Communication Milestones for the Early Elementary Years

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The other day here at the Speech Buddies Blog we reviewed the communication milestones for preschoolers and kindergarteners. While it is true that the first five years of a child’s life are a time of tremendous brain growth and development, it doesn’t mean that the communication milestones for the early elementary years are any less important. In fact, these years mark times of increased independent learning and reliance on the communication skills developed by the time your child is ready for first grade. But what are the milestones in the early elementary years that kids should develop to prepare them for middle school and beyond?

It’s important to review what makes up “communication” as a general set of skills and tools. The three main parts are the voice, speech, and the language (including written, spoken, singing, and more). The combination of these areas, along with articulation, voice, and fluency, form your child’s set of communication milestones. Continue reading →

Developmental Milestones: Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten?

by Chris O Language Development Reading School

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Preparing for kindergarten is about more than getting that first pair of gym shoes or new box of crayons. There are several communication developmental milestones that preschoolers and those kids entering kindergarten should reach in order to make those early education years as smooth as possible. Communication is comprised of three general tools:

Voice – the actual vocal sounds made when air moves from the lungs
Speech – talking by using coordination between muscles, the jaws, lips, and other parts of the oral region
Language – a common set of rules that let you express your ideas and feelings, and that can occur through writing, sign language, singing, speech, and non-verbal communication Continue reading →

Genetics and Speech Disorders

by Chris O Language Development Speech Disorders

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Maybe you get your brown hair from your dad and your blue eyes from your mom. But did you ever consider that perhaps your speech and language patterns are also inherited? Advancements in medical and scientific research have increasingly been revealing that you can also inherit susceptibility to speech disorders, just like you might inherit increased risks for diabetes or other medical conditions. Genetics and speech disorders involve a complicated twisting and turning of details that all come together to form clues about your genetic makeup. Just like with other medical and health issues, the more we know about the likelihood of our genes playing a role in our overall well-being, we can make preventative and proactive decisions. Continue reading →

Will My Child Outgrow His Speech Impediment?

by Chris O Language Development Pronunciation & Lisps School Speech Disorders Speech Therapist

Image Courtesy of slc.cambridgeshire.nhs.uk

Walking, talking, and learning to read are just some of the major milestones that parents look forward to watching their children achieve. Sometimes, however, children show signs of struggle in any of these areas and parents are left worrying and wondering if it is just a phase or something more. If your child appears to struggle with communication, you might be one of many parents who wonder: Will my child outgrow his speech impediment? Continue reading →

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – Is Your Child an Auditory Learner?

by Chris O Language Development Parents' Corner School

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If you picture a room full of rambunctious 2^nd graders, you might not expect them to all be “good listeners”. Listening is a skill that is not always easy for some to acquire, but if your child is an auditory learner it might just be how he or she learns best. There are three main types of learning styles that are commonly recognized – visual learners, kinesthetic learners, and auditory learners. Of these three, auditory learners account for the smallest group. Continue reading →

Board Games for Kids with Speech Disorders

by Chris O Language Development Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

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Learning and working – when it comes to speech therapy or any other task – can be so much more enjoyable when a little fun is involved. Board games for kids with speech disorders can be inexpensive and easy ways to help your kids practice their speech and articulation skills without making them feel like they are doing therapy homework. Continue reading →

Apps for Adults with Speech Disorders

by Chris O Language Development Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

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You probably aren’t too surprised to see kids with technology gadgets, using them for everything from gaming, to chatting with friends, to homework. Speech language therapists (SLPs) have been finding that kids who are naturally drawn to tablets and portable devices can benefit from apps that support speech therapy. Kids aren’t the only ones, though. Apps for adults with speech disorders are not only innovative, but give adults and SLPs one more tool in their efforts for clearer communication. Continue reading →

5 Ways Sign Language Benefits the Hearing

by Chris O Hearing Loss Language Development School

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Maybe you’ve heard that teaching sign language to babies is a great way to boost their communication skills before they are able to more easily communicate through speech. Now researchers and educators are learning that sign language isn’t only valuable during those first years of life when it comes to communication skills for the hearing population. Acquiring sign language skills has benefits for hearing children and adults as well, and some of those benefits might surprise you. Continue reading →

Using E-Readers to Encourage Reading Skills

by Chris O Language Development Reading Speech Disorders

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Literacy is a hot topic in education circles around the globe, and a correlation can even be seen between a nation’s literacy rate and its economic stability. So maybe you agree with the importance of literacy, but how can you actually help your child with communication disorders become a successful reader? E-readers can be an important tool for encouraging these kids who are struggling to develop reading skills. Continue reading →

Tonsils and Adenoids – How Do They Impact Speech?

by Chris O Language Development

Image Courtesy of medimiss.net

Are you familiar with what your tonsils and adenoids do? Plug your nose and try to have it not affect the quality or clarity of your speech. You voice changes because you have just blocked an important part of what your body uses for verbal communication – the nasal passageway. This is often the same result you get when you have a cold or allergies, but it could also be a case of enlarged tonsils and adenoids that are preventing clear speaking from occurring. Continue reading →

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