Back to School - Time to Communicate

   We are back to school again and the first month has flown by.  It's been fun seeing all the kids and getting to hear about their summers.  It's been especially nice to hear all the outdoor activities they have been doing and not so much about screen times (YAY! Parents).  Now they are back to school it's time to remind our kids about being good communicators.  This takes both speaking and listening.  It doesn't matter if your child struggles with speech production issues or not, there are still some ways they can improve their communication.

Expected Speaking:

S:  Slow speech is always the way to go.  Model good speaking rates and
      remind your child to speak slower when they go too fast.

P:  Pick topics that all people in the conversation can participate in and enjoy.
E:  Enunciate when speaking.  Moving your mouth more and speaking clearly 
     gets the message out better.
A:  Adjust the way you talk depending on who your audience is.
K:  Kind tones and words will always be appreciated by your listener.


Expected Listening:

L:  Look at the person who is talking to you.  It lets them know you are 
     listening
I:   Interest:  Show interest in what is being said by facial expression, body 
      language, asking questions, etc.
S:  Silence while the other person is talking.  Keep your feet and hands still and 
      quiet as well as your mouth.
T:  Think about what the other person is saying.  Hearing is not the same as 
       listening.
E:  Enter all conversations with the purpose of learning what the speaker has to 
      say.
N:  No interruptions will be appreciated by the speaker.

Give these gentle reminders and you will find your child's communication skills blooming.