Learning to read can be a daunting task for any child. While it may seem like an insurmountable goal, rhyming can be a helpful tool to help your child become a successful reader. Research shows that the ability to recognize and produce rhyming words is…

In 2000, the National Reading Panel (NRP) submitted their final report on the most effective methods for teaching children to read. The NRP’s findings are still used today as the basis for federal literacy policy, including “No Child Left Behind.” So what exactly are the…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disorder that can impact an individual’s ability to communicate, interact socially, and develop literacy skills. People with ASD may have difficulty understanding the spoken word, producing language, and reading or writing words. Fortunately, there are many strategies…

I am celebrating my 44th year as a speech and language pathologist and the majority of them have been in the public schools. What is the speech and language pathologist’s role in the schools? Speech-language pathologists (also known as speech therapists) play a vital role…

 I just finished reading the Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. This equation is at the beginning of the book and sums up the philosophy: Small, smart choices + Consistency + Time = Radical difference The little decisions you make and habits you have amass into life-altering…

The Law The most significant legislative action that affected children with disabilities passed in 1975 with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This legislation means that students with disabilities have equal access to a free and appropriate public education. Access means that that students…

A potential friend is only a ‘Hello’ away. Paul Liebau One of the first social skills that I love to teach is greetings and student’s names. As a speech and language pathologist I know that although it might seem like a very simple skill when you…

“Once upon a time” we begin telling stories to our children even before they are born. Nighttime storytelling is part of our culture but do children understand the story structure? Understanding text structure aids in comprehension. It assists in anticipating and determining the information that…

Reading requires us to decode the words, understand the surface code of the words and sentence construction and then use our background knowledge to fill in the picture. But what happens if you don’t know anything about what you are reading? As an adult you…

There never seems to be enough money in the school budget to cover what is needed for the students. This means as school speech and language pathologists or classroom teachers we need to reach into our pockets to help meet this need. Our pockets however…