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Speech can be broken into three separate areas:  Articulation, Fluency and Voice.

Articulation

   According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) "articulation is the process by which sounds, syllables, and words are formed when your tongue, jaw, teeth, lips, and palate alter the air stream coming from the vocal folds".  In simplest terms, speaking and producing sounds.  This is the area that is most commonly thought of when someone thinks of a speech language pathologist.

Questions and Answers about Articulation

http://www.kidsource.com/ASHA/articulation.html

Speech and Language Milestones

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/speech-language/lda_milestones.html

More Speech and Language Milestones

http://blankees.com/baby/speech/index.htm

Fluency

    Fluency relates to the "flow" of speech.  When a person has difficulty with the fluency of their speech, it is most commonly referred to as "stuttering".  ASHA defines stuttering as "the condition in which the flow of speech is broken by abnormal stoppages (no sound), repetitions (st-st-stuttering), or prolongations (ssssstuttering) of sounds and syllables. There may also be unusual facial and body movements associated with the effort to speak".

Questions and Answers about Stuttering

http://www.kidsource.com/ASHA/stuttering.html

Voice

    Voice relates to the auditory output which is produced by using respiratory support and the vocal folds.  In some cases, the vocal folds are abused which can cause poor vocal quality.

Information about Voice

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/takingcare.asp
 

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