This course discusses the role of teachers in the referral process for children and adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) who speak a nonmainstream dialect. The speaker discusses nonmainstream American English (NMAE) dialects, the role of interprofessional practice within the schools, teacher referrals for special education services, and guidelines that SLPs can use when collaborating with teachers to make appropriate referrals for students with DLD who speak NMAE. The course includes explicit recommendations for clinical practice so SLPs can ensure culturally competent speech-language services and educate teachers about the dialect variation that exists in U.S. schools, as well as about key indicators of DLD.

This course is part of the SIGnature Series, a collection of courses developed by volunteers from ASHA’s Special Interest Groups, who share practical, evidence-based suggestions and solutions based on their in-depth knowledge, clinical experiences, and passion for their specialty areas.This course was developed by SIG 1: Language Learning and Education.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• Identify and define key terms related to nonmainstream American English dialects and developmental language disorder
• Describe guidelines for SLPs when involving teachers in appropriate referrals for students who speak a nonmainstream dialect

DEI Professional Development Requirement

This course counts toward the ASHA certification maintenance professional development requirement for DEI (which encompasses cultural competency; cultural humility; culturally responsive practice; and diversity, equity, and inclusion). See more courses that count toward this requirement or read more about professional development requirements for certification maintenance.

More Courses in This Series

View all the SIGnature Series courses, available through the ASHA Learning Pass subscription or for a la carte purchase.

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.