Even if you didn’t really laugh at that joke, you probably smiled just a little bit, right? Which is one of my favorite reasons to use jokes in therapy–it’s fun! And if I’m having fun in therapy, my students are likely to be having fun too. But, jokes are great for so many reasons. I’ve written before about why we … Read More
5 Tips for a Listening and Language Rich Valentine’s Day
Holidays can sometimes be challenging for kids with speech, language, and listening challenges. Here are 5 tips to help your child navigate Valentine’s Day. Read some books about Valentine’s Day Visit your book stash or your local library, and introduce your child to what Valentine’s Day is with a story. Reading a book together will introduce your child to the … Read More
Listening Development in the First Year
If you read this post about how typically developing children learn language, you already know the secret sauce…listening. Today I want to share with you some of the listening milestones your child should be hitting between birth and 1 year old. These behaviors can both show you that your child is on track, and also be a sort of “early … Read More
How Do Children Learn to Talk?
I talk a lot on this blog about how to help children who are deaf and hard of hearing to learn spoken language, but have you ever thought about how a typically developing child learns language? Like, how do they go from these tiny little snuggly babies that only cry to 3 or 4 year olds who can talk non-stop? … Read More
Interview with Theresa Harp from Sound Speech
Hello Mighty Voice Readers! I am so excited to share today’s interview with you. Theresa from Sound Speech is not only a certified auditory verbal therapist, but she is also a hearing consultant for the state of New Jersey, and, she’s my mentor in my journey to certification as a listening and spoken language specialist/auditory verbal therapist. I originally heard … Read More
Why Speech and Language Development in Babies Isn’t Just about Talking
If you’ve been a parent for more than 5 minutes, I’m sure you’ve seen 1 or 2 developmental checklists…the things your child should be doing in any area of development by a certain age. These checklists are helpful guides. But, when it comes to speech and language development, sometimes we focus just on the number of words our children are … Read More
Use Your Community Activities to Boost Your Child’s Language
I don’t know about you, but as a part-time stay at home parent, I find myself needing to get out of the house with my kids. If we stay at home together all day, I (and they!) get restless and crabby. So I’ve found places to go, and ways to get out, and along the way, discovered so many fun, … Read More
What’s the Difference Between Speech and Language?
Most of the time, we talk about speech and language together. It’s partly because they’re so closely connected and interrelated, but when you have a child with a hearing loss or a speech and language delay, you might start wondering about the difference. I remember that when I started my graduate program, I had the same question…aren’t speech and language … Read More
Lessons from a Remodel: What Home Renovation and Speech Therapy Have in Common
Hey Mighty Voice readers! Today I have a lighter post for you…maybe a 50% tongue in cheek and 50% serious. Today I’m sharing how a major house remodel is a little like speech therapy, or maybe even like having a kid with a challenge like hearing loss or speech and language delay. Have a plan, and then be willing to … 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