What Can I Do to Help My Child's Speech Development?
by Kim Knight
February 19, 2008
Is your child struggling with producing certain sounds? Are you curious to know if there is a way to help your child to better produce those sounds? I wanted to provide you with an excellent resource for information on a number of topics, primarily related to speech, language, reading, and fine and gross motor skill development.
Super Duper Publications (http://www.superduperinc.com) has a number of products that you can purchase to help students, but their web site also has free handouts, giving great information and suggestions on how to better help students—with stuff you already have or can easily get access to.
I have included a link for one handout on encouraging speech sound development through reading (Encourage Speech Sounds Through Reading). It provides lists of popular books and the most common sounds that they target.
Reading with your child is so important in so many ways. It helps your children hear your models and encourages them to read also. This article highlights that reading can also be a wonderful time to bombard your child with a number of speech sounds that they may have trouble hearing/discriminating and/or saying.
Reading will also help you gain insight into your child’s imagination as you discuss the story and ways that maybe your child would change it if they could. It is also a great opportunity to begin conversations about other activities, feelings, and thoughts that your child may have. As always, if you have concerns with your child’s speech, language, fluency, voice, or hearing, please call anytime. I would love to discuss it with you!
Kim Knight
Speech-Language Pathologist
660-947-3361 ext. 391
