Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and language therapy is provided at the Broach School by therapists with over 20 years of experience with special needs children including: autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), auditory problems, dyspraxia and neurologically impaired. The therapist effectively designs an individualized treatment plan using traditional theraphy methods as well as specialty programs.
Speech/language therapy is provided in the following areas:
- Articulation: Articulation is unclear speech or hard to understand speech which includes: speech problems of substitution of sounds, distortion of sounds, and/or omission of sounds.
- Receptive Language: Difficulty understanding following directions, memory, sequencing, vocabulary, basic concepts.
- Expressive Language: Nonverbal, grammar/syntax problems, word order, difficulty relating ideas, difficulty initiating conversation, short verbal responses.
- Voice: Too high, too low, nasal, hoarse.
- Fluency: Repetition of sounds, words, phrases, hesitations.
- Pragmatics: Initiating speech, responding, turn-taking, eye contact, appropriate speech in different social situations, appropriate expression of feelings/thoughts.
- Oral Motor: Tongue-thrust, drooling, thumb sucking, mumbling.
- Dysphagia: Chewing problems, gagging, refusal to eat certain textures, refusal to brush teeth.
- Phonemic Awareness: Reading skills involving sounds.
- Reading Comprehension
- Motor Coordination
- Attention
Some of the programs utilized in therapy include: Talking on Purpose, The Listening Program, The Cognitive Connection, Cognitive Reorganization, Moving Through Syllables, and the Ohio Visual Memory Program.
The Broach School therapists are also specially trained in the latest technology programs:
- Fast ForWord Family of Programs by Scientific Learning are intensive CD-ROM and internet-based programs based on over 25 years of brain research. They use patented technology to train the brain to improve language and reading skills. This program is highly recommended for children who have auditory processing problems or processing speed problems. On average, children improve 1-2 years with these 6-8 week programs. Thousands of children have already completed the program with phenomenal results. The program requires 90 minute sessions five times per week.
- Interactive Metronome is a breakthrough training program that has taken over ten years to perfect.. Interactive Metronome is based on the theory that children who are hyperactive, have coordination problems or are mildly autistic have an internal-sense of rhythm that is off. This can be improved if they repeatedly exercise their sense of rhythm under the supervision of a taskmaster-the computer-that can instantly tell if their attention waivers even slightly. The program is completed in fifteen one hour sessions within five weeks.
- Earobics is a computer based program to improve auditory memory, auditory processing, and phonological awareness.
- Dichonics is the latest computer based program to improve auditory processing skills.
- Sound Reading Solutions is a 15-session program based on the latest neurological research on reading and the brain. The program is for all struggling readers from first grade through adult. Most students gain over one year in reading fluency, spelling, and comprehension.
- The Lindamood Bell Programs of LIPS, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and Seeing Stars are highly successful reading programs to improve beginning reading skills, word attack skills, reading fluency, spelling and reading comprehension.
Subscribe to our calendar.