Better Hearing & Speech Month
Tips from Mrs. Meade
Hear it, speak it, know it
Each May we recognize Better Hearing and Speech Month to help raise awareness about students' communication challenges and opportunities. The good news: professionals at Otselic Valley Central School can help.
Mrs. Lara Meade, our speech-language therapist, works with students individually and in small groups, and is available to talk with families who may have concerns about their child's speech.
Better speech is a goal for every child, and families can cultivate these skills from birth -- yes, even babies are growing in ways we can't see, and that includes an understanding of language.
Reading is key, always, and so is talking to your child at every age.
What can you do to help your child?
What can you do to help your child? Here are some tips:
- TALK, talk, and then talk some more. During your daily activities, talk about what you and your child are doing. Ask and answer questions. Your child will learn to associate the words you say with the people, actions, objects, and feelings you describe.
- ENCOURAGE your budding communicator. Listen and respond to your child’s sounds and words, including cooing and babbling. Imitate her sounds or words and add to them. Introduce vocabulary words during new routines and outings. You’re teaching back-and-forth conversation skills.
- READ every day, starting from birth. Choose books with rhymes, bright colors, different textures, and photos. Read with expression, and point to words as you say them; point out real versions of pictures from the books your read as you see them in everyday settings ( traffic signs, store logos). Create daily routines that incorporate reading, such as at bedtime or mealtimes.
- SING songs and recite nursery rhymes. Vary the pitch and volume of your voice.
- MODEL good speech. Speak clearly and naturally, and use correct speech sounds.
- DESCRIBE objects that have different sizes, colors, and textures. Use comparison words such as hard and soft.
- PLAY games that help your child follow directions, such as Simon Says. Encourage pretend play: pretend to talk on a toy phone, or have a “picnic.” Build on the conversation (this is appropriate for older toddlers).
- ASK why questions, such as “Why do we need to eat breakfast?” And be ready to answer them, too (this is appropriate for older toddlers).
(From https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/communicating-with-baby)
How does a speech-language therapist help at school? This short video explains more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7jMqiAFvN0
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Feel free to email Mrs. Meader at lmeade@ovcs.org, or call 315-653-7218, ext. 5122.