May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. Speech and Language Pathologists like to use this month to educate and teach others more about what we do and how to better ourselves as clinicians. As SLP, we work with many therapists, OT, PT and BCBAs. Many of us use the same vocabulary, and many terms can differ. As an SLP working in a team with BCBAs, we must know what we are all talking about! Maybe you say “tomato,” and I say, “toMAHto,” but we really just want to get along and understand each other! We came together and created a vocabulary list to understand each other better.
Here are some common terms we both use and how we really are meaning the same thing!
Some of the common speech terms that overlap with BCBA terminology are listed. The ABA term first follows the Speech term: Requesting-Manding, Labeling-Tacting, Imitation- Echoic, and Fill in- intra-verbal. Knowing these basic terms will help the SLP, BCBA, and ABA therapists understand each other. We may speak different languages but are all trying to come together and work as a team to get the same result.
— Hannah Trahan, MS CCC-SLP & Nicole LeMaster, MA BCBA
| SLP Term | Translation |
| Label | Tact |
| Request | Mand |
| Imitation | Echoic |
| Fill in | Intraverbal Fill in |
| Open-ended question | Intraverbals |
| Non-verbal | Non-vocal |
| Code switch | a different means of interacting with people based on your learning history with them. Ex: the way you talk with friends vs. the way you talk with co-workers |
| Motor planning | being able to complete the steps necessary to do an activity. Being able to move your body to get the job done. |
| Articulation | Speech sounds |
| Executive functioning | Problem-solving |
| Therapy of mind | Perspective taking |
| Central coherence | ability to focus on details as well as the whole picture |
| AAC | Alternative Augmentative Communication |
| Fluency | smooth, rhythmic, effortless speech |
| Dysfluency | stuttering |
| Syntax | grammar |
| Semantics | word meaning |
