Correction of Defective Speech
REVIEWS
A complete manual of psychophysiological technique for the treatment and correction of the defects of speech. By Edwin B. Twitmyer, Ph.D., and Yale S.
Nathanson, Ph.D. Philadelphia, Pa.: Blakiston’s Son and Company, Inc., 1932. Pp. xviii and 413. $3.50. In recent years there have been quite a few publications dealing with defective speech. In the main, they are concerned with exceedingly dubious hypotheses of etiology and are of but slight practical value. It is with considerable hesitancy and skepticism, therefore, that one familiar with modern “stammering” literature approaches a book with such a title as that of the present. A glance at the table of contents, however, suffices to assure one that this is an unusual book. For after but about 30 pages of theoretical approach to the problem, there follow more than 300 pages of practical technique. Ten pages of practical material for each page of theory!?unheard of in the field of “Correction of Defective Speech.” Dipping into the contents proper, one finds that even Part 1, pages 1 to 28, “The Psycho-Physiological Approach,” is not all theory. The authors point out that many of the “existing methods of attacking the problem of speech correction are inadequate and unscientific” and that “unscientific and fantastic etiologies” have been emphasized. They recognize the fact that the approach to the problem must be biochemical, physiological, psychological and pedagogical and that “removal of immediate cause of speech defects does not (necessarily) mean restoration of normal speech.” They present, as the basic postulates of the normal processes of speech, ” (a) correct breathing and proper utilization of breath; (6) correct kinaesthetic imagery (Oratans); (c) combination of (a) and (6) in speech output.” To continue in their own words: “To meet this approach appropriate material was needed. A two-fold classification of Continuants and Stops, with the latter divided into eight (8) groups, was made independent of, yet in agreement with, traditional and philological classification and with anatomical correlation on the basis of the ‘Curve of Articulation.’ Combinations of sounds were made, and from various sources 5,102 frequency words were selected. The general trend of frequency sounds was consistent with the ‘Curve of Articulation,’ with the exception of the L-R group, accounted for pedagogically. The use of frequency words is valid pedagogically and further indicated since between six (6) words representing 20 per cent of spoken English and 1027 words representing 78.6 per cent, the frequency list utilized insures practiced articulation of more than 85 per cent of the modal vocabulary. The completed scientific investigations of the problem, which were based on the 1 Curve of Articulation,’ indicated the need for a progressive allocation of sounds and words.”
In Part 2, Corrective Material and Technique, a practical system of exercises is presented, which, the authors state, is “applicable to all types of speech defect in which a prognosis could be favorable,” and they also present it as “a method in teaching children to read and in the improvement of articulation when no specific abnormalities exist.’’
The system embraces five series of exercises. The first is a set of calisthenics to improve general bodily tone and coordination, including movements of the head, arms, legs, trunk and feet. Then follow exercises in breathing, in vocalization and for the peripheral organs of speech. The fifth series is of ‘’Articulatory exercises and integrated speech.” This includes 100 sections, covering 300 pages, and embraces hundreds of practice sentences from which the teacher may select such as are specifically indicated as necessary for each particular case. It is this feature of the book which should make it especially helpful to teachers of speech.
Part III of the book presents methods of keeping case records and progress charts. In an interesting addenda?”A Conceptual Basis of Habit Modification”?Nathanson points out that in the work of Lashley and Herrick there is to be found “anatomical and physiological explanation of what was, on the part of Twitmyer, a strictly ‘conceptual’ scientific approach” to the problem.
To all those who employ articulatory exercises whether for correcting specific speech defects or for improving relatively normal speech, the book should be of great practical value. Henry E. Starr, Rutgers University
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