Happy Fall! I would like to inform you of the method behind all speech activites/homework. All that we do in Speech/Language Therapy is language based. All of our lives are based on language, whether it be written, spoken, signed, or read. Each activity that we do in our therapy sessions is closely tied to language and literacy from your child's grade/classroom. We work on our specific goals through the use of weekly spelling words, essential words,  and reading levels. You may help your child with his/her speech and school progress by emercing them in language and literacy. Spend your free time communicating through language. Talk about the day at school/work, take a walk and talk about what you see around you, make plans for an upcoming event, make a recipe together and discuss the process. These types of activities will help boast your child's language and vocabulary skills; which, in turn, will boast him/her academically. Spend time at home reading to and with your child. No matter the age, your child will enjoy being read to and getting to read to you. Instead of watching a television program together, you may designate a time that the family reads.

Dear Parents, We hope you enjoyed the Wacky Tales that we created in Speech/Language. This activity not only gives your child an opportunity to pracice misarticulated speech sounds, but also teaches language skills. The students are asked to give nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc. If he/she hasn't read their Wacky Tale to, at least, one person, please ask them to do so. I explained to the students that they need to concentrate on using good speech sounds when reading or telling their Wacky Tales.
Be on the lookout for the next fun project we are working on. We are making individual game boards. Each student is making a game board based on his/her speech sounds. The game board will be covered with lots of real or nonsense words containing their sound(s). This is also a good lesson in Phonemic Awareness because the students are given some letter cards and asked to make as many words as possible. Lots of the words are nonsense words. They are thinking of words that rhyme with these nonsense words, as well. When your child brings home his/her gameboard, I hope it will be an opportunity to practice at home by having a family game!

We are getting Wacky in Speech/Language!! The students are having so much fun writing their own "Wacky Tales"!  Parents, be watching for these Wacky Tales to come home with a letter explaining how to use them for home practice.

Welcome to the 2009-2010 School Year. I am anxious to begin working with all of my former and new students. Please check back frequently for messages, updates, and information.