how do i start speech therapy at home

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How to Do Speech Therapy at Home

iStockphoto / Mordolff

Like any other skill acquired in childhood, learning how to communicate clearly—both in terms of how you speak and the words you choose—is one that develops over the course of many months and years. Some kids begin babbling away early in toddlerhood while others remain the strong and silent type until they’re more comfortable with speech patterns.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most children begin talking between 1 and 2 years of age. By age 2, most kids have a vast foundation of words to work with (think “ball,” “dog,” “Mama” or “Dada,” “cup,” “eat”) and are often putting words together into two-word questions and sentences.

If your child doesn’t seem to be falling within the range of normal for speech, it may not be a sign of a speech or language delay , but it also may be appropriate to begin engaging in some simple speech exercises with your child at home.

At-home speech therapy can be especially helpful for kids who aren’t easily frustrated and who have only mild delays or articulation errors, said Massachusetts-based pediatric speech therapist Alyssa Gusenoff. More serious problems, like speech regressions, should be brought up with a licensed speech therapist.

Here is a guide to performing basic speech therapy at home with your child, from first steps all the way through seeking outside help.

Assess Your Options 

There’s no reason to go it alone when it comes to speech therapy if there are resources in your community that can assist you. First, you should consult with your child’s pediatrician if you feel that your child has a speech delay or articulation issue. A pediatrician can share developmental milestones for speech and let you know if your child is actually struggling.

“It’s important to know what’s developmentally appropriate for speech and what’s simply parent-preferred,” Gusenoff said. “Parents without a pediatric background may not realize that 4 year olds don’t need the 'r' sound yet.”

Gusenoff said that many communities offer early intervention services for children who aren’t yet school-aged. If your child is already enrolled in school, your district may employ a speech therapist who can help you, too. Don’t be shy—ask around to see what’s available. Many services are provided free of charge for town residents.

Assess Your Child

If you’ve decided to try at-home speech therapy (either in lieu of professional services or, perhaps, while you wait for a therapist to become available), what works for your child will depend on several things.

Younger children will have a hard time focusing and concentrating on anything you call “therapy.” You can try to keep things fun and light, but a child too little to understand he’s making speech errors may not be receptive to correcting them. An older child can be more motivated to improve their speech because it means they will be better understood by peers and caregivers.

Temperament

Again, kids who are not easily frustrated are more likely to work on speech with a parent. Kids with a low frustration tolerance may view therapy as a negative experience.

Type of Speech Involvement Needed

There will be different approaches to therapy if your child has a speech delay (they have far fewer words than they should at their age) versus an articulation problem (they make a “t” sound instead of a hard “c” sound). 

Co-Existing Conditions

If your child is simply behind in this one area, it may be easier for you to slowly catch them up over time at home. If a speech issue occurs along with another developmental condition, like autism, you may want to seek professional help.

Experiment with At-Home Methods

Once you’re ready to forge ahead, you can try a variety of approaches to helping your child improve their speech. Here are some of Gusenoff’s favorite strategies.

Stop Anticipating Your Child’s Needs

It’s tempting, we know, to jump for what your child wants whenever they simply point at it—but doing so doesn’t encourage them to use their words. Give them a chance to ask for the pretzels, Gusenoff said, rather than grabbing them as soon as your child points to the cabinet.

Minimize Pacifier Usage

If your older toddler or preschooler is still using a pacifier, it can be very hard to break the habit , but it’s also very hard to talk with a pacifier in your mouth, so continuing to use one when speech is developing can interrupt the process.

Offer Choices

Instead of saying, “What would you like to drink?” ask your child “Would you like milk or juice?” A child struggling to build vocabulary will benefit from hearing the options and being able to choose one, rather than being expected to pull the correct word out of thin air. 

Increase Visibility

“When you say the name of an object, hold the object up towards your mouth so your child sees your mouth move,” Gusenoff recommended. This creates an immediate visual connection between the object and the way the word for that object is formed in the mouth.

Take turns repeating words to each other (example: “I’ll say ‘apple’ and then you say ‘apple.’ Ready? ‘Apple.’ Your turn!”). Peek-a-boo games also encourage speech by keeping a child’s attention, as do hiding games. Gusenoff said hiding objects around the house, like hiding small objects inside playdough, and keeping objects reserved inside containers can all encourage kids to ask questions, make exclamations, and request assistance.

Prompt and Withhold (Within Reason)

If your child is struggling because they simply haven’t had a lot of opportunities to practice various types of speech, you’ll have to learn to get comfortable making them feel mildly un comfortable sometimes. Don’t push your child to the brink of tears, but it’s okay to pause or hang back to see if your child can eventually solve their own problem when they need something.

For example, Gusenoff said you can help your child put on one shoe—then get up and walk away. Does your child call after you to get your attention? If so, ask him what he needs (you know the answer, but pretend like you don’t!). The goal here is to encourage your child to communicate for himself, rather than always relying on you to do all the talking.

Most children learn best when things are repeated over and over (and over!) again, and that’s often true for speech as well. When your child says a word correctly, repeat it back to him in a positive tone. If your child makes an articulation error, Gusenoff said, repeat it back to them incorrectly so they can hear what they actually said versus what they think they said. Some kids may not realize they’re making an error until mom or dad repeats it back to them!

Make Lots of Observations

Now that you’re spending dedicated time at home on speech therapy, it’s important to start tracking your child’s progress. Gusenoff said it’s easy to forget or overlook where your child is starting out when learning a new skill, meaning you can underestimate the amount of progress they’ve made. Keep a record or log so you can visually track your efforts.

Gusenoff also recommends paying attention to what words you can understand from your child compared with what a grandparent, for example, and a total stranger can understand. There will be differences between those three metrics (i.e. you can understand 75 percent, your mother-in-law can understand 50 percent, and a stranger can understand 25 percent), but there shouldn’t be enormous gaps between each tier. According to Nemours, most people—regardless of how well they know your child—should be able to understand the majority of your child's speech by the time they turn 4.

Know Your Limitations

It’s important to understand that you may be able to guide and assist your child at home, helping to develop much-needed skills, but you may not be able to correct more significant problems without a professional. It’s one thing to help your child say his “d” and “b” sounds more clearly, but it’s another thing to teach him how to form more complex sounds involving the tongue or back of the throat.

Gusenoff added that kids who are very frustrated by their speech problems, who regress or don’t make any progress, who grope for sounds but are unable to move their mouths, and kids who experience quality of life issues because of communication errors or delays are not the best candidates for at-home speech therapy and would benefit from professional help.

If you’ve reached the limit of what you can provide for your child yourself, try not to take it as a personal offense. Instead, do what you can and then reach out for more help. Your child’s pediatrician is a great place to start—they often know all of the local resources and can point you in the right direction.

American Academy of Pediatrics. Language Delays in Toddlers: Information for Parents .

Nemours Foundation. Delayed Speech or Language Development .

By Sarah Bradley Sarah Bradley has been writing parenting content since 2017, after her third son was born. Since then, she has expanded her expertise to write about pregnancy and postpartum, childhood ages and stages, and general health conditions, including commerce articles for health products. Because she has been homeschooling her sons for seven years, she is also frequently asked to share homeschooling tips, tricks, and advice for parenting sites.

Speech therapy at home: What to expect

#Home health

If you face medical- or age-related challenges with swallowing, communicating or processing information, speech-language pathologists can provide solutions. They can work with you in the comfort of your home, teaching you vocal exercises, adaptive strategies and muscle retraining. This may enable you to regain or improve these important skills so you can feel confident with your recovery.

Brittany Morgan, M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist with CenterWell Home Health, outlines how speech therapy at home can make a real difference in patients' lives.

"I love working in home health because it allows me to provide individualized care to patients in an environment that is familiar to them. This helps me to foster a deeper connection with my patients—empowering them to achieve their communication and swallowing goals with confidence and comfort."

What are the benefits of speech therapy?

Patients who receive speech therapy services in the home are often managing a medical condition such as a stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease or dementia. Or they may have issues related to muscle and vocal cord changes that can develop with age. Some of the benefits of speech therapy in the home may include: 

• Improve coordination of your speech-related muscles: Speaking requires the coordination of muscles in the chest, neck, jaw, tongue and lips. Certain medicines or conditions like Parkinson’s disease can make it difficult to use these muscles properly. This can lead to unwanted symptoms like slurred speech or difficulty changing speech volume, which can be improved through speech therapy.
• Strengthen your voice: Getting older or conditions like Parkinson’s disease can affect the vocal cords and larynx, which affect your ability to make your voice louder or softer. It can also result in a shaky or breathy voice. Speech therapy in the home can help minimize throat strain and boost vocal stamina to help you get your voice back.
• Improve your ability to swallow: Swallowing is a complex function that requires the coordination of many muscles and nerves. Difficulty swallowing (or dysphagia) can increase the risk of choking and inhaling food or liquid into your lungs. A speech-language pathologist can give you strategies to help you eat and drink safely as well as provide exercises to strengthen the muscles that help with swallowing.
• Help with Alzheimer's or dementia symptoms: Speech therapy can be an important tool in helping people with Alzheimer's or dementia learn exercises and techniques to help them focus, problem-solve, and find the right words when speaking. A speech therapist can also work with loved ones, offering strategies to help facilitate communication as their loved one's cognitive abilities decline.
• Regain the skills to express needs and connect with others: Speech therapy can be an effective rehabilitation tool for patients, especially those recovering from a stroke who struggle with finding the right words.

What should I expect from a speech therapy visit at home? 

In collaboration with your home health team, the speech-language pathologist will design a personalized care plan to address your swallowing and communication issues. During your recovery, the speech-language pathologist will make regular visits to your home, ensuring your progress and helping you achieve your health goals. During visits, the speech-language pathologist may provide:

• Exercises to strengthen speech and swallowing muscles
• Tasks and activities to help with problem-solving, memory, reasoning, safety awareness and attention
• Recommendations for visual and auditory tools
• Techniques for positioning and controlling to help with feeding and drinking
• Alternative ways of communicating (verbal and nonverbal)

How do I know if I can receive speech therapy at home? 

