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Written by Jill Hicks, Speech-Language Pathologist, October 2024 Vowels Affect Intelligibility As a class of sounds, vowels tend to be the easiest speech sounds to produce. Hence they are usually among the first sounds babies make. Being able to say a variety of vowels makes a child’s speech easier to understand. Using the correct vowel(s) in a word increases speech intelligibility. Having a basic understanding of how vowels are made can help parents and caregivers. So let’s explore vowels. The Articulators A vowel is made based on the position of the articulators. The articulators include the tongue, jaw, lips, palate, teeth and cheeks. Vowels are made when two articulators approach each other. Air exhaled from the lungs moves through the opening left by the articulators. Continuants Vowels are continuant sounds. This means they do not have a precise stopping point in time. Vowels can continue on until the exhaled air runs out. Voiced All vowels are made with the vocal folds vibrating. The vocal folds vibrate rapidly in the larynx, or voicebox, creating a source of sound. All vowels are voiced sounds. Jaw Position How open or closed the jaw is affects which vowel is produced. Vowels produced with the most open jaw posture are “a” (as in apple) and “o” (as in on). Tongue Position The tongue position affects which vowel is produced. The tongue can be classified according to its vertical position – high, mid or low in the mouth. The tongue can also be classified according to its horizontal position – front or back of the mouth. Lips What the lips do affects what sound is made. The lips can be retracted (smiling) as in “ee”. The lips can be rounded as in “oe”. The lips can be wide open as in “o”.
 When the tongue is high in the front of the mouth “ee” is produced. When the tongue is high in the back of the mouth “ew” is produced. “a” (as in ant) is the low front vowel. “o” (as in on) is the low back vowel.
When We Use Schwa
Schwa is the vowel in many words such as up, cup, hut, puff, sun, one, etc. But here’s an interesting thing – we also use schwa in many multisyllabic words. Using the easiest to produce, most neutral vowel makes longer words easier to say. Here are some examples. We don’t say ba-na-na. We actually say bu-na-nu. The first and last vowels are “reduced” to schwas in spoken language. Another example is elephant. We don’t say el-e-phant. We say el-u-phunt, reducing the last two (unstressed) vowels to schwas. Attuning Our Ears When listening to a child’s speech, as parents we tend to listen for meaning. We try to figure out what word our child is trying to say. We aren’t specifically listening for exactly how the sounds are made. When a child is working to produce a specific sound in words, it helps if the adult listener attunes his or her ears to analyze how the child is saying the sound. For example, for the word dog, we may interpret our child’s speech as having said dog. But when we analyze the actual speech production we realize they said something a bit different such as do, du, dug, or maybe gog. If we’re practicing clear production of the “o” (as in on) vowel, then the child’s production of u (the neutral vowel) needs to be refined and replaced with the “o” vowel sound. It takes intentional practice to attune our ears to how our child actually says the word. In the case of a substitution of dug for dog, we would need to help the child lower the jaw to make the low “o” vowel instead of the mid “u” vowel sound. Vowels Have a Big Impact When we think of refining our child’s speech we often think of the consonants. However it is also important to take the time to work on vowel production. Vowels have a big impact on speech intelligibility. Your child’s speech-language pathologist will determine which phonemes to work on and if needed will likely include vowels.
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 Written by Jill Hicks, Speech-Language Pathologist, September 2024 This is a continuation of Part 1, the blog posted on September 5, 2024. In that post, we discussed the High Repetition method. That is an effective way to provide numerous opportunities for your child to practice their targets. Now let’s talk about a related way to practice targets called the High Interest method. High Interest The High Interest method can also be called Play Therapy. During Play Therapy the adult chooses high interest toys or games that include speech targets. The child explores the toy on his own, directing play. He will naturally gravitate to the items or activities of high interest to him. The adult gets on the child’s level and observes what the child is playing with. It is important to set up the environment for success. This includes removing any background noise such as the t.v., music, a dog barking, etc. It is also helpful to remove all but the chosen toys from the play area.
