Speech therapy is a good tool to improve language delays or language problems in children and the elderly. With certain exercises you will get a lot further in the language. You can use the exercises in this article to prepare for speech therapy, or to give your child extra stimulation in the language. In this article: making transitions.
Transition phase
Making transitions is also called the transition phase. The transition phase has nothing to do with a child’s development, but with making a transition between vowels and consonants. This is done step by step using clear pictures. During the transition phase it is important that the child can first learn the vowels and consonants. Therefore, practice these separately. You do this using pictures.
For example, to practice the S, show a picture of a snake. The snake says ssssss. Have the child repeat this. In the beginning the S may be long, but later you make it shorter. For the P you can use a picture of a candle, because when you blow out the candle you often hear P. For the F you use a picture of a balloon, because blowing up a balloon gives the F. Try this for all consonants and vowels to come up with a picture. If you don’t know anything, you can also take an initial letter from a picture. Don’t forget to practice the oe, ei (ij), au and the double vowels such as aa, oo, uu, etc.
Making transitions
In the transition phase we connect vowels and consonants together, so that they form one whole and become clear as a word. We also do this using pictures. Always use the same pictures to make it clear. So if you use a hose for the S, you may not later use a bicycle tire for the S, as this will cause confusion.
Place two pictures next to each other that together form a word. Keep it very simple in the beginning by using no more than two pictures. For example, the word OP. Use the O and the P for this and place them next to each other. Point to the picture with the O and say, ,O., Have the child repeat this. Then point to the picture of the P and say ,P,. The child also repeats this. Be careful not to say ,Pee, instead of ,P,.
Keep repeating this, trying it faster and faster, so that the child can eventually say ,OP., If the child relapses or it is too confusing, take a step back and start slowly again. Don’t repeat it too many times in a row: three times is enough. Then take another picture for variety. Small children are easily distracted.
Other words
More words to practice are:
- AA-P (monkey)
- AS (axle)
- EI-S (eis or ice)
- LA (la)
- B-OE (boo)
- UI-T (off)
- UI-L (owl)
- GO (go)
Come up with short words that are not too difficult. Always use a consonant (M, S, K, T) and a vowel (I, E, A) or a double sound (oe, ie ui, ee).
Making it harder
It becomes more difficult when you start using SCH, NG, ST and other compound consonants. Only use this if the child also knows it. So don’t practice words like ST-A if the child can’t even say ST.