Whether you are heading home from a hospital or a skilled nursing facility or you have experienced a recent decline in your condition, home health may be right for you if you meet certain eligibility criteria, which include:

• Need skilled nursing care on an intermittent basis or speech-language pathology, physical therapy or occupational therapy
• Be under the care of a doctor or other allowed healthcare provider (like a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) who establishes and periodically reviews your home health plan of care
• Have a condition that makes leaving home medically unsafe or not be able to leave home on your own without help, like needing crutches, cane, walker, wheelchair or special transportation. 

If you have healthcare questions for yourself or a loved one, call 1-833-453-1107 to connect with a CenterWell Home Health registered nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We can walk you through care options in your area.

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General Aphasia 07-05-2020

Create Your Own Intensive Speech Program at Home

Not everyone has access to intensive speech therapy—and not just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic right now. Even before stay-at-home orders, intensive speech therapy may have been out of reach for many people with aphasia.

When we explored this topic during our last online Aphasia Cafe chat , only 47% stated they had done some form of intensive therapy. But 40% did not partake in intensive therapy, and an additional 13% didn’t know about intensive therapy programs. High cost, high time commitment, or distance are three obstacles for daily speech therapy programs.

Which is why some people are making their own intensive speech therapy program and completing it at home.

An At-Home Therapy Solution

Mert spoke about the program her late husband Tommy pulled together for her following her stroke. She started with formal speech therapy once or twice a week (for a duration of six to eight weeks), but he followed it up with her so-called “homework.” She states that he showed her pictures and used them to have her recite “action words, basic personal items, clothing, family and friends in photos, feelings, grocery items, etc. Those that I couldn’t express with a word, I would do my best to describe what I was thinking.”

He didn’t let her give up. He would take her to the mall or park, even when she was tired and lovingly wanted to punch him. He would have her describe what she saw while they were out-and-about. She admits: “Although I disliked the grueling daily intensive therapy almost 16 years ago, the love of my life helped me to become a stroke survivor with residual aphasia today.”

In fact, Mert gives speeches via her local Toastmasters International club, a testament to all the hard work she put in with daily therapy guided by her husband after the stroke.

The History of Self-Therapy

Mert is in good company. Roald Dahl, writer of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and other beloved classics created a therapy program for his wife, Patricia Neal .

As we wrote in her profile :

After the stroke, Dahl was upset to learn that there wasn’t a set game plan to nurse his wife back to health. He was told that she would get one hour of rehabilitation per day, a fact that left him incredulous. Instead, he built a program where she constantly in speech therapy and brain training.

Due to Neal’s success, Dahl wrote a guide and inspired a new method of rehabilitation.

Everything Is Therapy

A speech therapist on our Aphasia Cafe call asked everyone to expand their definition of therapy. For instance, participating in an online chat is therapy. You’re practicing speech, you’re using listening skills, and you’re working to put thoughts into words. All of the activities in our 30-day One Aphasia Action challenge are speech therapy (and they were designed by a speech therapist).

If each of those activities take between five minutes and a half-hour to complete, you could design your own daily intensive therapy session by stringing together several activities from the list.

And while some people have a loved one, family member, or friend who can guide the therapy, others may need to guide their own therapy. Many of the activities on the One Aphasia Action list do not require another person to complete.

We’d love to hear YOUR story of at-home aphasia therapy. Please leave it in the comment section below .

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Speech Therapy at Home: How to Incorporate Speech Therapy into Daily Activities

How can you ensure speech therapy treatment is the most effective? If you are new to speech-language therapy with your child, you may be wondering how as the parent or guardian, you can help. The best way is to implement techniques that support speech-language development at home. Along with creating and sticking to a plan that your speech-language pathologist (SLP) has created, we compiled a list of ways you can practice speech therapy at home. 

Break down words into smaller pieces

Starting small and working your way up to full word pronunciations is a valuable technique for practicing speech therapy at home. You can use this technique once you identify the specific sounds that your child struggles to pronounce. It’s important to work with your child’s SLP to identify the right sounds to work on for your child’s age. You can then demonstrate this sound, like the “f” sound, and have your child repeat it. Always make sure your child is watching your face as you model the sound for them. Once you have made progress at this level, you can try the sound in syllables, such as “fa,” “fo,” “fe,” etc. Once your child has mastered the sound in syllables, try some simple words, such as “fun, phone, farm, etc.”

Read together

Reading is another excellent way to help your child’s speech and language skills grow. Reading is an excellent opportunity to have your child practice using their good speech sounds.  Instead of reading each word on the page, follow your child’s lead, and talk about what you see in each picture. It’s also good to remember that you can start reading with your child as soon as possible, and you should start reading with your child at birth. Reading is the best way to build early language and literacy skills and help prepare them for later academic success.

Follow your child’s lead

Following your child’s lead is a great way to work on speech and language at home.  Focus on what they are looking at, playing with, or seem interested in.  Use short sentences to talk about what you and your child see, hear, or feel (i.e., You want the red ball. I will get the red ball, and we can play.  Should the ball go up or down? You want the ball up. Here it goes up, etc.).  Talk about what you and your child are doing throughout your day while your child is near you so they can learn new words and use these new words in their vocabulary.

While practicing at home with your child, it is essential to remain calm and focus on having FUN while targeting speech and language skills at home! Showing frustration or pushing your child beyond their comfort zone can cause stress and lessen their confidence. 

Praise small victories

Remember to celebrate the small wins throughout your child’s speech therapy treatments and at-home practice. This positive reinforcement can reassure your child that their efforts are worth it. 

With these small techniques and activities, you can help your child progress faster in speech therapy. Just make sure to continue following the plan of your speech-language pathologist. If you have questions or are looking for more specific activities, consult a professional and work with a speech-language pathologist. Above all, stay supportive and patient as your child continues to learn and grow.

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9 Ways to Make Speech Therapy Homework Work for You

 6 min read

There are many benefits of doing speech therapy exercises at home. More practice usually means faster improvement 1 , and therapy with software 2  at home or with a volunteer 3  has been shown to be effective.

But do you or a loved one find yourself going home from the speech therapist’s office with the best of intentions only to lose enthusiasm after a day or two? Don’t get discouraged! This may be the first time you’ve had to do “homework” in years and you may need to (re)establish good homework habits to set yourself up for success. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Schedule a Time

Put homework on the calendar like any other important appointment. Pick a time of day when you have energy and can focus. Schedule your speech therapy exercises for that time every day to establish a habit. If your goal is an hour of practice every day, don’t feel that you have to do it all at once. You can break up homework into 20- or 30-minute chunks to help prevent mental fatigue and boredom. Remember: consistency is what matters.

Just 20 minutes a day for 4 weeks — that’s all it took for every single participant with aphasia to show improvement using our  Language Therapy 4-in-1 app  at home in a  research study at Cambridge .

Make a Plan

If your speech-language pathologist (SLP) doesn’t give you a specific set of exercises, it may be up to you to decide what you’re going to do each day and when. It’s a good idea to make a “sandwich” of difficulty. That is, start with something that’s not too challenging to warm up the brain, then move to the harder tasks, then finish up with something a bit easier to leave yourself feeling confident.

Pick a Good Spot

Find a place in your home that’s comfortable, but not  too  comfortable to do your work. If the couch or a recliner leaves you too relaxed, your focus may relax too. Sitting at the kitchen table or at a desk is a good idea, as it can put you into a work mindset. Of course, if sitting upright in a chair is physically uncomfortable, you won’t be able to focus on your work either.

Minimize Distractions

Background noise makes it difficult to focus, so turn off the TV or radio when you do your homework. Silence the alerts on your phone and computer. Pick a time when family members aren’t all in the same room. Sometimes a peaceful background of music can help you focus, so experiment with what works for you.

Have a Helper on Hand

A communication partner can be a big help with speech therapy exercises. A helper can let you know whether an answer is correct or clear, provide cues when you’re stuck, or engage in conversation to help you practice a strategy. They may be able to offer technical help, should you need it, if you’re practicing with a computer or tablet. Having your helper attend some of your  speech therapy sessions  can be useful too. The helper will learn tips from the therapist that they can reinforce at home. Homework helpers can join you via Skype, Facetime, or phone as well, so your loved ones can still support you even if they don’t live nearby.

One way to start is by using  Conversation Therapy , an app designed to be used by two or more people. The interesting topics and structured questions encourage discussion and back-and-forth communication to help you work on speech and language goals at home. Even couples who can seemingly read each others’ minds will find something new to talk about using this app.

Watch Out for Frustration

If you find yourself getting angry or frustrated while you’re practicing, stop. Take a break. Breathe deeply and calm down. Practice is supposed to help you get better. If the speech therapy exercises leave you feeling frustrated, they’re probably too hard or you’re too tired. Ask for help. Or pick an easier activity or setting. If you start to associate homework with negative emotions, you probably won’t stick to your schedule. You need to watch out for negative feelings, and change what you’re doing the instant you feel them.

Reward your Effort

It’s important to set goals for yourself, and just as important to reward yourself when you reach them. Simply sticking to your practice schedule is a huge achievement, so give yourself credit for that. The number of items you get correct doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you’re trying. Your efforts will pay off over time, and that can be its own reward.

Use your Skills Outside Homework Time

Younger brains tend to change faster than older brains, but improvement is possible at any age.

The point of home speech therapy exercises isn’t to get good at home exercises—it’s to improve your thinking and communication skills while you’re engaged in activities that matter to you. This is what SLPs call “carryover.” It isn’t always easy, but carryover is the goal of any exercise.

Practice your homework strategies throughout the day. If you’ve been working on describing words, for example, try to describe the words you can’t think of during dinner conversation. Ask family and friends to encourage you to use your strategies as you go about your day. Nobody likes being corrected all the time, though, so it’s okay to set times when you want reminders and times when you just want to be left to speak as you please. Make sure you’re clear with friends and families about which times are which.

Use Good Tools

Practicing one skill can result in improvement of a related skill.

Try combining these tips with an app that’s specifically designed to help adults recover their language skills after a stroke or some other type of acquired brain injury. Tactus Therapy apps are designed by a Speech-Language Pathologist to allow you to practice the same skills you work on in therapy, at home.  You can trust that the speech therapy exercises are based on techniques known to help adults with acquired communication disorders. We want you to succeed!

With a Tactus Therapy app, you can get in more repetitions and practice between therapy sessions—and this can help speed up your progress. Answer a few simple questions and you’ll be shown the best apps for you with our  App Finder  wizard. Then you can try them for free!