High Utility The third method of practicing speech is the High Utility method. The High Utility method can also be called the Carry-Over or Carry-Over to Real Life Contexts method. This type of practice is done during every day life situations. It is very useful to the child because it teaches sounds, words, and sentences that occur in the child’s life. The targets will be useful during the child’s day to day communication. In the High Utility method the adult keeps in mind one or more of the child’s targets, remembering to model and reinforce that target in various real life contexts.
The advantage of the High Utility method is that it uses words in a variety of real life contexts. It is therefore both meaningful and useful to the child. The challenge with this method is keeping targets in mind and remembering to model them throughout the day.
We have looked at 3 effective ways to practice speech and language targets with your child: High Repetition, High Interest, and High Utility. Each of these methods has particular advantages. By being intentional about practicing throughout the day, you will give your child more opportunities to learn. The more opportunities your child has to practice targets using these 3 methods, the sooner he or she will get there.  Written by Jill Hicks, Speech-Language Pathologist, September 2024Practicing speech in the clinic vs outside the clinicIf your child is being seen by a speech-language pathologist, you've likely been given some targets to practice. If you're fortunate enough to observe your child's sessions with the SLP, you can see how they practice with your child.
Many children may not be internally motivated to repeatedly practice targets. Especially, young children may find it difficult to attend to repeated opportunities to say their target. This is where reinforcement can be very valuable. Giving the child a turn doing something he or she likes is usually enough to motivate a child to attempt a target. Let’s give an example. Sue deletes final consonants. Sue’s SLP has set the goal of Sue learning to say the /t/ sound on the end of words. In the High Repetition method, the adult collects items (or photos) that end in the /t/ sound. For example, the collection of items could include: hat, cat, mat, pot, mitt, net, nut, etc. The adult has the items in a box or bag and pulls out one at a time and gives the child the opportunity to say the word.
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 | I am struck by the focus of leaders in the disability community. I had the privilege of attending a workshop presented by Temple Grandin, the famous scientist with autism. Her main take away message was to have the long term vision in mind. Think of the student as an adult, and make sure to prepare the student for adulthood. |
| Similarly, Libby Kumin, SLP, in her DVD entitled, “What Did You Say? A guide to speech intelligibility in people with Down syndrome.” talks about writing IEP goals for speech intelligibility. “The IEP goals should support the long-term vision for the child’s future as an adult. The speech and language skills addressed in treatment should follow a path leading to a successful adulthood.” |  |
This challenges us to step back and assess our goals in light of our student becoming an adult. It is easy to choose goals based on what content is being taught at a particular grade level, and we all naturally gravitate to goals that allow us to use skills we have, and programs we’re familiar with. However, we need to look beyond what is familiar and comfortable, and instead focus on the student’s needs, setting goals that lead to successful adulthood.
Clear verbal communication is a basic academic skill. It is addressed in curriculum guidelines as shown in the Nova Scotia government’s document English Language Arts Primary Guide available online.
Clear verbal communication is a basic academic skill. It is addressed in curriculum guidelines as shown in the Nova Scotia government’s document English Language Arts Primary Guide available online.
 | In this document on page 1, there is a list of outcomes entitled “Learners will interact using effective oral language skills, considering audience, purpose, and situation.” The outcomes in these curriculum guidelines aim for oral language skills in order to ask and respond to questions, share ideas, express feelings, describe, respond to and give instructions, and use sentences. |
These outcomes require a foundational level of oral language ability for communication. And communication is successful when the oral communication is intelligible enough to be understood by the listener.
So a child with poor or reduced intelligibility will have difficulty meeting even the entry level of academic skills in language arts. This highlights that speech is a fundamental skill. For a child in a grade higher than Primary (kindergarten), these fundamental oral language goals are still very much applicable.
