Speech therapy is most successful when parents become involved and reinforce target speech skills at home. It may be helpful for parents to pick daily routines as a good time to have their children practice using their "new" speech. Meals and bedtime occur regularly and can provide great learning moments. Associating speech with familiar routines helps children to generalize developing articulation and fluency skills. Other possible activities could include cooking, riding in the car, doing chores, and playtime.
Remind children that they will be focusing on using clear speech during the activity. Have them think of words or phrases related to the activity that they can concentrate on pronouncing. Listen carefully and praise their efforts and success. ("That was a great 's' in 'spaghetti'!") Give a gentle reminder if you hear an error and ask them to repeat the word. (" I heard 'paghetti.' Can you say it again?") Have them repeat it only once even if they still pronounce it incorrectly. Try to praise more often than you correct. The goal is to have them become aware of their speech production and reinforce the target speech pattern so it will increase. Most importantly; Have Fun!
