Need a Little Help, Mrs. Whiteside?

Today, a bright and confident fourth grade Deaf student completed the speech intelligibility portion of a speech/language re-evaluation and made two stunning observations. Her task had been to read aloud 4 sets of 50 words from randomly ordered picture card decks, but to do so without showing me the pictures. My job was to write the words that I understood her to say. After I recorded a word, she showed me the card, and I checked to see if I had understood her correctly. In this way, I could assign a measurable and unbiased "intelligibility rating" to her articulation.

After 6 years of teaching this student, I am accustomed to her speech, especially when the context is known. This measure helps me more accurately gage how readily understandable she is to other people. I was pleased that my general impressions had been right: her speech is remarkably understandable. I had matched her speech to the correct word 90% of the time. Very good!

 Whenever I administer an evaluation, I work hard to encourage students. Often they know that they have made mistakes, and some are bothered by this. I was especially aware that this student might be surprised and disappointed to know that I could not understand some of what she said. Not the case! The first time that my word did not match hers, she looked puzzled, rolling her eyes at my apparent confusion. The second time, when she could contain pity for me no longer, she said, "Mrs. Whiteside can't spell!"  After several more such exchanges, she finally laughed out loud and said, "Mrs. Whiteside, you need a hearing aid!" She never considered any other possibility.