Reading is an essential tool for children’s development in many areas — particularly in speech and language. It helps students enhance their articulation, apply vocabulary and memory, and build social understanding. They’re one-stop shops for multiple communication skills! Books are also enjoyable, drive motivation, and move beyond the drill-and-kill cycles of repetitive activities. They can bridge children from preschool through adolescence. Whether you’re a parent or a speech-language pathologist, books can be essential tools. A few key strategies can make reading even more beneficial. Here are five engaging ways to use books in speech-language therapy.
How to Use Books in Speech-Language Therapy
Because different students have different needs and goals, how you read a book can be as unique as the student themselves. However, here are a few ideas to inspire your next reading session as a speech-language pathologist:
1. Focus on Articulation
Select a book that contains your student’s target sounds and flag them throughout the book. When you reach that word, have the student practice saying those words.
2. Build Vocabulary
To keep up with typically developing children’s targets of learning 2,000 to 3,000 words a year, they need to learn quite a few new words a day — often more than in direct teaching of vocabulary words. Books contain infrequently and rarely used words that can boost vocabulary exposure and development. So, be sure to not only use these new words as you read but also discuss them so students can understand their meanings and use.
3. Re-tell and Interpret the Book
The story doesn’t end on the page. As you go along, ask your student “wh-questions” (e.g. who, what, where, when, why.) For example, you might ask, “What do you think will happen next?” “What is the problem?” “What should he/she do?” “Where is he/she going?” Ask your student to re-tell the story of the book when you finish. This helps students who are working on sequencing because they’ll need to discuss what happens first, next, and last.
4. Talk about Feelings
Books can be great conversation starters for students working on social skills. Pick out points in the story to talk with your student about how the characters are feeling. Notice when the characters must resolve a conflict and talk about whether their actions are appropriate. Ask your student to propose alternatives.
5. Use Your Voice
Modulating your voice can help your student understand the meaning, emotion, and social cues. Play around with high and low tones, squeaks and grunts, and accents. It also makes reading — and listening — more fun! As we know, motivation is key to success, so making the experience enjoyable for students allows them to get the most out of the activity.
How to Use Books in Speech-Language Therapy at Home
If you’re a parent, you may observe your child’s speech-language pathologist applying some of these strategies. Many students don’t read outside of school and most-read less than the 15-minute daily minimum teachers recommend. So, any time you spend reading is great! But how can you enhance your child’s reading experience at home?
Here are a few tips:
- Allow your child to read the book as he/she wishes. For younger children, that may mean jumping around or revisiting favorite parts again and again.
- Talk about the book. Don’t just read the words. Explore and discuss what’s happening in the pictures.
- Ask your child questions. Inquire about what they see in the pictures and what’s happening in the story.
- Act out what’s happening in the book. For example, if something exciting happens, ask your child to make a face that expresses what’s happening in the story or how they think the character feels.
How Unlimited Teletherapy Can Help
If you’re a speech-language therapist who would like to join a team of passionate, driven professionals who want to raise the bar in teletherapy using techniques like these, reach out to us. If you’re a parent who would like your student to receive services, contact us to see how we can help.
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