12 Weeks of Simple Activities to Support Kids’ Learning all Summer Long adapted from ASHA Blog by Stacey Glasgow, ASHA associate director of school services Simple activities parents or caregivers can use to help their child — or entire family — build speech, language, and literacy skills all summer! Week 1:  Summer bucket list.  Ask […]

Be aware of events taking place right around you.  After a recent storm, there was lots of tree damage.  Watching tree experts remove a broken limb from the center of a huge oak tree was a great language opportunity! Whenever a new experience presents itself, use lots of visual cues such as pointing, gesturing, using […]

I recently went to a family reunion in Athens, Texas at the Arboretum.  On the site, there were some historic structures like this,  a one-room school.  Peering in the windows of that school house took me back to a simpler time and made me think of today’s children.  All children…and ESPECIALLY children who struggle with […]

Here’s a way to encourage longer verbal responses from your little one.  Rather than asking yes/no questions about things a quiet little one may want,  present options!   For example, use this illustration.  Usually when we offer an apple, we extend our hand and ask, “Do you want an apple?”  That question lends itself to […]

The concept of time is difficult for children because they cannot see time!  Consider providing pictures of the day or expectations for the day.  You might hang a monthly calendar like this one in a strategic place —  like on the refrigerator or wall of your child’s room. Write on the calendar what your child […]

Parents often ask about using signs, wondering if signing will delay speaking and verbal expression.  My answer is always:  NO!  NO!  NO! In a single play session, this adorable little one learned to use the sign for “more”.  This picture was taken at the end of the session as she was showing us that she […]

  Bedtime is one of the loveliest times to connect with your Young One.  There’s such a special opportunity for sharing and teaching and using language. These open-ended questions come to mind:   Tell me about your day.   What did you like the most today?   What happened today?   Did anything funny happen? […]

A landmark 1995 study found that children from higher-income families hear about 30 million more words during their first three years of life than children from lower-income families. This “30-million-word gap” correlates with significant differences in tests of vocabulary, language development, and reading comprehension. Appearing in a February 14, 2018, MIT online edition of Psychological […]

How successful are our people when we are NOT THERE? “We really should be successful in our classrooms and clinics as we control almost every variable.  The real test of our interventions is how successful they are OUTSIDE of these environments.”  —  Dr. Peter Gerhardt      

Recently, one of my students was telling me about an event that he attended. He struggled trying to describe the event with words so we pulled out objects from around my office so he could recreate the scene for me. Manipulatives really helped him describe the event. This image is what he created. The angel […]

This lamp gave us a lovely opportunity to develop language.  The base is stationary but the layer with the seashells on the edge rotates!  This little guy parked his favorite trucks on the moveable layer and reached out with his index finger to spin his trucks.  Surely, not what the lamp maker intended but it […]

Oh, yes!   May it always be PASSION!

“One mistake does not define you, Julian.  Do you understand me?  You must simply act better next time!” Great discussion material for elementary aged kiddos and older!  And the story is out in a movie. If yours are sensitive about seeing the visual images, I would suggest reading this aloud together.  As the reader, you […]

Over and over and over, I recommend this book to parents.  The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease.  It shares summaries of books by age and interest and particularly books that are great to read aloud TOGETHER.  Reading aloud gives opportunities to teach many things — vocabulary, values, sequencing, and expressive language, just to mention a […]

In 2016, Amy Wright opened Bitty & Beau’s Coffee Shop — named after two of her children — in Wilmington, NC. When I was there, I SAW a gathering place, large meeting rooms which could be reserved, small tables for visiting, and a welcoming open space.  What I FELT when there was joy, dignity, and […]

    Here’s an example.  As this little guy crawled through the tunnel, I said each time, “You’re crawling THROUGH the tunnel!”  Though he’s too young to say the words himself, the thought has been planted.  It takes much less energy for the adult to sit and be silent while children play … but using […]