An Interview With Social Language Expert Pamela Ely

by Holly F. Interviews
Ely Center staff

Source: elycenter.com

As a relatively new area to the field of speech and language pathology, the treatment of social pragmatic disorders requires a keen eye and understanding of language from the perspective of more than nouns, articulators and verbs. Social cognitive and social language skills involve the coordination of many skills such as, perspective taking, nonverbal body language, humor, figurative language, conversation skills, and social connectedness.  Today, Pamela Ely, M.S., CCC-SLP shares her clinical experience and passion for this very complex and critical area of speech and language.

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What Should I Know About Children Who Are Tongue-Tied?

by Holly F. Language Development
tongue facts

Source: infographicsshowcase.com

Being “tongue tied” isn’t always just a figure of speech. For children with a physical tongue-tie (called “ankyloglossia”), speaking, breastfeeding or dentition might be affected by a shortened frenulum inside the mouth. The frenulum is the small attachment between the floor of the lower jaw and the tongue. When you lift your tongue, it’s easy to see and feel. A shortened frenulum, in the case of akyloglossia, restricts the movement of the tongue and is considered a congential condition present at birth. Without the freedom to move it properly, difficulties with the normal function of the mouth for speaking or eating might arise, though the definitive connection between the two is hard to say. For that reason, it’s important for speech therapists, the experts in language and sometimes feeding, and parents to know about children who are tongue-tied.

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Where to Look for Speech Therapy in Maryland

by Holly F. State Resources
girl using symbol cards in therapy

Source: dts-its.com

If you hear your child say “cwab cake,” chances are they’re a candidate for a speech evaluation or, they live in Maryland. Maryland offers a bit of everything to its tourists and residents- mountains on the west coast and beaches on the east. For it’s children, Maryland serves 848,412 public school students across 24 districts. For it’s children with speech and language disorders,  great private speech therapy in Maryland can be found across the state.

 

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SLPs: Make Your Mark on Better Hearing and Speech Month in May

by Holly F. News
better hearing and speech month

Source: asha.org

May might welcome spring flowers but it also ushers in Better Hearing and Speech Month. Every May for the past 75 years, speech pathologists and audiologists are tasked with advocacy and education. This is our time to get the word out!  This month aims to raise awareness about communication disorders and promote treatment for those suffering from communication impairments. Gather your craft materials, color printers and social media to support communication disorders this month.

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The Fun and Function of Using Silly Sentences in Articulation and Language Therapy

by Holly F. Expert Corner Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Therapy Techniques

 

two witches tongue twister

Source: eltexperiences.com

You might remember the phrase, “Sally sells sea shells by the sea shore.” To some it’s a silly tongue twister, but to a speech therapist it’s a classic example of using silly sentences to stimulate language and articulation targets in speech therapy. These sentences are usually made up, use alliteration (using the same sound or letter to start every word), rhyming words or use made up characters in crazy situations. They usually involve a character (Mateo the matador), an action (makes millions on macaroni museums) and a location (in Madrid). Silly isn’t just for laughs, silly can be fun and functional in speech therapy.

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