Cycles Approach for Language: Treating Multiple Areas of Language Simultaneously

When a child is struggling in more than one area of language, how do you decide what to work on first? In this episode, Carrie Clark, SLP and creator of the Speech and Language Kids Hub, shares her approach to tackling this common challenge—using a cycles approach for language therapy. Inspired by the classic cycles method for phonology, this flexible strategy helps SLPs target multiple areas of language without having to pick just one.

Whether you’re working with Tier 2 kids, students with mild mixed delays, or children with more complex needs, this method can help you move the needle on progress without feeling scattered or overwhelmed. Keep reading (or listening!) for practical tips, real-life examples, and tools to get started.

You can listen to the full podcast episode below:

Carrie introduces the idea of cycling through different language goals—just like we do with phonology. Instead of zeroing in on one skill until mastery, you rotate through a set of 2–4 key targets, giving students repeated exposure over time.

Perfect for:

This method mirrors how language naturally develops and aligns beautifully with how school curriculums revisit and build on skills over time.

Carrie shares stories of two students who inspired her to rethink how she structured therapy. Both had mild delays across multiple language domains—but no single “big weakness” to focus on. Instead of choosing one goal and ignoring the rest, she tried a cycles-based approach… and it worked!

Carrie highlights a study (from the ‘80s or ‘90s) that compared three therapy models: simultaneous targeting of phonology and language, block scheduling, and a cycling approach. Spoiler alert: cycling came out on top, reinforcing the value of this method for supporting progress across multiple skill areas.

Carrie describes a research study comparing three therapy methods:

The winner? The cycles model—students made more progress when targets were rotated!

Not sure where to start? Here’s Carrie’s simple setup:

There’s no “one right way” to do it—customize based on the child’s needs and your style!

Goal writing can feel tricky with a cycles model, but Carrie offers two great options:

Inside the Hub, you’ll find screening checklists, rubrics, and goal-writing guides to make this super manageable.

A Look Inside the Core Language Program

Carrie’s Core Language Program is a full-blown example of this approach in action. It’s a 16-week curriculum that cycles through every oral language skill for one grade level, with built-in foundational skills like:

Each lesson includes therapy activities + homework pages for families and teachers.

Available inside the Hub (separate purchase required)

The cycles approach to language therapy is a flexible, effective way to support students with mixed needs—and it fits beautifully with how children learn naturally. Whether you’re brand new to this idea or already cycling through goals without realizing it, this episode will give you fresh ideas and next steps.

Give it a listen, and let us know what you think!

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