Hello! I’m the speech pathologist who works with your child. I have met many of you already at the annual IEPs, but for those who I have not met, a BIG hello!
I have thought about each and every one of your children this past week and I’m hoping that you are all staying healthy and keeping well. I realize this is a difficult time for many of us and my thoughts go out to all of you.
While navigating this “new new” for the next couple of weeks, I will be available to answer any questions you may have. Please email me at [email protected] and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I'm creating a website with speech/language therapy explanations, materials, and example videos. It's taking time, but please check it frequently! I think you'll find it helpful.
https://sites.google.com/a/nv.ccsd.net/ccsdslp0927/
In the meantime, the most important thing you can do with your child to increase SPEECH and LANGUAGE skills is to spend time talking and reading.
Did you know children who are exposed to language-rich conversations and descriptive words, will have a huge advantage when it comes to increasing speech and language skills?
Research shows the importance of increasing those face-to-face interactions, when speech and language skills are being developed.
Ask open-ended questions
OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS CANNOT BE ANSWERED WITH A YES OR NO.
Ask WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, and WHY questions throughout the day, when reading a story, when playing games, during meals, in the yard, during bath time and bedtime, etc.
Expand on your child’s words
If your child says ball, expand on that; a red ball, a big, round red ball, bounce the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball.
Describe simple daily tasks
When cooking in the kitchen, talk about stirring the pot, using a spoon to stir round and round, the soup is hot, the vegetable colors, the crunchy carrots, etc.
Use descriptive words and sentences more than imperative statements and simple affirmations.
Read, read, read to your child. Ask questions. Who did this? Where were they? What did they need? When did they do it? Use your own books at home. Reading the same books over and over is good for your child. Repetition is good and you can always read it differently the second or third time. Use a granny voice, a whisper voice, a southern accent, etc. Get creative and have fun! And remember to model good clear speech for your child. This helps with “speech sounds” also!
As a second option, Youtube has TONS of FREE books, read by the authors as well!
https://www.weareteachers.com/virtual-author-activities/
Another option:
https://www.vooks.com
FLASHCARD IDEAS:
https://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/556_ExtraFlashcardFun.pdf
https://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/544_FurtherFlashcardFun.pdf
If you would like me to send worksheets home for speech sounds (students working on specific speech sound errors) or language worksheets for language goals, please let me know and I’d be happy to add them to my website.
This is a difficult time for many of us, but it can also be a fun and rewarding time with our children. Remember, the time you invest now, will pay off for them and YOU in the future! Please email me privately for specific information regarding your child’s IEP goals and benchmarks if you do not have a copy on hand.
All the best,
Morgan Fenstermaker SLP
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Thank you,
Morgan Fenstermaker
Speech-Language Pathologist
Nate Mack (T, TH, F)/ Estes McDoniel (M/W)
702-799-7760 x 4023/ WAN 04284023