In this episode, I discuss how to get your child to sit down and do speech therapy at home with you. Also, in the quick tip, I will tell you about a resource that has helped me keep my students engaged and doing work with me for a very long period of time!
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Speech Therapy at Home Notes:
Setting Up Your Home Therapy ScheduleChoose specific times that are designated as speech timesSet a schedule or for older children, work it into their homework routine as something they need to do before they can be done with homework for the evening.Start with very short sessions and build up timeChoose a certain location that speech time will happen each time (can move around and have fun, just start there)Be consistent!Don’t give in if your child doesn’t want to do it. If you are running low on time or energy, just make your child do speech work at the scheduled time for one minute. That way you’re still in the routine even if neither of you had it in you to do a full session.Explain to your child what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.Older Children vs. younger childrenSetting Up Each Home Therapy SessionHave one specific skill in mind that you want to targetChoose an activity that’s fun!www.speechandlanguagekids.com/weekly-activityHave everything you need togetherGive your child a 5-minute warningHave a highly reinforcing reward for the endStarting the SessionTell your child what you’re going to do and why you’re going to do it (especially older kids)Your child should know what he’s working onTell her what she’s working for, what are the criteria for getting itSet a timer and set it shortMaking the Session FunPlay a game while you workTrace something while you workGive them a piece to something after they do a little work (marbleworks)Hold yoga poses while doing workPerform actions while doing workShoot hoops or toss a ball while doing workPlastic coins/treasure in a slotPut cards in mailboxFind computer or I-Pad games that will work on the skill (technology is always fun!)Have your child be the teacher and show you how to do it (get it wrong so they can correct you)Hide their work around the house and have them find the workVideo tape or audio record them doing their work so they can watch/listen to it laterTake pictures of them doing their work and make a book they can show othersTape work to walls in the bathroom, turn off lights, use flashlight to find and sayPut work on wall and shoot it with a dart gunMake file folder games:www.SpeechAndLanguageKids.com/productsFind worksheetswww.mommyspeechtherapy.comMaking sure they will want to do it againPraise them a lot!!End with something they are successful withIf it’s too hard, back down to something easier and then mix in the harder onesIf you get frustrated, end the session early.Mark their progress and show it to them.Toddler won’t do it: work it into play/b/ sound by bringing out bubbles, ball, balloon, barn, bookTrying to get them to talk: put everything out of their reach and get confused when they pointPut things they want in sealed jars so they have to ask for helpGive them toys that wind upPreschooler won’t do it:bee hive for reinforcertimershorter sessionsGet siblings or friends involvedChild with Autism won’t do it:strong reinforcer (can be food) given after you help them do the skillFade prompts so they’re doing it on their ownBreak skills into smallest partsChild won’t imitate any soundshave him imitate actions first. If he won’t do it, help him and then reinforce like he did it on his ownChild’s too old for playing gamesGet buy-in. Make sure he knows why it’s important to improve speechI don’t have time!Throw some speech work or words in your purse or car and pull them out when you’re stuck in traffic or waiting in a line somewhereSpeech Therapy At Home Links and Resources:
Speech and Language Kids Podcast
Speech and Language Kids Weekly Speech and Language Activity: www.speechandlanguagekids.com/weekly-activityFile folder games you can print and make at home for free
Speech and Language Worksheets you can print for free: www.MommySpeechTherapy.comYoga Pretzel Cards you can buy on Amazon to get your child doing yoga while you work on speech and language skillsMore Resources for Speech-Language Pathologists:
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