For many children with Down syndrome who have poor speech intelligibility, improving speech intelligibility should be their primary academic goal. Knowing this should help us as SLPs and educators put a primary and weighty focus on developing the student’s speech. This focus is reflected in a careful assessment of the child’s speech and language, setting specific articulation goals, and allotting significant time every day to practice speech skills.
So a child with poor or reduced intelligibility will have difficulty meeting even the entry level of academic skills in language arts. This highlights that speech is a fundamental skill. For a child in a grade higher than Primary (kindergarten), these fundamental oral language goals are still very much applicable.
For many children with Down syndrome who have poor speech intelligibility, improving speech intelligibility should be their primary academic goal. Knowing this should help us as SLPs and educators put a primary and weighty focus on developing the student’s speech. This focus is reflected in a careful assessment of the child’s speech and language, setting specific articulation goals, and allotting significant time every day to practice speech skills.
| Some important questions to ask |  |
- Has the SLP set specific articulation goals?
- Have we scheduled specific time every day for speech practice?
- Are we practicing in a quiet space with no distractions?
- Are we being intentional about carrying over speech skills to real life contexts?
- Do educational staff need additional training to best help the student with speech practice?
- How are we measuring progress?
- Have we included speech goals in the student’s IPP?
- Are we focusing on functional speech goals?
- Are we using the teaching strategies best suited to people with Down syndrome?
- Does everyone on the team understand the importance of speech development, as a primary skill?
As we make speech development our highest priority and allot time for intensive daily practice, we give the student the highest likelihood of achieving intelligible speech. We prepare the student for an adulthood with successful relationships, work and independence.
How providing the right amount of support enhances skill development. Written by Jill Hicks, November 2022
As parents and professionals working with children with Down syndrome, we want to help them succeed. In this blog post I’m going to address the reciprocal dance between skill development and support.
I like to think of skills and support as being two separate but related paradigms. They each fit on a continuum from less to more. And they have direct influence on each other. Said another way, the level of a skill or ability directly influences how much support should be provided. And how much support is provided will directly affect skill development. So what is the optimal amount of support? And how do we know how to adjust the amount of support we give?
Since I’m a speech-language pathologist it is most relevant for me to give an example regarding speech development. First of all we’ll look at the Skill paradigm. This example reflects how much ability or skill the child has producing a specific phoneme (speech sound).
I like to think of skills and support as being two separate but related paradigms. They each fit on a continuum from less to more. And they have direct influence on each other. Said another way, the level of a skill or ability directly influences how much support should be provided. And how much support is provided will directly affect skill development. So what is the optimal amount of support? And how do we know how to adjust the amount of support we give?
Since I’m a speech-language pathologist it is most relevant for me to give an example regarding speech development. First of all we’ll look at the Skill paradigm. This example reflects how much ability or skill the child has producing a specific phoneme (speech sound).
As the above illustration shows, the child moves from the most basic level of ability, which is production of the sound in isolation (by itself). Once the child can accurately produce the sound in isolation, we move to saying the sound in a word, then to saying the sound in a word in a sentence. And finally, the child uses the sound in a word, in a sentence during spontaneous speech (in a real life context).
There are often substeps to the above Skill paradigm illustration which your child’s SLP will be aware of and guide you through. Some examples of substeps are closer and closer approximations to saying the sound in isolation, saying the sound in syllables, saying the sound in one syllable words before multisyllabic words, saying the sound in different positions in words, etc. Moving from producing the sound in isolation to using the sound in words in sentences in spontaneous speech can take months or even years depending on the child and the sound. Each step is a significant achievement and needs to be celebrated.
Practice eliciting the sound in isolation, and at the word and sentence level are often initially done during “structured practice time”. This is because it takes a lot of focus to learn a new skill. During structured practice time, we can offer time to focus on speech work, without distractions, or time pressure. But eventually, and ultimately, we have to be intentional about making sure the new sound is carried over to real life speaking situations.
