Speech Therapy vs. Language Therapy: What’s the Difference?

If your child is struggling to communicate, you may hear professionals toss around terms like “speech delay,” “language disorder,” or “articulation goals”—and suddenly your head’s spinning like a fidget toy in a wind tunnel.

So let’s clear the air: Speech therapy vs. language therapy isn’t a trick question. They’re related but not the same. And for one little guy named Marcus, understanding the difference made all the difference.

👦 Meet Marcus: The Case Study

Age: 5

Referral Reason: Not talking as much as his peers, struggles with following directions, sometimes babbles or uses made-up words.

Marcus’s preschool teacher noted that he was sweet and eager but often “off in his own world.” His parents said he seemed smart but couldn’t express himself clearly—and he’d often get frustrated trying to communicate.

🧠 Step One: Evaluation Time

Marcus came in for a speech-language evaluation—yes, that’s one thing, but it looks at both sides of the coin.

Here’s what we found:

• Speech (how we say sounds): Mild articulation delay—some trouble with /r/ and /th/ sounds.

• Language (what we say and understand): More significant delays in receptive language (understanding words and directions) and expressive language (putting words together meaningfully).

In short: Marcus didn’t just need help with speech sounds—he needed support with language development too.

🗣️ So, What’s the Difference?

Let’s break it down:

Speech Therapy

Focuses on:

• Pronunciation (articulation)

• Fluency (like stuttering)

• Voice quality

• Oral motor coordination

Think: Can the child physically say the words clearly and smoothly?

Language Therapy

Focuses on:

• Understanding language (receptive skills)

• Expressing thoughts and ideas (expressive skills)

• Vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure

• Social communication (pragmatics)

Think: Does the child understand and use language effectively to communicate?

🎯 Marcus’s Treatment Plan

Marcus received both speech and language therapy, with sessions tailored to his needs:

• Articulation games to improve sound production

• Visual supports like picture cards to boost comprehension

• Structured play to model and expand expressive language

• Social scripts to build conversational skills

• Parent coaching so his caregivers could support carryover at home

We also collaborated with his school to add language goals to his IEP and trained his teachers on how to simplify instructions.

📈 The Progress

After six months, Marcus:

• Could follow two-step directions without prompts

• Was using full sentences (with age-appropriate grammar!)

• Started initiating conversations with peers

• Mastered most of his tricky speech sounds

Best of all? His confidence skyrocketed. No more tantrums from communication frustration—just a happy kid with a growing voice.

💡 Why the Distinction Matters

Mislabeling a language delay as a speech delay can delay services and support. If your child’s speech sounds fine but they’re struggling to understand, express, or connect, language therapy may be the missing piece.

The Takeaway

Every child’s communication journey is different—and knowing the difference between speech therapy vs. language therapy means getting the right help, not just any help.

💚 Wondering if your child needs speech, language, or both? Let’s figure it out together.

📞 Call or text: 614-470-4466

📧 Email: admin@achievepsychology.org

🌐 Visit: www.achievepsychology.org

Works Cited:

1. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). (2023). Speech vs. Language: What’s the Difference?

2. Paul, R., & Norbury, C. (2012). Language Disorders from Infancy through Adolescence.

3. Owens, R. E. (2015). Language Development: An Introduction.

4. Justice, L. M., & Redle, E. E. (2013). Communication Sciences and Disorders: A Contemporary Perspective.

5. ASHA Practice Portal. (2023). Speech and Language Developmental Milestones.