With summer drawing to a close, it is time to transition your child back to their regular voice therapy routines.
Don’t be caught off-guard. The new school year will be here before you know it. There are certain items that parents must have in place for their children before they begin the school year. Here are some simple voice therapy tips to get your child started off on the right foot.
Talk to your child
Especially for younger children, taking the time to discuss with your child the expectations of the new school year can make the transition run much more smoothly. Consider creating a fictional story that involves the daily events of the child’s school schedule. Include such common events as going to lunch in the cafeteria and riding on the school bus. For a few days or weeks preceding the first day of school, read the story to your child as a way of helping him or her anticipate the first day of school rather than fear it.
Communicate with your child’s therapist
Throughout the year, keep your child’s therapist informed of the activities and events that occur at school. Consider tracking these accomplishments in a notebook, via email, or by way of regular phone calls or meetings. Contact and communication between both parties should take place regularly throughout the school year. After the first few weeks, reconnect with the therapist once again to discuss the new schedule for the child’s speech therapy. Make any modifications, if necessary.
Review therapy goals
A great deal of progress can easily occur over the summer months. As you prepare for the new school year, take a second look at your child’s IEP. Make sure to review the goals to ensure that they are still appropriate for your child. While some children surpass their speech therapy goals during the summer months, others might show signs of regression. In these cases, certain skills may need to be relearned and remastered.
Set new goals for the home
As you and your child’s therapist outline new goals for the individual therapy sessions in the coming school year, review the related goals for home learning and instruction as well. Make sure that you know the specific goals that your speech therapist is targeting throughout the year. Then develop a home plan that helps your child practice these related skills.
Collaborate with your child’s teachers and private speech therapist
Some children receive both private and in-school speech therapy sessions. Make sure that everyone is in communication with one another and is informed of the child’s short- and long-term goals. Parents who manage the collaborative process between school and private therapists often see much faster progress.
About LA Speech Therapy Solutions, providers of voice therapy:
LA Speech Therapy Solutions provides voice therapy to enable children to feel confident and comfortable. Our practice provides children and parents with tools that will last a lifetime. Follow us on Facebook for more tips and updates!
