Mrs. Kalotkin's Website!

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

School-based speech 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!