Oral Motor Controversy Archives - Page 2 of 3

Tag: Oral Motor Controversy

Background on the “L-to-R Slide” Method

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I am a college student and am doing a group report. We would like to discuss your “L-to-R Slide” technique. In order to do that we need an article that discusses it. Can you guide me to one? Before I answer your question, let me pose a philosophical question to you and to my broader reading audience: Why are individual articles that summarize one single study always considered superior to the writings of master clinicians who write practical manuals…

Oral-Motor and Evidence-Based-Practice Misinformation

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I am now so thoroughly frustrated with the field of speech pathology, I’m tempted to throw in the towel… Or should I say throw in the bite blocks? I think the whole question of oral-motor therapy has gotten totally out of hand, and I no longer know what to believe. In this age, from every corner, we are encouraged to follow the evidence-based practice. In the absence of any hard evidence, I don’t know whether I ought to try…

A Challenge to the Oral-Motor Naysayers

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I am a professor and clinical supervisor in a prestigious university program. I do not see jaw or tongue movement problems in the articulation and phonology clients I supervise. Are you saying that someone like me does not have good observation skills? No. I am not saying that you have poor observations skills. I am saying that you have not been trained to see what is happening right in front of you. Consider this: An SLP must go through…

Comparison OMT and NS-OME

By Pam Marshalla

Q: In your class on apraxia, I listened while you described the difference between an “oral-motor technique” (OMT) and a “non-speech oral-motor exercise” (NS-OME). I understood what you were saying at the time, but when I got home and looked at my notes, I found that I didn’t quite get it. Can you give an example to explain this to me? The OMT and the NS-OME are two completely different concepts. The difference between them has to do with the…

The OM Controversy (again…)

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I am a special education advocate and I would like to discuss oral motor exercises with someone. An SLP at a district I’m working with stated, “There is no evidence that oral motor exercises are helpful for speech.” Is that true? This area is a mess. Professionals who bash oral-motor generally can be accused of the following: They don’t know what the term “evidence-based practice” really means. They are confusing the concepts of “evidence-based practice” with the concept of…

Banned from Pam Marshalla’s Seminars

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I am a CFY and my supervisor will not let me attend your seminars because she says that you teach oral-motor techniques for which there is no proof. I need help with the lateral lisp and the distorted R. What can I tell her to convince her to let me go? First of all, what right does your supervisor have to determine which continuing education seminars you can and cannot attend? Why are you giving her this power over…

Picking on Young Therapists

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I have been a little put off by your comments about the beliefs of young therapists. As I am sure you realize, everyone starts out as a “young therapist” at one time. Your comments do little to support your new peers in the field. I realize that what you say might accurately portray some “young therapists.” Would you also agree that this is not always the case? It is a challenge for new therapists to establish trust with a…

Exercise Routines

By Pam Marshalla

Q: Which of your books do you suggest for teaching me the number of repetitions or the amount of seconds for engaging in oral-motor exercises? I do not teach oral-motor as if it was an exercise routine; I teach oral-motor techniques to facilitate sound production. Therefore, none of my books will give you that type of information. I do no measures of number of trials, or number of seconds, etc.. Instead I teach how to facilitate a movement to achieve…

“Believing” in “Oral Motor” – Lighten up!

By Pam Marshalla

Q: My supervisor will not let me use oral-motor techniques. She says there is no research to support them. What are your thoughts? First I say, “Ho-hum!” Aren’t we tired of this argument yet? Isn’t it time to get past this ridiculous war of words? Let’s lighten up! To by-pass “the oral-motor war,” I have been using the term “mouth movement” lately, as in: If you don’t believe in “oral-motor techniques,” fine. That’s okay. It’s not a religion any way….

Evidence-Based Practice and Controversy Over My Work

By Pam Marshalla

Q: The lead SLP at my agency will not allow me to attend Pam Marshalla’s workshop on R therapy. She feels that Pam’s book suggests an oral motor approach that is not evidence-based. I think there is some confusion in our profession about the difference between placement techniques and oral motor exercises as a isolated activity. I work for a progressive educational agency that seems to be running scared of any controversial terms. Honestly, the amount of misunderstanding about oral…