relaxation techniques to help them speak more clearly need more time to answer oral questions in class or for tests need seating accommodations, such as sitting in a front row, if their speech problems are related to a hearing impairment use assistive technology to better communicate in class Bullies may target students with speech impairments. What Teachers Can Do Speech impairments can isolate students from their classmates. So it's essential that teachers give students help and support. Be patient when students with speech impairments are speaking. Be a role model to your other students about the importance of not interrupting and letting people finish their own sentences. Ask questions in a way that lets the student give a brief answer, or consider substituting written work for oral presentations. Consult with your student's speech therapist, other special educators, or parents to learn about specific needs. You can also talk privately with the student to find out what's helpful and what's not. Back to Articles Related Articles Speech-Language Therapy Working with a certified speech-language pathologist can help a child with speech or language difficulties. Read More Hearing Evaluation in Children Hearing problems can be overcome if they're caught early, so it's important to get your child's hearing screened early and checked regularly. Read More Speech-Language Therapy for Children With Cleft Palate Speech-language pathologists help kids with speech problems related to a cleft palate. Find out what they do. Read More 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 Stuttering and Speech Problems Do you or does someone you know ever have a hard time getting words out? Get the whole story on stuttering and other speech problems 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 Auditory Processing Disorder Kids with APD can't understand what they hear in the same way other kids do. That's because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate. But early diagnosis and a variety of strategies can help them. Read More Stuttering Many young kids go through a stage when they stutter. Stuttering usually goes away on its own but in some cases lasts longer. 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 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.