Our Speech Therapists’ Five Favorite Picture Books for Kindergarteners
Ding dong! Is that the bell? The school bell? Classes are starting across the country and that includes your kindergartener who you can’t believe is growing up so fast. Luckily there’s never a bad time to make a trip to the library or bookstore to find new books to enjoy with your child. Here are the five…
Five toys you have in your house right now that can help prepare your child for kindergarten
Toys, toys, toys! Not only can they be used for play, but also for teaching and preparing your child for school. There are all kinds of expensive educational toys available in stores today, but sometimes all it takes are the classics to introduce young kids to the basics of vocabulary, language concepts and following directions….
The Power of a Point
By: Abbey Vielhaber Why Is Pointing Important? Helps direct attention to what we see or are thinking about Helps bridge the gap between 1-2 word phrases Why Do Children Point? To tell us something To ask a question To ask for something How to Respond when your Child Points: Label what they are pointing at…
Using “DIP” With Your Child
By: Claire Slavik, M.A., CF-SLP WHAT is “DIP”? “DIP” stands for duration, intensity, and pitch. These features add meaning and variety to our words and help speech come to life! They are the qualities that can make our voice sound different from those around us. WHY is this important to use with my child? Showering…
It’s Not Just Play, It’s Hard Work!
It might look like your child is “just playing,” but did you know play is hard work? Play provides opportunities for children to learn, grow, and develop their language skills, social and emotional skills, and their creativity. See below to find out what your child may be learning, while they are “just playing.” Circle Time…
Making an Experience Book with Your Child
By: Claire Slavik, M.A., CF-SLP An experience book captures the everyday moments that your child finds important in their daily life. This is a homemade book put together by you and your child to help foster and guide conversation. All you need is some paper, a pen or crayons, and some creativity! How do we make one? Sit down…
Tantrums Vs. Meltdowns
By: Natalie Day, M.S., CCC-SLP Three of our talented speech therapists, Sarah Denman, Eileen Adamo, and Joelle Umstead, shared a presentation with our speech staff at a recent staff meeting! They taught us about tantrums versus meltdowns: how to recognize the difference, how to know when one is coming, and some strategies to prevent them…
Navigating the IEP Process
By: Lora McConnell, M.A., CCC-SLP What do you do if you have a concern about how your child is functioning at school? There are several specific steps you should follow and information you should know in order to get your child the help he/she might need. First, talk to his/her teacher and see how they…
When Do Children Develop Certain Speech Sounds?
By: Natalie Day, MS, CCC-SLP As children develop, so does their speech! It takes time for all speech sounds to be produced correctly, so it’s normal for some sounds to not be produced correctly in young children. But when should we expect sounds to develop? New research is available to guide our decision making about…
Visual Supports In The Classroom
By Julie Aills, M.S., CCC-SLP One of our wonderful and talented speech therapists, Danielle Nader, was a presenter at OCALICON this year. OCALICON is a 3- day conference for related professionals and families of individuals with autism, sensory disabilities, and low-incidence disabilities. One of Danielle’s presentations focused on the importance of using visuals aids in the…