Cloze statements, cloze procedures, or sentence completion tasks are word retrieval tasks that require the participant (child, student, client, etc.) to fill in the blank. The adult says part of the sentence or phrase or verse but intentionally deletes a word, enticing the child to complete it with the correct one.
Read MoreMy Toddler Talks has 25 fun play routines designed to improve your child's speech and language skills. Many of the play routines involve popular and favorite toys and objects found in most households. This is a benefit for busy parents who can't or don't want to run out and purchase more toys as well as for early intervention therapists who are encouraged to use what is already in the child's environment.
Read MoreHappy 2016. Hope you are all well and excited for this upcoming year. I know I am!
Although 2015 wasn’t the amazing year filled with rainbows and lollipops, it was a fine, productive year. I am grateful for my loving family and friends, my dedicated clients, and my encouraging readers. Thank you all for being here.
Read MoreWhat toys will help my toddler talk, learn, problem solve, and play?
With the holidays around the corner, I know many of you are thinking, “I don’t want to waste money and buy just any trendy toy or character piece that my toddler will play with once then disregard.
Read MoreDo you have a delightful toddler?
Or, are you a fortunate professional, like myself, who works with charming, adorable toddlers?
If so, I bet you’ve heard or asked this question more than once:
“How many words does your child say?”
Read MoreThe following is a list of common first words adapted from The Rossetti Infant Toddler Language Scale (2006) and from the research findings of Professor Leslie Altman Rescorla, the director of the Child Study Institute at Bryn Mawr College. Rescorla's results indicate that there are 25 commonly used words that toddlers know, even those that are slow to learn language. This suggests that these words are worth targeting when working on language intervention for late talkers.
Read MoreHow the Ok to Wake! Clock Can Improve Your Toddler’s Sleep and Language Skills I’m about to share something that may potentially change your life.
Okay. That might be an overstatement.
Read MoreAny Raffi fans here? If you were born in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s, you may be familiar with the singer-song writer Raffi. He is well known for writing and singing many popular children’s songs. If you’re not familiar with Raffi, don’t worry. I too was unfamiliar with his music despite being born during one of those decades and still managed to have a very fine childhood. (Now I just ponder, what if?)
Read MoreHow to Get My Toddler to Combine Words: Part 3 If you have a toddler and are trying to move him or her from single words to word combinations and phrases, please read my previous two posts titled, How to Get My Toddler to Combine Words: Part 1 and How to Get My Toddler to Combine Words: Part 2 .
Read MoreHow to Get My Toddler to Combine Words: Part 2 Your child has finally started to utter some first words and is verbally communicating more and more. This is an exciting time…
…although time has passed and you've noticed that he or she is stuck at the single word level.
This post will help you take your child to the next level.
Read MoreHow to Get Your Toddler to Combine Words: Part 1 Going Beyond Single Words
Several of my upcoming posts will focus on how to target word combinations.
Read MoreFor toddlers who aren’t yet talking or using words consistently, I usually start with getting them to make some sounds. Then, I get them to make these sounds consistently. I want them to use these sounds intentionally, volitionally, in multiple settings, and with multiple communication partners.
Read MoreFirst session of the day and I’m pumped. My little guy sees me and a huge smile spreads across his face.
He immediately runs into the living room and retrieves the beach ball. He happily shouts, “baw, baw, baw” and throws it to me.
Read MoreThis year I’ve decided to do a year-in-review post.
I’ll begin by sharing highlights from my own year, then provide a list of my top posts from 2014 and conclude with some announcements for the upcoming year.
Read MoreEvery year I compile a list of my favorite toys and games. These are materials I use during my speech therapy sessions as well as with my daughter and family and friends.
Read MoreWhat do you do to increase your toddler’s ability to initiate communication?
Read MoreWith Halloween right around the corner, I decided to get my act together and write a post on a favorite Halloween themed book for toddlers. Preschoolers like it too.
Read MoreHow to promote communication without frustration.
So, you’re a parent or a speech language pathologist (SLP) who is new to early intervention and have tried implementing some of the following communication elicitation strategies:
Read MoreA few weeks ago, another My Toddler Talks reader emailed with the following question:
“We have two children, a 3.5 year old boy and a 20 month old girl. We did not have any speech issues with our son, however our daughter is not speaking as much as we believe she should be able to at this point. She has maybe 10 words. She will resort to biting or pinching at times if she becomes frustrated. I really want to be proactive about this. Do you have any suggestions or resources?”
Read MoreSince I was a little girl every summer, my family and I vacationed at the Jersey shore. Now that my daughter is almost 2 years old, I have been particularly excited to bring her to the beach so she can experience the magic and wonder of the seashore.
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