Pacific Speech & Language - Treatment Techniques

Treatment Techniques

PROMPT
Transactional Model of Language Teaching
Therapy with Preverbal Children
Sign Language
Augmentative/Alternative Communication
Treatment for Autism

The Transactional Model holds that children learn through interaction with a competent communication partner who "scaffolds" for the child. Scaffolding involves meeting the child where he/she is now and modeling skills that are just above the present level. It is also necessary to engineer the environment to facilitate the desired skills and interactions. Parents and caregivers can be taught to use everyday interactions to act as the "scaffolding" partner their child needs.

With children, interaction through play is an effective method of teaching communication skills. Not only is it fun, play is a child¹s "work." Through play, a child learns cognitive skills that develop in parallel with communication skills, such as functions of objects, spatial relationships, pretending, and imitating. In speech-language sessions, specific play activities are chosen based on the client¹s goals and objectives. Through guided play and specific language input, children can learn:

requesting
greeting
commenting
taking turns
eye contact
initiating and responding
language comprehension skills
and many other skills!

Guided play is used to facilitate certain sound combinations and speech motor patterns as well. The beauty of working through play is that the child often does not know he/she is working!