Students with apraxia of speech typically struggle with which aspect of speech production?

Students with apraxia of speech primarily struggle with neurological planning, which encompasses the cognitive processes involved in preparing the appropriate motor commands for speech production. This speech sound disorder is characterized by the brain's difficulty in converting linguistic and phonetic information into the precise movements needed for speech, despite having the desire and physical ability to speak.

In the case of apraxia, individuals may know what they want to say, but they find it challenging to coordinate the sequences of movements necessary to articulate those words correctly. This reflects a disconnect between the thought and the execution of the spoken language, emphasizing the role of planning in producing fluent speech. The planning aspect is essential, as it impacts the overall clarity and success of verbal communication, which is the hallmark of apraxia.