The Speech Umbrella (Denise Stratton)

Wouldn’t it be handy to have a template for choosing the most effective books for therapy?

That’s exactly what you’ll get in Episode 52, Choose Your Books Wisely. This episode covers:

Four criteria for choosing an effective book

• What adds to a book’s complexity
• A comparison of two books, one that is effective and one that isn’t, and why. 

But that’s not all— check out the Free Resource Library  on thespeechumbrella.com for 

1. a list of favorite books to use in therapy and 
2. Bingo games to use when talking about or retelling stories. 

 | We know how important it is to teach our clients to read social cues. But that’s so much easier said than done! Making the implicit explicit can be a real challenge for us.  Here’s how Episode 53 can help:

You’ll find
•    Several strategies for using books and video clips to teach social skills
•    Ways to teach clients to understand what it means to “notice” social clues
•    An explanation for parents about what it means to be a social detective and why it’s critical 

The list of strategies is available on the Free Resource Library at thespeechumbrella.com

This episode reviews Dr. Damon Korb’s book, Raising an Organized Child. Dr. Korb not only explains organized thinking in an accessible way, but has suggestions for how to get there, from birth through high school. He describes how to implement five steps for organized thinking for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school aged children, and teens. The five steps are

•    Be consistent

•    Introduce order

•    Give everything a place

•    Practice forward thinking

•    Promote problem solving

This is a terrific book for SLPs and for parents! 

We know many of our clients struggle with executive function. What’s one powerful way families can teach executive function to their children? Chores! In episode 55, Nate and Melanie Young describe their chore system. Their system teaches skills for executive function and self regulation in a realistic setting, and it just works. 

While we understand that communication is more than talking, it’s not always easy to explain why this is so to parents. Concepts that are so familiar to us—joint interaction, pragmatics, gesture development—are a whole new language for parents of kids with social communication disorders. 

 Hanen More Than Words gives SLPs the tools to coach parents on the non-verbal aspects of communication. Parents then become the experts in fostering social communication for their preschool age child. 

 In this episode you learn:

•    How Hanen works

•    What it means to OWL

The four stages of pragmatic communication 

What About ABA? covers a few key questions to ask parents that can help them figure out whether ABA therapy is right for them. Look for the following in episode #57:

•   Questions to ask a potential ABA therapist

•   The philosophy behind ABA therapy

•   The philosophy behind relationship based approaches, such as Hanen and Floortime

The complexity of language development 

Are you ready to talk about grammar? Infinitive verbs are early developing, and too often overlooked, but they are critical in early language and cognitive development.

 To Infinity and Beyond! explores infinitive verbs in depth, and how they empower communication. 

 Included in this podcast are:

•    Defining infinitive verbs—of course!

•    A quick overview of Developmental Sentence Scoring

•    Clinical examples of the power of infinitive verbs

•    Ideas for teaching

Materials from The Speech Umbrella to help teach infinitives, including an illustrated story from The Free Resource Library 

Have you noticed your clients with language impairments really struggle to recall names? This can be a real communication barrier, both socially and in literacy development.     

 Stories are the fabric of our existence and they make up a large part of our conversation. When our clients are telling stories, not only do they default to vague and non-specific language frequently, they can't even recall a person's name to include in their story! 

This episode, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, is full of suggestions for teaching name recall.             

 As a bonus, in the Free Resource Library you can download THREE stories with the same main character. You get simple stories and name recall practice all in one package! 

When you teach your clients conjunctions, a little knowledge can become a dangerous thing. Sometimes clients start throwing conjunctions around like they’re going out of style, and their stories become one big mess. This episode describes ways to help clients get conjunctions under control. Be sure to check out the Simple Tools video, Conjunction Function, showing a fun idea to make conjunctions visual. 

A constant message in modern superhero media is that BIG
reactions are the ONLY solution. That’s not a great message for any
child, let alone those who already struggle with outsize reactions.

In The Dark Side of Superheroes, I explore
• Skills that are fundamental to controlling reaction size
• Problems with modern media
• Fantastic books that model matching the reaction to the size of
the problem.

As SLPs, problem solving is something we do every day with our clients. But add behavior challenges into the mix and progress can come to a screeching halt. Many of us don’t receive training in this area, even at the graduate school level. 

Sometimes the solution to challenging behavior shows itself when we step back and look at our clients in a new way,  or “with new eyes.”

This episode discuss how to be led by our observations rather than pushed by our problems, and what a difference it can make for our clients. 

Getting a valid measurement on complex language skills is challenging. Rubrics are a great tool for measuring multiple skills with multiple levels of complexity. They can also be valuable motivators for clients to monitor their own progress.

Rubrics to the Rescue! discusses the when, how, who, and what of using rubrics in language therapy. 

Tongue ties, also referred to as tethered oral tissues (TOTs) can seem like a complex issue, but what it really comes down to is understanding when functional eating, speaking and sleeping are impaired. 

 This episode is a review of Merkel-Walsh and Overland’s book Functional Assessment and Remediation of TOTs. With the information in this book, SLPs gain a clear understanding of their role in diagnosing and treating clients with TOTs. 

 Therapists with a background in a muscle-based approach to speech therapy are best equipped to serve clients with TOTs. Here’s is a list of training resources the authors suggest:

 Ages and Stages

Beckman and Associates

Chrysalis Feeding

International Association of Orofacial Myology

Northern Speech Services

Talk Tools

The Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

The PROMPT Institute

Getting on the same page as parents when it comes to articulation therapy is challenging, and this is especially true when it comes to complicated sounds like R. As much as we want to educate parents, who has time to thoroughly explain co-articulation and motor requirements, let alone diving into secondary issues like phonemic awareness? 

 Concepts that are elementary to us can be hard for others to grasp in the short time we have to offer explanations. 

 That’s why you’ll find Making R Elementary, Dr. Watson valuable. I break R therapy down into these four easy, relatable concepts:

 •    Why R is complex

•    Effects of co-articulation

•    Secondary issues such as phonemic awareness, coping mechanisms 

•    Celebrating the small wins 

 Take advantage of these explanations to help you get on the same page with parents. 

Too many R clients get stuck somewhere between the sentence and conversation level, and can’t make the leap to mastery. Helping these clients achieve mastery of R (or any phoneme) involves a philosophy about how to engage a learner in learning. The closer you get to less structured therapy tasks, such as conversation, the fewer worksheets there are, because therapy becomes more about you —the pilot, and the passenger-your client, figuring out the remaining roadblocks to complete mastery of R. 

