How can difficulties with oral communication be categorized?

Choosing discourse organization issues as a categorization for difficulties with oral communication highlights the importance of how individuals structure their verbal expressions. Discourse organization involves the ability to coherently link ideas, maintain overall cohesiveness in speech, and utilize appropriate narrative structures. Problems in this area can result in disorganized speech, making it difficult for listeners to understand the speaker’s intended message or narrative.

This understanding is crucial for effective reading instruction, as coherent communication often correlates with the ability to comprehend and articulate written text. A student struggling with organizing their thoughts may also show challenges in structuring their writing or following a narrative in a reading passage. This can affect their overall academic performance and necessitate targeted strategies to help them improve both their oral and written communication skills.

In contrast, the other difficulties in communication, such as ASD traits, speech disfluency, and language acquisition deficits, focus on different aspects of communication challenges, such as fluency, pronunciation, or broader developmental themes rather than specifically on organization in discourse. Addressing discourse organization allows for more tailored interventions to support these students in articulating their thoughts clearly and effectively.