So now let’s talk about the Support paradigm. The Support paradigm shows how much support we need to give a child during skill development. It’s important that the goals we choose are at exactly the right level. A goal that’s too easy means the child already has that skill. A goal that’s too hard means that even with support the child has a very low rate of correct responses when trying to achieve the skill. Let’s assume our speech sound goal is at the right level. This is what the Support paradigm looks like:
There are often substeps to the above Skill paradigm illustration which your child’s SLP will be aware of and guide you through. Some examples of substeps are closer and closer approximations to saying the sound in isolation, saying the sound in syllables, saying the sound in one syllable words before multisyllabic words, saying the sound in different positions in words, etc. Moving from producing the sound in isolation to using the sound in words in sentences in spontaneous speech can take months or even years depending on the child and the sound. Each step is a significant achievement and needs to be celebrated.
Practice eliciting the sound in isolation, and at the word and sentence level are often initially done during “structured practice time”. This is because it takes a lot of focus to learn a new skill. During structured practice time, we can offer time to focus on speech work, without distractions, or time pressure. But eventually, and ultimately, we have to be intentional about making sure the new sound is carried over to real life speaking situations.
So now let’s talk about the Support paradigm. The Support paradigm shows how much support we need to give a child during skill development. It’s important that the goals we choose are at exactly the right level. A goal that’s too easy means the child already has that skill. A goal that’s too hard means that even with support the child has a very low rate of correct responses when trying to achieve the skill. Let’s assume our speech sound goal is at the right level. This is what the Support paradigm looks like:
The Support paradigm moves from the child needing full support to needing no support. Full support is when numerous supports or cueing methods are used, for example, to elicit a sound. Full support can mean hearing the adult model the sound, seeing the Sign Sound for the sound, watching how the mouth moves, producing the sound with the SLP while looking in a mirror together, getting verbal cueing (such as “smile” or “keep your lips together”), etc. For moderate support the child still needs several cueing methods to achieve success. For minimal support the child needs only one or two cues, or needs cues only intermittently to achieve success. And finally, Independence means the child is independent in producing the sound without any cueing required. It is important to explicitly reduce and then withdraw support to increase independence. Independence with a skill is our ultimate success.
One of the most important concepts to embrace is how the Skill and Support paradigms interact. As you move up the Skill continuum, each new level may initially require more support, and move through the Support continuum. For example, once a child learns to say a certain sound such as /m/ in words, it can be a significant hurdle to then ask the child to use that word in a phrase or sentence. Instead of just having to concentrate on saying the sound in a single word, the child now has to think of all the sounds in all the words in the sentence, get the words in order, and figure out the meaning. These “distractions” make it harder to concentrate on articulation of the target sound in the word. But fortunately, we can provide more support at this new Skill level, so the child has a greater likelihood of success. The amount of support we provide is directly linked to how much support the child needs.
Success is important. We want our children with Down syndrome to practice the right way. Each time the child says /m/ incorrectly, they are cementing a misarticulation in their memory. Each time the child says /m/ correctly, they are cementing correct production of the sound in their memory, which makes it easier and more likely to produce the correct sound next time. Success builds upon success. It all starts with very carefully chosen goals, and an in depth understanding of how the Skill and Support paradigms interact to enhance learning, independence, and success :)
One of the most important concepts to embrace is how the Skill and Support paradigms interact. As you move up the Skill continuum, each new level may initially require more support, and move through the Support continuum. For example, once a child learns to say a certain sound such as /m/ in words, it can be a significant hurdle to then ask the child to use that word in a phrase or sentence. Instead of just having to concentrate on saying the sound in a single word, the child now has to think of all the sounds in all the words in the sentence, get the words in order, and figure out the meaning. These “distractions” make it harder to concentrate on articulation of the target sound in the word. But fortunately, we can provide more support at this new Skill level, so the child has a greater likelihood of success. The amount of support we provide is directly linked to how much support the child needs.
