3 Listening Games to Promote Comprehension

by Holly F. Speech Therapy Techniques

 

kids playing a listening game

Source: gogosqueez.com

Children receiving speech and language therapy to improve their expression (how they use or say words) may also have deficits in comprehension (understanding language). The two skills are essential to good communication and are always addressed and evaluated by a speech pathologist. Areas to work on in language comprehension include: following directions, comprehending concepts, answering questions, and listening for details. Good listening skills allow students to follow the teacher, respond appropriately to directions/demands and follow the details of a story-book. In therapy, be sure to modify the task so that a child does not get frustrated by the difficulty. If the child had a hard time following directions, try not to bombard or give several in a row. Break up long language into smaller pieces and provide support and encouragement throughout the task. Try these listening games and activities in speech therapy or at home to target and improve comprehension.

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Can We Simulate the Autism Experience?

by Holly F. News
child in multi sensory room

Source: ttlc.org

You might have seen a child toe-walking, or covering their ears with their hands. But instead of just observing, have you ever wondered what it might be like to experience the world like a child with autism? Autism, a disorder of neural development, affects the way a child’s brain processes information and can have serious effects on communication, social interaction, and repetitive, stereotypic movements. It is a mysterious disorder in that scientists have yet to identify the cause, but the number of children diagnosed continues to rise. What is perhaps the most enigmatic about autism spectrum disorders, however, is the sensory abnormalities described and observed by some in nearly 90% of the autism population. For the normal brain, this can be difficult to imagine. But now, thanks to developers at the Vancouver Hacking Health hackathon, a simulation of the autism experience might provide typical brains with a taste of the autism experience.

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Social Thinking Conference Coming to Kansas City April 18-19

by Holly F. Speech Therapy Techniques State Resources
Michelle Garcia Winner speaks

Source: socialthinking.com

If you haven’t heard the term, “thinking with your eyes” you haven’t yet spent the day (or two) with Michelle Garcia Winner.  Michelle is a speech pathologist and creator of the “Social Thinking” curriculum for students with Social Thinking challenges including those with ADHD, high functioning autism, Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, PDD and nonverbal learning disorder (NLD).  Speech therapists and parents in the midwest will get a chance to experience and learn Michelle’s curriculum during a two-day core conference covering her two most popular workshops on April 18-19, 2013 at the Ritz-Charles in Kansas City.

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No Danger Here, Will Robinson – Robot Therapist Shows Promise in Speech Therapy

by Holly F. News
robots as study buddy for children

Source: dailyinfographic.com

Could a robot deliver speech therapy? It might sound a little like science fiction, but robot-delivered speech therapy is possible and could soon become a reality in clinical practice. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, are among the first to investigate the potential of humanoid therapists for rehabilitation patients in speech and physical therapy.

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How to Teach the “F” and “V” Sounds in Speech Therapy

by Holly F. Speech Therapy Techniques

 

Dr Seuss' One Fish Two Fish

Source: Betterworldbooks.com

Does your child have trouble saying “fish?”  Ask your child to describe the picture above and listen to the “F” sound in the word, “fish.” Do they substitute another sound? Or perhaps they skip it altogether and just say “ish?” For many children, “fish” can be a tricky word to say. F, and its partner in crime,  V, are tricky sounds for some children. In speech therapy, we usually check the developmental norms to decide if this sound should be targeted according to the child’s age. We can expect a child to master the F and V sounds around ages four and eight years (respectively). If the child is not saying these sounds, they might benefit from intervention and articulation therapy. They are similar in the placement of your articulators (teeth and lips) but different in the way they are produced. Someone saying an “F” sound is allowing a lot of air to escape around their teeth, while a “V” sound is made by creating vibrations of the vocal cords.

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