Our staff use a variety of customizable programs for the treatment of audtiory processing, speech, voice, language, and language-based learning challenges. Clients typically work on multiple, key skills to assist them with developing and refining effective listening, speaking, reading and writing, with the overall goal of excellent communication of ideas and thoughts in many modalities.
Services
Evaluation
Diagnostic evaluations use a variety of instruments to measure a wide range of speech, language & learning skills. The goal of all evaluations is to identify if there is any discrepancy in skills between the client and the typically-functioning population, define the nature and severity of that discrepancy, seek out areas of strength that can be capitalized upon, and formulate an overall plan for treatment. A written evaluation report contains test procedures and results as well as a plan for treatment and is typically provided within 2-3 weeks after an evaluation. We frequently include recommendations for accommodations for school-aged children. We do not provide cognitive (IQ) evaluations, although we maintain a list of local professionals who provide excellent services in that area.
Therapy
Therapy sessions are typically scheduled as regular appointments 1-3 times per week. Sessions are 50 minutes long and focus on solidifying previously learned information, acquiring new skills, and probing future goals. Application and transfer of knowledge to meaningful tasks and environments is a continual focus. Throughout therapy, we maintain an emphasis on:
Sequencing
From the auditory processing of individual speech sounds within words and sentences to the sequence of letters in spelling and reading to the presentation of logical thought in speaking, writing, problem solving, and executive functioning, sequencing is the key to effective communication.
Efficiency
Efficiency can be defined as a skill that is 1) rapid, and 2) accurate. The rapid and accurate retrieval of words, facts, and procedures is a cornerstone of the learning process.
Transparency
The rationale for all therapy procedures and methods should be clear and explicit to all persons involved in the treatment plan..
Some Areas of Specialized Treatment
Articulation
Depending on the specific nature of the articulation difficulty, programs may consist of phonological cycles, PROMPT ® methodology, and a wide variety of techniques designed to train proper tongue & jaw placement.
Asperger's Syndrome
Depending upon the age of the client, we target various levels of verbal and non-verbal flexibility of thought, perspective-taking, social conversation skills, and executive function skills.
Auditory Processing
Programs frequently emphasize the sequencing of sounds within words, processing of complex directions, identification of key words, auditory closure activities, and other methods of improving the brain’s processing of the acoustic signal. Some clients supplement their in-clinic services with home use of the Fast ForWord ® computer program.
Autism
Children with mild-moderate degrees of Autism work to develop a variety of communication and behavior skills, from single words and sentences, to reciprocal conversation, questioning, commenting, and turn-taking.
Developmental Verbal Apraxia
Children with apraxia of speech need work on developing patterns of sound production that result in meaningful, intelligible words. This often starts with single word patterns and progresses to sentences. We use a number of programs, including PROMPT ® and the treatment hierarchy and techniques developed by Nancy Kaufman.
Executive Function
Children and adults with Executive Function disorders often lead disorganized, chaotic, and emergency-driven lives. We evaluate clients for strategy flexibility, planning, prioritizing, organization of time, organization of materials, and self-monitoring skills. These programs are highly individualized, as they are based on each individual’s unique family, school, and work environments, as well as goals.
Expressive Language
This area encompasses a wide range of function, from forming appropriate sentences to communicate basic needs and thoughts to more sophisticated, higher-level language function. Often, as clients grow and develop, more subtle expressive language needs become apparent, such as how to communicate a complex sequence of events or describe a precise idea. We use a combination of programs with specific language structures, barrier games, word retrieval activities, elements of Lindamood Bell’s Visualizing & Verbalizing ®, and critical thinking activities for summarizing, paraphrasing, explaining, and describing.
Math
Our work with mathematics involves the intersection of the language of numbers and verbal language. We work to establish conceptual understanding of early math skills and connect that understanding to the language used in math to boost client achievement and confidence.
Reading
Early literacy skills are a focus with all clients receiving language therapy, as research shows that there is a high correlation with early language development issues and challenges with later literacy development problems. Phonemic awareness, sequencing, and word retrieval skills provide a foundation for further literacy learning. This progresses to learning the six basic syllables that compose most of written English in order to teach patterns of language for decoding. Practice with grammar, critical reasoning skills, Latin and Greek parts of speech, sight words, and spelling patterns is emphasized at higher levels.
Stuttering
The smooth, forward-moving flow of expressive language is the focus of therapy for dysfluency. Depending on the client’s age, we may work on exploration of stuttering truths and myths, moving through a stuttering moment, establishing a smooth and easy speech patterns, and training of communication partners.
Writing & Spelling
Written language requires a complex set of skills, including graphomotor, language formulation, phonemic awareness, and sequencing, among others. A program of remediation for written language may include: 1) the development of grammatically-appropriate, descriptive, complex sentences, 2) the ability to sequence sentences appropriate to effectively communicate ideas, 3) planning longer-length assignments that are cohesive, succinct, and well-developed, 4) the ability to change writing style and structure to suit a variety of purposes, and 5) the ability to edit for both content and structure. We use a variety of different sources for materials to work on the various aspects of writing.
Computerized Learning
Cogmed Working Memory Training ®
Cogmed is a computer-based program that folds current research in attention and cognitive neuroscience into a series of exercises designed to improve the attention issues caused by poor working memory. There is a significant body of research that shows 80% of users experience improvement in attention following participation. Cogmed generally requires participation 5 days per week for 5 weeks to achieve these effects. Training can be conducted for ages preschool through adult. Please contact us for pricing and information to help determine if you or your child would be a good candidate for the program. More information can be found at www.cogmed.com.
Fast ForWord ®
Fast ForWord ® is a computer-based program that targets the auditory processing skills that support the acquisition of appropriate literacy, memory, and attention. It is a systematic set of exercises that begins with an emphasis on phonemic awareness, English grammar, and vocabulary and evolves into direct support of reading. Please contact us for pricing and information to help determine if your child would be an appropriate candidate for the program. More information can be found at www.scilearn.com.