The Bottom Line
By Dorothy P. Dougherty; 158 pages. From the cover: "This book will help your recognize articulation difficulties and foster a rich language-learning environment for your child."
If you've ever wondered, "What can I do at home to help my child's articulation and vocabulary?" this is the book you've been looking for. Full of easy exercises for working with your child and information on why things may be difficult for him, it's a great resource for parents who want to be at-home therapists.
Pros
- Lots of good exercises with specific instructions for parents
- Easy-to-understand explanations of common articulation problems
- Layout makes it easy to skim through and find information you need
- Good information on what to look for in and expect from a speech therapist
- Cutie-pie picture on the cover will make you smile every time you sit down to read.
Cons
- Parents of children over age six won't find it as useful as those with very young kids
- Some of the exercises are things you're likely doing already
- Whew! Helping is a lot of work
Description
- Chapter 1: Learning to Communicate: Speech
- Chapter 2: How Do Speech Sounds Develop?
- Chapter 3: What Can Cause an Articulation Problem?
- Chapter 4: Language Development: Understanding and Using Words
- Chapter 5: Read to Speak: Literacy and Articulation
- Chapter 6: Encouraging Your Child to Talk
- Chapter 7: Developing Phonological Awareness
- Chapter 8: How to Find Professional Help
- Glossary
References
Bibliography of Children's Books
Guide Review - Book Review: Teach Me How to Say It Right
Did you ever read through a parenting book and think, "Boy, I wish I'd had this when my child was younger"? For anyone with kids over the age of six or so, "Teach Me How to Say It Right" will be one of those books. When my two language-delayed kiddos were pre-school-age and around the house all the time, I was desperate for ideas like these to help them with articulation and language acquisition. It's not that the ideas can't be adapted to older kids, especially those with developmental delays; it's just that, once kids are in school full-day with homework and friends and activities and general exhaustion all around, there's not the kind of time and opportunity that work best for weaving these exercises into normal everyday life.
That said, if you have a child who still is in that window of opportunity, and you're looking for exercises, games, stories, strategies, and scripts for weaving speech therapy into the time you spend with your little one, this is a book you'll love. Without going into more technical detail than you'll have the patience to read, Dougherty, a speech and language pathologist, offers explanations and questionnaires for common problems and a lot of fun and do-able exercises for addressing them. The way you talk to your child, listen to your child, read with your child and play with your child can make a big difference in her ability to speak and be understood. Your increased feelings of empowerment as a parent are a nice side-effect.
