Language Development

Amelia Bedelia

Children’s Books There are a lot of great books when it comes to rhyming.  The best of them would probably be the books by Dr. Seuss, in my opinion.  There’s also “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown and “Madeline” by Ludwig Bemelmans. But if you want a book that gives great examples of figurative language and has fun with it, go no farther than the original Amelia Bedelia series by Peggy Parish.   Amelia Bedelia Amelia Bedelia is a funny, lighthearted housekeeper who also takes her work seriously.  In fact, she follows instructions exactly, which is the problem in each book. She has no idea how to interpret the figurative language that is part of every instruction she’s given.  Fortunately, she’s also an amazing baker which is her saving grace, every time. The moment her frustrated and furious employers taste her delicious desserts, all is forgiven. And that’s basically how every Amelia Bedelia story goes. Figurative … Keep Reading…

How Can I Be Sure My Child Understands What I’m Saying?

Why Won’t He Listen? Maybe it’s almost bedtime so you ask your kiddo to put away his toys.  You step away to finish clearing up dinner and to make some improvements to your work project.  You go back to whisk him away for the night but he’s still playing with his toys. Patiently you ask him again to gather up his toys and put them away.  You go ahead and finish the dishes and print your report. You peek around the corner into the living room…and toys are still scattered all over the place. Now you’re exasperated.  Why isn’t he listening? Isn’t he too young to be rebelling? Lost In Translation For children who are typically developing, this may be a case of them just wanting to see how far they can push the envelope.  But for a child with developmental delays or speech and language challenges, it may come down to simple miscommunication.  He … Keep Reading…

Summer Language Activities for Children Ages 10 and Above

The Importance Of Social Cues Do you remember 3D art?  It was art generated by computers that looked like nonsense at first glance.  It took concentration and knowing what to look for to see the actual object that would  jump out at you. Perhaps you’d see a face, or a starship, or a turtle…whatever it was, it wasn’t something that you could see right away. Understanding social cues for a child with speech delays or other speech challenges is somewhat like that.  Of course, knowing social cues is not as trivial as being able to recognize art. But the two are similar in that unless you know what to look for it’s very hard to see what’s in front of your eyes. Summer is a great time to help your child with social issues.  It’s an ideal time because unlike the school year you have more control over what social settings he’s going to face. … Keep Reading…