 This episode covers

•    Six roadblocks to R generalization 

•    Specific strategies for each roadblock

Materials to support mastery (because we do need some materials) 

Today’s podcast is focused on L. While there’s no doubt R can be a puzzler, L isn’t far behind. Final L can be one of the most perplexing sounds for clients to master. 

 In this podcast SLP Angie Lewis explains how to elicit precise final Ls. And we find out that it’s not so different from final vocalic R! Tune in as Angie walks us through all the steps needed to master L in all positions. 

This is part one of a two part series. Episode 68 covers nine areas to assess when treating cluttering, while part two covers the M.O.R.E. treatment technique. In part one the following assessments areas are discussed:

•  syllable collapse
•  articulation 
•  mid sentence revisions 
•  lack of complex language
•  run on sentences
•  missing details and context in personal narratives
•  syntax 
• prosody
• rate of speech 

This episode is a follow up to episode 68 on assessment cluttering. It’s about treatment, using the M.O.R.E. approach. More than a to do list, M.O.R.E. is a framework to help clients first make the cognitive changes that will lead to behavioral changes. 

 M.O.R.E. stands for motivation, ownership, recognition and earned fluency. If you’ve been wondering how to help a client who has plateaued in cluttering therapy, today’s episode is for you! Wondering what earned fluency is? Vivian Siskin shared this brilliant insight in a fluency course—“You don't learn anything from unearned fluency, you do from earned fluency.” Episode 69 will guide clinicians to helping clients get to earned fluency. 

 And because assessment and treatment of cluttering can get—well— cluttered,  there is a cheat sheet for the M.O.R.E. approach in the free resource library. 

Therapy prep can be time consuming or painless— we all want more painless prep than painful! As you prep for therapy do you find yourself thinking:

 •    What can I do today that both fun and productive? And I’m sure my clients would appreciate something new!

•    I don’t have a big budget for materials, how can I best spend my money?

•    I need something more than fun, it needs to make a difference for my clients and have lots of opportunities for practice.

•    How can I teach self monitoring better? I’m sure if some of my clients could self monitor they would finally graduate!

 In my 30+ years as an SLP I’ve faced down all these questions and more, and I want to share some of my best kept secretes. That’s why I create Simple Tools videos. This podcast takes you on a tour of the Simple Tools library, and highlights just a few of the videos in the areas of language, articulation, attention, phonological awareness, autism, and fun stuff. 

When it comes to articulation carryover at home, wouldn’t it be great if all parents understood how to support their child? 

 This podcast does what we often don’t have time to do—it explains all about carryover, and gives parents realistic ways to support carryover at home. 

 Today’s episode covers:

•    What’s a tipping point and why is it important for speech therapy?

•    What is the SLP’s role?

•    What is the parents role?

•    What is the child’s role?

•    How to make home practice a positive experience

•    Ideas for FUN and EFFECTIVE home practice

 The number one take away when it comes to parents supporting generalization is: As the parent, your role is not to correct their speech, your role is to heighten awareness and accountability. Their role is to correct their speech. 

This episode is an interview with Dr. Teresa Ukrainetz, who specializes in school-age language intervention. 

 Her current research centers on how to help students with language impairments gain control of the words and ideas of informational text, and her brilliantly simply method for this intervention is called Sketch and Speak. 

 Here is a snippet from the interview: 

 “I really wanted to look at expository. I felt like we were largely at sea trying to figure out how to support learning of informational text and expository discourse, and it's extra hard compared to narrative in that it's based on new learning. . . Kids are not only learning how to tell a story or how to understand a story with expository, they're learning chemistry and biology and history, and so they've got a lot of new content they're handling.”

 Research has shown just how valuable Sketch and Speak is for improving spoken language, something SLPs realize as soon as they start using it. 

 Click on the links below for the basic procedure and to see a clinical example. Visit The Speech Umbrella’s free resource library for a two column note form, which is used in Sketch and Speak. 

Sometimes our university training doesn’t leave us feeling confident treating pediatric voice disorders. Which makes it intimidating, to say the least, when you’re faced with a child with a voice disorder. You might even feel like you’ve landed in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.

Been there, done that! The good news is

• You know more than you think you do.
• There are lots of accessible resources for you.
• This podcast sheds some light on where to begin and what to consider.

Here’s a sample from episode 73
“When you have a client like this, you can go down a rabbit hole investigating what the symptoms of various syndromes are and what the ramifications of this or that surgery are. I did that a little until I realized I wasn't going to find an answer. The answer was to just try. It's like throwing a noodle against the wall to see what sticks.”

Tune in to hear a success story about a client with complex communication needs. 

Has it ever come to you in a startling, clear as a bell moment, that one of you clients has totally missed, skipped, and never even approached a skill they need in order to master the skill you’re trying to teach? 

 Do you have a client who: 

•    struggles with curiosity

•    lacks complex language development  

•    has a very narrow range of interests

 If so, it’s worth exploring whether they went through the development stage of asking “why?”

 This episode explores how to approach teaching “why?” with a school age client, and the many benefits that come with asking “why?” Here are just a few:

 •    Increase complex language

•    Increase precision in language

•    Increase variety of subjects a client can converse about

•    Increase Depth of Knowledge

•    Improve problem solving

•    Develop a growth mindset

 Check out the Free Resource Library on thespeechumbrella.com/free for a freebie that goes with teaching “why?” 

Don’t we hear some of the funniest, wisest, all around best things from children? Here’s a collection of some my funniest moments with clients in 2022. Enjoy Kids Say the BEST Things, 2022. 

Task Oriented Movement Activities support executive function. Activities that meet the criteria for TOM activities have:

•    Multiple steps

•    A problem to be solved

•    A plan

•    Opportunities to reflect and record

•    Variations

 Seeing how to implement these activities is helpful, so this episode can be viewed on Youtube, in addition to listening on your regular podcast platform. 

Check out the freebies in the Free Resource Library—one for planning task orientated movement activities and one for reflecting and recording. They are located in the Form and Lists section. 

Some clinical skills are difficult to teach at the university, and one of those is how to establish client-parent-clinician rapport, otherwise known as your “bedside manner.” 

 This episode explores six ways therapists can show they really care. They are:

 •    Read the room

•    Mindful conversation

•    Do your work

•    Perspective taking

•    Own your mistakes

•    Stay mindful until the end

 As SLPs, communication is supposed to be our strong point, but these skills take time and experience to develop. Because these insights came from being on the patient side of things, they address real and valid blind spots we may fail to see in ourselves. 

