Guidelines for Referral
I always welcome referrals, but I know that parents and teachers are often unsure about what is age-appropriate and what is not. In an attempt to help you make an informed decision, another therapist in Ventura Unified put together these guidelines. Use them and feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
In general, a referral is appropriate when a student’s speech is difficult to understand and/or impairs his/her academic or social potential (e.g., attracts negative attention).
ARTICULATION The following information is organized according to typical development of speed sounds by grade level to assist you with making referrals for an articulation screening.
Grades K and 1st: You may wish to refer a student if s/he uses “baby talk,” omits sounds at the beginning or ending of words, or cannot correctly produce the following sounds in conversation:
P, B, M, H, W, D, N, G, NG, T, K
Examples: at/bat ge/get doddie/doggie tite/kite
Grades 2 – 5: You may wish to refer your students who cannot produce the following speech sounds in conversation:
F, V, L, J, Y, R, S, Z, TH, SH, CH
Examples: tooper or thooper/super wivo/river weave/leave fing/thing
Typically at 8 years of age the following blends are finalized: PL, BR, ST, SK, SP, STR, TR, and BL
LANGUAGE Language problems encompass a broad array of areas. The following is a general list of language problems commonly seen in school-age children, which may warrant a referral:
Expressive Language: Immature sentence structure and/or grammar usage
Limited vocabulary for age and background
Difficulty in narrating or relating experiences
Inappropriate social use of language
Receptive Language: Difficulty recalling/comprehending auditory information
Inability to follow repeated instructions
FLUENCY/STUTTERING A fluency problem is when the flow of speech, including rate (e.g., speaking too fast) and rhythm (e.g., excessive pausing mid-phrase), adversely affects communication.
Examples: Whole/part-word repetition “I- I- I- I want to go. Wha- wha- what time is it?”
Blocks or prolongations “…I…need help. Caaaaan I go? Ssssssorry.”
Use of excessive fillers “Uh…. Um… That’s mine.”
VOICE An abnormal voice is consistently characterized by a defective quality, pitch or loudness.
Examples: Hoarse / Raspy / Breathy Strained / Strangled
Nasal Excessively Loud / Soft
In general, a referral is appropriate when a student’s speech is difficult to understand and/or impairs his/her academic or social potential (e.g., attracts negative attention).
ARTICULATION The following information is organized according to typical development of speed sounds by grade level to assist you with making referrals for an articulation screening.
Grades K and 1st: You may wish to refer a student if s/he uses “baby talk,” omits sounds at the beginning or ending of words, or cannot correctly produce the following sounds in conversation:
P, B, M, H, W, D, N, G, NG, T, K
Examples: at/bat ge/get doddie/doggie tite/kite
Grades 2 – 5: You may wish to refer your students who cannot produce the following speech sounds in conversation:
F, V, L, J, Y, R, S, Z, TH, SH, CH
Examples: tooper or thooper/super wivo/river weave/leave fing/thing
Typically at 8 years of age the following blends are finalized: PL, BR, ST, SK, SP, STR, TR, and BL
LANGUAGE Language problems encompass a broad array of areas. The following is a general list of language problems commonly seen in school-age children, which may warrant a referral:
Expressive Language: Immature sentence structure and/or grammar usage
Limited vocabulary for age and background
Difficulty in narrating or relating experiences
Inappropriate social use of language
Receptive Language: Difficulty recalling/comprehending auditory information
Inability to follow repeated instructions
FLUENCY/STUTTERING A fluency problem is when the flow of speech, including rate (e.g., speaking too fast) and rhythm (e.g., excessive pausing mid-phrase), adversely affects communication.
Examples: Whole/part-word repetition “I- I- I- I want to go. Wha- wha- what time is it?”
Blocks or prolongations “…I…need help. Caaaaan I go? Ssssssorry.”
Use of excessive fillers “Uh…. Um… That’s mine.”
VOICE An abnormal voice is consistently characterized by a defective quality, pitch or loudness.
Examples: Hoarse / Raspy / Breathy Strained / Strangled
Nasal Excessively Loud / Soft