Do you know someone who would benefit from receiving these homework success tips? Download them now along with a practice schedule and daily notes template.

In addition to receiving your free download, you will also be added to our mailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please make sure you read our  Privacy Policy  and  Terms & Conditions .

References:

1: Bhogal, SanjitK., Robert Teasell, and Mark Speechley. “Intensity of aphasia therapy, impact on recovery.”  Stroke  34.4 (2003): 987-993.  Full Text 2: Palmer, Rebecca, et al. “Computer Therapy Compared With Usual Care for People With Long-Standing Aphasia Poststroke A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.”  Stroke  43.7 (2012): 1904-1911.  Full Text 3: Brady, Marian C., et al. “Speech and language therapy for aphasia following stroke.”  Cochrane Database Syst Rev  5 (2012): CD000425.  Full PDF

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Megan S. Sutton , MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and co-founder of Tactus Therapy. She is an international speaker, writer, and educator on the use of technology in adult medical speech therapy. Megan believes that technology plays a critical role in improving aphasia outcomes and humanizing clinical services.

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Speech Therapy at Home: Tips & Strategies for Parents to Try

If you’re a parent who’s concerned with your child’s speech and language development, one of the best things you can do to help is to use speech therapy strategies at home during daily routines.  

Practicing therapy exercises at home is critical for helping children with communication difficulties make progress. This provides consistency and reinforces skills learned in therapy. 

Speech Therapy sessions are certainly important. However, they are usually held once or twice a week for 30 or 60 minutes. Children need to practice more than that in order to progress their skills.  

Home speech therapy activities can be personalized according to a child’s needs and interests to encourage motivation and generalization of skills to a variety of environments. 

Incorporating speech therapy strategies and exercises at home can help a child with mild delays improve their skills to an age-appropriate level. Children who have articulation errors can make more progress at a faster rate when they practice speech sounds at home throughout the week.

Understanding the Importance of Speech Therapy at Home

Parents play a vital role in supporting their child’s speech development by serving as a child’s primary language model. Even during infancy, babies learn to learn and understand language by interacting with their parents. 

By providing a rich language environment (in which they speak out loud and to their child often, introducing a variety of new words), parents help their children build a strong vocabulary. Having a robust vocabulary is critical for communication and academic success. 

Clear communication skills are crucial for child development for reasons such as:

• Academic Success. Research shows that communication skills predict academic achievement.
• Social Interaction. There’s a proven correlation between a child’s language skills and their social skills. When a child can appropriately communicate, they can more competently interact with peers.
• Future Success. Developing strong communication skills during childhood can set a child up for success with their future career.
• Problem-solving and Critical Thinking: When a child can clearly communicate, he or she can express thoughts and ask questions. This allows them to analyze situations and determine solutions. 
• Emotional Regulation: Having the ability to clearly communicate their feelings can better equip a child to regulate their emotions and reduce negative behaviors.

Parents can also help a child learn to have clear articulation of speech sounds by modeling correct pronunciation. They can interact face to face with their child to encourage him or her to look at the parent’s mouth to learn how to articulate sounds. 

Consistent practice of speech therapy activities at home maximizes the benefits of speech therapy by accelerating a child’s progress through ways such as:

• Increasing frequency of practice. A child can have more repetitions of practicing speech sounds or language skills, which can encourage improved learning of these skills.
• Reinforcement of therapeutic goals. Children learn to apply and practice communication skills into their home environment.
• Generalization. Home practice allows a child to practice skills they learned in speech therapy to their home environment and real-life situations.
• Improved motivation. Children are often motivated to practice skills during functional, daily activities that tune in to their personal interests.
• Increased parent engagement. By practicing speech therapy at home, parents become more aware of therapy goals and strategies. This engagement allows them to better understand their child’s strengths and difficulties when it comes to their language development. They can play a more active daily role in supporting their child’s skills.   

Assessing Your Child’s Speech Needs 

It’s essential for parents to recognize the signs of a speech or language delay so their child can benefit from early identification and timely intervention. 

Parents can keep track of the expected speech and language milestones for their child’s age. Comparing these developmental expectations to their child’s skills helps a parent recognize if their child may have a delay. 

Your child might also benefit from Speech Therapy if any of the following apply:

• His or her speech is difficult to understand
• Teachers have expressed concerns with your child’s communication skills
• Your child appears to be frustrated or have negative behaviors due to their difficulty communicating

If you are concerned with your child’s articulation or language skills, you should consult with your child’s pediatrician. A pediatrician can write a referral for a comprehensive evaluation by a Speech Therapist. 

Creating a Supportive Environment at Home

Parents can set up an environment at home to support their child’s speech and language development through changes to their physical space and in how they interact. 

Speech therapy practice can happen anytime, anywhere at home. For example, at bathtime, snacktime, storytime, or during play. 

However, it can be helpful to have a designated space where you and your child can engage in speech therapy activities. This could be a small table or special area of their room. That way, the child might be less distracted by things around them and stay more engaged in the activity. 

It’s also important to provide a positive and encouraging atmosphere for a child to practice their speech and language skills. 

Gentle corrections of speech sound errors, modeling correct grammar, and using a rich vocabulary at home are all ways you can support your child’s communication skills. 

16 Tips and Strategies for Speech Therapy at Home 

Promoting language use and expression  .

These activities encourage a child to develop their use of language and communicate verbally.  

• Narrate daily routines. Talk out loud often at home to provide your child with a model verbal expression.
• Offer choices. Limit the amount of yes/no questions you ask your child and instead, offer choices. For example, “do you want blocks or bubbles?” will encourage a child to say words beyond just “yes” or “no”. 
• Modify your environment. Put toys away in clear containers. That encourages the child to come to you to communicate what they want or need. 
• Stop before anticipating their needs. Hold back from anticipating your child’s needs and instead, wait for them to communicate. For example, Instead of opening a snack container right away, hand it to your child while it’s closed to encourage him or her to ask you for help. 

Enhancing Articulation and Pronunciation Skills

Improve your child’s speech clarity through activities like these. 

• Playing games with the target sound. Choose board games that allow your child to practice a sound that’s difficult for them. For example, you can practice “P” in the “Pop the Pig” game or “L” in “Chutes and Ladders.”
• Use a mirror. Take turns with your child naming words that start with a sound they need to practice. Model how to say the sound, then encourage your child to say the word while looking in the mirror. 
• Arts & crafts. Make a craft that relates to the sound your child needs to practice saying. Talk about it together as you help your child make it. For example, you can make a tissue paper flower to practice the “F” sound. 

Building Vocabulary and Language Skills

There are several creative ways you can expand your child’s vocabulary and understanding of language. 

• Read books. Read out loud, pausing throughout the story to ask your child to point to pictures of words you name. Choose books that contain a variety of different subjects and vocabulary. Point to pictures as you name them.
• Give directions. Ask your child to follow simple directions daily. Make them more challenging by giving directions that have several steps, like “go get your shoes and bring them to dad”. 

Developing Listening and Auditory Skills

These activities can enhance a child’s auditory processing and comprehension skills. 

• Story Retelling. After reading a story or listening to a podcast for children, ask the child to retell you the story. Ask specific questions to check the child’s comprehension.
• Household activities. Ask your child to complete a set of tasks at home in a certain order.  For example, give the steps involved in setting the table or doing chores and ask your child to follow them.

Encouraging Social Interaction and Conversation

Here are some strategies for promoting social communication and conversation skills. 

• Role play and pretend play.  Create scenarios that require your child to practice applying social communication skills. For example, use toy figures to act out talking to a friend about your day. Or, role play being a customer and store worker engaging in a conversation. 
• Play turn-taking games. Playing turn taking board games at home allows a child to practice social skills as you coach them. For example children practice waiting and taking turns as they should in conversations. They also get to practice skills like having appropriate reactions to winning or losing a game. 

Incorporating Speech Practice into Daily Routines

Parents can integrate speech therapy activities seamlessly into everyday activities that can be fun and engaging for kids in ways like these. 

Use Strategies During Daily Routines

Put sticky notes around the house reminding you to use language stimulation strategies during daily routines with your child. For example, an “offer choices” note on the fridge can remind you to do something like asking your child if he or she wants “milk or juice?”, a strategy that can increase their vocabulary. 

As you engage in daily activities like diaper changes, sing songs that have repetitive lines (like “Old McDonald Had a Farm”). Encourage your child to sing along, imitate words, and try pausing to see if he or she will fill in the blank with a part of the song. 

Daily Outings

Take going to places like the park or the library as an opportunity to coach your child through using appropriate social communication skills. Encourage him or her to say “hi” to peers, take turns appropriately, and engage in conversations.   

Utilizing Technology and Online Resources

Speech therapy apps, websites, and digital tools can be useful in motivating your child to work on their speech and language skills at home. It’s important to research which ones are most appropriate for your child and their needs. Here are some to consider: 

• Smarty Ears Apps : This is a collection of apps that target speech and language skills such as articulation, vocabulary, and social skills. 
• Articulation Station : A popular app designed to help a child practice certain speech sounds within interactive games. 
• Kokolingo : A website that contains over 300 different games and activities for children to practice articulating speech sounds. It can be accessed on any computer, tablet, or smartphone. 
• Khan Academy : This educational website offers activities that target various subjects (such as language arts, science, and math). The activities can be used to target language skills like reading comprehension, following directions, and sentence formulation. 
• Forbrain : Forbrain, a brain training device designed to improve communication skills, has a website that offers valuable resources. Parents can find tools for practicing speech therapy at home, such as word lists for various sounds that can be used to work on articulation. There’s also a blog with helpful tips for parents.
• Language Adventures : An app that provides a comprehensive set of language-based activities that target a child’s grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure.  

Tracking Progress and Celebrating Achievements

It’s important for parents to monitor a child’s speech development and recognize milestones because this can lead to a child making more progress. 

Monitoring can lead to early detection of potential speech and language delays, facilitate timely intervention through Speech Therapy, and improve a child’s social and emotional development. 

Once a child is receiving speech therapy, parents should continue to track their progress to provide valuable input to the therapist regarding the child’s need for working on specific goals.  

And don’t forget to celebrate achievements! Recognizing your child’s improving speech and language skills can encourage both them and you to continue using therapy techniques and activities. 

