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Senior S&L

What are Speech and Language Classes?

Speech and Language Classes cater for school-aged children with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD). These children have severe speech and communication difficulties that affect their development, particularly their educational, social and emotional development.

The Department of Education and Science and the Health Service Executive work together in providing these classes, as well as teachers and a speech and language therapist.

The classes give children intensive support during their early years at school. This helps them reach their potential and experience more success when they return to the mainstream setting.

What is Specific Speech and Language Disorder?

Specific Speech and Language Disorder is diagnosed when a child has significant speech and/or language difficulties. The communication disability is the child's primary impairment and is not caused by any of the following:

• General learning difficulties

• Hearing impairment

• Social or emotional factors

• Physical impairment

• Environmental deprivation

• Autism spectrum disorders.

Each child with Specific Speech and Language Disorder is different and will have his/her own pattern of strengths and weaknesses. They may experience difficulty with:

• Understanding and remembering what people say to them

• Putting their thoughts into words

• Making themselves understood

• Interacting with other people

• Coping with the language demands in a busy classroom.

How is Specific Speech and Language Disorder diagnosed?

Children need to be assessed by a speech and language therapist and a psychologist.

The child's non-verbal skills on the psychological assessment must be within the average range. 

Parents' comments:

"At the time, I was unsure of the huge move... I now know that I made the right choice. His speech and language has improved greatly, his confidence has grown and his ability to work independently has improved" Mother of boy, 12 years.

It has made a big imporvement to my daughter's speech. I would highly recommend the speech and language class to any parent." Mother of girl, 9 years.