Speech Practice Suggestions

Integrate speech practice into daily activities as much as possible. Choose those which fit your child’s age and interest the best.

1. If your child is working on a specific sound, help him to become aware of that sound by pointing out things in the environment that contain the sound.
You can hunt for things in or outside of the house that have the child’s speech sound or look through magazines for pictures or words that have his speech sound.

2. Once your child can say the sound correctly in words, have him practice saying some of those words for you. When that becomes easy, have him say them in sentences. You can have the child search his spelling list for words that have his sound in and say them aloud, or see who can make up the silliest sentence using one of your child’s speech words.

3. When your child is able to say his speech sound in words and sentences, have him begin to practice reading aloud using his sound correctly. For beginning readers, have him read from his reading book or story books he enjoys. Try using poems, the Sunday Funnies, Comic Books, cereal boxes, signs, TV guide, video or board game instructions, anything your child enjoys reading. (This will help improve reading skills too!)

4. Begin to encourage your child to use the sound correctly for short periods of time during the day. This is called “carryover”. Can your child carryover good speech every time he says his sister’s name? his pet’s name? his favorite food?

The keys are to keep speech practice fun and to teach your child that good speech is not just for speech class. Don’t let speech practice become a source of conflict. Do not pick times when your child is tired or upset to expect good speech. Praise your child as he acquires new speech skills.

              Suggestions to facilitate language skills:

1. Be honest when you do not understand what your child says. Don't pretend that you understand by saying "OK" or "Yes, that's right." Encourage, but don’t force, your child to try to tell you again. When you do understand what your child says letting her know will encourage good language use.

2. Model good speech. When your child makes errors repeat what she attempted to say correctly. Children learn correct speech by listening to you talk and read correctly.

3. Read to your child. Children acquire vocabulary and speech sound production gradually. Capitalizing on a child’s desire to repeatedly read the same book increases familiarity with language. The more she hears the words and sentences the more likely she is to retain and use the language.

4.     Make time during the day or evening to hear about your child's activities; be sure she sees that you are actively interested and listening carefully.

5.     Remember to talk with your child, not at her.

6.     Ask questions that go beyond "yes" or "no" answers to prompt more developed conversation.

7.     Take advantage of "stolen" moments, during car trips or standing in line at the supermarket, to talk with your child.

8.     Provide activities that offer opportunities to improve communication skills, such as attending or engaging in sporting and school events, talking about current events, and reading stories to younger children that are slightly above their competency level.

9. Use a slow, relaxed rate in conversational speech.

10. Keep natural eye contact when the child is talking.

11. Don't rush the child by interrupting or finishing words for him or her.