Recognizing When to Seek Professional Help 

Because parents know their child best, observing how your child is reaching expected speech and language milestones can help you identify signs that may indicate the need for professional intervention. 

Recognizing that need is crucial to start getting your child the intervention he or she may need as early as possible so that your child can have the best opportunity possible at improving their communication skills. 

If parents have concerns, they should consult with a Speech Therapist. A therapist who is qualified to address complex speech and language issues can perform a comprehensive assessment and provide recommendations for home strategies and activities to implement. 

Benefits of Forbrain in Speech Therapy at Home

Incorporating technology and innovative Speech Therapy tools like Forbrain can help parents practice their child’s speech and language skills with them at home. 

Forbrain is an auditory stimulation headset that uses a dynamic filter to modulate the sound of your voice, analyze and enhance it, and immediately transmit the sounds back to you. Forbrain is designed to retrain the brain’s auditory feedback loop to enhance auditory processing, improve articulation, boost vocal clarity, and promote overall communication skills.

Final Words

Using speech therapy strategies at home enables parents to accelerate their child’s progress towards improving their speech and language skills.  

Home speech therapy practices allow a child to practice skills more often and during daily routines, which are often motivating and encourage carryover of skills learned in therapy. 

By remaining proactive in supporting your child’s speech development, you can have a lasting positive impact on your child’s life.  

Mahyuddin, R. & Elias, H.. (2010). The correlation between communication and social skills among early schoolers in Malaysia. Read more.

Masrai, A., & Milton, J. (2016). Recognition Vocabulary Knowledge and intelligence as predictors of academic achievement in EFL context .   Read more.

Ramsook, K. A., et al. (2020). What you say, and how you say it: Preschoolers’ growth in vocabulary and communication skills differentially predict kindergarten academic achievement and self-regulation. Read more.

How Can I Do Speech Therapy on My Own?

As is the case with any other skill that is acquired during childhood, learning how to effectively communicate, both in terms of the words we choose and how we speak, is a skill that develops over many months and years. Some young children begin to babble early in infanthood, while others will wait until they’re comfortable with speech and language patterns.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the majority of children begin to talk between the ages of 1 and 2 years. By the age of 2, most children possess a strong foundation of words they can work with (for example, “ball,” “cat,” “Mama,” “Dada,” “cup,” or “eat”) and are regularly putting words together to form two-word sentences and questions.

Some children, however, don’t fall within the normal range for speech. This is not always a sign of delayed speech or language; in some cases, it may be appropriate to begin introducing some simple speech activities with your child at home. Some adults who may be struggling with their communication skills may also benefit from practicing some specific speech and language techniques at home.

At-home speech therapy can be particularly helpful for children and adults who don’t become easily frustrated and only have mild delays or articulation errors. More serious communication issues, such as speech regressions, communication problems relating to Autism Spectrum Disorder, or traumatic brain injury, should be addressed by an experienced and licensed speech therapist.

If you think you or a loved one would benefit from speech therapy with a qualified professional, get started by scheduling your free introductory call today!

Can I Do Speech Therapy at Home?

Speech therapy is most effective when conducted by a properly educated and licensed speech and language pathologist. One of the most integral parts of speech therapy is the ability of the therapist to observe, provide feedback, and demonstrate how to effectively target the areas that are most challenging. With Great Speech, we offer virtual speech therapy appointments. This means that you can reap all of the benefits of traditional in-person speech therapy in the comfort of your own home. All you need is a quiet space and a wifi connection.

How Do I Start Speech Therapy at Home?

If you want to work on your child’s communication skills, there are a few things you can do at home to get started.

Consider your Options – Why tackle speech therapy on your own when there are accessible options in your community? Reach out to your doctor or your child’s pediatrician if you think that you or your child may have an articulation problem or speech delay. They can then advise you on the best course of action and recommend therapies and resources best suited to your or your child’s needs.

Assess Communication Skills – If you are determined to work on your own or one-on-one with your child, it is important to identify areas that are most challenging. How to proceed will depend on a number of things, including:

Age Temperament Type of Speech Involvement Needed Co-Existing Conditions

Try a Variety of At-Home Methods

Once you’re ready to move forward, trying a variety of techniques and approaches will help your child improve speech, language, and communication skills. These approaches may include:

Minimizing Pacifier and Bottle Usage with Your Child Offering Choices Increasing Visibility (showing the object or a picture of the object when saying the word) Playing Games Prompting and Withholding (within reason – effective speech therapy involves pushing the child out of their comfort zone from time to time) Frequent Repetition Making Plenty of Observations (track your child’s progress) Know Your Limits

Above all, it’s essential to understand that while you may be able to assist your child at home and help them develop vital communication skills, it may not be possible for you to correct more significant problems without the help of a professional. Getting started with speech therapy is as easy as scheduling your free introductory call today!

How do Adults do Speech Therapy at Home?

Speech therapy exercises at home can help adults work to improve their communication skills in a variety of ways. Below are some practical speech therapy techniques that adults can do at home:

Mirror Practice : Try standing in front of a mirror and saying the sounds that are most challenging, with a particular focus on making the correct movements of the mouth and tongue.

Tongue Twisters : Practicing tongue twisters is a fun and challenging way to target articulation.

Describe Pictures in Books : Study some pictures in magazines and books and then describe out loud what you see. Slowly speaking aloud while focusing on your speech sounds helps to practice your articulation.

Slow Speech : Always speak carefully and slowly while focusing on saying each word correctly and completely.

Deep Breathing : Try taking deep breaths and engaging in relaxation or meditative activities.

Frequent Pausing : Pausing between words and phrases will help to control the rate and fluency of your speech.

Speaking : Have regular conversations with family members, friends, and colleagues to practice your conversation and overall communication skills.

Listen : Regularly listening to audiobooks or having conversations with friends or family requires strong listening skills. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to speak more slowly or repeat themselves if you are not able to understand them.

Reading : Reading aloud daily will help improve your reading comprehension skills and speech fluency.

It is important to note that the above are just a few examples of speech therapy exercises that adults can work on at home. If you or a loved one has a particular speech therapy goal, working with a speech-language pathologist to develop a personalized exercise plan is the best course of action.

If you feel you’ve reached the limit of what you can do to help yourself or your child, it is time to reach out to a speech and language pathologist. Get started with one of our amazing speech therapists by scheduling your free introductory call today!

4 Easy Tricks for Speech Therapy at Home

When considering speech therapy at home , it’s important for parents to create activities that provide stimulation and create opportunities to foster developing language skills. Children actually begin to learn and comprehend words and phrases long before they can speak their first word. Parents and caregivers are crucial components to the success of early speech and language building skills and often, the earlier, the better. But, how do you do it? Here are four easy tips and tricks to include in your daily routine to provide speech therapy and encourage language building skills in your child!

4 Tips and Tricks for Speech Therapy at Home

Encourage conversation: Have regular storytelling sessions with your child. Instead of asking him a Yes or No question, think about asking open-ended, thought-provoking questions such as, “What would you do if you saw a great big cow in your backyard?” By asking questions that elicit a detailed response, you are encouraging your child to express his or her ideas without the fear of being right or wrong.

Listen, Listen, Listen : carefully.  Remember that childhood game of telephone? Turns out, telephone is an excellent way to teach your child to listen to your words and relate them to another person. If you cannot remember the game, here is how you play. Have your child and friends or siblings get into a circle. One person whispers a word to the other and that person whispers that word to the next person. The goal of telephone is to end up with the same ending phrase as the starting phrase. When you children are talking to you, offer thoughtful responses so that you validate children’s language, as well as their ideas and feelings. They want to feel like they are being heard (don’t we all)?

Reading : Reading is one of the most important things you can do with your child. Ask questions about the pictures, ask your child to point to items on each page and for older children, you may ask your child to think of experiences he or she may have had that are similar.  All these help your child make connections with what he or she is hearing. You may find that your child wants to read the same book time and time again. Hearing the same story over and over helps foster familiarity and security, while building language skills at the same time.

Make it FUN : Toddlers learn best when the experience is fun and interactive. Your child will not respond as well if he or she feels like the activities are “homework.” Instead, make each session of your speech therapy something your child will look forward to and will want to actively participate. 

Do you have favorite speech therapy methods that you do with your kids at home?  We’d love to hear your ideas!

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How to do Speech Therapy at Home:

Speech and language ideas for parents.

These are my ideas for parents on how to do speech therapy at home.  Speech therapy at home can be fun, easy and very effective.  Parents are more than capable of helping their child’s speech and language to develop at home.  These are some of the first ideas that I give parents who come to see me.

The ideas are divided into two different areas: Speech Sounds and Early Language Development (Talking).  I hope they help.

Let me know if you have any questions.  You can reach me at [email protected]

Madison Garvi – SLPatHome

Speech Sounds

The following ideas will help your child to speak more clearly, be easier to understand and to improve their ability to say the different speech sounds.  I hope they help.  

Basic Speech Development Ideas

Your child learns to say sounds and speak clearly by listening to you.   Model good speech.  Say words slowly and clearly making sure you say each sound in every word.  Don’t use baby talk.  Read More about Basic Speech Development.

Speech Sound Development Chart – When to be Concerned About Speech Sounds

The following is a guide as to when it may be good to work on different speech sounds.  Remember that all children develop differently.  There are no hard and fast “rules” for when specific sounds should be worked on.  The biggest thing to watch with young children is how well they are understood by strangers. Here is my Speech Sound Development Chart .

Games for Speech Therapy

Playing simple games makes it motivating for your child to practice sounds. It doesn’t matter what you play as long as you both are having fun.  Here are game suggestions for both younger and older children and ideas on how to make the practice more challenging. Here are my Games for Speech Therapy.

Core Words Approach

The Core Words approach is the most powerful way I have found for parents to work on speech sounds at home. Practice becomes meaningful and change starts to happen. Because you are working on carryover from the very start your child learns how to make the sounds correctly in their everyday speech. Read more about using Core Words for Speech Practice .

Hand Gestures for Speech Sounds

Pairing a physical action with a sound makes it easier to say the sound.   Having your child practice doing the action each time you say the sound, will make it easier for him to say the sound correctly in harder words.  For some children the very action of doing something physical when trying to say the sound makes it easier.  Here is what I use for Hand Gestures for Speech Sounds.

