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Frequently Asked Questions
 
As families consider whether to enroll their child in the Learnability Project, they oftentimes have questions. Some common questions that come up are listed below. We hope you find this information useful. Also, if there are additional questions that might help families in the future, please write to us and we will add them to this list.
 

My child is very young. Do children grow out of their speech sound errors? 
 
At present, there are no clinical procedures that allow us to predict which children will learn to correct their errors on their own and which will require treatment. We do know, however, that children with persistent speech sound errors may be at risk for other language, reading or academic difficulties. In order to prevent a possible long-term impact, early intervention is recommended to correct sound errors. Early intervention is also important because the greatest gains in sound learning typically take place between the ages of 3 and 6.
 
Is there a difference between the clinical services that you provide through the Learnability Project and other speech services that are offered elsewhere?
 
Treatment through the Learnability Project is very similar to that provided at many other speech facilities. In treatment, we use pictures that are appealing to children. We emphasize the accurate use of sounds, either in listening or in production. We give a child a lot of sound practice, and provide feedback about the correctness of sounds. The practice is made fun by using different games and surprises, which keep a child attentive and entertained. All of this is what you might expect at other speech facilities.
 
The way that our services are unique is that treatment sessions last for longer blocks of time and we see each child three days each week. This makes the individual treatment more intensive. Another way that our services are unique is that we routinely tape-record a child’s speech. This is so we can go back and examine the learning that takes place with treatment. We do this for all children who enroll in the Learnability Project, so that we can ultimately figure out why children have speech sound problems and how to aid these problems with treatment.
 
Before treatment begins, a number of diagnostic sessions are scheduled. Why is testing so thorough?
 
We have three reasons for diagnostic testing. First and foremost, we want to get an accurate and detailed profile of a child’s strengths and weaknesses. This will help in the treatment phase, and it will also point us in the right direction when making recommendations about any other services that a child might need. 
 
Our second reason for testing is to determine if there are other factors that might be contributing to a child’s speech errors. For example, if we find that a child has language delays, the Learnability Project might not be the best placement since we work on sounds, and not other related language skills in treatment.
 
A third reason for testing relates to the overall profile of children who participate in the Learnability Project. Because our research looks at sound learning across larger groups of children, we need to be sure that every child who is enrolled has a similar range of skills. In this way, we limit the differences between children, and explore instead the differences between treatments in our published reports. This helps us to identify how treatment itself impacts sound learning.
 
Some of the diagnostic tests seem difficult for young children. Why are the tests so challenging?
 
The set of tests we use are common diagnostic measures that assess children’s speech and language skills. All of the tests are standardized. This means that certain items will be below a child’s skill level, and others will be well beyond their abilities. This allows a test to tap into a child’s best or optimal level of performance. But, it also means that a child might miss a whole series of items before the test can be stopped. In this way, the tests give children every opportunity to show us what they know.
 
Why do you have children name the pictures in your big books?   
 
Our big books have sets of pictures that test all of the sounds of the English language. When a child names the pictures in the books, this gives us a large speech sample. We use the speech sample to pinpoint which sounds a child knows and which sounds are in error. We use this information to settle on the sound to teach in treatment. After treatment gets started, we take more samples as a progress report. These added samples tell us which new sounds a child is learning, and how their productions are improving. This information is also important when we go on to make recommendations after treatment is finished.
 
How do you select the sound that is targeted for treatment?
 
This decision is based on two factors. First, we look at each child’s own special needs. Remember that the large speech sample points us to the sounds that will be of most benefit to a child. Second, we look at the available openings in our current studies. When a child’s needs match the goals of a given study, then that is the ideal placement.
 
How many sounds are selected for treatment?
 
This is predetermined and based on the goals of a given study. But, for most of our studies, we concentrate on just one new sound. The reason relates to an exciting discovery that has been made about speech sound treatment. We know that, if a child learns one sound, this can lead to improvements in other sounds without direct treatment! One way to think of this is that treatment of one sound promotes change in other sounds ‘for free’. This is a very efficient and effective way to promote sound learning.
 
How long does treatment last?
 
The time in treatment is based, in part, on a child’s individual progress. If a child improves rapidly, then the steps of treatment move along quickly too. Typically though, treatment takes a maximum of 19 sessions, which translates to about 19 hours of services.
 
Can a child receive other speech services while enrolled in the Learnability Project?
 
Because our treatment is an intensive one-on-one program, parents usually feel that this is sufficient and suitable for a child’s age and attention.
 
Also, one of our goals is to identify which methods of speech sound treatment are most effective. If a child were to receive double the treatment, through our Project and through another agency, we would not be able to tell which of the treatments actually caused improvements in sound production. This defeats our goal, and as a result, our studies of treatment would not lead to new clinical insights about sound learning.
 
Why do you retest a child’s speech after treatment is completed?
 
We have found that, once a child begins to make changes in sound production, the improvements are likely to continue, even after treatment is over. For this reason, we retest children at 2 weeks and 2 months following treatment just to see how much added progress is made. This is important because it lets us know whether a child is on the right track, or whether another round of treatment is needed.
 
After a child completes the Learnability Project, is another round of treatment needed?
 
Each child has a unique way of learning, and we cannot know in advance how much progress will be made. However, after a child’s 2-month visit, we will prepare a written report that describes the overall gains in sound learning. We will point out which sounds were learned and which sounds might still need to be learned. If a child’s speech lags behind what is expected for other children of the same age, then we will recommend added treatment. If a child’s speech is within the expected range or is continuing to show progress without treatment, then we will not recommend further treatment.
 
If a child needs continued treatment, who should be contacted for services?

Speech treatment is available in the community through various public and private organizations and individuals. The list below is intended only as a starting point for some of the public resources in Monroe and surrounding counties that may be available to you.