Play Teach Talk

This episode builds on making inferences and talks about higher level language skills that can be built through work on making predictions and discussing problem solving with early readers using the pictures in the books. 

Before children are able to predict and make predictions about stories and reading, they use visual information to make inferences about circumstances in stories and pictures. Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

With so much of our world being presented in visual form, children are not encouraged as much to use their imagination to generate mental pictures of the world around them, and this can effect ability to comprehend reading in the future. Working on learning how to make a "picture in your head" of common objects at a young age can help with learning as children become readers.  Visit my websit...

This is the first episode in a series of strategies to teach higher level language skills to older toddlers (2 1/2-3 years) who are comprehending language very well. Idioms are used frequently in our daily lives, but are not literal. There are many books on the market that help visualize idioms. I cover a few common idioms and a few from other countries as well! Check out my website at PlayTeachTa...

Progress in language skills can sometimes be less transparent than it is in other areas of child development. Check out my website at PlayTeachTalk .  I offer journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses to optimize your toddler's speech development. 

When children are referred for speech language evaluations, the usual concern is that the child is not using as many words as would be expected. There are, however, many other valid ways to communicate, and the development of gestures, signs, facial expressions, and tone are all equally as important. 

In our fast-paced world, I make a case for using a pause as a strategy to enhance receptive and expressive language skills.  Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children. I reference this book/program in the podcast: It Takes Two To Talk – Hanen Workshop for Speech-Language Pathologi...

I run down a list of several multi-sensory opportunities for learning in your city or town. If you're new to your city, start with the Chamber of Commerce. Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

I go into depth about neurons, synapses, and myelinization, synaptic pruning, and how screen use can affect this process in the brain in the time of peak development.

In this episode, I describe what functions of the brain recent research indicates is being affected by screen use.  References from Seminar: ▪ Hutton, J. S., Dudley, J., Horowitz- Kraus, T., DeWitt, T., & Holland, S. K. (2020).  Associations between screen - based media use and brain white matter integrity in  preschool - aged children. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(1).   ▪ MacMulli...

The American Academy of Pediatrics updated its guidelines for screen time in 2021 in response to the COVID pandemic and research studies that addressed the impact of screen use on brain development. Screen use, in particular, mobile screens that we can use wherever we go, have only been widely used for about 15 years. I review current guidelines in this episode and will address the "why" in future...

I go into depth about language modeling for kiddos who have reached the 2-3 word mark for communication, and how to further advance their skills. 

Daycares often require children to be potty trained before moving up to classrooms for older children. What are some of the reasons why children might not be ready to potty train? I give a few tips to help make the process easier.

Just a quick episode as a reminder that children are all unique and develop in their own ways, and meeting them where they are and encouraging them to do more is more important than meeting any specific goal on a developmental milestone chart! I discuss reasons why a child might follow a different path developmentally.  Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, an...

Sometimes using a screen is unavoidable. What apps can you choose that will be more educational and useful for language building? I give several recommendations for free and low-cost apps that I like to use. They won't be as high-motivation as watching a YouTube video or playing some of the fast-movement games, and that's actually a good thing- high use of screens in young children has an effect o...

This is a short and sweet episode that describes a strategy I use to help transition kids from one activity or routine to another, whether they are moving away from or toward the more motivating activity.  Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

There are several no-tech toys that can be used throughout a toddler's first few years to teach a variety of different play and language concepts. These toys can be recycled at different learning points to teach different things. To make the most use of the toys you purchase, try to choose based on the value they will give you over time.  First 100 Words (bright Baby Series) First Edition By...

Teaching emotions can be difficult: I recently watched a series from Brene Brown in which she notes that even adults break down their language about emotions into three general descriptions: Mad, Sad, and Happy. If we, as adults, use simple language to describe emotions, how can we help children learn about using language for their own? I talk about how to work with the littlest ones on learning h...

Use body movement, narrating routines that children typically do not do, and objects around your home to teach language! I share strategies that are not the typical toys off the shelf to teach understanding and use of language. Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

A quick little FYI about Play Teach Talk.  playteachtalk.com

This episode describes ways to pause in a routine to create opportunities for communication, as well as toys that require adult participation to have the desired effect.  Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

I give answers to questions asked frequently by parents I see in speech therapy treatment sessions. Visit my website at PlayTeachTalk for journal entries, YouTube videos, and short courses offered twice monthly to enhance language skills in young children.

I give you answers to some of the most frequent questions I am asked by parents in the history of my speech therapy treatment sessions. 

I go over several resources for families who have children under 3 to support not only language development, but overall development in the first years of their lives. Mentioned during the podcast: Community Alternatives Program for Children (CAP/C) | NC Medicaid (ncdhhs.gov) Early Head Start Programs | ECLKC (hhs.gov) Family Support Network (fsn-oc.org) Autism Society of North Carolina | Find Hel...

I go briefly over ways you can use toys and your interactions with your child to increase the newness of toys you already have and lengthen the span of interest for play.