Top Tips: What does it mean to initiate communication? Why is it important?

If a family is concerned about their child’s expressive language skills, I often begin to ask questions about ways their child is initiating communication, or how the child independently and intentionally communicates a message to their communication partner. Remember that a child doesn’t have to be talking to initiate communication! Children can initiate communication using eye contact, directed facial expressions (e.g., looks of excitement, surprise, curiosity, frustration, etc.), body movements, vocalizations, gestures, signs, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) use, and/or words. Think about how much a look of frustration or excitement communicates.

AAC, Preschool Language, Language Development, Speech Therapy, Speech Evaluation, Toddler LanguageAnna OllingerMay 9, 2021Language Development, Toddler Language Development, Toddler Language, AAC, Parent TrainingComment

Top Tips: Creating an Individualized Home Practice Program

As an SLP, it’s my job to empower families to feel successful with speech home practice, or activities and strategies carried out after every therapy session. Speech therapy home practice needs to be tailored to each kiddo and family, easily fit within everyday routines, and feasibly implemented on a regular basis. We want to work together to create a home practice program to which a family can adhere. This results in increased progress towards speech and language goals. I’m sharing a few ways I keep speech therapy home practice simple and organized.

AAC, Speech Therapy, Teletherapy, Toddler Language, School Age Language, Resources, Preschool Language, Language DevelopmentAnna OllingerApril 19, 2021Early Intervention, Language Development, Toddler Language Development, Toddler Language, AAC, Preschool Language, School Age Language, ResourcesComment

How can stickers support speech and language development?

When it comes to planning therapy sessions, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. One of my most effective therapy materials are stickers and I’ve been on a big sticker kick lately for kids of all ages! Stickers are motivating, cost effective, require minimal clean-up, and are adaptable to the age and language level of each kiddo.

Language Development, Preschool Language, Resources, School Age Language, Speech Therapy, Toddler LanguageAnna OllingerMarch 30, 2021Speech Therapy, AAC, Resources, Preschool Language, Toddler Language, School Age Language Comment

Aided Language Input: Communication Partner Strategies

I introduced aided language input, also referred to as modeling or aided language stimulation, in my last blog post. Aided language input is a strategy in which a communication partner uses a communicator’s Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system as they talk and interact with the individual. Modeling is the means by which an AAC user learns to use an AAC system.

Today, I’ll be sharing tips to become an effective modeler!

AAC, Language Development, Toddler Language, School Age Language, Preschool Language, Resources, Speech TherapyAnna OllingerOctober 6, 2020AAC, Parent Training, Resources, Aided Language Input, Aided Language Stimulation, Speech TherapyComment

Aided Language Input: What is it & Why is it Important?

Aided language input, also referred to as aided language stimulation or modeling, is a communication partner strategy in which a communication partner activates buttons or points to icons on a communicator’s Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system as they interact with the individual verbally (Goosens’, Crane, and Elder, 1992). For example, touching the button for “Look” as a communication partner verbally says, “Look at that!”

AAC, Language Development, School Age Language, Preschool Language, Toddler Language, ResourcesAnna OllingerSeptember 21, 2020AAC, Resources, Aided Language Input, Aided Language Stimulation, Parent Training, Speech TherapyComment

AAC Vocabulary Selection: Communicating Beyond Requesting

When selecting vocabulary for an emerging Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) user, many individuals first think of words the individual needs to express their wants and needs. On a vocabulary selection inventory, parents may provide an extensive list of their child’s favorite toys and snacks as words to include on their child’s AAC system. While we cannot undermine the importance of words that allow an individual to request, it is essential to consider additional communicative functions (e.g., refusing, commenting, describing, directing actions and attention, asking and answering questions) when selecting vocabulary.

AAC, Language Development, Preschool Language, Resources, School Age Language, Toddler Language, Speech TherapyAnna OllingerSeptember 1, 2020AAC, Vocabulary Selection, Core Vocabulary, AAC Evaluation, Speech Therapy Comments

THE BLOG

For All Things Speech and Language

Stay In The Know

Connect With Me