April 2015
I can't believe that the school holidays are all but over! It has been a lovely couple of weeks spending a little more time than usual around the house with my children.
Quite timely, given that I have teenage boys, that I received a referral for a teenage boy who was reportedly "mumbling" and "swallowing his words". This prompted me to put a few helpful tips together for parents and teachers to share with their teenagers. I can't promise anything but if you teenager is speaking to you in little more than grunts but is happy to sit down with you and chat about ways that they might improve their communication skills....then these tips may help!
Karen Trengove - Speech Pathologist Learn2Communicate
Tips for Making Conversations Work
·
Pronounce every syllable in every word –
It sounds like mumbling when small syllables in words get ‘swallowed up’. Make a conscious effort to say every ‘beat’
in your words, particularly longer words with lots of syllables.
·
Body
Language – Be careful to make sure that you are using good upright posture
with your face and eyes turned towards the person you are talking to. This will help your words to project more
clearly.
·
Use
Specific Words – Use the exact word that you need when talking. Avoid words like ‘stuff’ and ‘thing’ as these
make it difficult for the other person to really understand what you are
talking about. Take your time to find
the right words during conversation.
·
Pauses –
Remember that conversations are a two-way form of communication. Leave pauses after each of your main ideas or
comments so that your conversational partner has a chance to ask a question,
comment or check something with you.
This will also give your conversational partner a chance to change the
topic or talk about something that they are interested in.
·
Check in
– Check in with your conversational partner’s body language. Do they look like they are interested and
understanding your message? Do they look
like they need to ask you a question or like they want a turn talking?
·
Megaphone
mouth – This is easy to forget but so easy to do and will really help to
make your speech clearer. Open your
mouth a little wider when you are talking.
You can practice this whilst reading aloud and gradually try this
technique in conversation. Opening your
mouth wider will make your speech easier to understand and will also help your
voice to be used more loudly.
·
Limit
other distractions – When you are having a conversation, try to reduce the
other distractions in your mind and in your immediate environment. Focus only on the conversation you are having
and nothing else. Put your Ipod away,
make sure the TV is turned off and really work on making the conversation a
success.
Social Communication Disorder
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is the tool used in Australia by psychologists and psychiatrists when evaluating individuals for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the related diagnosis of social communication disorder (SCD). Whilst we hear so much about ASD, little is known of this 'new' term - Social Communication Disorder. Here is some information about this condition as defined by the DSM - 5:
Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria
A.
Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication
as manifested by all of the following:
1.
Deficits in using communication for social purposes, such as greeting and
sharing information, in a manner that is appropriate for the social context.
2.
Impairment of the ability to change communication to match context or the needs
of the listener, such as speaking differently in a classroom than on the
playground, talking differently to a child than to an adult, and avoiding use
of overly formal language.
3.
Difficulties following rules for conversation and storytelling, such as taking
turns in conversation, rephrasing when misunderstood, and knowing how to use
verbal and nonverbal signals to regulate interaction.
4.
Difficulties understanding what is not explicitly stated (e.g., making
inferences) and nonliteral or ambiguous meanings of language (e.g., idioms,
humor, metaphors, multiple meanings that depend on the context for
interpretation).
B.
The deficits result in functional limitations in effective communication,
social participation, social relationships, academic achievement, or
occupational performance, individually or in combination.
C.
The onset of the symptoms is in the early developmental period (but deficits
may not become fully manifest until social communication demands exceed limited
capacities).
D.
The symptoms are not attributable to another medical or neurological condition
or to low abilities in the domains or word structure and grammar, and are not
better explained by autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability
(intellectual developmental disorder), global developmental delay, or another
mental disorder.
Tips for talking with parents about speech and language concerns
-
Be polite and patient
As a parent it can be a
real challenge when you feel like someone is criticising you or your child.
Remaining polite and patient when raising concerns about a child is very
important.
-
Focus on the positive attributes of
their child
It’s always a great idea
to highlight strengths that you've observed in a child and encourage the parent
in these areas. However, be sure to also be clear about identifying what your
concerns are.
-
Use materials like fact sheets
Using fact sheets,
milestone sheets and other research based information can help a parent to see
that you are basing your concerns on something factual, rather than simply your
own feelings.
- Talk
about specific behaviours
Again, you might use a
milestones fact sheet to help guide this discussion. Give clear examples of
what you’ve observed. For example, if you are concerned about a child who is
not engaging in appropriate play for their age, you might say: “I’ve
noticed that Sam does not play pretend games with the other children,” and you
could show the parent the line on the milestones fact sheet for a four-year-old
that says that a child that age “engages in fantasy play.”
-
Try to make it a discussion
Make sure not to dominate the
conversation without giving the parent an opportunity to express their
thoughts, observations and concerns. Give the parent some time to think and
respond. Ask the parent if they have noticed similar things at home, or in
other social settings.
-
Listen to and watch the parent to decide how to
proceed
Pay attention to things like body
language and tone of voice. This may be the first time someone has raised the
concern, and the parent may be feeling judged, defensive or confused. You may
like to raise the concern once, and make a time to talk more about it later so
the parent has time to process your concerns.
-
Remind the parent that you are on their side
Talk with the parent about the fact
that you are raising concerns because you care for the child and that you want
to give the child the best chance to succeed. You might like to encourage the
parent to talk about the concerns with a doctor or other health care
professional if appropriate.
-
Explain that there is hope
After raising your concerns, it is a
good idea to give some idea of what you think a good plan of action might be.
Encourage the parent to look at appropriate assessment/therapy options at your
school, community health centre or private practices in town. Assure the parent
that by getting on top of the concerns early, you are seeking the best outcomes
for the child.
Fun Ideas for Phonological Awareness
Awareness of syllables or beats within words
This activity helps to make children aware of how words can be split up into smaller parts, according to their sounds. This activity is a lovely precursor to children developing phonemic awareness or the ability to become aware of individual sounds within words. It’s easier for young children to start with larger parts of words and then work their way down to the smaller, discrete individual sounds of phonemes. Thanks to The Early Childhood Teacher blog for this fun idea:
Bippity Boppity Bumble Bee
This is such a fun game. You get the kids clapping out names, first. As they get used to the game, you can start using other words with more syllables.
How to play: Sit in a circle with your students. I have a little stuffed bee that the kids love to hold. You could also use a printable bumble bee. The teacher begins the chant and walks around to a child:
Teacher: “Bippity Boppity Bumble Bee, Will You Say Your Name For Me?”
The child responds, “Jennifer.”
Teacher: ” Let’s all say it.” And the class says her name out loud, while clapping once for each syllable.
Teacher: “Let’s all whisper it.” And the class whispers her name, while quiet-clapping the syllables again, once per syllable.
Teacher and class: “Bippity Boppity Bumble Bee, Thank You For Saying Your Name For Me!”
Repeat with another student and his/her name. As students become familiar with the game, you can allow students to take on the “teacher” role.