Starting hard conversations with parents and clients is so much easier when you know how to say difficult things honestly and gracefully. Here’s where the right turn of phrase, examples, and analogies smooth the way.  

 What this episode has to offer: finding the right words to introduce difficult topics

 Join me under the umbrella for tips on talking about

• Frequent absences and no-shows
• Insurance issues
• Dismissal
• Parents in the therapy room
• Suspected co-morbid conditions (like autism)
• Realistic time frames for progress
• Clear feedback to clients 

Episode 79 is an interview with Char Boshart. Char is the president of Speech Dynamics, an author of several books, and a presenter. Char has a deep understanding of the fundamentals of oral motor movement. If you know oral motor techniques work but are at a loss to explain why, Char has the answers. In this interview we discuss:

• stability and mobility
• the human tongue
• oral resting posture
• carryover of articulation
• a new way to categorize phonemes 

Useful Links
Speech Dynamics
Motor Phonetics
Human Motor Control
Motor Control and Learning
SpeechtherapyPD.com
The PROMPT Institute
Impossible R Made Possible

R can be a challenging sound to treat. We SLPs know R is a tricky sound, we know it involves complex oral motor skill, and we don’t want to forget phonological awareness. But how do all of these skills fit together? What are the first and next steps? 

 This episode begins a conversation on a balanced approach to R therapy, and is part one of a two part discussion.  

 Check out the vocalic R freebie at thespeechumbrella.com/free! 

----- Useful Links ------
Impossible R Made Possible 
Digging Into Stability and Mobility with Char Boshart 
Foundations of R
More Than Tips and Tricks 

R can be a challenging sound to treat. We SLPs know R is a tricky sound, we know it involves complex oral motor skill, and we don’t want to forget phonological awareness. But how do all of these skills fit together? What are the first and next steps? 

 This episode continues a conversation on a balanced approach to R therapy, and is part two of a two part discussion.  

 Check out the vocalic R freebie at thespeechumbrella.com/free!

--- Useful Links ---
Impossible R Made Possible
Digging Into Stability and Mobility with Char Boshart
Foundations of R
More Than Tips and Tricks
Peaceful Speech
Equipped For Reading Success
PAST
Phonological Awareness Tracking Tool
Phonemic Awareness for Parents video
Under the Umbrella of Phonological Awareness
Developmental Sequence of Phonemic Awareness
Tracking Phonological Awareness
Free Resource Library
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

This episode describes using movie making to teach inferencing and perspective taking. Just learning the language to express different perspectives is challenging, let alone understanding theory of mind. One way to tackle this gordian knot is through movie making and narration. Clients get a kick out of making movies, and SLP’s get a kick out of the extensive learning taking place. The episode covers: 

 •    Choosing the book to turn into a movie

•    Setting- promoting a thorough understanding

•    Narration and Rehearsal

•    An unexpected finding

•    Who is this for?

•    Tips for a smooth process and progress monitoring

•    Results

 The good news is, it’s not that difficult or time consuming once you have a process down. Tune in for all the tips and tricks to make this work in your practice, then watch the magic of learning commence. 

 Take a look at this complete movie activity package for the delightful book, Gregory, the Terrible Eater, by Mitchell Sharmat, available at The Speech Umbrella. 

--- Useful Links ---
Climbing the Social Detective Ladder
Choose Your Books Wisely
No Roses for Harry!
Thinking About YOU Thinking About ME
Gregory, the Terrible Eater
Gregory, the Terrible Eater Story Activity
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

I used to have this burning question when I starting working with young autistic clients—

How do I get an interaction going when this little human clearly wants nothing to do with me? Sound familiar? Let’s face it, young children on the spectrum are a tough crowd, and that old uninvited friend, the imposter syndrome, returns. 

 The saying “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink," applies here—you can set up a great therapy session but you can’t make them interact or attend. So what can you do? 

 The great news is, we can get interactions going and we can engage them. This episode discusses how to use the simplest tools for optimal engagement using bubbles, balloons, balls, and bodies.

--- Useful Links ---
Hanen More Than Words Overview 

Opportunity Cost 

First Speak Their Language 

Simple Tools Balloons

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Great ideas for speech therapy materials abound, time to make them does not. That’s why The Speech Umbrella has a Free Resource Library for SLPs on the front lines. In the ever growing library you’ll find material for articulation, autism, clinic management, early listening and phonological awareness, fluency, and oral and written language. 

 This episode takes you on a tour of some of my favorite resources in the library. Tune in and find the resource you’ve been looking for to make your clinical life easier!

--- Useful Links ---
 Simple Tools for Optimal Outcomes
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
To Infinity and Beyond
Essential Language for Autism
Challenges in Early Intervention
First Words Project 16 by 16
Real Changes in Spoken Language with Sketch and Speak
Simple Tools: Phonemic Awareness for Parents
Youtube The Speech Umbrella
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

As speech therapists we know the value of early intervention, and judging by the increase in toddlers on my case load, parents understand the value too. But—therapy with a two year old ain’t no picnic!  A cranky two year old who wants to do things their way, doesn’t want help, and can’t communicate well makes for a trying therapy session. 

 What can help us understand two year old behavior better? Play schemas! Play schemas help toddlers make sense of the world, and they involve a fair amount of bashing, banging, pushing, pulling and general destruction testing. Because schemas seem like an obsession when the child is in full throttle mode with them, it helps to understand what schemes they are exploring. That way you can structure therapy to satisfy their needs and meet therapy goals.
--- Useful Links ---
A Guide to Schema Play in Toddlers
Quote Investigator
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Even with the many AAC resources out there, the pathway for those with complex communication needs is not always clear cut.

 We all want our clients who use AAC to make that leap to becoming proficient communicators. Understanding more about how they learn is one way to help them progress, and that’s what this episode is about. It covers:

 •    Core and fringe vocabular

•    Stages of motor learning

•    Meeting sensory and language needs simultaneously

•    Descriptive teaching

 By the way— descriptive teaching is awesome—even if you don’t have clients who use AAC!

--- Useful Links ---
Stage One Sentence Types
Understanding Motor Learning Stages Improves Skill Instruction by J Huber
The Center for AAC and Autism
Sensory Books by Lizzie
Descriptive Teaching
Ready, Set, Go! with AAC
Get Set with AAC: Mythbusting
Everything Has a Name
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Having a stash of fun and effective games for therapy you can turn to at a moment’s notice is standard practice for pediatric SLPs. 

