Problems with speech, including the decoding of words, not hearing properly, fluency or stuttering in speech can all lead to learning problems in reading and critical thinking. It is the job of the parish’s speech pathologists to help children with these special needs get the assistant they need.

The work of the speech pathologists in special education was the focus of one of the presentations Thursday night at the St. Tammany School Board Committee as a Whole meeting.

Pathologist Carol Negrotto explained that the services are provided to students after they are evaluated with communication disorders. These can range from receptive language problems including understanding vocabulary that leads to problems with reading comprehension; expressive language problems such as putting together thoughts and ideas into sentences; and pragmatic language problems. Auditory processing problems were also presented where children cannot hear and understand the entire message, such as classroom directions. Other problems that affect education include phonological processing which are skills necessary prior to learning phonics.

Negrotto said that about 11 percent of the student population, about 4,000 students in St. Tammany Parish, are receiving speech therapy services, a figure that is comparable with the state average.

Children are able to learning skills that allow them to leave the special education classes and enter regular education classes with improved education skills.

Julie Matte, supervisor of instructional technology, reported on the recent LACUE, Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators, conference held in December in Baton Rouge. About 140 teachers attended the conference to network with teachers from other school systems and learn the latest technology available in the classroom.

A variety of topics were covered including Internet safety for students, Excel, Wiki spaces, podcasting, iTouch support groups, distance learning and the question “Does PowerPoint make you stupid?”

Matte was also invited to be on the LACUE board as a member at large.

Routine matters at the committee meeting included distribution of the pupil progression timeline and approval of the minutes of the last committee meeting.

The next meeting of the School Board will be a committee as a whole meeting on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.