If narrative language intervention is one of the pillars of your therapy, then you’re going to love what I have for you. As much as I love teaching narrative language, I always struggled to find enough stories to feed the therapy machine. A couple of years ago, in a somewhat desperate state of mind, I took pencil in hand and drew my own stories, featuring Wanda Witch. My clients loved the Wanda stories, despite my rudimentary drawing. Wanda Witch was soon followed by the Tony character, then Pet...
Sep 18, 2024•15 min•Season 5Ep. 103
No doubt you've noticed how our role as SLPs overlaps with other professions. Collaboration is highly desirable of course, but sometimes roles overlap so much as to be almost indistinguishable. It can be a disconcerting feeling - as though the earth has moved beneath your feet! Today, Denise Stratton, a veteran pediatric speech-language pathologist, tackles the confusion and frustration that can arise in this multifaceted field. Join us as we explore the root causes of speech and language disord...
Jun 13, 2024•18 min•Season 5Ep. 102
Stepping into a job interview is intimidating for many of us, but when you're a teen or young adult with a communication disorder, it can feel overwhelming. On the Speech Umbrella podcast, we tackle this subject head-on, with my husband, Dan Stratton, bringing his IT management and interview expertise to the table. One of Dan's passions is helping young adults in their career searches and interviews. Together we demystify the interview process, transforming it from a daunting task into an exciti...
Feb 21, 2024•40 min•Season 5Ep. 101
To mark the 100th episode, Dan (our business manager) interviews Denise about her favorite episodes, the beginnings of the podcast, and what the future holds for The Speech Umbrella. --- Useful Links --- Free Resource Library Where Everybody Knows Your Name Interview with Char Boshart Interview with Dr. Shereen Lim To Infinity and Beyond The Power of Too Follow the Narrative Road The Conversation Game Phonological Awareness Tracking Tool Impossible R Made Possible Simple Tools Interview with Dr....
Dec 13, 2023•31 min•Season 5Ep. 100
Don’t we hear some of the funniest, wisest, all around best things from children? Here’s a collection of some my best moments with clients in 2023. Enjoy Kids Say the BEST Things, 2023. --- Useful Links --- Emoji Handout Empowering Children with Autism Through Natural Language Acquisition Essential Language for Autism Open Doors A Parent, A Child, and Autism Kids Say the Best Things 2022 Music: Simple Gifts performed by Ted Yoder , used with permission...
Nov 29, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 99
Unleash the power of storytelling on your child's developmental journey! Join us as we explore the transformative influence of family narratives on children. Based on the research of Robin Fivush and Marshall P. Duke, we reveal the multitude of benefits kids reap when they know their family tales. Their resilience, self-esteem, and social skills see a significant boost. More than that, we consider how these stories can be effectively integrated into therapy, serving as instruments to enhance epi...
Nov 15, 2023•29 min•Season 5Ep. 98
Ever wondered how to effectively enhance language development in children with autism? The Speech Umbrella's 97th episode is here to illuminate your path! I'm Denise Stratton, and I'll be unpacking the power of child-centered approaches like Natural Language Acquisition (NLA), explaining how it helps build spontaneous and generative language. We'll decode complex terms such as Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs), Analytic Language Processors (ALPs), and Developmental Sentence Scoring (DSS) using ...
Nov 01, 2023•17 min•Season 5Ep. 97
Do you ever wonder just what your data is telling you, and how to use your data to help your clients progress? If so, then this episode is tailor made for you! In part two of Leading and Lagging Indicators you’ll learn about some therapy ideas for measuring leading indicators. Leading indicators are so helpful, because they predict future success and help us chart the way forward with our clients. --- Useful Links --- Leading and Lagging Indicators, Part One Body Awareness Fun Deck Orange is a C...
Oct 18, 2023•12 min•Season 5Ep. 96
Are you curious about how leading and lagging indicators, concepts borrowed from the business world, can revolutionize your speech therapy practice? That's precisely what I explore in this episode. From predicting future outcomes to measuring past success, I'll guide you on how these indicators can boost your effectiveness and transform therapy results. We discuss relatable examples from various fields and how, with accurate measurements, these indicators can be harnessed for maximum impact. ---...
Oct 04, 2023•13 min•Season 5Ep. 95
Have you ever wondered how the simple word ‘too’ can shape a child’s comprehension of the world around them? Join me, your host Denise Stratton, as I delve into the unexpected depths of language and transform this overlooked adverb into a powerful tool for understanding, comparisons, and explanations. I’ll be dissecting the multifaceted role of ‘too’ in language development and sharing practical ideas for employing it in speech therapy. Explore with me why mastering this word is vital for childr...
