Mrs. Rabinowitz' Website!

Please see below to find strategies and resources to help support your child's speech and language development

School Therapists are committed to helping students overcome challenges in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and social interaction.

What We Do:

• Assessment & Diagnosis

• Identify speech, language, and communication disorders through screenings and evaluations.

• Individual & Group Therapy

• Provide tailored interventions to support speech sound development, vocabulary building, grammar, and fluency.

• Collaboration with Teachers & Parents

• Work closely with educators to support classroom success.

• Provide parents with strategies to encourage communication development at home.

• Social Communication Support

• Teach children to improve social skills like turn-taking, understanding nonverbal cues, and effective conversational skills.

• Early Literacy Skills

• Support language-based literacy development, including phonological awareness and comprehension.

Why It Matters:

• Helps students express themselves clearly and confidently.

• Strengthens foundational language skills essential for academic success.

• Builds self-esteem by fostering positive interactions with peers and teachers.

Services Offered:

• Speech therapy sessions (individual and small group).

• Classroom observations and recommendations.

• Parent support and training.

Ways Parents Can Help at Language Develpment at Home:

Encourage Communication

• Talk Regularly: Engage in daily conversations about school, friends, and activities to encourage your child to share thoughts and ideas.

• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of “Did you have a good day?” try “What was the best thing that happened at school today?”

Read Together

• Daily Reading Time: Spend time reading books aloud with your child every day.

• Ask Questions: Discuss the story, characters, and plot to build comprehension and critical thinking skills.

• Encourage Predictions: Before turning the page, ask, “What do you think will happen next?”

Play Word and Language Games

• Rhyming Games: Practice finding words that rhyme or sound alike.

• Word Association: Take turns saying words related to a theme, like animals or colors.

• Storytelling: Encourage your child to create and tell their own stories.

Model Good Communication

• Use Clear Speech: Speak clearly and use correct grammar as a model for your child.

• Expand Their Language: If your child says, “I see dog,” respond with, “Yes, that’s a big, brown dog running in the park.”

Build Vocabulary

• Label Items Around the House: Use names for everyday objects and describe what they do.

• Introduce New Words: Incorporate new words into conversations and explain their meanings.

Promote Social Communication

• Practice Greetings: Encourage your child to greet people with a smile and polite words like “hello” and “goodbye.”

• Role-Play Scenarios: Act out situations like ordering food at a restaurant or asking for help.

• Encourage Listening: Teach your child to listen and wait for their turn in conversations.

Encourage Writing and Drawing

• Keep a Journal: Ask your child to write or draw about their day.

• Create Lists: Make grocery lists, wish lists, or to-do lists together.

• Label Drawings: Help your child write names or short sentences to describe their artwork.

Limit Screen Time

• Set limits on screen use and encourage activities that promote face-to-face interactions and creative play.

Ways Parents Can Help with Articulation at Home:

Practice Sounds in Everyday Conversations

• Focus on Target Sounds: If your child is working on a specific sound (e.g., “s,” “r,” or “th”), gently remind them to use it correctly during daily conversations.

• Repeat and Model: If your child mispronounces a word, repeat it back correctly instead of correcting them directly. For example, if they say “wabbit,” you can respond, “Oh, you saw a rabbit?”

Play Articulation Games

• I-Spy with Sounds: Play “I spy” by focusing on objects that start with your child’s target sound (e.g., “I spy something that starts with ‘s’”).

• Rhyming Words: Practice rhyming words that contain the target sound.

• Tongue Twisters: Use fun tongue twisters that include the sound your child is practicing.

Read Aloud Together

• Sound Awareness: Pick books with words that contain the target sound and emphasize them when reading aloud.

• Pause for Practice: Have your child repeat specific words or sentences with their target sound.

Create a Practice Routine

• Short and Consistent: Practice articulation for 5–10 minutes daily, focusing on one sound at a time.

• Make It Fun: Use flashcards, apps, or worksheets recommended by your child’s speech therapist.

Encourage Slow and Clear Speech

• Take It Slow: Encourage your child to speak slowly and clearly to give them time to focus on correct pronunciation.

• Break Down Words: Help them break longer words into smaller parts to make them easier to pronounce.

Use Visual and Tactile Cues

• Mirror Practice: Have your child practice sounds in front of a mirror so they can see how their mouth moves.

• Hand Cues: Use hand motions to show where the tongue or lips should go (e.g., pointing to the lips for “p” or “b” sounds).

Praise Efforts, Not Just Perfection

• Celebrate Progress: Praise your child when they try their best, even if the sound isn’t perfect yet.

• Stay Positive: Avoid frustration and keep practice sessions lighthearted and encouraging.

Incorporate Sounds Into Daily Activities

• Cooking or Cleaning: Talk about items or actions that include the target sound while working together.

• Family Walks: Point out objects around you that have the sound (e.g., “Look at the sign! It has an ‘s’ sound.”).

Communicate with the Speech Therapist

• Ask for Guidance: Work with your child’s speech therapist to learn specific techniques and get suggestions for at-home practice.

Articulation development takes time, and every child progresses at their own pace. Consistency and encouragement are key!