Early Communication Development
Language
Development
Augmentative
Alternative
Communication
Social
Communication
Difficulties
Literacy
Development
Speech
Sound
Development
Early Communication Development
For children who are yet to develop intentional communication skills. Early communication skills are important for later language development, and form the foundation for functional and meaningful communication. We can help your child develop their early communication skills using fun and motivating interactions and play, targeting such areas as joint-attention, turn-taking, and imitation.
Language Development
Language is the use of sounds, signs, or written symbols to communicate and express ourselves. We can help develop if your child has difficulty with:
Receptive Language
Understanding of language, such as following conversation and instructions and understanding questions, concepts, and stories.
Expressive Language
Use of language to express our ideas, thoughts, and feelings, communicate our wants and needs, connect socially with others, and convey information.
When children experience language difficulties, they may have trouble:
-
Understanding and using a range of words including nouns (names of objects, e.g. "window"), verbs (action words, e.g. "climb"), and adjectives (describing words e.g. "clean")
-
Following simple and complex directions or instructions
-
Finding the right words to say
-
Formulating cohesive and coherent sentences
-
Remembering what people say to them
Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC)
AAC stands for augmentative alternative communication. It refers to strategies, any device, system, or method that improves a person's ability to communicate effectively. It enhances speech or provides a completely different means of communication including sign language, gestures, or additional tools such as communication books, pictures, symbols, and devices. It can provide a means of communication for people who have difficulty with verbal communication or for whom speech is not always their primary mode of communication.
For children with complex communication needs, our goal is to establish
communication autonomy. It has to consider all of the different communication functions, including:
-
Expressing needs and wants
-
Exchanging information
-
Developing social closeness
-
Expressing their personality
-
Sharing ideas and opinions
-
Expressing emotions
-
Participating in everyday activities
Social Communication Difficulties
Social communication contributes significantly to social competence - the capacity to fulfil our needs and meet expectations in social interactions.
There are many skills involved with social competence, including:
-
Language skills
-
Social skills
-
Initiating, maintaining, or ending conversations
-
Critical thinking and problem-solving
-
Emotional regulation
-
Perspective-taking and empathy
-
Understanding context and "the bigger picture"
-
Memory and attention
Intervention for social communication difficulties involves building skills in the above areas through a relational approach.
Literacy Development
Developing literacy skills involve building the knowledge and skills in:
-
Phonemic awareness: identifying and manipulating individual sounds in spoken words
-
Phonics: decoding words using knowledge of letter-sound relationships
-
Fluency: reading with speed and accuracy
-
Vocabulary: knowing the meaning of a variety of words
-
Comprehension: understanding the meaning and purpose of the text
-
Oral language: the foundation for literacy skills, encompassing receptive and expressive language.