What does self-advocacy look like? How can we help our students be their own best advocates regarding their word finding difficulties?
I have repeatedly stated that word retrieval needs to start with awareness. If a child (or an adult, for that matter) is going to be a more effective communicator, he or she needs to be aware of the issues that are interfering for him or her. So let’s assume that our speech friend has developed an awareness of his difficulties. He has learned strategies to help himself retrieve words more efficiently, and has learned compensatory strategies for those words that are escaping him.
Now he needs to advocate for himself. Even a preschooler can learn to ask for a clue or ask for a choice. He can say, “I need a hint” or “Can you give me a choice?” As kids get into elementary school, they are sometimes sensitive about revealing their weakness. So a parent or an SLP can go with the child to talk to his teacher and develop a nonverbal signal that means, “I know the answer, I just need a minute.” It’s very intimidating for a child to ask the teacher for accommodations; I wouldn’t expect him to do this without support.
A child with a documented word finding difficulty that interferes academically should qualify for accommodations in the classroom and on testing. Here are some I have found useful and have written into IEPs:
wait time for oral responses; extended time on tests
cueing with initial sound or syllable
multiple choice, word banks (recognition tasks as opposed to recall)
pre-teach vocabulary
signal before calling upon (nonverbal or verbal)
I ask for the teachers’ lesson plans and study guides. Present new vocabulary ahead of time. Give the child an overview so he understands where this information fits into the unit.
In-service your teachers and support staff about word finding. A child can then go to his teacher and explain, “I have a problem with word finding. There are many times I know an answer, but I can’t find the words to express it.” In elementary school I would expect the child to be accompanied by his SLP to a meeting with his teacher to help explain the accommodations and strategies that are most helpful. As he reaches middle school, he may be able to do this himself. Don’t forget the support staff that interact daily with your students! Teachers’ aides/paraprofessionals are an important part of the team.
Direct remediation is important for a child to be successful despite a significant word finding difficulty. But so are accommodations and self-advocacy. Create an atmosphere of success!