Speech Pathologists at Startright Speech Therapy use a wide variety of resources to target language skills. The Lindamood-Bell 'Visualising and Verblising' Programme is used to assist childhood language development. We have a wide variety of modern and functional language resources and train parents to use effective language-stimulation strategies at home between therapy sessions.
All Speech Pathologists at Startright Speech Therapy are trained in the Hanen 'It Takes Two To Talk' methodology and are trained in 'Applied Behaviour Analysis'. A strategy for therapy will be chosen that is best suited to each individual child following their initial assessment.
'Language' refers to the understanding and comprehension of the English language as well as ability to use the English language to appropriately express thoughts and ideas to others.
Speech Pathology assessment is recommended if your child is not performing the skills within the checklist by the appropriate ages:
1 year:
- Understands a variety of words (mum, dad, car, doggie)
- Saying first words
2 years:
- Joins 2 words together (mummy go & daddy car)
3 years:
- Uses 3-5 word sentences (mummy go shop)
- Has some use of present tense (jumping), past tense (walked), plurals (balls) and position words (in, on, under)
- Understands colours, sizes (big, long, small) and function (which one is for eating?)
- Follows instructions with two steps (get teddy and put him in bed)
- Can answer simple wh- questions (where is it? what is this? who has it?)
4 years:
- Uses sentences of 5 or more words with correct structure and grammar most of the time
- Beginning to tell news and recall past events
- Can answer more complex questions (why did this happen? what will happen next?)
5 years:
- Tells news and recalls past events in accurate sequence, problem solves and uses reasoning
- Understands abstract concepts (before, after, when and except)
School Age:
- Produces various text-types (information report, narrative, procedure, exposition) with good language style, sequence, tense, conjunctions (and, then, because, so) and descriptive language
- Uses specific vocabulary (not 'thing', 'it', 'this') and can make predictions and comprehend texts used in class
- Understands verbal explanations and instructions given in class
Standardised language assessments are available to assess the language skills of clients aged between 0-21 years. Results may be used to obtain funding to provide further assistance at Preschool or School where applicable.