Motivating your Child to Practice Speech

Practicing, even just a little bit each day, is necessary for your child to make good progress.  However motivating your child and sometimes even yourself to do this isn’t always easy.  Here are some ideas to help: Motivation for Speech Practice.

Model Back Good Speech Sounds

Modeling is a powerful way to help children become more aware of and learn how to say speech sounds.  Some parents are afraid to “correct” their child’s speech.  Modeling isn’t simply correction.  Modeling provides children with the information that they need.  Read More on How to Model Back Good Speech Sounds.

Early Ideas for Last Sounds

Children sometimes leave the endings off of words. When this happens words often become hard to understand.  These are some ideas to help younger children put the last sounds onto words. Activities for children under 3 focus on having the child become more aware of sounds.  Here is my guide for How to Work on The Last Sounds of Words.

Minimal Pairs – What are they and how to use them

Minimal pairs are a teriffic  way to teach children awareness of sounds and helps them to see that changing one sound in a word can completely change what they are saying.  Minimal pairs are words that differ by only one sound such as “Wing”/”Swing”, “Rake”/”Wake” and “Can”/”Tan”.   I often encourage parents to use them when practicing with their children.  Read more about  Minimal Pairs for Speech Therapy

Slowing Down Speech

Children sometimes need to learn to slow down their speech to make it easier to understand.  When children talk too quickly their words can get pushed together or they don’t give themselves time to say the sounds properly.  Here are some ideas to help practice slowing down.   Read more about Speaking Clearly and Slowly .

Repair Strategies

It is important to teach children to know what to do when they are having difficulty making themselves understood.  The first step is to help them know that you didn’t understand what they said.  This is why it is so important to not “pretended” to understand. If a child doesn’t realize that what they said was hard to understand they won’t be motivated to say it differently.  Here are my ideas for Using Repair Strategies for Speech Sounds.

Reducing Frustration

It is important to reduce frustration as much as possible.  When children have problems communicating they often become frustrated. Frustration can lead to behavior problems and limits social and language development. Here is what you can try to Reduce Frustration for Speech Sounds.

Apraxia of Speech Practice Principles

Apraxia is a motor speech problem where the is a disruption between what the brain is telling the mouth to do and what actually happens.  Children with apraxia of speech have trouble controlling their muscles to make speech sounds.  When working with children with apraxia it is important to follow the principles of motor learning. Read more on  How to Help Apraxia of Speech .

Working on Speech Sounds Early

Working on speech sounds early, before they are considered to be a delay, can be a contentious topic.  Speech sounds typically develop at different ages.  This Speech Sound Development Chart  is what I use as a guide for when speech sounds should  be worked on.  It is though, as are all speech development norms, just a guide.  A lot depends on how the difficulty with the sound is affecting the child. Here are my thoughts about Practicing Speech Sounds Early.

Early Language Development

The following ideas will help your child’s early language to develop.They will learn the skills needed to start communication and to start saying their first words.

Basic Language Development Ideas

These are short descriptions of the basic ideas I give parents to help them get communication started.  Communication is always the goal.  Words will come.  Read More on Ideas to Develop Basic Language Skills .

Fun First Sounds and Words

Children’s first Sounds and Words are often “Fun” sounding.  These can be easier for children to say because they often use early developing sounds (H, P, B, M, W and simple vowels), often repeat themselves, are fun to say, and are motivating to say over and over again.  They are a great way to get talking started.  These are my ideas for Fun First Sounds and Words .

Make Your Child Noisy!

Every child needs to be noisy. None of us can talk unless we know how to produce sound purposefully. Some children who aren’t talking yet will already be doing this, but some may not.  Here are some ideas to help move a toddler towards becoming noisy. Read more to Make Your Child Noisy!

Increasing Imitation

Imitation is a powerful and important skill to teach your child.  The more your child is able to imitate the better he will be at learning new sounds and words.  Imitation also creates and increases social connections. Here are my ideas to Increase Your Child’s Ability to Imitate Speech Sounds.

Using Pictures to Communicate

Pictures are a great way to help children learn to communicate more frequently and more effectively.  They can decrease frustration and help to get talking started. Read more about Using Pictures to Help Your Child Communicate.

Tempt Communication

Try these ideas to encourage your child to communicate.  Before doing this have in mind what you want your child to do – look, point, make a sound, say a word etc.  Don’t hold out for something that he can’t do. This is what I do to  Tempt Your Child to Communicate.

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How can I do speech therapy at home?

• November 12, 2023

Therapy Connect

Connection is a human need, and communication enables us to create better connections. That’s where speech therapy comes in. We can help you to improve verbal and non-verbal communication skills, support you with improving vocal quality and build your confidence, plus so much more – all from the comfort of your own home.

Why Speech Therapy Matters

Speech is one of the most fundamental forms of human communication. It’s how we express our thoughts, feelings, and ideas. For some, speaking clearly and fluently comes naturally, while others may face challenges due to various reasons. Speech therapy plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges, helping you to improve your ability to communicate.

The Benefits of Speech Therapy

Before we dive into online speech therapy, let’s look at the benefits of speech therapy :

• Improved Communication: Speech therapy enhances your ability to articulate thoughts, making it easier to convey your ideas and connect with others.
• Boosted Confidence: As you become more proficient in your communication skills, your self-esteem and confidence soar.
• Enhanced Quality of Life: Clear communication leads to better relationships, improved job opportunities, and a more fulfilling life overall.

Now that we understand why speech therapy is important, let’s explore how you can start your journey toward improved communication without leaving the comfort of your home!

Getting Started with Speech Therapy at Home

Getting started with speech therapy at home can be an exciting and empowering journey towards improving your communication skills. Whether you’re looking to overcome speech difficulties or simply enhance your ability to express yourself clearly, home-based speech therapy is a convenient and effective option. In this section, we’ll walk you through the steps to kickstart your home-based speech therapy journey.

Set Clear Goals:

Before you begin, it’s essential to define your specific goals. What aspects of your speech do you want to improve? Are you looking to enhance articulation, fluency, your ability to express yourself or understand language, or all of the above? Setting clear objectives will help you stay focused and measure your progress.

Create a Comfortable Space:

Find a comfortable spot in your home where you can concentrate on your speech therapy exercises without distractions. Having a dedicated space for your practice sessions will make it easier to stay consistent.

Utilise Online Resources:

There are many valuable resources for home-based speech therapy available online. Your speech therapist will use many of these tools in your sessions to make them engaging and interactive. They will also recommend online resources for you to use between sessions. 

Establish a Routine:

Consistency is key in speech therapy. Dedicate a specific time each day for your practice sessions and stick to it. Regular practice helps build muscle memory and reinforces new speech patterns.

Record Yourself:

Recording your practice sessions can be a game-changer. It allows you to review your progress and identify areas that need improvement. Plus, it’s a great way to track your journey over time.

Set Realistic Expectations:

Understand that progress takes time. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t see immediate results. Patience and dedication are essential for steady improvement.

Now that you have a roadmap for getting started with speech therapy at home, remember to make the process enjoyable. Incorporate fun activities into your practice sessions to keep things engaging.

Making Speech Therapy Fun

At this point, you might be thinking that speech therapy sounds like hard work! Well, it can be, but it can also be a lot of fun! Here are some creative ways to make your home-based speech therapy sessions enjoyable:

Storytelling Spectacles:

Storytelling is the heart of effective communication. It’s a journey into imagination and expression. Create your own stories or narrate your favourite tales with flair and drama. Use descriptive words and vivid imagery to captivate your audience, even if it’s just you in front of the mirror. Engaging in storytelling not only improves pronunciation but also boosts confidence in speaking.

Mirror Magic:

Your reflection becomes your audience in this exercise. Stand in front of a mirror and engage in a conversation with yourself, mimicking funny faces and exaggerated expressions. This solo comedy show isn’t just entertaining; it helps you observe your movementsThe mirror serves as your personal feedback tool, enhancing your self-awareness of the placement of your lips and tongue.

The Songbird Challenge:

Singing is both enjoyable and an excellent exercise for pitch, tone, and pronunciation. Choose your favourite songs and sing your heart out. Whether you’re a rockstar or a shower crooner, singing with passion while paying attention to your vocal techniques can significantly enhance your speech skills. Record your singing sessions to review and refine your pronunciation.

The Power of Therapy Connect

Now that you’ve gained insights into home-based speech therapy, let’s introduce you to Therapy Connect and explain how it can enhance your journey.

About Therapy Connect

Therapy Connect is a leading online platform that specialises in providing high-quality speech therapy services from the comfort of your home. Here’s why you should consider Therapy Connect for your speech therapy needs:

1. Expert Guidance:

• Therapy Connect offers a team of highly trained speech therapists who can provide personalised guidance based on your unique needs.
• Their expertise can help you progress faster and more effectively.

2. Convenient Online Sessions:

• With Therapy Connect, you can access professional speech therapy sessions from the comfort of your home.
• No need to commute or worry about scheduling conflicts; therapy is just a click away.

3. Tailored Approach:

• Therapy Connect understands that everyone’s speech journey is different. They will create a customised plan to address your specific challenges and goals.

4. Holistic Support:

• Therapy Connect offers a holistic approach to communication, helping you build confidence and express yourself effectively.

5. Progress Tracking:

• Therapy Connect provides tools to track your progress and celebrate your successes, ensuring you stay motivated and committed to your speech goals.

Speech therapy is a transformative journey that can significantly improve your communication skills and quality of life. With the convenience of home-based speech therapy through platforms like Therapy Connect , you have the opportunity to embark on this journey without leaving your home.

So, whether you’re a parent looking to support your child’s development or an adult seeking to enhance your communication skills, home-based speech therapy is a practical and effective solution. Connect with Therapy Connect today and unlock the power of effective communication from the comfort of your own home. 

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• Speech Therapy at Home: A Comprehensive Guide for Parents

As a parent, it is essential to understand how to do basic speech therapy at home with your child. This guide provides information on how parents can help their children practice their speech through activities such as reading stories out loud together or having co

As a parent, it is essential to understand how to do basic speech therapy at home with your child. From getting started to seeking outside help, this guide will provide you with the necessary information to help your child practice their speech. Never use telegraph language when talking to your child. Instead, expand on what they say.

