Strategies for Improving Articulation:

 

• Using a cyclic approach (Hodson and Payden) to target patterns of sounds in error. This involves the student listening to a word list for each target sound and then working on production for each sound pattern.   
• Showing proper placement of tongue and the motions needed to produce the sound. This may be difficult, although not impossible for students with motor planning deficits (apraxia).  Students with apraxia tend to be inconsistent with production of sounds and often cannot produce tongue movements upon command.
• For proper articulation of “S”, the student should be directed to close their teeth.  Tongue may be elevated or depressed, as long as the teeth remain closed.  Use of a mirror is often helpful to provide visual feedback.
• It is important to practice the target sound at home. Using motivational material, such as games, may be helpful.  It may also be helpful to reward efforts with motivational items or opportunities (example: sleeping over at a friend’s house).

 

 

Strategies for Improving Overall Intelligibility in Connective Speech:

 

• Using a tally counter or tapping one time per word produced, will slow the rate of speech and improve overall clarity.  Tapping need not be done in an obvious manner that will attract undue attention. In the classroom, a student can tap his finger gently on the underside of his desk, so that only he is aware of this.
• Exaggerating the mouth movements and opening (oral aperture) will also help the student project his voice better. When students mumble and use minimal lip movement, intelligibility is compromised.

 

Strategies for Decreasing Stuttering:

 

• It is helpful for parents to model slow and clear speech. Speak calmly with good pacing and proper breathing. Often students who stutter try to “get it all out in one breath.” However, fluent speech requires speaking upon exhalation. This can be practiced at home while reading short passages. 
• It is helpful to echo the content of the child’s speech to let them know that their message was received by you (the listener).
• Prolongations and easy onset are two techniques to help ease out of a stuttering situation within a word. Easy onset refers to producing the initial sounds in words while making soft contact between the articulators (e.g. tongue, alveolar ridge, palate). Light contact often decreases stuttering. Prolongations refer to “stretching out” a sound in the middle of a word when a stuttering incident is occurring.
• Slowing the rate of speech while speaking and reading will increase fluency and overall intelligibility. This can be done using a tally counter and clicking once per word. Alternately, tapping a finger or foot once per word produced will also help slow the rate of speech.
• Informational material regarding stuttering is available from the Stuttering Foundation of America.   

 

Strategies for Increasing Pragmatic Skills:

 

• Be a role model for discussing your own emotions and reactions to situations. Role play problem solving scenarios to provide your child with auditory feedback. Visual feedback for handling social situations can be provided via cartoons illustrating the situation and solution. If your child is stuck and is unsuccessful at problem solving, provide cues or a multiple choice question to guide him in his answers.
• Joining after school clubs or community activities may help your child have more opportunities to use correct social skills.