School is back in session, and your child is learning so many new things. Your child’s articulation skills mustn’t take a back seat to new math or science lessons.Speech Therapy in Miami – Here are 5 ways you can help your child improve their speech sounds in the afternoons and evenings.
Read Aloud Together
When you help your child with their homework and take time together to read, read aloud together. Your child will be able to see how the words on paper and pronunciation match. You will also help them learn their sight words and vocabulary at the same time!
Speech Therapy in Miami – Take Time to Demonstrate Sounds
Remember, your child first learns how to talk by listening to you. Demonstrate sounds for your child, so they can listen and reproduce them. For combination sounds such as “th” let your child see how you are forming the sounds as well.
Make a List of Challenging Sounds and Target Sounds They Are Learning at School
Use a corkboard or writable refrigerator magnets to help you keep track of difficult sounds or new sounds your child is learning at school. Provide feedback as they work on the sound and complement them as they improve. You can also use visual achievement tracking, such as stars, to help your child see their progress.
Speech Therapy in Miami – Make Time Each Day for Your Child to Talk to You
Ensure that your child has at least 5-10 minutes each day that they can just talk to you – for the purpose of you listening to how they form their sounds. This can be when you pick them up or over a meal or snack. Encourage your child to talk about their day and listen to how they make sounds so you can determine where they still need to make improvements.
Don’t Pretend to Understand Your Child
If you don’t understand a word or phrase your child said, ask them to repeat it. Don’t overwhelm them by repeating the word or phrase. Do ask them to slow down if needed and help them articulate if they’re having trouble pronouncing a word.
As a parent or caregiver, you are your child’s first teacher. Taking time to help your child learn to articulate sounds is important for their speech development and overall learning. If your child shows the difficulty that you’re not able to overcome together, then consider finding a speech therapist in your area. You can find Kidology Inc in Philadelphia and Miami, and our speech therapist experts are here to help.
Does Your Child Need Speech Therapy in Miami or Philadelphia?
Our experts are here to help your child reach their milestones. If you’re ready to take the next step in your child’s development, contact us today.
