Three Ways to Boost Language Skills With Story Time!

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Language Development Parents' Corner Speech Therapy Techniques

 

Source: Betterworldbooks.com

Story Time Is An Excellent Opportunity to Engage Your Child and Boost Language Skills. Here Are Some Favorites. Source: Betterworldbooks.com

Goodnight Moon, Charlotte’s Web, Dr. Seuss!  These and other perennial favorites are excellent book choices when it comes to reading to your child! There are so many books available for children, parents are often confused what books to check out at the library, or what books to purchase that will both entertain their child and make important connections in early language skill building. But, equally as important as the book content alone when it comes to building language skills, is HOW you read to your child.  The interaction itself is what makes an impact. Some suggestions in improving the quality of reading to your child include, follow your child’s lead, ask questions to see help your child feel connected to the story and encourage your child to talk about the story and how it may relate to his or her life. Take time to talk about the letters, sounds, shapes in the story. Each of these is a crucial component to building language skills. Check out our six favorite basic books to boost language skills in your child.

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Easy At Home Speech Therapy Ideas

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Games and Activities Language Development Parents' Corner Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

 

Parents can conduct at-home speech therapy techniques with their children with easy, everyday activities.

Parents can conduct at-home speech therapy techniques with their children with easy, everyday activities.

For a child with any type of speech delay or language problem, professional speech therapy is an invaluable tool.  Therapy does not have to be limited to visit to a speech therapists office however. There are many options for parents who are looking for a little help in dealing with their child’s speech disorder. Often, professional speech therapists are expensive, not covered by insurance and sometimes just not a feasible option for families living in rural areas. Additionally, if your child is visiting a speech therapist regularly, there are times (such as Summer vacation) where at home therapy can help keep your child progressing. What are some “at home” options for your child?  Do they really work? Many of you are thinking, “I am not a certified speech therapist”, where would I even begin to start?

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Creative Ways to Embrace Literacy Artifacts to Promote Language

by Holly F. Language Development

 

literacy and families infographic

Source: tvo.org

An artifact doesn’t just have to be a fossil or a museum relic. An artifact from a literacy standpoint is as easy to come by as ABC blocks or musical Leapfrog toys and essential for reading and language development, especially in the early years. Literacy artifacts are objects or possessions such as newspaper print, magazine, building blocks, nursery rhymes or other items a child might be surrounded with to encourage reading.  Literacy artifacts are only successful, however, if adults and teachers model them and show children how letters come together to read words and then string those words together. Adults might also model and point to a string of words and letters from left to right to show children how we read. Teachers must point to and model literacy experiences with their child, particularly in the early years. If this seems a bit daunting, check out some creative literacy artifacts for some inspiration.

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Why You Should be Using Wordless Picture Books in Speech Therapy

by Holly F. Language Development
top childrens books

Source: oconnoreducation.org

Reading a book without words can seem a little counter intuitive. After all, how do you promote early literacy skills without text? And, how do you actually “read” the story? These types of books actually have a host of benefits for kids and if you’re not doing it already, using wordless picture books in speech therapy should be a part of your practice. This, according to a new study, may be especially important when teaching toddlers and can expose them to richer language.

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How Dads Make a Big Difference in Language Development for Kids

by Holly F. Language Development

 

Statistics on involved fathers

Source: beingdadpodcast.com

 

As a graduate student studying speech therapy, I repeatedly observed the phenomena of “dada” as a child’s first word. All the students in my playgroup seemed to have “dada” down, which inevitably made the moms a little upset. After all, why does dad get first billing? I remember my professor saying it was a common occurrence in her experience because often times, mother’s spend a lot more time talking about dad, “when will daddy be home?” “Look daddy’s here!” and that repeated modeling and talking about dad reinforced the meaning of that word. Even though we can expect the “muh” and “duh” sounds to both be early developing sounds, there is just something special about dads. While mother’s have a significant impact on development – and it has been well established that various maternal characteristics (education) influence vocabulary, it’s also important to examine the role of dads in a child’s development. And as it turns out, their part is very important.

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