Communication skills

          My child’s area of delay is speech and language. Therefore, communication strategies are important to use in the classroom.  The children and adults in the classroom have a hard time understanding him when he speaks.  He substitutes /p/ for /f/, /r/ for /l/, and omits sounds in consonant blends. He also uses incorrect pronouns and language.  We have taught the whole class many signs to use and he uses these signs throughout the day.

            He is usually taken out of the classroom twice a week to work with the school’s speech pathologist.  She is currently working on helping him produce /s/ blends.  She has also worked on him remembering colors, shapes, time concepts, and location concepts.  He will usually grasp most of these concepts by the end of the lesson, but cannot remember them long term.

            All of the communication strategies are used in the classroom and by the speech therapist.  We encourage communication throughout the day.  Choices are always offered in the classroom.  Commenting and expanding are used most often used strategies.  The text recommends speaking clearly and not too fast.  I also always try to make eye contact when repeating or expanding his sentences. 

Cook, Ruth E., Klein, Diane & Tessier, Annette. (2008).  Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs.