Elocution Seattle Philosophy

Development of strong speech and language skills requires the constant nurturing of a solid learning foundation across all environments. Speech –language delays / disorders can result from many factors, such as differences in learning style, developmental delay and hearing difficulties. It is very important to understand the underlying reasons and to respect the individuality of each child in order to help him/her learn to communicate most effectively. Children must learn to carry over new skills learned in a therapy environment into their everyday lives. With the support of adults and peers, children tend to improve more quickly.

My practice has been built on gaining an understanding of the child and how s/he learns. This is achieved through a variety of means including conversations with the child and those who interact with him/her, standardized testing, and observations of the child’s learning style. Simply put, I learn what the child reacts to and use that as a basis for developing a treatment plan.

 

Diagnostics – Conduct standardized testing to measure skills, and establish baseline performance; observe learning styles; interview parents and other interested parties; and review academic and medical records to determine if speech-language therapy and/or other referrals to other specialists are necessary.

Therapy - Once therapy is deemed necessary, a treatment plan is made. A variety of clinical techniques are used during sessions to fulfill treatment objectives. State of the art computer speech-language programs might also be incorporated into sessions. 

Consultative Services - During therapy sessions, parents or caregivers become involved with activities so that they will have hands-on experiences in helping the child carry over new skills learned into the non-therapy environment. Upon request, school visits can be arranged to collaborate services.  

Parents, educators, and everyone else involved with a child wants to see that child succeed. Children develop at different rates and in different ways. How do you know when there is a problem and when a child is developing normally?

At Elocution Seattle, we have years of experience in pediatric speech-language issues. There are many strategies to determine if a child’s language is developing normally. There are also many ways to teach a child learn to communicate.

We offer consultative services such as forums, presentations and one-on-one discussions with parents, teachers, professional groups, or any significant others involved in child development. These events provide insight into child speech-language development and strategies to teach and evaluate the child in a way that respects the child’s individuality.

We do not teach one method or have a one-size-fits-all plan. Every child is unique.

Topics include:

Speech-Language Development and Early Intervention

Speech-Language Development in Children with Hearing Disorders

Speech-Language Development and Development of Literacy

Speech-Language Disorders in Children with Attention Deficit Disorder

Speech-Language Disorders commonly found in children diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Neo-natal Abstinence Syndrome (Drug Addicted Babies)

Cross-cultural Communication