Sep 20, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 94
Tired of feeling perplexed by nasal air emission and phoneme-specific nasal emission? We’ve got you covered in this enlightening episode! We’ll unravel these complex issues that often trip up even the most experienced SLPs, providing you with a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies. Expect to gain a clearer understanding as we dissect hypernasality, nasal air emission, and phoneme-specific nasal emission, shedding light on how to distinguish and treat these conditions effectively. Through...
Sep 06, 2023•15 min•Season 5Ep. 93
Prepare to unravel the mysteries of airway health as we journey into the realm of healthy sleep and jaw development with our distinguished guest, Dr. Shereen Lim, a dentist specializing in this unique field. We’ll shine a light on intriguing topics such as the impact of breastfeeding on muscle development and airway health, and the significance of early intervention. Harnessing Dr. Lim’s expertise, we’ll venture into discussions about common problems like breastfeeding issues, reflux symptoms, s...
Aug 23, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 92
Ready to uncover the magic of playtime and how it can fuel your child’s language development? Join me, Denise Stratton, an experienced pediatric speech-language pathologist, as I reveal my top 10 toy picks for therapy with the preschool/kindergarten age group. These game and activities are perfect for both articulation and language therapy better, and they meet my three criteria for therapy toys and activities: Lots of attributes to talk about Plenty of opportunities to talk about location and u...
Aug 09, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 91
Imagine transforming the world of speech therapy by bringing it outdoors and combining it with the joys of preschool! That's exactly what Lisa Boyce has done with her unique outdoor preschool, Garden Gate Preschool. When Lisa moved her preschool outdoors during Covid, she discovered how much better children became at self regulation. In fact, the results were so fantastic she decided to keep her preschool outside. Here are some topics we explore in this interview: Outdoor learning environments a...
Jul 26, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 90
Do you ever wonder how closely motor and language development are intertwined in children? Discerning the subtle ties between these two fundamental areas can be profoundly insightful, especially for those of us in the field of pediatric speech-language pathology! I am Denise Stratton, bringing you episode 89 of the Speech Umbrella, as we delve deep into this fascinating correlation, especially concerning children with autism. Drawing from a wealth of research, we underscore the reality that lang...
Jul 12, 2023•14 min•Season 5Ep. 89
Ever wondered how a deeper understanding of brain plasticity could revolutionize your language therapy sessions? Join me as I share my key takeaways from Norman Doidge's eye-opening book, "The Brain That Changes Itself", and how we can harness the power of brain plasticity to create more effective and efficient therapy practices. Discover how roadblocks can pave the way for new brain maps, the significance of clear signals in information retention, and why focused attention is indispensable for ...
Jun 28, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 88
Having a stash of fun and effective games for therapy you can turn to at a moment’s notice is standard practice for pediatric SLPs. But sometimes we end up buying a game that’s not so great—it’s not fun, takes too long to set up, doesn’t have enough practice opportunities, is finicky to play . . . the list goes on. Those games get shoved to the back of the closet quickly. To save you time and money investing in not-so-great games, I’ve rounded up nine of my favorite games. In this episode I desc...
Jun 14, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 87
Even with the many AAC resources out there, the pathway for those with complex communication needs is not always clear cut. We all want our clients who use AAC to make that leap to becoming proficient communicators. Understanding more about how they learn is one way to help them progress, and that’s what this episode is about. It covers: • Core and fringe vocabular • Stages of motor learning • Meeting sensory and language needs simultaneously • Descriptive teaching By the way— descriptive teachi...
May 31, 2023•15 min•Season 5Ep. 86
As speech therapists we know the value of early intervention, and judging by the increase in toddlers on my case load, parents understand the value too. But—therapy with a two year old ain’t no picnic! A cranky two year old who wants to do things their way, doesn’t want help, and can’t communicate well makes for a trying therapy session. What can help us understand two year old behavior better? Play schemas! Play schemas help toddlers make sense of the world, and they involve a fair amount of ba...
May 17, 2023•15 min•Season 5Ep. 85
Great ideas for speech therapy materials abound, time to make them does not. That’s why The Speech Umbrella has a Free Resource Library for SLPs on the front lines. In the ever growing library you’ll find material for articulation, autism, clinic management, early listening and phonological awareness, fluency, and oral and written language. This episode takes you on a tour of some of my favorite resources in the library. Tune in and find the resource you’ve been looking for to make your clinical...