Success is important. We want our children with Down syndrome to practice the right way. Each time the child says /m/ incorrectly, they are cementing a misarticulation in their memory. Each time the child says /m/ correctly, they are cementing correct production of the sound in their memory, which makes it easier and more likely to produce the correct sound next time. Success builds upon success. It all starts with very carefully chosen goals, and an in depth understanding of how the Skill and Support paradigms interact to enhance learning, independence, and success :)
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Speech is complex. When we look into the features of speaking we realize how much information we need to know, and how many precise coordinated movements we need to make when we speak. What’s especially amazing is that many of us learn to speak seamlessly with seemingly little effort.
For those of us who have children who are working to develop their speech, or for those of us who work with children with speech delay, it can be helpful to dive into specifics.
In this blog post I will be explaining the properties of phonemes. A phoneme is a speech sound. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I consider several important phoneme properties when I’m analyzing a child’s speech. Here are the top three: place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing.
Place of articulation can be taken quite literally. It means where in the mouth the phoneme is made. So is the sound made with the lips? Is the sound made primarily with the tongue? And if so, where in the mouth is the tongue touching, or closest to?
Here is a list of phonemes according to place of articulation with examples. It can be helpful to say each sound (no letter names) and be aware of where the sound is being made. Consonant sounds are classified by the following place of articulation.
Bilabial – sound made with the 2 lips - /b, p, m/
Labiodental – sound made with the lower lip and upper teeth - /f, v/
Alveolar – sound made with the tongue touching or closest to the alveolar ridge (the bump behind the top teeth) - /t, d, s, z, n/
Palatal – sound made with the tongue closest to the hard palate - /sh, ge/
Velar – sound made with the tongue closest to the soft palate or velum - /k, g, ng/
Manner of articulation means how the sound is made. The most basic classification of manner of articulation is whether the sound is a plosive or a continuant sound.
A plosive sound is made when the articulators come together and stop the flow of air out of the mouth, and then burst open, or explode to make the sound. Some examples of plosive sounds are /p, b, t, d, k, g/. You cannot hold a plosive sound. Once the sound bursts forth, it is gone.
Alternatively, a continuant phoneme is made with the articulators narrowed, but not completely closed. So a stream of air can continue to produce the sound as long as there is outgoing breath. Some examples of continuant sounds are all the vowels, and many consonants such as /s, z, f, v,sh/.
Voicing refers to whether or not the vocal folds are vibrating during the production of a phoneme. Voiceless consonants are made with the vocal folds open, allowing unobstructed passage of air from the lungs and through the layrnx. An example of a voiceless sound is /s/. Voiced sounds are made with the vocal folds vibrating very rapidly, which produces a source of sound at the level of the larynx (or voicebox). An example of a voiced sound is /z/. You can test this out yourself by gently placing your hand over your larynx while saying /s/ and then /z/, and noticing the lack of vibration for /s/ and the vibration for /z/.
The interesting thing about voicing is that only some of the consonants are voiceless. Many of the consonants and all of the vowels are voiced. Also, every voiceless consonant has a matching voiced counterpart. In voiceless-voiced consonant pairs, the same thing is happening in the mouth; the sound only changes by either turning on or off the vocal fold vibration. Thinking of /s/ and /z/ - they are made the same way in the mouth. But /s/ has unobstructed passage of air through the larynx (voiceless), whereas /z/ is made with the vocal folds vibrating.
Combining classifications
Individual phonemes are classified according to all of the above characteristics or features. So we would say /b/ is a voiced bilabial plosive. We would say /s/ is a voiceless alveolar continuant.
SLP analysis
When a SLP analyzes a child’s speech, he/she looks at all the above properties, and notes how the child says each sound. Is the sound omitted completely, or only in certain positions in words? Is one sound substituted for another sound? If so, what kind of substitutions does the child make? For example, are all the voiceless consonants voiced?
