What are Decodable Readers? If your child is learning to read you may have heard the term “decodable readers”. The Ministry of Education is set to release a set of decodable readers shortly – much to the excitement of parents and professionals who advocate for a structured literacy approach. Decodable readers are books which are… Read More »Decodable Books – What’s the Point?
Three Things I Wish I Had Been Taught About Spelling in School. For most of my life I have identified as a “bad speller”, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I am a fairly typical learner, and picked up reading and writing at an acceptable pace in primary school. I continued to read… Read More »Three Things I Wish I Had Been Taught About Spelling in School
What is teletherapy?Teletherapy is just like regular speech and language therapy, however it is conducted through video chat. Your therapist will organise activities and games much like in face to face therapy (board games, “make a” games e.g. make a pizza, colouring, surprise games e.g. crack the egg, and many more!) What does teletherapy look… Read More »Transition to Teletherapy
Speech Language Therapists work with people of all ages to support their speech, language and literacy skills. An assessment session is useful for parents who are unsure if their child needs therapy, and if therapy is needed, to create a picture of their communication skills in order to create appropriate goals for therapy. Here’s what… Read More »What Happens in a Speech Therapy Assessment Session
Why Shared Storybook Reading? Many studies have reported the benefits of shared storybook reading on language development and literacy. Research has shown that reading with your child actively participating (rather than just listening) promotes better outcomes. Learning simple techniques to maximise your child’s interaction during shared storybook reading is an invaluable skill for supporting their… Read More »Supporting Language Growth Through Shared Reading
Glue Ear, Grommets, and Speech and Language Development Verbal communication begins with babies listening to adults and children around them talking, and practicing verbalisations through babbling. Many children develop ear infections during their early years, which may compromise their hearing at a time of rapid speech and language development. While the odd ear infection may not… Read More »Glue Ear and Speech and Language Development
What is Bilingualism? A person who can use two languages is bilingual. They may be more advanced communicators in one language than in another (the dominant language), and may use different languages in different environments. Over time a person’s skills in each language may alter due to practice and use, and the dominant language may… Read More »How Does Bilingualism Impact My Child’s Language Development?
Children’s Speech Development As children develop, they increase their range and accuracy of sounds. In the early stages of talking, children use many substitutions and patterns to make talking easier. As they develop, their production increases in accuracy and their clarity increases. How much of what my child says should I be able to understand?… Read More »Children’s Speech and Language Development
Coloured rice is great for sensory play for children. You can load up your coloured rice with little toys and additional textures including plastic animals, pom poms, pasta, trucks/cars, plastic cups for pouring etc. Try making some coloured rice at home, it is so simple and great for exploratory play with your child. Ingredients: Plain… Read More »Sensory exploration: How to make coloured rice
Having access to core and fringe vocabulary is essential for effective communication. If your child is using any form of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), it is likely that you have heard the term “core vocabulary” before. Core vocabulary words are the most commonly used words, which make up approximately 80% of what we say… Read More »Making Sense of Core and Fringe Vocabulary