This advice-column-style blog for SLPs was authored by Pam Marshalla from 2006 to 2015, the archives of which can be explored here. Use the extensive keywords list found in the right-hand column (on mobile: at the bottom of the page) to browse specific topics, or use the search feature to locate specific words or phrases throughout the entire blog.
Push-In vs. Pull-out
By Pam Marshalla
Q: What is your opinion about push-in vs. pull-out therapy? Is anyone doing research on this?
As far as I know, no one is doing research on in-class versus pull-out therapy for articulation. I cannot address this question as it concerns language.
In my opinion, in-class stimulation is good for the following:
- Building general vocabulary and concepts
- Establishing general communication routines
- Encouraging basic syntactic structures
- Stimulating phonological awareness
- Engaging in articulation carryover activities
- Teaching elocution
- Teaching early-developing phonemes—P, B, M etc.
I do not believe that push-in therapy is appropriate for doing the intimate and private work necessary to correct a lateral lisp, a distorted R, or a frontal lisp. I also do not think it appropriate for teaching tongue placement for some of the more problematic phonemes like K and G and so forth.
When you work in the classroom you give up three essential elements of good articulation therapy: PRIVACY, QUIET, and CONTROL. These things matter greatly when treating the articulation errors mentioned above.