Understanding common speech and language therapy terms can help parents, caregivers, and patients make sense of reports, therapy sessions, or professional advice. This guide explains 30 frequently used terms in simple, patient-friendly language.
1. Articulation – Refers to how clearly someone can produce individual sounds. Some people may mix up sounds or leave them out, which can make words hard to understand. It’s about the way lips, tongue, and jaw work together to form speech.
2. Phonology – The study of how sounds are organized in a language. For example, a child might say “tat” instead of “cat.” Phonology looks at patterns in sounds rather than just individual pronunciation.
3. Fluency – How smoothly someone speaks without unnecessary pauses, repeats, or blocks. A person may speak very quickly or slowly, or get “stuck” on words, affecting the rhythm and flow of speech.
4. Stuttering – A speech pattern where sounds, syllables, or words are repeated or stretched out, like “t-t-today.” It’s a common speech difference that affects rhythm and smoothness in talking.
5. Voice Disorders – Refers to unusual changes in pitch, volume, or quality of the voice, such as hoarseness, breathiness, or sudden breaks. It describes how a person’s voice sounds rather than the words they use.
6. Resonance – Describes how the voice vibrates in the mouth and nose. Some people sound more “nasal” or “hollow.” It affects the overall tone and quality of speech.
7. Aphasia – A condition where a person has difficulty using or understanding language, often after brain injury. It can affect speaking, reading, writing, or understanding words.
8. Dysarthria – Difficulty making clear speech sounds due to weak or uncoordinated muscles in the mouth, tongue, or throat. Speech may sound slurred or mumbled.
9. Apraxia of Speech – A condition where a person knows what they want to say but has trouble planning the mouth movements to say it. Words may come out mixed or repeated incorrectly.
10. Expressive Language – The ability to put thoughts, ideas, or feelings into words or gestures. It’s about how someone communicates their ideas, rather than understanding what others say.
11. Receptive Language – The ability to understand words, sentences, or instructions from others. Some children may have trouble following directions or comprehending stories. It focuses on how well a person makes sense of spoken or signed language.
12. Pragmatics – Using language appropriately in social situations. This includes taking turns, asking questions, making comments, and understanding humor or sarcasm. It’s about knowing how to communicate effectively in real-life conversations.
13. Semantics – Understanding the meaning of words and concepts. It involves knowing what words refer to and how they relate to each other, like recognizing that a “dog” is an animal and “bark” is a sound it makes.
14. Syntax – The rules for arranging words to form sentences. It involves knowing the correct order and structure, such as subject-verb-object, so sentences are clear and understandable.
15. Morphology – How words change form to show tense, number, or function, like “run” to “running” or “cat” to “cats.” It’s about understanding and using these patterns in language.
16. Phonemic Awareness – The ability to notice, identify, and play with individual sounds in words. It’s an important skill for learning to read and spell, such as recognizing that “cat” starts with the “k” sound.
17. Hearing Loss – Reduced ability to hear sounds, which can affect speech and language development. Children may speak later or unclearly, and adults may have difficulty following conversations in noisy environments.
18. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) – Methods or tools used when someone has trouble speaking. Examples include sign language, picture boards, or speech-generating devices to help people communicate their needs and ideas.
19. Oral Motor Skills – Control and coordination of lips, tongue, jaw, and throat. These movements affect how clearly someone speaks and how they manage eating or drinking.
20. Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia) – Difficulty moving food or liquids safely from the mouth to the stomach. It may involve coughing, choking, or feeling of food sticking. It describes the mechanics of swallowing rather than speech.
21. Phonological Disorder – A pattern of speech errors affecting how sounds are used or combined. For example, saying “tat” instead of “cat.” It focuses on sound rules rather than individual pronunciation.
22. Language Delay – When a child’s language skills develop more slowly than expected. This may involve smaller vocabulary, shorter sentences, or difficulty understanding instructions compared to peers.
23. Hypernasality – Excessive nasal resonance when speaking, making speech sound “nasal.” Often related to cleft palate or other structural differences affecting airflow in the mouth and nose.
24. Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) – Difficulty processing or interpreting sounds despite normal hearing. Children or adults may misinterpret instructions or have trouble in noisy settings.
26. Cleft Palate – A physical opening in the roof of the mouth present at birth. It can affect speech, eating, and breathing. It describes the structure, not the language ability itself.
27. Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) – Difficulty producing or organizing speech sounds correctly. Children may be hard to understand due to mispronunciations or missing sounds.
28. Functional Communication – Using language, gestures, or other methods to communicate effectively in daily life. It’s about getting needs, wants, or ideas across clearly.
29. Social Communication Disorder – Difficulty using language in social contexts, such as taking turns, staying on topic, or understanding non-verbal cues.
30. Early Intervention – Providing support when a speech or language difference is noticed early. The goal is to help the child develop communication skills appropriate for their age.
31. Treatment Plan / Therapy Goals – The set of specific goals or skills a speech or language professional identifies for a person. It explains what skills need focus and how progress is measured.
Understanding these 30 common speech and language therapy terms can make communication between professionals, patients, and caregivers much clearer. Knowing the words helps you follow progress, ask informed questions, and support learning at home. Parents and caregivers can also use interactive tools to support learning, such as dental teeth models and speech therapy puppets.