It is helpful for parents and educators to understand these basics of speech sound properties to help you understand the speech sound goals your SLP has chosen. You will also be better equipped to understand what your SLP has asked you to focus on during speech sound practice.
For those of us who have children who are working to develop their speech, or for those of us who work with children with speech delay, it can be helpful to dive into specifics.
In this blog post I will be explaining the properties of phonemes. A phoneme is a speech sound. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I consider several important phoneme properties when I’m analyzing a child’s speech. Here are the top three: place of articulation, manner of articulation, and voicing.
Place of articulation can be taken quite literally. It means where in the mouth the phoneme is made. So is the sound made with the lips? Is the sound made primarily with the tongue? And if so, where in the mouth is the tongue touching, or closest to?
Here is a list of phonemes according to place of articulation with examples. It can be helpful to say each sound (no letter names) and be aware of where the sound is being made. Consonant sounds are classified by the following place of articulation.
Bilabial – sound made with the 2 lips - /b, p, m/
Labiodental – sound made with the lower lip and upper teeth - /f, v/
Alveolar – sound made with the tongue touching or closest to the alveolar ridge (the bump behind the top teeth) - /t, d, s, z, n/
Palatal – sound made with the tongue closest to the hard palate - /sh, ge/
Velar – sound made with the tongue closest to the soft palate or velum - /k, g, ng/
Manner of articulation means how the sound is made. The most basic classification of manner of articulation is whether the sound is a plosive or a continuant sound.
A plosive sound is made when the articulators come together and stop the flow of air out of the mouth, and then burst open, or explode to make the sound. Some examples of plosive sounds are /p, b, t, d, k, g/. You cannot hold a plosive sound. Once the sound bursts forth, it is gone.
Alternatively, a continuant phoneme is made with the articulators narrowed, but not completely closed. So a stream of air can continue to produce the sound as long as there is outgoing breath. Some examples of continuant sounds are all the vowels, and many consonants such as /s, z, f, v,sh/.
Voicing refers to whether or not the vocal folds are vibrating during the production of a phoneme. Voiceless consonants are made with the vocal folds open, allowing unobstructed passage of air from the lungs and through the layrnx. An example of a voiceless sound is /s/. Voiced sounds are made with the vocal folds vibrating very rapidly, which produces a source of sound at the level of the larynx (or voicebox). An example of a voiced sound is /z/. You can test this out yourself by gently placing your hand over your larynx while saying /s/ and then /z/, and noticing the lack of vibration for /s/ and the vibration for /z/.
The interesting thing about voicing is that only some of the consonants are voiceless. Many of the consonants and all of the vowels are voiced. Also, every voiceless consonant has a matching voiced counterpart. In voiceless-voiced consonant pairs, the same thing is happening in the mouth; the sound only changes by either turning on or off the vocal fold vibration. Thinking of /s/ and /z/ - they are made the same way in the mouth. But /s/ has unobstructed passage of air through the larynx (voiceless), whereas /z/ is made with the vocal folds vibrating.
Combining classifications
Individual phonemes are classified according to all of the above characteristics or features. So we would say /b/ is a voiced bilabial plosive. We would say /s/ is a voiceless alveolar continuant.
SLP analysis
When a SLP analyzes a child’s speech, he/she looks at all the above properties, and notes how the child says each sound. Is the sound omitted completely, or only in certain positions in words? Is one sound substituted for another sound? If so, what kind of substitutions does the child make? For example, are all the voiceless consonants voiced?
It is helpful for parents and educators to understand these basics of speech sound properties to help you understand the speech sound goals your SLP has chosen. You will also be better equipped to understand what your SLP has asked you to focus on during speech sound practice.