But sometimes we end up buying a game that’s not so great—it’s not fun, takes too long to set up, doesn’t have enough practice opportunities, is finicky to play . . . the list goes on. Those games get shoved to the back of the closet quickly. 

To save you time and money investing in not-so-great games, I’ve rounded up nine of my favorite games. In this episode I describe these games plus how to incorporate target words in a way that promotes carryover from day one. 

Tumbling Tower , Jenga , Kerplunk , Connect 4 , Suspend , Dominoes , Pick up Sticks , Spot It , R Memory Cards , Impossible R Made Possible 

Ever wondered how a deeper understanding of brain plasticity could revolutionize your language therapy sessions? Join me as I share my key takeaways from Norman Doidge's eye-opening book, "The Brain That Changes Itself", and how we can harness the power of brain plasticity to create more effective and efficient therapy practices. Discover how roadblocks can pave the way for new brain maps, the significance of clear signals in information retention, and why focused attention is indispensable for molding and reshaping our brain maps.

Let's dive into the fascinating world of auditory processing and its connection to language and speech impairments. Learn how I use pictures and descriptors to aid clients in naming exercises, and a shopping activity that helps improve word retrieval. We'll also explore the challenges language-impaired children face in perceiving the fast parts of speech and shed light on David Kilpatrick's "Equipped for Reading Success" program, which has been a game-changer for me as a clinician. Don't miss this enlightening episode that will transform the way you approach language therapy and help you unlock the full potential of the brain's plasticity!

--- Useful Links ---

The Brian that Changes Itself 
Picnic Fun
That Thing That Isn’t APD
Equipped for Reading Success
Phonological Awareness Tracking Tool
Whole Body Listening
Impossible R Made Possible

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Do you ever wonder how closely motor and language development are intertwined in children? Discerning the subtle ties between these two fundamental areas can be profoundly insightful, especially for those of us in the field of pediatric speech-language pathology! I am Denise Stratton, bringing you episode 89 of the Speech Umbrella, as we delve deep into this fascinating correlation, especially concerning children with autism. Drawing from a wealth of research, we underscore the reality that language impairment often goes hand-in-hand with motor skill development issues.

Let's dive into how motor skills might actually be the first domain where developmental divergence appears in children diagnosed with autism. We bring light to the valuable resource - the 16 actions with objects by 16 months - developed by the First Words Project. This tool has innovatively changed the game for me in my practice, and I can't wait to share it with you! Understanding and fostering the development of motor skills can lead to future gains in communication. So join me as we celebrate the power of simple therapies and their potential for improving outcomes in our young patients' lives.

Imagine transforming the world of speech therapy by bringing it outdoors and combining it with the joys of preschool! That's exactly what Lisa Boyce has done with her unique outdoor preschool, Garden Gate Preschool.

When Lisa moved her preschool outdoors during Covid, she discovered how much better children became at self regulation. In fact, the results were so fantastic she decided to keep her preschool outside. 

Here are some topics we explore in this interview:

• Outdoor learning environments and emotional regulation
• The power of child lead unstructured play 
• Teaching phonological awareness in preschool 
• How to set up an outdoor preschool

That’s only a small sample of what we cover. You’ll want to hear how Lisa utilizes real-world experiences – like the annual grape harvest at the preschool — to promote learning. And her use of glitter jars for social emotional learning is something I can’t wait to try in my practice! Tune into episode 90 of The Speech Umbrella, Harnessing the Power of Play in Speech Therapy with Lisa Boyce, and come away inspired

Ready to uncover the magic of playtime and how it can fuel your child’s language development? Join me, Denise Stratton, an experienced pediatric speech-language pathologist, as I reveal my top 10 toy picks for therapy with the preschool/kindergarten age group. These game and activities are perfect for both articulation and language therapy better, and they meet my three criteria for therapy toys and activities:

• Lots of attributes to talk about
• Plenty of opportunities to talk about location and use prepositions
• Stimulate the imagination

 So, whether you’re a parent looking for guidance or a speech-language pathologist aiming to add more zest to your sessions, get ready for some practical advice on toys that enrich speech and language development. 

Prepare to unravel the mysteries of airway health as we journey into the realm of healthy sleep and jaw development with our distinguished guest, Dr. Shereen Lim, a dentist specializing in this unique field. We’ll shine a light on intriguing topics such as the impact of breastfeeding on muscle development and airway health, and the significance of early intervention. Harnessing Dr. Lim’s expertise, we’ll venture into discussions about common problems like breastfeeding issues, reflux symptoms, swallowing challenges, and speech troubles, and how they’re linked to airway health and tongue ties.

Discover the significant role that tongue positioning plays in neural transmission to the brain, guided by Dr. Lim’s insight. As we continue along this investigative journey, we’ll explore the potential risks associated with overlooking these problems, highlighting the importance of early intervention before they become a lifelong struggle.

But that’s not all, we’ll also be discussing the myomunchee appliance and its role in promoting lip seal and more normal swallowing patterns. These concepts are not just related to speech development, but can also help those grappling with thumb-sucking and posture issues. Also, Dr. Lim will be sharing valuable resources such as her book, “Breathe, Sleep, Thrive” and her professionals-only Facebook group “Airway Health 4 Kids”. Join us for this enlightening episode and gain an in-depth understanding of the significance of airway health and its far-reaching effects on both infants and adults.

Tired of feeling perplexed by nasal air emission and phoneme-specific nasal emission? We’ve got you covered in this enlightening episode! We’ll unravel these complex issues that often trip up even the most experienced SLPs, providing you with a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies. Expect to gain a clearer understanding as we dissect hypernasality, nasal air emission, and phoneme-specific nasal emission, shedding light on how to distinguish and treat these conditions effectively. Through engaging case histories, we share our journey to resolution.

Two cases are discussed, along with the considerable it took to correct them: a case where a preschooler produced a pharyngeal fricative for S and Z, and a case of phoneme specific nasal air emission.  Tune in to get some tips on solving the puzzle of nasal air emission.

