Factors Affecting Speech and Language Development

INTRODUCTION 

1.1 Introduction and background 

Human speech and language development has been taking place for millions of years. Since the early man, human beings have found better ways to communicate and new words are added to the vocabulary every day. Today, different countries have different official languages. These languages include English, Arabic, Spanish and even Swahili. Translations have been done to ensure that different people with different languages have the same materials in languages they can understand. Human beings have improved cell phones which allows them to text in any common language. Keyboards of computers have also been improved because today we have the letters of the alphabet in various languages as well such as Chinese. The evolution of man’s speech and language evolved from use of diagrams by the early man, inscriptions of tablets to books and now the internet. 

The development of speech and languages begins when at a younger stage in life. Children are taught to say simple words such as ‘mum’ and ‘dad’. This is the beginning of a journey that has no end because there are many languages in the world today, it is almost impossible to learn all of them. When they get to school, they start learning the alphabets and how to frame words. This is essential because it is the foundation of the every language. They have to learn pronunciations and the different types of words that exist today such as verbs and pronouns. Sentence construction is also learnt in school and they develop listening and writing skills as well. When they grow up and take up habits such as drug abuse their speech becomes impaired. When they develop certain conditions such as brain aneurysm they are likely to lose to develop speech related impairment that will affect how they talk. 

Languages are dynamic. They are likely to change certain pronunciations, develop synonyms for certain words and even develop ‘slangs’. Slangs were majorly developed by younger generations. In certain areas, these generations wanted some form of privacy in their conversations and therefore develop encrypted words. Slangs have evolved and have been embraced by many countries. Each country tends to have its own slang. In certain countries, each area has its own slang. This shows how languages can evolve. Many elderly individuals know their native languages. Today, some of the words have been corrupted and as such two individuals could be speaking to one another but are using different words in the same language. Certain languages have also split up. During migrations or slave trade, some of the natives were sent into different countries and in the process there language evolved to suit their new environment. 

1.2 Variables 

The independent variables in the study will be the availability of resources to ensure there is proper learning and development of speech, the attitude to individuals to learning the languages, the advantages and disadvantages of factors affecting language and speech development. The dependent variable will be speech and language development. The intervening variable will be the provision of resources that individuals can use in the development of speech and language, ethical guideline development and the training of individuals on speech and language development. 

The history of languages shows us the factors that affect it. There are positive factors such as development of slangs and going to school that promote the development of languages. However, there are negative factors as well which affect the development of speech and language. These factors can lead to speech and voice disorders. They are able to affect the interaction of individuals and eventually the communication process. Humans may have developed ways to improve themselves but have also developed other ways to make their situation worse such as voice abuse which can lead to growths in the vocal cords. Each factor is either beneficial to man or disadvantageous to him. This what this study seek to investigate. 

Purpose of the Study 

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting speech and language development. 

1.4 Objective of the study 

The objective of the study will be: 

To Identify of factors that affect language and speech development in children and adults 

To find out the side effects of these factors 

To analyze how these factors can be avoided or dealt with 

1.5 Delimitation 

The study will narrow itself to studying and interviewing of individuals in my neighborhood and patients in hospitals due to speech or vocal impairment. 

LITERATURE REVIEW 

2.1 Children 

The factors that affect language and speech development in children and in adults vary. In children one of the factors affecting the development in speech and language is health and physical development. Illnesses developed by the child can affect the hearing of the child which will in turn affect their speech and the ability to effectively learn new languages. Children who fall sick also lack the enthusiasm and interest in speaking and interacting with other individuals. This lack of communication will affect the vocal cords and the muscles related to speech which have to be exercised by the child. 

The environment of the child also affects their development of language and speech. In an environment where the child is spoken to and read to, they are more likely to develop a longing of wanting to read and speak. In such environments children are able to ask questions seek to find out the meanings and definitions of certain terms. If the children are abused, they are likely to avoid speaking in fear of being abused. In an environment where they parents speak in loud voices, the child is likely to shy away from speaking due to fear of being yelled at or likely to adopt the loud talking which can lead to vocal abuse. When they lack social support, they are likely to not develop any speech or language skills. Children who are not allowed to play and related with other children will feel isolated and will not talk much. If children do not have proper relationships with their families, there development in speech and language will be affected. When abused or neglected, they will lack the motivation to speak. This will affect their attitude to learning languages and how to speak. 

Poverty can also be a factor that affects the development of speech and language in children. Due to poverty, children are unable to attend school and therefore they will lack the skills taught in school. Lack of school fees, schools and resources in the school affect the development of speech and language in children. They will be unable to form proper sentences and have a strong vocabulary. The lack of education will also affect their self-esteem. They will avoid their peers because they feel out of place. The children will seek to self-teach themselves by repeating the words they hear their peers and elders saying. Children who are able to pick up languages early are able to have an increased level of cognitive development (Psychology Discussion, 2018 ). 

Smaller and larger families also affect the development of children in speech and language. In smaller families, the parents will be able to give all their attention to the child and as such they are likely to develop in their speech and language. The downside to this is that when the parents are busy and involved with work more, the child does not have any other siblings to talk to and as such may not develop properly in speech and in language. Larger families on the other hand, have many children and as such they are able to interact with one another and learn from each other. They however, may have defects in their language and speech because of the competition among them that may not be corrected by their parents who may not be able to attend to all their needs. 

