+ Speech and Language Therapy: At Home and At School Lauren Anick MS, CCC-SLP and Sydney Robert MS, CCC-SLP Parent Workshop 12/18/2013

+ What does speech therapy look like in school? General areas of focus: Receptive language – attending to and following basic directions, identifying familiar vocabulary by pointing or choosing from an array. Expressive language – communicating wants and needs through speech or an AAC system. Social skills – responding to name, appropriate social greetings, basic social interactions, turn-taking. Feeding – introduction of new foods to picky eaters, safe and appropriate chewing/swallowing skills.

+ What does speech therapy look like in school? Strategies Pull out sessions – lessons done in the speech room Push in sessions – collaborative sessions done in the classroom in order to encourage interaction with peers, generalization of skills.

+ What does speech therapy look like in school? Community experiences – trips to the store or the supermarket in order to foster appropriate behavior and life skills (street safety, stranger danger, shopping/money skills). Instructional meal time – sessions that occur during breakfast, snack or lunch to encourage good eating habits, social interaction, and following directions. Skill-based lessons – cooking/baking activities, art projects, school-wide projects.

+ Is there anything we can do at home to help? Things to try at home and ideas to keep in mind: Require that your child request food or toys that he/she wants. Skill targeted: Expressive language, social skills Narrate your actions and point out objects of interest in your environment. Skill targeted: Receptive language (vocabulary) Include your child in the activities you do at home (cooking, cleaning, etc). Skill targeted: Receptive language (following directions) PLEASE don’t use baby talk! Skill targeted: Developing appropriate grammar and syntax.

+ Is there anything we can do at home to help? Cut pictures from market circulars or magazines and use them to label items in your kitchen or bathroom. Skill targeted: Receptive language (vocabulary)

+ Is there anything we can do at home to help? Create routines based on Activities of Daily Living and use pictures to help illustrate the steps. Skill targeted: Receptive language (following directions)

+ What’s our ultimate goal? Our end goal in speech is always independence. That means: Independently identifying ourselves. Indicating wants/needs across all settings. Using appropriate social skills with adults and with peers. Fostering a sense of independence and empowerment.