--- Useful Links ---
13K Podcast Download Giveaway!
https://www.instagram.com/dstrattonslp/
https://www.facebook.com/SpeechUmbrella

SpeechPathology.com
Impossible R Made Possible
Top 10 Toys for Speech and Language
PROMPT
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Have you ever wondered how the simple word ‘too’ can shape a child’s comprehension of the world around them? Join me, your host Denise Stratton, as I delve into the unexpected depths of language and transform this overlooked adverb into a powerful tool for understanding, comparisons, and explanations.  I’ll be dissecting the multifaceted role of ‘too’ in language development and sharing practical ideas for employing it in speech therapy.

 Explore with me why mastering this word is vital for children, particularly those on the Autism spectrum and discover how the nuances of the English language can open up a world of understanding for children. 

--- Useful Links ---

To Infinity and Beyond 

Making Movies, Making Inferences 

Story Retelling Activity: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Are you curious about how leading and lagging indicators, concepts borrowed from the business world, can revolutionize your speech therapy practice? That's precisely what I explore in this episode. From predicting future outcomes to measuring past success, I'll guide you on how these indicators can boost your effectiveness and transform therapy results. We discuss relatable examples from various fields and how, with accurate measurements, these indicators can be harnessed for maximum impact.

--- Useful Links ---

Stage One Sentence Types

Institute For Evidence Based Change 

The Conversation Game 

Essential Language for Autism 

Phonological Awareness Tracking Tool 

Prime to Rhyme 

Nursery Rhyme Coloring Book 

Orange is a Carrot 

Cue the Move

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Do you ever wonder just what your data is telling you, and how to use your data to help your clients progress? If so, then this episode is tailor made for you! In part two of Leading and Lagging Indicators you’ll learn about some therapy ideas for measuring leading indicators. Leading indicators are so helpful, because they predict future success and help us chart the way forward with our clients.

--- Useful Links ---
Leading and Lagging Indicators, Part One
Body Awareness Fun Deck
Orange is a Carrot
Simple Poem Six Ways
Follow the Narrative Road
Permission to Play
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Ever wondered how to effectively enhance language development in children with autism? The Speech Umbrella's 97th episode is here to illuminate your path! I'm Denise Stratton, and I'll be unpacking the power of child-centered approaches like Natural Language Acquisition (NLA), explaining how it helps build spontaneous and generative language. We'll decode complex terms such as Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs), Analytic Language Processors (ALPs), and Developmental Sentence Scoring (DSS) using relatable examples from my clinical practice, drawing from my wealth of experience to provide you with practical resources to kickstart this transformative therapy technique.

Embarking on the journey of language development, we'll delve into the critical role of Speech-Language Pathologists in breaking up gestalts and isolating words to ease children's understanding. I'll discuss the significance of 'stage four' in language development and how to recognize the signs of spontaneous language. . This episode promises to be an engaging exploration, perfect for parents and SLPs eager to make a difference in their child's linguistic journey. Tune in, absorb, and let's transform lives one word at a time.

--- Useful Links ---

Stage One Sentence Types

Communication Development Center 

Meaningful Speech

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Unleash the power of storytelling on your child's developmental journey! Join us as we explore the transformative influence of family narratives on children. Based on the research of Robin Fivush and Marshall P. Duke, we reveal the multitude of benefits kids reap when they know their family tales. Their resilience, self-esteem, and social skills see a significant boost. More than that, we consider how these stories can be effectively integrated into therapy, serving as instruments to enhance episodic memory, predictable behavior, vocabulary, and critical thinking. You’ll also hear some of our personal family narratives and learn about the critical thinking triangle, a handy tool from the Story Grammar Marker people.

Take a step further into the world of stories with us. We share a heartwarming tale of a school physical therapist whose professional advice led a first grader's parents to seek help beyond the school's resources. We introduce you to Dan and his father's inspiring journey that was profoundly influenced by a teacher who spurred a love for reading. Yet, we also know that not every story has a happy ending, and we guide you on how to handle narratives that don't end well and finding ways to move forward.

Make no mistake - family stories are powerful, and so are the rituals that accompany them. As we delve deeper, we uncover how children comprehend the personalities of their family members via these stories and the rituals they observe. Persistence is the key to storytelling, and we've got useful tips on how families can tell their stories effectively. Drawing from our years of experience as SLPs, we offer guidance on how to help families share their narratives and put them into a physical form. So, what are you waiting for? Tune into the Speech Umbrella and start harnessing the power of family stories today!

--- Useful Links ---
emoji handout
https://storyintelligence.com/fivush-%26-duke
Story Grammar Marker , Do You Do Two?    
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Don’t we hear some of the funniest, wisest, all around best things from children? Here’s a collection of some my best moments with clients in 2023. Enjoy Kids Say the BEST Things, 2023.

--- Useful Links ---
Emoji Handout
Empowering Children with Autism Through Natural Language Acquisition
Essential Language for Autism 
Open Doors
A Parent, A Child, and Autism
Kids Say the Best Things 2022
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

To mark the 100th episode, Dan (our business manager) interviews Denise about her favorite episodes, the beginnings of the podcast, and what the future holds for The Speech Umbrella.

--- Useful Links ---
Free Resource Library
Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Interview with Char Boshart
Interview with Dr. Shereen Lim
To Infinity and Beyond
The Power of Too
Follow the Narrative Road
The Conversation Game
Phonological Awareness Tracking Tool
Impossible R Made Possible
Simple Tools
Interview with Dr. Teresa Ukrainetz
Making Movies, Making Inferences
Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Stepping into a job interview is intimidating for many of us, but  when you're a teen or young adult with a communication disorder, it can feel overwhelming.  On the Speech Umbrella podcast, we tackle this subject head-on, with my husband, Dan Stratton, bringing his IT management and interview expertise to the table. One of Dan's passions is helping young adults in their career searches and interviews. Together we demystify the interview process, transforming it from a daunting task into an exciting stage to spotlight your problem-solving abilities. We discuss the art of self-presentation,  the power of a well-told story,  and how to do networking interviews.

You'll hear firsthand how strategic networking and informational interviews can forge paths to unexpected job offers and meaningful professional relationships. From the impact of a thoughtful handwritten note to the nuances of asking the right questions, we delve into the details that can set you apart. We also examine how to make an impression in the interview itself, with tips on maintaining composure under pressure and using body language to your advantage.

 So plug in, listen up, and let's get you ready to nail that interview with grace and confidence.

