Reading Aloud – How to Help Kids Succeed

Reading aloud is an important part of communication and it gives kids the opportunities to build many of these valuable skills. Image source: letsgrowspeech.com

Literacy is an intricate process in which many different aspects of communication and language are involved. Visual awareness of letters and sentences, auditory awareness of phonetics and the spoken language, processing skills for language, and skills for transferring what is read into speaking are all parts of the equation. While reading is generally considered a quiet, if not silent, activity, there are numerous benefits to reading aloud.

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How Do I Teach My Child to Read?

by Chris O Games and Activities Language Development Reading School

Children learn to read through consistent exposure to various kinds of literature, as well as by engaging in different types of reading strategies like those outlined above. Image source: infographicsmania.com

Reading is a critical component of communication, and age 7 seems to be the magical turning point by which most children learn to read. Children who struggle up until this point – and those who still aren’t reading beyond 7 years of age, don’t necessarily have disabilities that are preventing them from acquiring literacy skills. However, it is valuable for parents to acknowledge the typical milestones for literacy and recognize the warning signs that something more serious than just a delay is preventing their children from reaching reading milestones. If you find yourself asking: How do I teach my child to read?, these following strategies are might give your child the support and extra attention to literacy that is needed. Continue reading →

7 Games to Build Reading Skills for Kids Who Can’t Sit Still

by Chris O Games and Activities Language Development Reading School

Image Courtesy of www.womanaroundtown.com

All of the data points to what many parents and educators already know to be true. Children who have speech and language delays or disorders often struggle to build or maintain reading skills. If you are the parent of a child who faces literacy challenges on top of other communication struggles, and your child just doesn’t seem able to sit still long enough to look at the cover of a book, you might be feeling that reading proficiency is a far away dream. Whether your child is a kinesthetic learner or always on the move because of a learning or behavior challenge, there are options that satisfy that need for movement, but still build reading skills. Try these games that let kids move – and encourage them to read at the same time. Continue reading →

Moving Matters – Activities to Improve Articulation in Kinesthetic Learners

by Chris O Language Development Pronunciation & Lisps School Speech Therapy Techniques

Image Courtesy of e7d-tom.blogspot.com

The last thing a kinesthetic learner probably wants to do is sit at one more desk, listening to and responding to one more set of directions. These learners thrive on active participation, with the more moving body parts required, the better! Get ready to leave the chair and desk behind and try these inexpensive and easy activities to improve articulation in kinesthetic learners. Continue reading →

Activities to Improve Language Skills in Children with APD

by Chris O Language Development Reading School Speech Therapy Techniques

Image Courtesy of www.gemmlearning.com

Whether you know it as Auditory Processing Disorder, APD, Central Processing Disorder, or CAPD, if you have a child struggling with this disorder you know the challenges that your entire family faces. Communication, language, academics, and social interactions are all affected by this somewhat mysterious disorder that prevents a person’s brain from processing the information heard by the structures of the ears. Despite all of these challenges, there are activities to improve language skills in children with auditory processing disorder, one step at a time. Continue reading →

What is Auditory Processing Disorder?

by Chris O Hearing Loss Language Development School Speech Therapist

Also known as APD and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), Auditory Processing Disorder is a neurological condition that impacts the way the brain is able to process what is heard. Somewhere between the sounds that are heard and how the brain remembers or understands those sounds, the information is jumbled or even lost. What makes this condition so challenging to diagnose and so frustrating for many parents whose children struggle with this condition is that functional hearing is usually not affected in people with APD – it is the processing of sounds that is affected.

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Build Reading Skills in Kids with Expressive Language Disorder

by Chris O Language Development Reading School Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

It’s on the tip of my tongue! Have you ever felt this way? Kids with expressive language disorders often feel this sensation – that they should know what to say but they just can’t seem to find the right words. Expressive language disorders often mean that kids display the following symptoms:

Speaking in short, choppy sentences with limited vocabulary
Using a vocabulary that is below grade level
Repeating parts or the entirety of questions
Using um, ah, well, repeatedly as they search for the “right” word
Confusing tenses (past, present, future) in conversations Continue reading →

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – 5 Activities that Encourage Writing Skills

by Chris O Language Development Parents' Corner Reading School

Image Courtesy of www.themeasuredmom.com

As a writer, putting words on paper or the screen is as natural for me as talking to myself (which I do a lot of, too). However, for countless kids there are hurdles, frustrations, and challenges when it comes being able to write – to say nothing of being able to actually enjoy it. Serving up activities that encourage writing skills in bite-sized portions and not blank loose-leaf paper is one of the first steps to encouraging reluctant writers to become authors in their own rights. Continue reading →

Speech Buddies Parents’ Corner – Create A Homework Zone

by Chris O Parents' Corner School

From NellieBellie.com, Anatomy of a Great Homework Zone

It might make your child groan, but you know that homework is an important, inevitable part of your child’s day. You can help to make the experience more manageable when you create a homework zone in your home, and you don’t have to add on an extra room to accomplish it. Continue reading →

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