When it comes to helping with the rehabilitation of learning disorders (dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD…), what’s the right terminology for describing a speech and language therapist’s work: is it a “speech therapy lesson” or a “speech therapy session”? These terms may sound similar, or even like synonyms, but they actually refer to quite different approaches…

A speech therapy “lesson”, closer to school support

The term “speech therapy lesson” can only really apply to a type of school support session. This involves going back over material already covered in class, to fill in the gaps in what the child hasn’t fully understood.

Often lasting over an hour, this type of lesson aims to revisit concepts already taught: the tutor repeats the lesson, offering a different explanation so the pupil can better retain it. This kind of tutoring session, incidentally, is delivered by an education professional, unlike a speech therapy session, which is led by a healthcare professional registered with the relevant regional health authority.

A speech therapy “session”, a form of rehabilitation

When it comes to rehabilitation for learning disorders, it’s strongly recommended to use the term “speech therapy session”. Lasting 30 to 45 minutes, it takes the patient’s fatigue levels into account: in this context, the professional isn’t there to re-teach lessons, but instead focuses on a specific cognitive difficulty identified during assessment. This work is more demanding for the child, who reaches saturation point more quickly.

Because DYS disorders are long-lasting, children need to develop compensation strategies to overcome their difficulties, whether that’s slow reading, an unstable sequencing structure, a limited vocabulary, and so on. During a speech therapy session, the child works through fun exercises to help master these tools. To do so, they may also use specialised materials designed specifically for children with DYS disorders.

Lessons or sessions?

If your child appears to be falling behind at school, we recommend speaking to your family doctor. They will, where appropriate, refer you to a speech and language therapist for an assessment, to identify their difficulties. At this stage, the professional can also determine whether it’s a learning disorder or simply a temporary delay. From there, your child will either follow school support lessons or speech therapy sessions.

Note that these sessions can be supplemented by other professionals, depending on the child’s needs, such as a graphotherapist in cases of dysgraphia or an occupational therapist in cases of dyspraxia.

If needed, don’t hesitate to consult the Ora-Visio platform, which brings together professionals specialised in managing DYS disorders: offering remote consultations, they’re available at any time to answer your questions!