Language academic support for teens improves their ability to express their ideas “Why do I need help with language?” your teen may ask. Most teens with mild-to-moderate language challenges will say when a parent or teacher mentions seeking language academic support for teens that they do not need help. Many will state that everyone understands […]
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Category: Speech
Supported Breathing for Speech: It’s Critical
Supported breathing for speech is not just important for communication, but for life. Yup, try living and not breathing, just not happening. We call that state, being dead! So, yes we all know breathing is vital, but did you know that breathing affects your speech? Problems such as poor vocal quality, reduced volume, strong accents, or […]
Foreign Accents: To change or not to change…
I love foreign accents. The lyrical rhythms of different languages are beautiful to hear, but there are times when a heavy accent interferes with people’s ability to comprehend communication, that is when accent reduction/modification is beneficial. For the professor, who speaks English as a second language, it can be frustrating to have to continually repeat what has […]
Second Language Acquisition: To Learn or Not to Learn
Second language acquisition for students with language-based learning disabilities is sometimes difficult. Logically it makes sense, students who have trouble learning their dominant language, it’s assumed, will have trouble learning a second language. However because learning a second language can be difficult does that mean students with language-based learning disabilities should not learn one, maybe, maybe […]
Communication Problems: Fighting Back
Did you know that last month was National Poetry Month? An amazing young client of mine is pen pals with this year’s National Youth Poet Laureate. My client also earned an honorable mention for her haiku in this year’s National poetry competition. She does not let communication challenges stop her. Amanda Gorman says, “I’ve been pen-palling […]
Fostering Growth Mindset: Speech/Language Disabilities
Early on in my career working with middle and high school students, one of my biggest challenges was working with students who were so disheartened by learning they were not motivated to try. Carol Dweck’s work on “growth mindset” supported my work as a speech-language pathologist because it talked about the difference between and fixed and […]
Aspie’s may Clutter, not just Stutter
“People …. say they can’t understand me. I am fine when I read or make a presentation but when I am talking just regularly people say they don’t know what I’m saying. My parents and friends have suggested that I work on my communication, but I don’t know what that means, says a new client. He […]
Language: The Foundation for Academic Part 1
The foundation of language chart above provides a simplified view of language development to show how early language development supports future academic achievement. Because we so often take language for granted and schools often downplay the impact of speech and language challenges after the third grade, it is easy not to realize, that even small speech […]
Is accent reduction enough?
“Why don’t people understand me? People are always telling me to repeat myself especially on the phone,” says one client. ”I don’t hear the difference between some sounds, and I have a hard time getting my ideas together when I give presentations at work,” says another. What do these clients have in common? They both […]
Speech and Language: Therapy is Play
“SORRY, I win!” Wow, perfect /s/ pronounciation! YEAH! Play is the key to speech and language therapy when working with children and teens on developing new language skills. SORRY for this child the game of SORRY by Hasbro provided him with the motivation to work on the articulation of the /s/. Finally, as he won the game […]