{"id":1822,"date":"2012-11-08T18:37:34","date_gmt":"2012-11-08T18:37:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/?p=1822"},"modified":"2023-11-08T10:21:03","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T18:21:03","slug":"speech-therapists-rave-about-these-tools-for-speech-therapy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/speech-therapy-techniques\/speech-therapists-rave-about-these-tools-for-speech-therapy\/","title":{"rendered":"Speech Therapists Rave About These Tools for Speech Therapy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Language<\/a>

Image source: Prathamdelhi.org<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s that<\/em> time of year again: As soon as my skin starts to feel lizard-like and shriveled in the cold weather, I know it\u2019s time to start making lists of ideas for holiday gifts. Not to mention stocking up on heavy-duty moisturizers. When you\u2019re a parent, killing two birds with one stone is a great way to make the holidays easier on your budget. Fun educational gifts like tools for speech therapy will seem just like toys to your kids, but you can feel satisfied that the youngsters are learning something at the same time. It\u2019s a technique that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) use all the time. Speech therapy sessions often seem just like playtime. But while your child is playing pirates or princesses with the speech therapist, he or she is also working on his narration skills, sentence formation, articulation, and vocab acquisition. Consult your child\u2019s speech therapist<\/a> for ideas on tools for speech therapy<\/a> to use at home. She can offer ideas that are customized to your child\u2019s specific speech disorder and needs.<\/p>\n

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Sensory Feedback & Stimulation<\/h2>\n

Sensory feedback and sensory stimulation are key components of a speech therapy program. Many children have difficulty tempering their vocal productions because they do not fully process them. In other words, if your child has trouble making the \u201cr\u201d sound, he must first learn the difference between the correct pronunciation of \u201cr\u201d and the way in which he is articulating it. Tatyana Elleseff, CCC-SLP, noted that a 2003 study lauded the benefits of multisensory stimulation for development in very young children. Many tools for speech therapy provide sensory feedback and stimulation.<\/p>\n

Speech Buddies<\/h3>\n

Speech Buddies provide tactile feedback. By placing a Speech Buddy in your child\u2019s mouth, he will have a target for the placement of his tongue as he articulates specific sounds. Kids, parents, and speech therapists alike have raved about how easy and fun it is to use Speech Buddies<\/a>, and how quickly progress is evident.<\/p>\n

Mirrors<\/h3>\n

Mirrors provide visual feedback. Have your child watch himself in a mirror as he pronounces certain sounds, or have him watch your mouth as you speak.<\/p>\n

Microphones<\/h3>\n

Kids love to sing. A karaoke microphone capable of recording and playing back sounds makes a great educational gift. Your child can sing or speak into the microphone (encourage him to vocalize his target sounds) and hear how well he does.<\/p>\n

Sandboxes Revamped<\/h3>\n

Chances are, your youngster loves to explore and stick his hands in odd places. There\u2019s a good reason why the cookie jar was invented \u2013 it\u2019s fun to pull out a delicious surprise. Instead of the classic sandbox, try using a rice box for sensory stimulation<\/a>. Pour rice into a shoebox until it is several inches deep. Hide little toys within the rice. Try to include a diversity of objects with various colors, shapes, and textures. Have your child plunge his hands into the rice and pull out objects one at a time. Exclaim loudly as your child unearths each object, \u201cWow! That\u2019s a\u2026\u201d The youngster should be encouraged to fill in the blank. After naming the object, he can describe its texture, color, and shape, and then discuss what it might be used for.<\/p>\n