Commonly, we are not aware of the complex processes involved in producing and understanding language. They only become apparent when problems occur in the communication process. For the average speaker, such problems are largely restricted to temporary word finding difficulties, rare slips of the tongue or infrequent misunderstandings regarding the intention underlying an interlocutor’s utterance. For many people, however, communicating via language is a permanent challenge. In the UK, for instance, 2.5 million people have communication disorders, according to recent estimates. In addition, communication disorders are especially prevalent among children – a fact which makes knowledge about such disorders essential for future teachers. After a brief discussion of some (neuro-)physiological and cognitive prerequisites of language use and comprehension, we will thus investigate the nature of various types of communication disorders: we will learn about the characteristics, assessment and treatment of developmental as well as acquired speech and language disorders (e.g. developmental dysarthria, language in autism spectrum disorders, apraxia of speech, acquired aphasia), but also about voice, fluency and hearing disorders.
- Lehrende/r: Sandra Handl