May 03, 2023•15 min•Season 5Ep. 84
I used to have this burning question when I starting working with young autistic clients— How do I get an interaction going when this little human clearly wants nothing to do with me? Sound familiar? Let’s face it, young children on the spectrum are a tough crowd, and that old uninvited friend, the imposter syndrome, returns. The saying “ You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink, " applies here—you can set up a great therapy session but you can’t make them interact or attend. S...
Apr 19, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 83
This episode describes using movie making to teach inferencing and perspective taking. Just learning the language to express different perspectives is challenging, let alone understanding theory of mind. One way to tackle this gordian knot is through movie making and narration. Clients get a kick out of making movies, and SLP’s get a kick out of the extensive learning taking place. The episode covers: • Choosing the book to turn into a movie • Setting- promoting a thorough understanding • Narrat...
Apr 05, 2023•21 min•Season 5Ep. 82
R can be a challenging sound to treat. We SLPs know R is a tricky sound, we know it involves complex oral motor skill, and we don’t want to forget phonological awareness. But how do all of these skills fit together? What are the first and next steps? This episode continues a conversation on a balanced approach to R therapy, and is part two of a two part discussion. Check out the vocalic R freebie at thespeechumbrella.com/free ! --- Useful Links --- Impossible R Made Possible Digging Into Stabili...
Mar 22, 2023•22 min•Season 5Ep. 81
R can be a challenging sound to treat. We SLPs know R is a tricky sound, we know it involves complex oral motor skill, and we don’t want to forget phonological awareness. But how do all of these skills fit together? What are the first and next steps? This episode begins a conversation on a balanced approach to R therapy, and is part one of a two part discussion. Check out the vocalic R freebie at thespeechumbrella.com/free ! ----- Useful Links ------ Impossible R Made Possible Digging Into Stabi...
Mar 08, 2023•15 min•Season 5Ep. 80
Episode 79 is an interview with Char Boshart. Char is the president of Speech Dynamics, an author of several books, and a presenter. Char has a deep understanding of the fundamentals of oral motor movement. If you know oral motor techniques work but are at a loss to explain why, Char has the answers. In this interview we discuss: stability and mobility the human tongue oral resting posture carryover of articulation a new way to categorize phonemes Useful Links Speech Dynamics Motor Phonetics Hum...
Feb 22, 2023•55 min•Season 5Ep. 79
Starting hard conversations with parents and clients is so much easier when you know how to say difficult things honestly and gracefully. Here’s where the right turn of phrase, examples, and analogies smooth the way. What this episode has to offer: finding the right words to introduce difficult topics Join me under the umbrella for tips on talking about Frequent absences and no-shows Insurance issues Dismissal Parents in the therapy room Suspected co-morbid conditions (like autism) Realistic tim...
Feb 08, 2023•19 min•Season 5Ep. 78
Some clinical skills are difficult to teach at the university, and one of those is how to establish client-parent-clinician rapport, otherwise known as your “bedside manner.” This episode explores six ways therapists can show they really care. They are: • Read the room • Mindful conversation • Do your work • Perspective taking • Own your mistakes • Stay mindful until the end As SLPs, communication is supposed to be our strong point, but these skills take time and experience to develop. Because t...
Jan 25, 2023•14 min•Season 5Ep. 77
Task Oriented Movement Activities support executive function. Activities that meet the criteria for TOM activities have: • Multiple steps • A problem to be solved • A plan • Opportunities to reflect and record • Variations Seeing how to implement these activities is helpful, so this episode can be viewed on Youtube, in addition to listening on your regular podcast platform. Check out the freebies in the Free Resource Library—one for planning task orientated movement activities and one for reflec...
Jan 11, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 76
Don’t we hear some of the funniest, wisest, all around best things from children? Here’s a collection of some my funniest moments with clients in 2022. Enjoy Kids Say the BEST Things, 2022.
Dec 28, 2022•8 min•Season 4Ep. 75
Has it ever come to you in a startling, clear as a bell moment, that one of you clients has totally missed, skipped, and never even approached a skill they need in order to master the skill you’re trying to teach? Do you have a client who: • struggles with curiosity • lacks complex language development • has a very narrow range of interests If so, it’s worth exploring whether they went through the development stage of asking “why?” This episode explores how to approach teaching “why?” with a sch...
Dec 14, 2022•18 min•Season 4Ep. 74
