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 …

Accent Modification 30% Non-Verbal Language 70%

My client was concerned that she was passed over for a much deserved promotion because of her accent.  She said that she often avoided eating lunch with her co-workers because she rarely understood their jokes or references and she thought this might have hurt her opportunity to advance. Accent modification she felt would improve her …

Expressive Language Disorder or English as a Second Language

“I have problems expressing my thoughts: Ever since the day I was born, I’ve always had problems expressing my thoughts and getting out what I wanted to say,” says the writer on  psychologist Kristina Randle, Ph.D., LCSW,  blog on PsychCentral. The psychologist suggested that the person join the debate team, read, practice with friends and family, …

Learning disabilities: I can learn….

  Parents fear that their child’s language based learning disability will limit opportunities, but with additional supports like speech/language therapy this is not true.   Even if the distinction between learning disabilities and intellectual impairment is made clear to children, they will pick up on the fact that in school they are having more problems than their …

To change or not to change…

I love foreign accents.  The lyrical sounds of different languages are beautiful to hear, but there are times when heavy accents interfere with effective communication. I once took a class and I could not understand the professor. It was hard, and it was difficult for every person in that room.  In high pressured business or …