If your child has difficulty pronouncing a certain f-sound, for example, encourage them to make that sound on their own. Once it is easier for them, you can incorporate it into syllables like fi-fi-fi or fa-fa-fa before moving on to the actual words that use it. Repetition is key and can be used as an opportunity for gamification. Give out tokens for completing a specified number of exercises. The first step you should take as a parent is to talk to your child like a baby using gestures, words and actions to establish two-way communication.

Like any other skill acquired in childhood, learning to communicate clearly, both in terms of how you speak and the words you choose, develops over many months and years. Your child will find that talking in front of the mirror is exciting and fun, as it provides feedback on their attempt to speak. Drinking fluids through them or expelling air from them will help your child build the muscle strength in the mouth that is important for speaking clearly. Reading a favorite book to your child and then having them read it back to you can be a great reinforcement. If a speech problem occurs along with another developmental condition, such as autism, you may want to seek professional help. First, you should check with your child's pediatrician if you think your child has a speech delay or articulation problems.

It also helps create a special bond between you and your child, and since you're taking good care of your children's speech, you're sure to see your baby talking soon. If your child does not seem to be within the normal range of speech, it may not be a sign of delayed speech or language, but it may also be appropriate to start doing some simple speech exercises with your child at home. To learn how you can do speech therapy at home, it's important to understand how a speech therapist would work with your child. My son is being homeschooled and was in speech therapy at school but since he is now being homeschooled they won't offer it to him since we have private insurance. I live in North Carolina, study at home, have private insurance and received free speech therapy through the public school system. My grandson definitely has speech problems , but I only have it every other Saturday.

Is there someone who can come to my house and evaluate the home and help?The answer is yes! There are many professionals who specialize in providing speech therapy services in the home setting. They can evaluate the home environment and provide guidance on how best to help your child practice their speech at home. In addition to seeking professional help from a speech therapist, there are several activities parents can do at home with their children that will help improve their communication skills. For example, parents can create games that involve speaking out loud or repeating words or phrases multiple times. Parents can also use flashcards with pictures of objects or animals that their children must name out loud.

Additionally, parents can encourage their children to practice speaking by reading stories out loud together or having conversations about topics that interest them. Finally, parents should remember that patience is key when helping their children learn how to communicate effectively. It takes time for children to learn how to speak clearly and confidently so parents should be patient and encouraging throughout the process.

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• What Are the Costs of Speech Therapy? A Comprehensive Guide
• 5 Conditions That Can Be Improved With Speech Therapy: An Expert's Guide
• Can I Do Speech Therapy at Home Without a Therapist?
• Speech Development: Apps and Software Programs to Help Kids Improve Communication Skills
• Using Technology to Support Your Child's Speech Development: An Expert's Guide
• Finding Support for Parents of Children with Communication Disorders
• What Do Speech Pathologists Do? A Comprehensive Guide
• How Long Does it Take to See Results from Speech Therapy?
• The Benefits of Speech Therapy: What is it Good For?
• Achieving Communication Goals with Speech Therapy
• Speech Therapy Games for Preschoolers: Fun Activities to Do at Home
• Speech Therapy: Treating Communication Disorders
• 10 Essential Qualities for a Successful Speech Therapist
• Common Speech Disorders: An Expert's Guide
• When is the Right Time to Start Speech Therapy for Your Child?
• The Similarities and Differences Between Speech Therapy and Speech Pathology: An Expert's Perspective
• Understanding the Four Major Speech Disorders: Causes, Treatments, and Early Intervention
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Speech Therapy at Home: Top Tips for Parents

Is your child showing signs of speech delay ? Are they mispronouncing words too frequently? Do you notice signs of stuttering or speech-language development delay in your child?  Several children exhibit speech and language issues early in life. As a parent, you have every right and reason to worry. You may worry about their quality of life, education, and career prospects. But, just worrying won’t get you anywhere. You need to take action.

Firstly, you need to find out the type of speech problem your child has. You may want to speak to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) or speech therapist. They have the training, knowledge, experience, and tools necessary for correct diagnosis.

Next, you can begin practicing speech therapy exercises at home with your child. When parents engage speech therapists online, help children practice certain exercises, or use cutting-edge speech therapy apps like Stamurai , there are ways to increase the overall effectiveness of speech therapy. Here are the 18 tips from our speech therapists for parents.

1. Use Your Speech as a Model

Never use telegraphic speech while talking to your child. It applies to all parents irrespective of their child’s age. Always speak in grammatically correct sentences. Its one of the most imporant aspects of any speech therapy strategies for parents at home.

Speak slowly, stress on the correct words, and pronounce every word correctly. Do not say, "Wabbit" instead of "rabbit" because that's how a child says it or because it sounds cute.

Serve as ‘the source of learning correct speech’ for your child.

2. Expand On What They Are Saying

If your child is old enough to say two–word sentences, try to add to their speech.

For example, if they say, "Mommy, go." Depending on the situation, you can say, "Yes, let's go." Or "Yes baby, you want to go? Do you want to go watch TV?"

3. Work On Name Recognition

Once you have decided on your baby’s name, greet them by their full name at least once whenever you see them. At other times, use their nicknames.

Once your child is around 6 months old, they should be able to look in the direction of the person calling their name. They should also babble in response.

Also, point at people and mention their relationship to your baby. For example, point and say, “Uncle Sean,” or “Grandpa.”

4. Parallel Talk

To master Parallel talk, begin by using child-friendly language. Then, narrate what your child is doing. Describe what they are seeing, touching, hearing, eating, or smelling.

For example, when they are playing with a toy, describe the toy in simple language. Say things like, “Oh! You are playing with the car. It’s a red car. The car goes vroom. Ooh. That is a fast car.”

5. Use Visual Cues

The visual cues can be tangible objects, photos, or symbols. It can be as simple as pointing toward an object and naming it. For example, if you have a toy car in front of you, you can say, "that's a car. A red car."

If your child is a little older, you can expand on this. For a 2 to 3-year-old child, you can point towards their shoes and say, "we put on the shoes, then we can go outside."

You can use the same strategy to draw their attention to a person’s feelings or emotions. You can use photos or picture cards for this. Sit with a collection of emotion/feelings cards. Show them a happy face and say, “That man’s happy.” Show them a crying face and say, “that man is sad and crying.”

6. Offer Two or More Choices

Your child should understand the concept of choices from a very young age. Make sure not to give them directives or commands at all times. Give them choices.

For example, when it is time to go out, lay out two sets of clothes and ask your child, “Which t-shirt do you want to wear? The blue one or the green one?”

Try to apply this technique in every aspect possible. It will strengthen their ability to make decisions for themselves and boost self-confidence in the long run.

7. Practice Expectant Waiting

Suppose you have asked a question to your child. Now, it’s time for you to wait. Don’t rush them. Wait for a response. If your child becomes distracted, ask the same question differently. There’s always a chance that your child hasn’t understood the question.

Waiting can be difficult for grown-ups. However, it is the most critical skill parents need to learn to teach their children timely responses.

Another way of exercising expectant waiting is to reverse the roles. When the child points towards an object, wait for 5-seconds before handing it over. Yes, they may lean over, and try to grab, but at the same time, they will feel eager to say the name of the object they desire.

8. Provide Positive Reinforcement

Whenever your child says a new word for the first time or pronounces a difficult word correctly, provide them with verbal reinforcement. Saying, "Wow. That was a difficult one, but you said it correctly!" or "Good job Max" can help build your child's confidence and self-esteem.

Do not discourage your child when they mispronounce words or misarticulate word sounds. Repeat the word correctly for them in your response. For example, your child says, "Look, mom, a wed bawoon." Respond by saying, "oh, yes. That's a big red balloon."

9. Use Self-Talk

Even before your child is old enough to babble, they are ready to learn. So, whenever you are around your infant, moving about, finishing your chores, engage in self-talk.

Use child-friendly language to narrate whatever you are doing around the house. You may be watching football on TV, doing the dishes, or washing dirty clothes. Just keep describing your actions to your child.

When they are a little older, describe everything you are doing in their line of sight. For example, when it’s bath time, you can narrate all the actions they can see and hear. “Here’s water. It’s warm water. Pour water. Put some soap/shampoo on. Rinse off all the bubbles. Dry baby off. Aaaand all done!”

10. Use Gestures and Signs

All children use gestures and signs almost naturally. The baby’s first smile, cry, or laughter are also part of communication. These are all parts of non-verbal communication.

It's common for a 1-year-old to point at something they want. Or, use gestures for "hi," "bye," "hungry," or "sleepy." Children who use gestures more frequently are more likely to develop expansive vocabularies when they are older.

You can teach your baby several signs and gestures . These may include – eat, drink, help, milk, hungry, water, please, more, and go.

11. Sing With Them

Is there a song you and your baby love listening to? It can be anything from “Wheels on the Bus” to “Piano Man.” If your child is old enough to speak and hum along with the song, sing with them .

Pick nursery rhymes, children's songs (Baby Shark will definitely do), and whatever you love. Make sure you know the correct lyrics, and that the lyrics are appropriate for a child. Hit the Play button on your phone and sing along!

This exercise is simple and fun. If your child mispronounces a word, correct them during the chorus or reps.

12. Recite Poetry

Reciting poetry to and with your child can boost their language skills. If your child hasn’t said their first words yet, you can read poetry to them. Make sure to emphasize and pause in the correct places. Pronounce the words carefully and correctly.

When your child is a little older, read simple poems and rhymes to them. You can find a collection of limericks too. Recite the short and funny ones with your child multiple times a day. It will help them learn about prosody and articulation organically.

Moreover, they will already know the popular nursery rhymes and children’s poems by the time they enter elementary school.

13. Give Them Simple Directions

Giving your child simple two-step directions (once they are at least 2-years old) serves two purposes –

• It gives you the idea of whether they can follow simple directions
• It enhances their comprehensive abilities

Ask them to do something simple, such as, “go to the living room, and bring the red ball.” Or, “Go to mommy and tell her dinner’s ready.”

Once they are older, you can graduate with three or four-step instructions.

14. Allow Them to Give You Directions

When your child asks you to find something, you can ask for directions to the item. For example, if they want their red coat. You can ask, “Can you tell me, how I can find it?”

It is a great way to exercise your child’s analytical abilities and logical thinking. They will also exercise their articulation and spoken language when they explain exactly how you can retrieve an item for them.

15. Get Rid Of the Distractions

When it’s time to sing, switch off the TV. When it’s time to play, put your phone on silent.