Helpful Links
Amy Cuddy TED Talk
List of Skills.
Long List of Skills   
Sample Interview Questions and How to Answer Them 
More Interview Questions

No doubt you've noticed how our role as SLPs overlaps with other professions.  Collaboration is highly desirable of course, but sometimes roles overlap so much as to be almost indistinguishable. It can be a disconcerting feeling - as though the earth has moved beneath your feet! Today, Denise Stratton, a veteran pediatric speech-language pathologist, tackles the confusion and frustration that can arise in this multifaceted field. Join us as we explore the root causes of speech and language disorders, helping us understand why multiple diagnoses and professions often converge at the same point. We'll confront the professional uncertainty many young SLPs feel about their scope of practice and compensation, and reveal simple but powerful interventions that can help navigate these professional lanes more effectively.

In the second part of this episode, we delve into the intricate relationship between auditory processing and memory, shedding light on the importance of targeting root causes rather than just applying labels to language disorders. Denise shares a treasure trove of effective interventions and tools.  By honing in on these root causes and understanding the progression of interventions, we can achieve significantly better outcomes for our clients. Don't forget to explore the wealth of materials available on The Speech Umbrella website and the value of sharing knowledge within our professional community.

If narrative language intervention is one of the pillars of your therapy, then you’re going to love what I have for you. As much as I love teaching  narrative language, I always struggled to find enough stories to feed the therapy machine. A couple of years ago, in a somewhat desperate state of mind, I took pencil in hand and drew my own stories, featuring Wanda Witch. My clients loved the Wanda stories, despite my rudimentary drawing.

Wanda Witch was soon followed by the Tony character, then Peter Pig, Tess, and Danny Dinosaur. In all I ended up with 50 stories—more than enough to get me through an entire year of therapy.

Eventually I found an artist who brought my stories to life and now you can have them too! Each character has 10 stories, and they are geared for the earliest story tellers. 

Tune into this podcast to learn more about the Simple Tales collection of 50 illustrated stories. This is a tool I use multiple times a day, and all I have to do is hit print. Talk about simple tool for optimal outcomes!

Podcast Links
Follow the Narrative Road 
Where Everybody Knows Your Name 
To Infinity and Beyond 
Interview with Doug Petersen part 1 
Interview with Doug Petersen part 2

We hear about mindfulness all over now. What role does mindfulness play in speech therapy? Is it possible to get a wiggly child to practice mindful techniques in therapy? Instead of getting wrapped up in complex methods and tools, develop your super powers of observation and listening. Simple tools provide optimal outcomes. This episode is the beginning of your journey to becoming a Mindful SLP.

--- Links from the show
PROMPT   https://promptinstitute.com/page/WIPforClincian

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

The first few minutes of an autism group can be critical. How can you turn these few minutes into the most valuable social interaction time? Denise walks you through a simple activity that will supercharge your autism groups. 

--- Links from the show
Sample Hello Time Goals

Client will draw something that represents a past experience and relate that experience to another person. 

In a group setting, client will remember details about other group members. 

In a group setting, client will remember details about other group members and make related comments or ask related questions.

Non-affiliate links

Pencil grips

Plastic Brain Jello Mold

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

The R sound can be one of the most challenging therapy experiences. Have you struggled to get consistent elicitations? Tried everything you can think of and you still have these cases that won't progress? You're not alone! Denise walks you through an overview of the three pillars of R therapy. This episode is a must-listen if you have R clients.

--- Show links
Impossible R Made Possible Video Course

Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder, used with permission

Do you have clients stuck at the rhyming stage of phonemic awareness? In this episode we talk about how to get clients moving up the ladder of phonemic awareness, and how phonemic awareness effects more than reading.

--- Show Notes
Phonemic Awareness in Young Children by Marilyn Jager Adams, Barbara R. Foorman, Ingvar Lundberg & Terri Beeler

(non-affiliate link)

Prime to Rhyme: CV Rhyming Cards and Vowel Lip Shapes

https://www.thespeechumbrella.com/offers/YFHHufzz/checkout
(affiliate link)

The  Tipping Point: Supporting Families in Articulation Beyond the Therapy Room

Do you find yourself repeating the same message over and over to parents about how to support their child’s articulation goals? Do you wish you had 30 minutes to sit down with them and lay it all out—how to support the child in self monitoring and self correcting, how to make it fun and natural, and how to avoid constantly reminding them to speak correctly? Finding time to communicate all I wanted about generalization was a struggle for me, so I recorded this podcast specifically for parents of soon to graduate speech clients.

*** Show Notes ***
Science Bob’s website is full of great experiments and clear directions. The science behind each experiment is also explained, which is a good opportunity for clients to summarize why the experiment worked. Some of my favorite experiments are:
Build a Fizz Inflator
Fantastic Foamy Fountain
Blow up a Balloon with Yeast
Make Slime with Glue and Borax
Rapid Color Changing Chemistry

Here’s a site with easy no bake kid recipes:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/no-bake-recipes-for-kids/

My favorite recipes for snacks are located at my website in PDF format. 

To Motor or not to Motor: That is the Question

Join us as we discuss the oral motor controversy, and who can benefit from motor techniques in speech therapy.

Show Links & Notes

Prompt
https://promptinstitute.com/

Talk Tools
https://talktools.com/

Char Boshart’s Podcasts
https://speechdynamics.com/pages/podcasts (episodes 33-37 comprise The Perfect Oral Motor Storm: What Happened, Why, and Supportive Evidence of Oral Sensory-Motor Methods to Remediate Speech Sound Productions)

The Perfect Oral Motor Storm Articles
https://speechdynamics.com/pages/articles

Impossible R Made Possible
Online Course
Blog Post 

Kathy Buckley Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m-AqCo0IoY

Join us as we explore research purported to disprove the effectiveness of oral motor therapy. Discover valuable talking points in defense of oral motor therapy so you can take an informed stand! The information for this podcast was gathered from Char Boshart’s series “The Perfect Oral Motor Storm.”

Show Notes & Links
To Motor or Not to Motor - Episode 6
Our last podcast on Non Speech Motor Therapy.

Char Boshart’s Podcasts
https://speechdynamics.com/pages/podcasts (episodes 33-37 comprise The Perfect Oral Motor Storm: What Happened, Why, and Supportive Evidence of Oral Sensory-Motor Methods to Remediate Speech Sound Productions)

The Perfect Oral Motor Storm Articles
https://speechdynamics.com/pages/articles

Impossible R Made Possible
Online Course
Blog Post 

How do you turn a reluctant reader into an avid bookworm? The solution is surprisingly simple. Today, Denise talks with English teacher Ramona Daun, who used techniques laid out in Donalyn Miller’s book “The Book Whisperer”. In part one of this two part conversation, Denise and Ramona talk about the key concepts and the successes her students experienced.

