Think about the last time you sat in a class or a meeting at work, and the speaker asked “Are there any questions?” How many times have you had a question just formulated, or on the tip of your tongue, and then the speaker moved on to the next topic? This is an example of not enough wait time. What … Read More
Car Talk: Listening and Spoken Language Activities on the Go
Life is busy, am I right? Finding “free time” to work on listening and language therapy or goals can be tough. Today I want to share some ways to work on those goals while you do something you’re probably already doing–chauffeuring your kids around. A Note on Background Noise Keep in mind, for all of these activities, that there can … Read More
Create a Simple Visual Schedule
School is in session where I live, and this year, I’m sending my 3 year old off to playschool for the first time. The program he’ll be attending is child led and play based. He’ll be free to explore and check things out at his own pace (one of the reasons we chose a play based experience instead of an … Read More
An Interview with Elizabeth Gaffney, an Auditory Verbal Educator (and So Much More)
Hello Mighty Voice readers! Today I’m so excited to bring you this interview with Elizabeth Gaffney. I first saw Elizabeth’s name on an e-book I love about auditory verbal strategies, and later found her on Instagram. I think readers will appreciate her insight having been in different roles in Deaf education, as well as her commitment to being part of … Read More
Back to School: Listening and Spoken Language Resource Round Up
At least in my corner of the world, back to school time is here. Whether you’re the parent who is still cleaning out backpacks from last year, or you’ve had the supply list checked off for weeks, you’re doing it. And what better way to start off the year than with a round up of back to school resources for … Read More
One Way to Get Therapy Services No One Told You About
If your child needs speech and language or listening and spoken language therapy, you’ve probably been told about early intervention (sometimes called Birth to 3) or school-based services. You may have had IFSP or IEP meetings where you tried to convince your team that your child needs more services. But did you know that your child may be able to … Read More
How is Auditory Verbal Therapy, or Listening and Spoken Language, Different than Speech Therapy?
I will be the first to admit it–the first time I heard the term “auditory verbal therapy” and saw a definition, I thought “Hmm, but how is that different than good speech and language therapy?” Maybe you’ve had the same thought. As I’ve been working on my certification, I’ve been thinking a lot about this question, and want to share … Read More
Self Advocacy Skills for Preschoolers with Hearing Loss
This is one post in a series about self advocacy skills for children with hearing loss. If you haven’t already, I’d invite you to read Self Advocacy For Kids with Hearing Loss: Becoming a Successful Adult Starts Right Now. It explains why I feel so strongly about self advocacy skills for children of all ages. The preschool age (3-5 years … Read More
My Favorite New Book for Teaching Kids About Feelings: The Rabbit Listened
As a parent, it seems like part of the job description that you read the books your children choose. Some are delightful, and there are some that make you want to claw your eyes out. Thankfully, The Rabbit Listened (affiliate link) is on that first list for me. What I love about it is that it’s both a story I … Read More
Self Advocacy Skills for Your Toddler with Hearing Loss (ages 2-3)
If you read my post about why self advocacy skills are important, you already know that I am all about supporting our children to be as independent as possible, as early as possible. And, yes, this includes self advocacy skills for your toddler. It may be hard to think about toddlers who has hearing loss working on self-advocacy skills. After … Read More