Overview
What is language therapy?
Language is how we understand others and express our thoughts, ideas, and feelings. It includes both what we say or communicate outwardly and what we understand internally. Language is often described in three main areas, or domains.
Form is how language is structured. This includes sentence structure, grammar, and the rules we use to put words together in a way that makes sense.
Content is what language means. This includes vocabulary, word knowledge, categories, concepts, and how ideas connect to one another.
Use is how language works in social situations. Also called pragmatics, this includes skills like taking turns, staying on topic, reading social cues, and adjusting communication for different people and settings.
All three areas work together to support communication. When a person has difficulty in one or more of these areas, it can affect how they understand others, share their ideas, participate socially, and navigate everyday life.
Not everyone uses spoken words as their main form of communication. Some people communicate through sign, gestures, writing, or speech-generating devices (AAC). A total communication approach respects all of those options and helps build stronger communication in the mode that works best for the individual.
Speech-language pathologists evaluate and support these skills to help children, teens, and adults become more effective, confident communicators, no matter how they communicate.