How Can a Private Speech Therapist Help

Children with learning disabilities may struggle with reading, writing, listening, speaking, or understanding information. Since so much of learning relies on language, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) can be a key part of a child’s support team.

Here’s how speech therapy can help:

Many learning disabilities involve difficulty with receptive language (understanding) or expressive language (speaking or writing). An SLP can help a child:

• Understand directions, questions, and new vocabulary
   
• Organize thoughts to express ideas clearly
   
• Use correct grammar, sentence structure, and storytelling skills
   
• Make sense of classroom language (like figurative language or word problems)
   

Because reading and writing are language-based skills, speech therapists can:

• Improve phonological awareness (hearing and working with sounds in words)
   
• Teach sound-letter relationships for decoding and spelling
   
• Build vocabulary, comprehension, and sentence structure
   
• Support children with dyslexia or related reading challenges
   

SLPs often collaborate with teachers and reading specialists to use evidence-based strategies that support reading and written expression.

Some children with learning disabilities also have difficulty with pragmatic language — the social use of language. A speech therapist can help with:

• Taking turns in conversation
   
• Understanding body language and tone of voice
   
• Staying on topic and using appropriate language for different situations
   

This can make a big difference in friendships, classroom participation, and confidence.

SLPs can also work on executive function skills that affect learning, such as:

• Following multi-step directions
   
• Organizing ideas before speaking or writing
   
• Remembering important information
   
• Planning and problem-solving during academic tasks
   

Speech therapists work closely with:

• Families, to help them understand and support their child’s needs
   
• Teachers, to make sure strategies carry over into the classroom
   
• IEP teams, to set appropriate, individualized goals and monitor progress
   

They also help ensure that children receive consistent, targeted, and evidence-based interventions — not just generalized support.

Most importantly, speech therapy helps children with learning disabilities feel more confident in how they communicate, learn, and express themselves. With the right support, these children can thrive in school and beyond.