2.2 Adults 

In adults, depression can affect their speech and language. When people are depressed they avoid talking and isolate themselves. Other can be mute for years and this takes will affect their speech. Depression is a condition that can be treated and the victims counseled. When adults fall sick and go into commas for years and they come out of it, some will be impaired in their speech and will need therapy in order to help their vocal cords. Certain infections, brain tumors, head injuries or dementia can also cause speech impairment. 

Vocal abuse in adults can also lead to speech and language impairment. Adults who are constantly use their voices in excessive talking, screaming or even singing are likely to strain their vocal cords. These vocal cords will develop contact ulcers, vocal polyps and nodules and laryngitis. These conditions may lead to ending of careers for musicians and public speakers who will have to rest their voices. Adults who are involved in drugs and substance abuse such as smoking also affect their vocal cords. Some develop sore throats and sometimes even throat cancer which will also affect how they speak to others. 

2.3 Effects of speech and language impairment 

In children speech impairment leads to improper communication and incorrect formulation of words. This can also affect their self-esteem. Speech impairment in children can also be a symptom of an underlying disease. Their cognitive development is also affected if they do not have speech and language development. In adults, smoking can lead to diseases such as cancer of the mouth, pharynx and larynx which is the voice box and is involved in speech. This will affect their use of languages and speech. 

2.4 How to avoid speech and language impairment 

These factors can be avoided by early recognition of children who are undergoing abuse and neglect. These children can be helped and can still grow normally. Resources such as books should be provided for children from poor backgrounds. Volunteer teachers can be posted to these locations so that the children have an opportunity to learn. This way they are able to enjoy the benefits of proper communication and avoid the disadvantages such as low self-esteem and depression. Adults can avoid drugs and substance abuse which can lead to speech impairment. They can also go for medical check-ups so that fetal diseases can be detected early and its aftermath avoided. Speech therapy is also a way that one can avoid speech impairment. A good attitude towards the learning of languages is also key in its development. 

METHODOLOGY. 

This chapter will focus on the research design, sampling and the sample that will be used, instruments used to collect data and the actual collection of data, reliability and validity. 

3.1 Research design 

The research design that will be used in this study is descriptive research design. The research will endeavor to describe the factors affecting speech and language development in children and adults in details. Its purpose is to describe and determine what is. Analytical research will also be used as the research will be analyzing the effects of these factors. 

3.2 Location and sampling 

The location of the study will be my town and the local hospitals around it and a sample of medical practitioners, patients and relatives of the patients will be chosen using simple random technique and stratified technique. The sample size will be chosen based on the population of the town and patients admitted due to speech impairment. 

3.3 Instruments of data collection 

The instruments that will be used to collect data will be structured questionnaires and interviews. Observation will also be used and the use of secondary literature materials where records of patients will be analyzed with consent of the hospital management. These tools were chosen because they are readily available and affordable. 

3.4 Validity and reliability 

These instruments will be tested using a pilot research that will take place a month before the actual research. There will be cross-checking of the tools by the supervisors provided by the learning institution. The research will be carried out by the researcher and group discussions will be involved as well. The collection of data will take a duration of two months. 

3.5 Ethics 

Parents will be consulted first before their children take part in the study. They will be informed of the intentions of the study as well. In the hospitals, the viewing of medical records will be approved first and confidentiality will be key in the collection of data. Patients will also be consulted and their doctors will have to approve of their participation in the study. The researcher will also apply for a permit from the learning institution that will be used during introductions. 

RESULTS 

The data collected will be discreet and will be coded into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25. Analysis will be done and the expected results of the study will be achieved using this software. Using this software, descriptive analysis will be done and so will inferential statistics. The information obtained after analysis will be presented in graphs and tables. The information will then be interpreted and a report will be written down summarizing it. 

DISCUSSION 

5.1 Importance of the research 

The research will useful to everyone as it will be published and placed in libraries. Individuals will be able to learn of the factors likely to affect their voices and they will be able to have an idea of how to handle them. This research will be able to enlighten people on the importance of vocal exercises and the disadvantages of vocal abuse. It is essential because children can be helped from a tender age and their speech and language will be well developed as they grow up. Adults are able to learn of the effect of drug and substance abuse of the vocal cords and opt to drop the habits. They are also able to learn the importance of regular medical check-ups. This research will be beneficial not only to the researcher but also the entire community. Other researchers will be able to build up on the research as well. 

5.2 Limitations 

The study will be limited due to hostility from the individuals during the collection of data. Some may be unfriendly and others may be abusive verbally. Limited medical resources to analyze the damage caused by the negative factors in the vocal cords will also be a limitation. The researcher may not be allowed to access these equipment for analysis. It will also be limited due to the likelihood of protective parents refusing to permit their children to take part in the study for fear of the unknown. The participants may not represent the entire population of people who have been affected by speech and language development directly or indirectly. The researcher may also face financial constraints when moving from one hospital to another. The researcher will also be forced to assume that the individuals taking part in the study will be sincere, honest and accurate in their responses. Another assumption that will be made is that the techniques used in data collection and analysis will reflect all the variables related to the study. 

5.3 Conclusion 

This study is important because we all need to communicate at some point. If speech is not well developed children will be affected in their growth. Habits such as smoking affects not only the smoker but those around them become passive smokers and are also susceptible to its effects. This study will also show the importance of speech therapy and how it should be made available to everyone who has suffered any form of speech impairment. 

Reference 

Psychology Discussion, (2018). Language Development of a Child: 8 Main Factors . Retrieved from www.psychologydiscussion.net/social-psychology-2/language/language-development-of-a-child-8-main-factors/1392