More than Just Sounds

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Speech Therapy covers so many more skills and can help people so much more than people realise.

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Communication is very complex and requires a large number of skills to be effective. It includes how we say our words (speech), what words we use and how we put them together (expressive language) and what words we understand and what their specific order in a sentence means (receptive language)

It includes are communication in social settings (pragmatic language), knowing what to say, how to say it and when to say it. It includes our tone and the volume we use (voice). Having a stutter or a difficulty with rate of speech (fluency) is also part of communication

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Speech Therapy may also help with Written Communication such as spelling, reading and understanding what we read. From being able to message other players in a video game, to writing essays and resumes. From understanding forms to reading, understanding and writing instructions

Speech Therapists can also offer supports for people who need to communicate in ways other than using words (Alternative and Augmentative Communication)

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Speech 

• Speech is the sounds we make to produce words. When we have difficulties in this area it can be hard to be understood.

• Children may have difficulties such as saying 'gog' for 'dog' or 'wabbit' for 'rabbit'. They may also delete sounds such as 'ha' for 'hat'.

 

Expressive Language 

• Expressive language is the way we combine words to produce communication.

• Difficulties in this area may include difficulty making clear and correct sentences, telling stories, giving instrutions, using correct grammar, expressing our wants, needs and thoughts clearly

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Receptive Language 

• Receptive Language is our ability to understand and process communication

• Diffiulties in this area may include having trouble following instructions, understanding many different words, understanding how words relate to each other and recalling information

• People with difficulty in this area can often be seen as 'naughty' as they dont follow instructions but it may be that they just cannot understand what is being asked of them

 

Literacy 

• Literacy is our abilities related to written communication. This includes reading, spelling and writing.

• Preschoolers can benefit from working on the foundation skills that support succeeding in literacy when we enter school

• Adults, especially parents, are more than welcome to enquire about supports for adult learning.

• You can engage in the SoundsWrite and Read3 program through StressLess Speech Therapy

 

AAC

• AAC is the use of communication methods other than speech

• AAC can be something that can be used for life or for a period of time

• AAC can help support people on their journey to using speech or can support people to communicate effectively with the world around them for life

• I am trained and/or have experience with Key Word Sign (trained), Picture Exchange Communication System (fully trained including High Tech) and Proloquo2go (experience in ordering through NDIS and training children and families)

 

Social Skills

• Social skills are also known as Pragmatic Language

• This can include working on turn taking in conversation, being confortable talking about topics not of interest, understanding verbal and non-verbal social cues, making and keeping friends.

• Pragmatic language can include understanding how to talk to friends vs teachers, tone of voice and

• Gestures, facial expressions, how close to stand to people

 

Entering the workforce and adult life

• Areas that can be worked on include how to talk to your colleagues vs customers vs your boss

• Spelling, writing and choice of words for making a resume

• How to communicate in a job interview or at work