As a mother, and an SLP with a passion to see children with Down syndrome succeed, I focus heavily on speech sounds. The speech sound system is often a confusing puzzle to children with Down syndrome. Hearing, distinguishing, and producing speech sounds can be challenging. Identifying individual sounds in words, and matching them with letters is a foundational literacy skill, that is also challenging. However, the way we approach instruction about speech sounds can make a huge difference not only for articulation, but for reading and spelling success.
I have long advocated the importance of targeted, intensive practice to develop our children's articulation accuracy. And in tandem, I have long advocated focusing on letter SOUNDS, and explicitly not teaching letter names to beginning readers.
I have just come across two blog posts that explain the importance of teaching letter sounds, and not letter names. I'll put links to both blog posts here:
https://theliteracyblog.com/.../sounds-or-letter-names.../
https://theliteracyblog.com/.../advocating-the-teaching.../
I welcome your comments, and hearing about your experiences.
I have long advocated the importance of targeted, intensive practice to develop our children's articulation accuracy. And in tandem, I have long advocated focusing on letter SOUNDS, and explicitly not teaching letter names to beginning readers.
I have just come across two blog posts that explain the importance of teaching letter sounds, and not letter names. I'll put links to both blog posts here:
https://theliteracyblog.com/.../sounds-or-letter-names.../
https://theliteracyblog.com/.../advocating-the-teaching.../
I welcome your comments, and hearing about your experiences.
Once children are verbal and able to remember words and numbers, I make a point of teaching them to clearly articulate their name, phone number, and address. This of course relies on their memory. And it requires the child to use slow, deliberate speech, with pauses between words. This gives the listener the best chance of understanding what is being said.
I recently read an article that highlighted a main reason why we teach children to memorize their basic information. You can read it here (I recommend reading the story, not the video):
https://globalnews.ca/news/6017343/antony-robart-blog-lost-son/?utm_source=GlobalHalifax&utm_medium=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0J9Bz_wq4i0gHkfoMf5_aOGFuzpJXJunbCz2ij42xCeolnWXBeGbIShxk
I recently read an article that highlighted a main reason why we teach children to memorize their basic information. You can read it here (I recommend reading the story, not the video):
https://globalnews.ca/news/6017343/antony-robart-blog-lost-son/?utm_source=GlobalHalifax&utm_medium=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0J9Bz_wq4i0gHkfoMf5_aOGFuzpJXJunbCz2ij42xCeolnWXBeGbIShxk
Let's strive for a school system, where from the top down, administrators, and educators see their role as including being advocates for all students, including students with disabilities. In this article, Greta Harrison makes important statements, " I believe parents of children with disabilities receive much more “bad news” from teachers than good news.....I have been thinking about how different each school and school system would be if every educator had a positive attitude — if every educator truly felt they were each child’s advocate. "
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-teachers-become-advocates-kids-210455400.html
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-teachers-become-advocates-kids-210455400.html
For a powerful resource to help your child speak
Author
Jill Hicks is the mother of a child with Down syndrome and a speech-language pathologist. Her passion is to empower others to help people with Down syndrome.
WhArticles
Why speech is the most important academic goal
How much support is too much?
Speech Sound Primer
Focusing on Letter Sounds to Help Your Child Succeed
The Importance of Teaching Basic Information
Teachers as Advocates for Students with Disabilities
Why Asking Questions can hinder your child's learning and what you can do instead.
e is for elephant, ee is for eel
Academics or Life Skills? What's really at stake?
Fizzy Water: The easy way to hydration.
10 Questions every parent should ask at an IEP meeting
Top 10 Tips for Working with your Child's School SLP
Inclusive Education not only beneficial, a human right
Hannah Dances at a Talent Show
Hannah Dances at a Festival
The Secret to Understanding How People with Down Syndrome Learn Post 1
The Secret to Understanding How People with Down Syndrome Learn Post 2
The Secret to Understanding How People with Down Syndrome Learn Post 3
The Secret to Understanding How People with Down Syndrome Learn Post 4
The secret to Understanding How People with Down Syndrome Learn Post 5
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