Tools for Therapy Archives - Page 5 of 6 - Marshalla Speech & Language

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Articulation Therapy In the Public Schools

By Pam Marshalla

This opinion paper was originally posted as a downloadable PDF on my website, authored in September, 2010. Download the original PDF here. *** Articulation Therapy In the Public Schools Some of today’s public schools are trying to eliminate articulation therapy for mild cases from their school programs because it is believed that these errors do not impact education. However, throughout the history of western civilization, there have been three ways to measure ones level of intelligence and success in education. These…

Fixing the Nasalized R

By Pam Marshalla

Q: Can you give me ideas about how to help a boy who is making R out his nose? He has no other velopharyngeal problems. This is what I do: Use a tube that stretches from the child’s mouth to his ear. Teach him to listen to the oral sound of several vowels. Then stretch the tube from his nose to his ear. Teach him to hear the nasal sound that emerges when he says M, N, and Ng. Then…

Fixing the Inhaled R

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I have a nine-year-old client who inhales as she tries to say R. I have never seen this before. Do you know how to address this? There is a very simple old-time solution for this using a straw, a few sheets of tissue paper, and a few small cotton balls: Teach About Exhalation Place a cotton ball on the table and give the child the straw to hold at her mouth. Have the child blow through the straw at…

Exhaling Appropriately During Speech

By Pam Marshalla

Q: My inattentive three-year-old client suddenly has begun talking on both exhalation and inhalation. Do you have any suggestions to promote proper breathing for speech? The airflow toys can help teach young children all about the direction of airflow. These include horns, whistles, kazoos, harmonicas, sirens, and spirometers. A toy that works upon exhalation only (horn, whistle) can teach a child about moving air outward. Teach him “Blow out.” (These toys will not sound when inhaled.) A toy that works…

Stimulating L

By Pam Marshalla

Q: How do you teach L for a client who cannot do it at all? These are the types of things I do in whatever order fits the needs of the client: Primitive Movement Teach a primitive L that is made with jaw movement. Have the client stick out his tongue-tip so that it sits between the teeth, and then have him move the jaw up-and-down. This is going to sound and look like the way a baby “lolls” –…

Lip Trainer

By Pam Marshalla

Q: Do you know anything about the Lip Trainer? Do you think it has any uses in articulation therapy? I have not used a Lip Trainer, however, it looks just like another version of the Lip Gym, which I have used to increase action of the orbicularis oris (OO). These types of devices can be used to facilitate action of the OO. Two basic methods of muscle stimulation are employed: Stretching and Resistance. Stretching A muscle is stretched to activate…

Speech Buddies

By Pam Marshalla

Q: What do you think of Speech Buddies? I have a set of Speech Buddies here that the creators sent to me for comment. They are a beautiful set of articulation tools. Speech Buddies are part of our return to the “phonetic placement technique” as described by Van Riper. He wrote the following: “For centuries, speech correctionists have used diagrams, applicators, and instruments to ensure appropriate tongue, jaw, and lip placement. [These] phonetic placement methods are indispensable tools in the speech…

Assessing Direction of Airstream in a Unilateral Lisp

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I have a client with a unilateral lisp. I have noted symmetrical facial posture at rest and non-speech tasks. However he exhibits a unilateral retraction of his cheek that corresponds to his lateralization. I realize that lateralized productions reflect the tongue position more than the cheek position, but I am trying to determine what is happening inside the mouth during these times. How do I tell what he is doing with his tongue? As you have rightly surmised, cheek…

Standardized Oral Motor (OM) Tests

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I need information on evaluating oral-motor skills in school age articulation/phonological cases as well as appropriate oral-motor exercises/goals for educational IEP’s/settings. The only test I know of that will give you a standard score for oral motor skills is my test called the MOST — The Marshalla Oral-Sensorimotor Test. It is available through SuperDuper Publications. The MOST was normed on kids 4;0 – 7;11. It will give you individual scores for jaw, lips, tongue, velum, respiration, phonation, and oscillating oral movements….

Vibration

By Pam Marshalla

Q: I am currently working with infants in a multidisciplinary team. The motor therapists are inclined to recommend vibration for oral motor issues. I would like your recommendations regarding the use of oral vibration for kids with low oral tone who have tongue protrusion, decreased speech intelligibility, and difficulty managing food. What are our best practice guidelines for the use of vibration? Any information you have would be very helpful to me. I know of no “best practices guidelines” for…