Copy Cat Series

 

Copy Cat: Words of Increasing Length

Children with apraxia of speech have more difficulty sequencing sounds and using normal prosody as the length and complexity of their utterances increase.  Here are some words (actually phrases) that get longer with each repetition. The concept is based on a common practice used in adult apraxia therapy.  The difference is that this list of words/phrases is appropriate for children.  The phrases are fun to say.  For example: red, ready, ready set, ready set go!



Copy Cat: Expressions

Carryover in articulation therapy can be very frustrating for both the child and clinician.  I have created lists of expressions for sounds commonly targeted in articulation/phonological processes therapy (k, g, l, r, f, s, sh, ch). Rather than drilling sounds in boring sentences, try using these functional expressions. For example: It's my lucky day! I call shotgun! The expressions keep the child engaged in drill and may actually be used in real life.

 

Copy Cat: Banter

I have found many uses for this banter. It gives the child who is reluctant to communicate or who doesn't have much to say a structure for communicating personal information (a beginning step in learning how to participate in a true dialogue).  I have used it to work on overall intelligibility. It can also be used as a tool for getting to know each other in a social skills group.