In Episode 8, Denise interviewed Ramona Dawn about her implementing "The Book Whisperer" by Donlyn Miller in her 8th grade English classroom. This episode, they finish up the discussion by walking through the daily life of a Book Whisperer teacher. Finally, they consider ways speech therapists can inspire reading in their clients. Don't miss this second half of their discussion. 

Links:
The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller

If you’ve ever wanted a concise breakdown of the earliest developing, oh so important,  phonological awareness skills, join us as we explore just what is under the umbrella term “phonological awareness.” 

Join us for an overview of our Phonological Awareness Tracking Form. Each skill area—and there are 7!—is broken down into several smaller steps. With the inclusion of early listening skills and these small steps, you will know exactly what skills to target. 

The power of play therapy is real! In today’s podcast we talk about a client who overcame multiple challenges through play. 

Michael J. Sullivan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling writer of epic fantasy, who began writing his wildly popular Riyria series in order to help his daughter, Sarah, overcome dyslexia. Michael, his wife Robin, and their daughter Sarah join us to share their perspectives on dyslexia. Michael also shares his insight on creating characters with the kind of challenges SLPs know very well. 

On today’s podcast we review David A Kilpatrick’s book Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties. If you’ve been looking for a clear but thorough explanation of the science of reading, and how to treat reading problems, look no further!

Have you ever wondered what the occupational therapists’s role is in treating dyslexia? Today we talk about the role visual perceptual, motor, and memory skills play in dyslexia, and how those skills integrate with phonological awareness skills. We also talk about the importance of working on executive functioning.

Check out the B-I-N-G-O Simple Tools video to see Denise in action! 

Do want to kick back and relax with a great book during the holidays? Join us as we talk about three captivating books speech therapists can relate to.

---- Links ----
Ghost Boy by Martin Pistorius

Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard by Liz Murray

The Story of my Life: The Restored Edition by Helen Keller

Make the Connection: A Practical Guide to Parents and Practitioners for Teaching the Nonverbal Child to Communicate - with AAC by Susan Berkowitz

Has R therapy got you stumped and wondering where to go for the solution? It’s time to demystify R and take your therapy to the next level. This week, in part one of a two part podcast, we begin discussing the foundations of R therapy, using Denise’s ground breaking techniques for treating R.
*** Join Denise for a free masterclass on R. Visit slpproadvisor.com/masterclass to reserve your spot today. ***

If you have ever had an R client that didn’t progress no matter what you did, you’ll want to tune into this week’s podcast on the elusive R. This is part two of a two part series, so you’ll want to listen to last week’s podcast too! This week we continue our discussion on the foundations of R therapy in our heart felt mission to spread the word on effective R treatment.
*** Reserve your place for the R Therapy Masterclass. See details at slproadvisor.com/masterclass ***

This week’s podcast features Christopher, a former client of mine, and his mother Holly. Tune in and hear them describe his struggles and triumphs while learning to say R. Listen to Christopher describe a breakthrough moment at the 7:45 minute mark. 

Ever been stumped with introducing a client to AAC? Today’s podcast is the first in a three part series on AAC. Join us as we discuss early steps to promote effective AAC use with clients and families. 

This week’s podcast continues our discussion on AAC and common myths around AAC use. Join us as we use Susan Berkowitz’s book “Make the Connection” to do some myth busting. 

Tune in to hear our third and final podcast in our Ready, Set, Go! series on AAC. I’ve put together a basic communication checklist to help track the foundational skills early communicators need. 

Are you looking for ways to harness the power of narrative language intervention? Have we got a treat for you! Join me in this interview with Douglas Petersen, co-creator of the narrative language intervention tool, Story Champs. Doug is one of the pioneers in analyzing the components of narrative language, so that it’s easy to teach and easy to learn. 

Tune in to hear the rest of our interview with narrative language guru Doug Petersen, co-creator of Story Champs. Doug describes how Story Champs grew organically from the research they did, what comes in the Story Champs kit, and how to use it. The progress monitoring tools that come with Story Champs check comprehension, inferences, language structures, phonemic awareness and decoding—simply and quickly!

Some of our clients with autism get well and truly stuck when it comes to improving expressive language. They can’t seem to get beyond putting a few words together and using echolalia. Looking at their stage one sentence types can tell us a lot about why they get stuck. Join us as we look at an eye opening case study and explore WHY this client was stuck. 

This week’s podcast describes how teaching Stage One Sentence Types dramatically improved expressive language in a client with autism, and how you can try the same intervention. Essential Language for Autism helps children with autism fill in missing essential language building blocks, and discover self generated language. 

If you’ve been tuning into The Mindful SLP podcasts this month, then you already know a little about my client David, who is on the autism spectrum, and the significant progress he has made in the past year. In this week’s episode, I describe how David got started telling stories. You’ll also get to hear recordings of him telling stories—a not to be missed thrill for SLPs!

To finish up autism awareness month, we have a special guest this week. Join us to hear David’s mother, Rebecca, describe their struggles and triumphs with autism. David has been featured in all the podcasts this month, and  I know you’re going to love hearing his story from his mother’s perspective. 

My best tip for upping your productivity and reducing stress is featured in today’s podcast. May is Better Speech and Hearing month, and I’d like to share how I become a better therapist. Improving my productivity while reducing my stress allows me the time and mental space to problem solve in areas where I’m stuck. Try it! It can work for you, too. 

If you’ve ever wondered what PROMPT therapy is all about, then this podcast is for you. In this episode you’ll get an overview of how speech therapists use PROMPT to look at all of the aspects of articulation, the order they develop, and how they integrate. 

Are you tearing your hair out over a persistent lisp? Do you have a client with a lateral lisp that resists correction? If so, then this podcast can help you understand what to look at in order to correct that lisp once and for all. 

Some children’s first spoken language is sound effects, and language therapy with a child like this might go nowhere fast unless the SLP recognizes and begins speaking their language. Tune into this episode and get some tips on how to treat these children.

Early Intervention therapy can be challenging without good information on  the developmental order of foundational skills, such as gestures. This episode introduces a fantastic resource for clinicians and parents on gesture development and its connection to language. Find and download a free tracking chart for gestures in the Free Resource Library. 

Narrative language intervention with young adults can get complicated pretty fast, leaving therapists wondering how to intervene effectively. Join us as we take a deep dive into a case study with a young adult. Free downloadable resources for this age are available in the Free Resource Library. 