If you want your child to sing with you for 15-minutes, you must focus on your singing time. Be in the moment. Don't engage in texting or answering calls when you are spending time with your child.

Spending quality time with your child is critical to their cognitive and emotional development. Sometimes, after a long tiring day, doing nothing but reading to them can help you build fond memories.

16. Read With Them

When your child is old enough to answer simple questions, you should begin reading with them. Don’t just read whatever book you pick for bedtime stories. Make reading-time interactive.

Between reading, ask them simple questions like, "what color is the dog?" or "where did the bird fly?" Of course, these questions will depend upon what you are reading.

After finishing a story, you can try to create your own alternate ending. It is important to explore your child’s fantasies to boost the function of their prefrontal cortex (PFC). Ask “what if…” questions and try to explore the possibilities with your child.

17. Play Silly Games

Play your own version of Treasure Hunt. Get a bucket and put all the toys in it. Then sit down and dig through the bucket with your child. Take turns to pull out a toy, name it and describe it.

Play "Red Light, Green Light" with your child. When you say "Green" your child begins jumping up and down. When you say "Red" they stop. You can improvise the rules on spot. And pick activities they actually enjoy.

18. Name the Facial Expressions

You can teach your child to name or understand emotions from facial expressions. You can download emotion charts, watch movies together and pause to ask what the actors are feeling, or simply use your own face as a canvas.

This simple exercise can help children develop emotional intelligence and comprehend others feelings.

It is also a crucial part of speech therapy exercises for children with autism .

These 18 exercises are suitable for all children. You can do these speech therapy activities at home with your child even if they are late-talkers . However, if your child doesn’t take part or respond to any of the games, you should definitely speak to your pediatrician to get their hearing checked.

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From your first worry to your first appointment, and your last speech therapy session – find the information you need to help your child thrive and gain necessary speech skills.

Parent's Academy › Speech Therapy › Speech Therapy at Home › Should Parents Work on Their Child’s Speech Goals at Home?

Should Parents Work on Their Child’s Speech Goals at Home?

Stacie bennett.

Speech-Language Pathologist , Trenton , New Jersey

Jan 15, 2022 Parents frequently ask us: “How much time do parents work on their child’s speech and language goals at home? What are parents’ roles and responsibility in speech therapy?”

In short:  Parents should work on speech therapy skills  daily  with their children.

It doesn’t mean you have to sit down as soon as you get home and start drilling them with flashcards and work.

Though this may seem overwhelming after a long day, the more frequently your child is exposed to certain skills, means the more the skill learning carryover , which is the goal of speech therapy at home!

Your child’s speech-language pathologist should be giving you “homework,” and if not,  please ask for ideas and strategies  from them.

The more you practice, the more it carries over! Try the Speech Blubs app for fun and engaging therapy sessions you can do in the comfort of your own home. ❤️🏡

Boost your child’s speech development.

Improve language & communication skills with fun learning!

Search for more ideas on our website:

• The Power of Play: How Games Can Help Your Kid Thrive
• How to Plan Toddler Activities According to These 6 Types of Play
• 21 Fun Kids’ Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development in Children Under One
• 25 Ways to Play Language-boosting Toddler Games with a Balloon

You should also be sitting in on therapy sessions, if your child is participating in early intervention services.

If your child only gets speech at school, please make sure you reach out to the speech pathologist often for updates to see if there’s anything you can do at home. 

Every opportunity is a speech opportunity!  This means the smallest tasks, such as brushing your teeth, can be a chance to sneak in language, directions, asking questions, and having your child elaborate on things they say. 

What Can You Do at Home?

I worked as an early intervention therapist for seven years before I started my private practice, and I can tell you that the children whose parents are  actively involved and participate move through therapy faster and see quicker results.  These parents constantly asked me for progress notes and for things they could work on at home! It may seem like a lot, but chances are you are already doing some of the exercises that I’m going to talk about.

Use These Ideas to Start Working on Speech at Home

• Read to your child for 5-10 minutes before bed.  Make sure you are pointing at stuff, having your child point to specific objects, and asking questions. This reinforces how and what they’re saying (expressive language), as well as what they are understanding (receptive language). 
• Narrate your day to your child.  Use simple, easy to understand language, and make sure you keep it clear and to-the-point. When you are cooking, talk about what you are doing (e.g. “Mommy is stirring the soup”). When driving, you can say things like, “We just turned left.” 
• Play games.  Playing games is one of the most fun and interactive ways to use language. It works on social language, such as turn-taking, their ability to follow directions, and gives them plenty of chances to work on speech sounds.
• Get together with family and friends . This gives other people in your child’s life the opportunity to engage and talk to them. These opportunities improve the chance they will retain the skills that you and the therapist are working to achieve, allows your child to be exposed to different words and contexts, and lets you know how easily understood their speech is to other people. 
• Create a 5-minute routine with Speech Blubs.  The app uses a “kids teaching kids” approach to learning. Your child will imitate their peers and get another exciting way to see and hear the words.  Download Speech Blubs and start practicing now!

So, because you are with your child far more than the therapist is, parental involvement in therapy is so very important.  Every time is a good time to work on speech!

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The author’s views are entirely his or her own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Blub Blub Inc. All content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgement, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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How To Do Speech Therapy at Home

Aren’t we all excited when we hear babies make babbling sounds for the first time?

What more when they start to express themselves through words? Most children develop their speech skills at a specific age range.

Unfortunately, some kids show early signs of speech problems that worry parents. The first thing they usually do is talk to someone who can provide a professional assessment of their child.

A speech therapist can help identify the problem and teach you how to do speech therapy at home. You can also use resources like books and toys to assist you with the task.

Evaluate Your Child

Choose a goal, what is speech therapy.

Let us first understand what speech therapy is before delving into different strategies to address the problem.

Speech therapy is the treatment of speech disorders and communication problems after the child’s evaluation.

It is often conducted by speech-language pathologists, using various exercises, techniques, and other resources.

The goal is to help the child with articulation, comprehension, and fluency.

Parents will always be the first ones to notice if there is something wrong with their children.

Still, it is always better to seek professional advice.

A doctor can explain further if what you have noticed is something to actually be worried about.

Likewise, a speech therapist will compare your child’s performance with other kids within his age range based on development norms.

After identifying your child’s speech concerns, the speech therapist will help you choose which one to work on first.

There are several ways to help your child if he is indeed struggling with speech problems.

However, what will work depends on several factors.

You have to consider your child’s age before deciding on the appropriate technique that will suit him.

Young kids might not have the focus and concentration for traditional therapy.

Instead, they might respond better if it feels like playtime.

On the other hand, an older child may be more inclined to improve his speech, knowing that he will be able to communicate better.

Co-Existing Condition

If your child is only struggling with speech delay, you can do some exercises to help him out.

However, if his speech delay is related to another developmental condition, you need professional intervention.

Temperament

Without a doubt, motivated kids will be more willing to cooperate in practicing their speech with their parents.

However, keep in mind that speech therapy may also negatively affect your child, especially when not done properly.

Type of Speech Involvement Required

Every child is unique, and so is the condition of each one. Hence, it would be best if you use a different technique for each kid.

Your child’s doctor will give you an idea of what you should be focusing on to help improve your kid’s speech issues.

Choose an age-appropriate exercise that will not be too challenging for him.

You can even start from something he is good at to avoid feelings of frustration right off the bat.

Also, some speech therapists suggest that shorter but frequent therapy sessions are more effective for children.

If you are ready to start, you will find various at-home approaches to help improve your child’s speech. Here are a few you can try:

1. Encourage Conversation

Have storytelling sessions regularly and ask open-ended questions instead of the yes or no ones.

Asking kids thought-provoking questions will activate their imagination and encourage them to express their ideas.

2. Increase Visibility

Hold the object near your mouth as you say its name, allowing your child to see how your mouth moves.

This practice helps create word and visual association, teaching your child how to form the words with his mouth.

3. Listen Carefully

Give your full attention to your kids whenever they speak and listen intently to what they are saying.

Respond accordingly to encourage them to speak up more and to let them know that you are listening.

4. Minimize the Use of Pacifiers

Some toddlers, or even preschoolers, still use pacifiers.

It’s a habit that is not only hard to break but will also hinder them from talking.

It is best to gradually wean your child from always having a pacifier in his mouth so that he can learn to use his mouth for speaking.

5. Offer Choices

Instead of asking your child what they want, try to rephrase the question by letting him choose from different options.

This strategy is perfect for a child who is just starting to associate words with things as he builds his vocabulary.

It is more beneficial for your child to hear you say the options and let him verbalize his choice.

6. Play Games 

Most children learn faster through play.

It is a great way to stimulate their imagination and keep them excited enough to communicate.

7. Prompt and Withhold

Sometimes, your child struggles because you are not giving him the chance to practice his speech.

Allow your child to figure things out for himself but not to the point of giving him a hard time until he cries.

In other words, let him learn how to communicate what he wants instead of relying on you entirely.

Probably one of the most important activities you can do with your kids is reading together.

For younger children, you can ask them about the pictures in the book and engage them in some discussion about it.

On the other hand, indulge older children in remembering a scenario similar to what you have read.

Sometimes, kids want to read the same story over again. Indulge them, as this will give them a sense of familiarity.

They will also remember words that will help them improve their vocabulary.

9. Refrain from Anticipating His Needs

Most of the time, parents automatically respond and give in to their child’s needs without waiting for them to speak up.

Instead of doing this, encourage them to say what they want using the right words for the specific item.

10. Repetition

Kids, even adults, learn things faster through repetition .

Every time your child utters a word correctly, encourage him by repeating it in a happy and positive tone.

Do the same thing when he says a word incorrectly. This way, he can hear how he said it and realize his mistake.

Being able to express themselves is an important skill everyone needs to succeed in life.

Parents must nurture this skill in their children from the start.

The activities you try to do with your kids at home, combined with positive reinforcements, will significantly help their development.

Still, don’t hesitate to seek professional help the first time you notice anything unusual with your child.

As they say, prevention is better than cure.

Learn different ways how to do speech therapy at home in addition to what professionals are doing.

This strategy will speed up the process of improving your child’s speech skills.

Speech Therapy Care

Author: shadase

10 Best Speech Therapy Exercises that You Can Practice at Home

There are many speech therapy exercises that you can practice at home to improve your pronunciation. Even these exercises are quite helpful for stroke patients to cure the speech disorders.

