Students who demonstrate a need in articulation, fluency, language and auditory processing, and voice receive speech/language support.  Students are scheduled for individual and/or small group sessions according to age as well as type and severity of the disorder.

Practical Communication Strategies

Learn about your child's communication

How does your child communicate: cries, smiles, moves, reaches, looks, points, gestures, words, sentences

Why my child communicates: express need, protest, seek attention, request, greet, comment, question

Let your child lead

Follow your child's lead and let the interaction grow: respond immediately with interest, join in and play, follow their lead with youractions and words (imitate, interpret, comment)

Create Opportunities for your child to lead

Help your child to make a request:  Place an object out of reach....then wait

Offer a little bit.....then wait

Choose an activity that requires adult help....then wait

Offer a choice.....then wait

Pause during a familiar activity.....then wait

Help your child make a comment or ask a question: Change a familiar activity

Hide objects in surprising places

Observe when things go wrong

Keep the interactions going

Take turns- match your turns with your child"s turns (pace, length, interest)

Cue your child to take a turn (facial expression, body language, visual helper, hand-over-hand, ask a question)

Ask questions to keep the interactions going

Choice questions

Yes-No questions

WH questions

Add Language to the Interaction

Add language all day long

Add language to build your child"s understanding of the world

Add language to help your child express himself

Use a variety of words

Expand the child"s message

Highlight your language by SAYING less, STRESS, go SLOW