Helping clients organize their language is a huge part of what we do. Using boxes to represent language concepts can help the abstract become concrete. In this podcast we describe many ways a box can take your therapy to the next level. 

Celebrate with us! We are passing our one year anniversary and we couldn't be happier. We also passed our 2000th download this week. Thank you everyone, wherever you listen. 

Using sticky notes to help clients organize their written language reduces the cognitive load of word order and word recall, and at the same time eliminates the frustration of constant erasing. 

Have you been thinking about starting your own speech therapy clinic but feel intimated by everything you need to do? Let us talk you through the first steps! In this podcast we cover legal requirement, business management, marketing, and setting up your clinic. 

When NOTHING works to elicit k or g, here’s a little something that may help. Join us as we discuss a client with a very complicated /k/.

Sometimes you need your client to buckle down, pay attention and work hard, but that’s the last thing they want to do. Here’s a way to motivate a reluctant child to try their hardest. 

Have you ever wondered what “complex target selection” means in the world of articulation therapy? Kelly Vess breaks it down for us episode 40 of The Mindful SLP.  You won’t want to miss Kelly’s insights on a working with preschools to create maximal change, and set them on a path to life long learning.

Associated Links
4-Step Process to Selecting Complex Targets 

Speech Sound Disorders: Comprehensive Evaluation and Treatment  

Research Gate  https://www.researchgate.net/

Kelly’s Website. https://www.kellyvessslp.com/index.htm

Simple Tools: PROMPT Method and Complex Target Selection (or “Shoo Fly” Activity)

Does data get you down? Do you find yourself struggling to write easy to measure goals that are still meaningful? Have you ever found you were measuring the wrong thing when it comes to writing progress reports? If any of this sounds familiar, then this podcast is for you! Learn to make data a good servant, instead of a bad master.

Helpful Links
Challenges In Early Intervention
Phonological Awareness Tracking Form

There are a lot of different treatment options in our profession, and let’s face it, often the experts don’t even agree. Added to that, every treatment choice comes with an opportunity cost. 

I get it. It’s valuable to have different treatment approaches, BUT when it comes to helping our clients learn to make and reciprocate eye contact, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool believer. I’m such a firm believer that I can’t stay silent when it’s suggested that eye contact can hurt, rather than help, our clients. 

This episode explores 

1. the opportunity cost of not working on eye contact, and 
2. the unexpected benefits of treating eye contact
3. how eye contact can help our clients develop a growth mindset

--- Featured Links ---
Realizing Their Authentic Selves https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FMP.26092021.10/full/,
Keeping an Open Mind https://www.thespeehumbrella.com/blog/15 ,
You and Me and ABCs https://www.thespeechumbrella.com/blog/you-and-me-and-abcs,
Freedom: My Book of Firsts https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Book-Firsts-Jaycee-Dugard-ebook/dp/B01CH4KBKU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JCIPIG4CRG85&dchild=1&keywords=freedom+by+jaycee+dugard+book&qid=1631732618&sr=8-1,
BINGO activity,
The Road not Taken https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken,
Hanen More Than Words http://www.hanen.org/Programs/For-Parents/More-Than-Words.aspx,
Equipped for Reading Success https://equippedforreadingsuccess.com/

It’s no secret that phonemic awareness plays a huge part in our clients’ success in both articulation and language. But what you may not know is just how specific and demanding the criteria for mastering phonemic awareness is. Typical assessments and programs don’t teach phonemic awareness in a way for our clients to reach the same level as their peers, and they may end up struggling for years to master speech and language skills. 

Dr. David Kilpatrick explores this topic in depth in his book Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties. https://equippedforreadingsuccess.com/shop/ . He has also written a Manual to implement his phonemic awareness approach, Equipped for Reading Success. Since I have been using his approach I have seen “stuck” clients get unstuck and make great progress. 

In today’s podcast we talk about how phonemic awareness helped a couple of clients finally master the tricky R sound!

In case you don’t have time right now to dive into Dr. Kilpatrick’s books, I’ve made this Simple Tools video to get you started. 

Parents can do this too! This is a great way for parents to get involved in their child’s therapy, and the video is for them as well as speech language pathologists. 

As a final bonus, while I highly recommend the Equipped for Reading Success manual, I understand you may not want to invest in it until you see some proof. Dr. Kilpatick has made the original material that was part the U.S government studies on phonemic awareness available, since it is copyright free. This is the material Equipped for Reading Success is based on. The material is not as complete as what you will find in the manual, but it can be a great place to start. You can find that phonemic awareness material on https://www.slpproadvisor.com/  in my free resource library. 

When a child has difficulty with listening skills, auditory processing and auditory memory, we could give it a lot of names, including Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD. But whether or not a client has an official APD diagnosis, SO many of them struggle in these areas. When it comes to working on listening, attention, and memory, you can’t start too soon, because improving listening and  processing improves everything else.

---- Show Links ----
Podcast Episodes
Phonological Awareness Tracking Form - episode 11
Narrative Language Intervention with Doug Peterson Part 1 - episode 23
Narrative Language Intervention with Doug Peterson Part 2 - episode 24
Opportunity Cost - episode 42

Phonological Awareness Products
Prime to Rhyme Cards  
Phonological Awareness Tracking Form (actual form)

Basic listening skills are critical to language and reading development, but if they’re missing how do you begin to work on them? Episode 45, “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” is full of ideas and activities for building this foundational skill. This is one of the most useful things I do with young clients!

--- Podcast Links ---
Phonological Awareness Tracking Form
Simple Tools with Denise B-I-N-G-O! 

Let’s hear it for Narrative Intervention! Kids learn so much language with narrative therapy. But what if they seem ready for stories, but still can’t quite grasp narratives?  Even when you use the most basic story they still struggle. Maybe they need to work on sequencing. In this podcast we discuss how to get our not-quite-ready-clients from here to there, by following the narrative road.

--- Podcast Links ---
Picture the Sentence 
Balloon Car 
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

Phonological Awareness Tracking Form

Related Podcast Episodes
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? 
Narrative Language with Doug Petersen Part 1 
Narrative Language with Doug Petersen Part 2

What do icebergs and the Macarena have to do with speech therapy? Episode 47 describes a case history of a fluency client, underlying issues that needed to be addressed before stuttering therapy could be effective, and how mindfulness can be one of your best tools.