If you do these speech therapy exercises daily under the guidance of a speech therapist you can regain the ability to speak and improve the speech and language development.

For example , you can work on your sounds by practicing tongue twisters. Repeat the following tongue twister times to improve your S and SH sounds:

• She sells sea shells (by the sea shore).

You can also practice saying common phrases aloud, such as “how are you?” or “thank you.” Repeat these phrases a few times each day to help improve your pronunciation.

Some speech therapy exercises at home you can do  are saying the alphabet, counting to 10, and singing nursery rhymes or you can include singing and saying tongue twisters. Singing songs are a proven way to improve the communication and vocal area nerves of a patient suffering from speech disorders!

There are many different speech therapy at home exercises that can help improve your speech. Some of the most common exercises include repeating words and phrases, reading out loud, and singing. You can also work on your articulation by practicing saying difficult words slowly and clearly.

We have also covered some of the best exercises for adult but if you have trouble pronouncing certain sounds, your therapist may give you specific exercises to practice. Be sure to follow your therapist’s instructions closely and practice regularly to see the best results. However, some of the best speech therapy exercises are:

#1. Articulation exercises

These exercises help with improving the clarity of speech. Some good exercises include repeating tongue twisters, saying short phrases or words clearly and distinctly, and pronouncing each letter of a word separately. Common exercises that come up when dealing with articulation are:

Tongue In-and-Outs

Stick the tongue out as far as possible and try to hold it for at least 2 seconds, then pull it back in. Again repeat it and hold tongue for 2 seconds, and pull it back in . This helps train the tongue to move in coordinated patterns, which will greatly help improve speech production.

Side-to-Side Tongue Movements

For this speech therapy exercise, just open the mouth and move the tongue and try to touch the right corner of your mouth. Now hold for 2 to 3 seconds, and then touch the left corner of the mouth and hold for 2 to 3 seconds. Repeat this exercise for 5 to 10 times or as per the therapist instructions.

Up-and-Down Tongue Movements

This process is again similar to above one. Just open the mouth and stick out the tongue. Then, reach the tongue up toward the nose. Hold for 2 seconds, then reach the tongue down toward the chin. Repeat it again and again for 5 to 10 times!

#2. Lipreading exercises

Lipreading can be a great way to improve speech clarity for those with hearing impairment. There are many different lipreading exercises that can be practiced at home, such as identifying different facial expressions, reading lips while looking in a mirror, or practicing counting out loud.

A great exercise that falls under this category named Lip Puckers.

To perform it, start with the mouth relaxed. Then, pucker the lips together as if kissing, holding this position for 2 to 3 seconds. Relax for 2 seconds and repeat it.

For better results, it is recommended to do it as slowly as possible.

#3. Nasality exercises

Nasality can often be a problem for those with speech disorders. Exercises that can help reduce nasality include humming, singing, and saying vowels with exaggerated nasality.

The simplest and best way to do this just try to open the mouth as big as possible and try to sing like a Yogi bear. This keeps the back of your tongue down, generating extra room in the rear of your mouth and widening the “exit route” through your mouth.

#4. Resonance exercises

Resonance issues can also be common among those with speech disorders. Exercises that can help improve resonance include speaking in a low pitch, speaking on tip-of-the-tongue, and pronouncing long vowel sounds.

It basically improves the vocal quality and you can speak more loudly and confidently in front of others !

• HUM exercise: It helps to access the natural brightness and ringing quality of your voice.
• Yawn exercise: It helps to open up the back of the throat by lowering the position of the larynx.
• Twang exercises: It involves the narrowing of the aryepiglottic sphincter to create a high-intensity tonal quality whilst maintaining low vocal effort.
• Singing Plosive Consonants ‘B’ and ‘P’: It helps to move the breath forward. Plosive consonants are ideal for building strength and bringing energy into the voice.
• Siren on ‘NG’: It helps to train greater vocal endurance and stability, whilst also helping to extend the vocal range.

#5. Pronunciation exercises

Mispronouncing certain words is another common issue among those with speech disorders. Pronunciation exercises can help improve accuracy when speaking words correctly.

Some good exercises to practice include identifying the correct pronunciation of commonly mispronounced words, and practicing enunciating each letter of a word clearly.

#6. Fluency exercises

Fluency disorders can make speaking seem choppy and difficult. Exercises that can help improve fluency include speaking slowly and deliberately, taking pauses between phrases, and avoiding filler words like “um” and “like”.

#7. Gesture exercises

Gesturing while speaking can be helpful for those with speech disorders as it can help to keep the rhythm of speech consistent. Exercises that involve gesturing can include miming everyday activities, pretending to cook or clean, or making hand gestures to accompany spoken words.

#8. Voice therapy exercises

Many people with speech disorders also have problems with their voice quality. Exercises that can help improve voice quality include deep breathing exercises, vocal warm-ups, and humming regularly throughout the day.

#9. Social skills therapy exercises

Individuals with speech disorders often struggle with interacting socially due to their disorder. Exercises that can help improve social skills include attending group therapy sessions, participating in social activities such as meetups or parties, and rehearsing conversations ahead of time.

#10. Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation speech therapy exercises are a form of therapy that helps you focus on the present moment. They can help you learn to control your thoughts and emotions, and can be helpful for people who have anxiety or stress.

How can I practice speech therapy at home?

At the present time you have a plenty of options to practice speech therapy at home.

Now these day you can take the therapy sessions online from a certified speech therapist and save a lot of money, time and effort.  You can practice the suggested speech therapy exercises at home and improve your speech skills.

Gather Sources:

Additionally, you can check speech exercises related videos on YouTube and watch for free.

We have mentioned a lot of exercise above. So check them on YouTube and learn how to perform each and every steps.

Those who looking for free online speech therapy for stroke patients, visit the YouTube.com and Udemy.com websites!

Perform Exercise:

Now guys you have the sources, it time to practice each and every exercise.

Notice : If you are new and don’t know the right way to it, we recommend consult with a certified speech therapist and book an online appointment for first 3 sessions. And once you know how the right way to perform, then you can do it yourself!

You can practice in front of mirror, take the help of recording devices, record the videos, and read the newspaper daily.

Additionally these days, the Chat GPT is also available which you can use for free to know more about the exercises.

If you would like to get feedback how you are performing, they you can share your video on YouTube, FB and ask for suggestion.

There a number of people on social groups, who will help and provide positive guidance.

In case of negative feedback , don’t lose the hope, keep practicing or consult with speech therapist online.

Final Words

These are not the limited at home speech therapy exercises. You can find a plenty of other therapies like Word Games , Smiles , Pairing Repetition on the internet. If you are interested in practicing speech therapy exercises at home after the stroke, make sure you are using the correct pronunciation and enunciation when speaking.

Additionally guys you can download a speech therapy exercises app on your mobile. These apps will let you know about what to do, when to do, and how to do an exercise for better improvement.

You can also practice by reading out loud, even if you don’t have to speak in front of anyone. And finally, try to practice regularly in front of the mirror so that the exercises become routine.

About the Author: shadase

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7 best exercises to help a stuttering child, 8 effective speech therapy exercises for better communication, 9 best speech exercises after stroke that you can perform.

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FACT SHEET: President   Biden Announces New Actions to Keep Families   Together

Since his first day in office, President Biden has called on Congress to secure our border and address our broken immigration system. As Congressional Republicans have continued to put partisan politics ahead of national security – twice voting against the toughest and fairest set of reforms in decades – the President and his Administration have taken actions to secure the border, including:

• Implementing executive actions to bar migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum when encounters are high;
• Deploying record numbers of law enforcement personnel, infrastructure, and technology to the Southern border;
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• Revoking the visas of CEOs and government officials outside the U.S. who profit from migrants coming to the U.S. unlawfully; and
• Expanding efforts to dismantle human smuggling networks and prosecuting individuals who violate immigration laws.

President Biden believes that securing the border is essential. He also believes in expanding lawful pathways and keeping families together, and that immigrants who have been in the United States for decades, paying taxes and contributing to their communities, are part of the social fabric of our country. The Day One immigration reform plan that the President sent to Congress reflects both the need for a secure border and protections for the long-term undocumented. While Congress has failed to act on these reforms, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to strengthen our lawful immigration system. In addition to vigorously defending the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood arrivals) policy, the Administration has extended Affordable Care Act coverage to DACA recipients and streamlined, expanded, and instituted new reunification programs so that families can stay together while they complete the immigration process.  Still, there is more that we can do to bring peace of mind and stability to Americans living in mixed-status families as well as young people educated in this country, including Dreamers. That is why today, President Biden announced new actions for people who have been here many years to keep American families together and allow more young people to contribute to our economy.   Keeping American Families Together

• Today, President Biden is announcing that the Department of Homeland Security will take action to ensure that U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together.
• This new process will help certain noncitizen spouses and children apply for lawful permanent residence – status that they are already eligible for – without leaving the country.
• These actions will promote family unity and strengthen our economy, providing a significant benefit to the country and helping U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together.
• In order to be eligible, noncitizens must – as of June 17, 2024 – have resided in the United States for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen, while satisfying all applicable legal requirements. On average, those who are eligible for this process have resided in the U.S. for 23 years.
• Those who are approved after DHS’s case-by-case assessment of their application will be afforded a three-year period to apply for permanent residency. They will be allowed to remain with their families in the United States and be eligible for work authorization for up to three years. This will apply to all married couples who are eligible.  
• This action will protect approximately half a million spouses of U.S. citizens, and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under the age of 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen.

Easing the Visa Process for U.S. College Graduates, Including Dreamers

• President Obama and then-Vice President Biden established the DACA policy to allow young people who were brought here as children to come out of the shadows and contribute to our country in significant ways. Twelve years later, DACA recipients who started as high school and college students are now building successful careers and establishing families of their own.
• Today’s announcement will allow individuals, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers, who have earned a degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education in the United States, and who have received an offer of employment from a U.S. employer in a field related to their degree, to more quickly receive work visas.
• Recognizing that it is in our national interest to ensure that individuals who are educated in the U.S. are able to use their skills and education to benefit our country, the Administration is taking action to facilitate the employment visa process for those who have graduated from college and have a high-skilled job offer, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers. 

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