What Can I Do At Home??
Parents frequently ask me questions about how to help their child. Rather than writing lengthy explanations, I created videos to tell you exactly how I work on these skills in my therapy sessions. Think of me as your own personal internet SLP. These videos include – how to build first words, how to expand language, build joint attention, understanding CAS, using gestures, what to expect when you call a speech therapist, what to do when you can’t understand your child, and how to create an environment for talking in your home.
This article from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association supports building speech and language skills through play.
Encouraging First Words: Part 1
This video is for parents to learn the speech therapy strategies of Pausing, Waiting, and Imitating in order to build a child’s language skills. Chrissy is a highly, experienced SLP that created this video in order to educate parents about the best ways create language opportunities at home. Don’t wait for someone to tell you how to work on speech, Start Today! Watch his 5 minute video and learn to PAUSE…WAIT…IMITATE. This video features the specially selected toy that will engage and excite your child as well as foster language building.
Encouraging First Words: Part 2
You can help your child talk at home. In this video you will learn the strategies of Commenting & Describing, Responding Immediately, Labeling Praise, and Limiting Negative Talk. This video discusses these strategies as they relate to puzzles. Puzzles are a great tool for building language! As you play use your language to model and encourage speech in your child.
Expanding Language: Part 1
In this video, I will demonstrate for you the strategies I teach parents in my therapy sessions. First you will learn how to expand on basic strategies to move beyond the single word stage. Then you will learn how to gain your child’s attention, use Parallel Talk and Self Talk techniques, model short phrases, and choose your words carefully. These key strategies will guide a child from using single words and move them into the use of phrases and sentences to describe their actions, their play, and their environment.
Expanding Language: Part 2
Your child has a lot of single words, but how will you get them to produce longer utterances and complete sentences. Target language expansion. This video will teach you how to use the strategies of making mistakes, asking questions, offering choices, following directions, teaching new vocabulary, describing, and pretend play. The most successful way I use to teach longer phrases with with modeling and repetition. Play with your child, talk about new vocabulary, and model 1-2 words beyond what your child is saying.
Building Joint Attention
Joint attention or shared attention is the shared focus of two individuals on an object. It is achieved when one individual alerts another to an object by means of eye-gazing, pointing or other verbal or non-verbal indications. This is a very important pre-communication skill. Without joint attention it is difficult for a child to learn language and engage in play. This is one of the very first skills I address in my therapy sessions.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)
Apraxia is a motor speech disorder that makes it hard to speak. When a child has CAS, the messages from the brain do not get through to the mouth correctly. The child might not be able to move their lips or tongue in the right ways, even though their muscles are not weak. Sometimes, the child might not be able to say much at all. Suspecting or receiving a diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech or CAS can seem overwhelming. This video explains Childhood Apraxia of Speech, possible treatment strategies, and how you can help your child at home.
Building First Words with Glo Pals
Glo Pals will add that excitement and encourage your children to learn new language. I will demonstrate for you the strategies I teach parents in my therapy sessions. First you will learn how to model early communication skills such as gestures, imitation, facial expression, joint attention, and eye contact. Next the tutorial will move into strategies that will spark those first sounds and words. As a parent or caregiver, you will learn how to effectively play with your child for 20 minutes a day and facilitate their language development.
Expanding Language with Glo Pals
Make bath time fun and create language opportunities. My child will say, “bath” but how do I get him to say more?? In this video, I will demonstrate for you the strategies I teach parents in my therapy session. First you will learn how to expand on the strategies to move beyond the single word stage. Then you will learn how to attend to your child’s communication attempts, model good speech, expand your child’s language, use Parallel Talk and Self Talk techniques, help your child ask and answer questions, learn new words, follow directions, and describe objects. These key strategies will guide a child from using single words and move them into the use of phrases and sentences to describe their actions, their play, and their environment.
Teaching WH- Questions
Learn how to teach your child to ask and answer wh- questions. Begin with “what.” Before a child will begin to ask and answer wh- questions, they must first have a broad vocabulary. If the child is repeating the question, then they aren’t quite ready for this concept. I pull back to teaching them more vocabulary of nouns, verbs, and descriptors. Use puzzles, block towers, or storybooks to encourage your child.
Teaching Pronouns
Pronouns can be so confusing for a child, let alone to you as your try to teach them this concept. In this video, you will learn some of the strategies I use for teaching pronouns. Begin with me/I/you. Modeling in real life context and play is one of the best ways to teach this in a natural way. Say the pronoun from your child’s perspective. Use toys and games with turn taking to help your child understand the pronouns and begin to use them to label people.
Are You Ready to Play?!
Is your home an all access pass to toys and items your child needs? Does your child need your help to get the things they want? Where do I begin when helping my child with his speech? If your child isn’t talking yet or only has a few words, there are a few simple changes you can make to improve their language skills. Speech therapists are very organized and that isn’t a coincidence. This video will provide you with tips and tricks to make your home communication ready.
Articulation – producing sounds
Articulation struggles?? Does your child have lots to say but you or others can’t understand them? What age should my child stop making articulation errors? This video will answer your questions and inform you about when to call a speech therapist.
Playing with Bubbles!
Take a look at this free video guide to playing with BUBBLES! Bubbles are an easy and incredibly fun way to help your child improve their speech and language skills. This video will guide you through playing with bubbles to increase communication. It will show you how to teach sharing attention, requesting with gestures or words, and making comments while playing. Have fun!
When to call a SLP
Is my child behind? What do I do if my child isn’t talking? Should I call a speech therapist? What will they ask me? This video will guide you through the process of finding and calling a speech therapist. It will tell you what to expect and what information you will need. Calling a speech therapist could be the beginning of your child’s future!
This work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or shared on the internet or social media without special permission from PlayTalk&Grow.
Christine is a certified, licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with a Masters in Communication Disorders. While this video teaches you the research-based strategies to help your child talk, this video is not intended to be a substitute for one-on-one, in-person speech pathology services. If your child is exhibiting any signs of speech-language delay or disorder, please know that your child will be best served by a certified, licensed speech-language pathologist.