Speech and Language Kids Podcast

Are you working with a child who has A LOT of speech errors?
Then you're going to love the Cycles Approach to Phonology.
Instead of working on one sound at a time, you cycle through many sounds to help them make faster progress with their intelligibility.
But this program can be a bit overwhelming to try to implement at first.
In this episode of the Speech and Language Kids Podcast, I'm giving you a simplified version of the program that you can use in therapy today.
Listen to my simplified walkthrough and then go grab the free screener at www.SpeechAndLanguageKids.com/cycles

Working on the /r/ sound? Having trouble helping a child or teen pronounce it clearly?
Don't worry! I'm putting together my best strategies for eliciting the /r/ sound in speech therapy or at home. I'll show you how to find their natural tongue position for /r/ as well as strategies for eliciting both the tip up and the bunched /r/ versions.
Looking for materials? Download our free /r/ Elicitation Pack here: https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/rsound

Free CV, VC, CVC Flashcards now available at https://www.SpeechAndLanguageKids.com/CVC
Children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) or other motor speech disorders have trouble stringing sounds together to say words. For these children, we can start by teaching shorter words in speech therapy sessions.
In today's episode of the Speech and Language Kids podcast, I'll show you how to use our free CV, VC, and CVC word flashcards to help a child with CAS or motor speech disorder to speak short words and gradually increase their ability to speak longer utterances as well.

What Does an AAC Session Actually Look Like? (1:1, Group, Classroom, Home & More)
Ever wonder how an AAC lesson changes when you move from the therapy room to the grocery store? In this episode, I take one AAC lesson, targeting the core word "help," and walk you through it in six real-world settings: 1:1 therapy, small groups, self-contained classrooms, at home, out in public, and push-in to a general ed classroom.
You'll hear a quick recap of my 8-step AAC lesson framework, then practical ideas for each setting, like:
Setting up communication temptations (tight jars, wind-up toys, and flipped batteries!)

Using one shared core board in groups so peers become models and helpers

Building "help" into classroom routines and giving every staff member a role

Coaching parents to pick just 2–3 daily moments, without turning it into a battle

Going portable in the community with keychain cards and low-tech boards

Embedding AAC into a gen ed lesson so your student participates with classmates, not apart from them

The big takeaway: you don't need a brand-new lesson plan for every setting. Same word, same steps, different setup.
🎁 Grab the free "help" lesson and AAC board: www.SpeechAndLanguageKids.com/help Already a member? It's waiting for you inside The Full Hub!

"How do I teach problem solving?" is one of the questions I get asked most, and it's a tricky one, because problem solving isn't just one skill. Kids have to work through disagreements with friends, figure out puzzles, advocate for themselves when they need help, and break big tasks into manageable pieces. So instead of teaching each type separately, this episode gives you one simple framework that works across all of them.
In this episode, you'll learn the 5 steps:
Name it

Brainstorm ideas

Think through the ideas and choose one (pros, cons, and what might happen)

Try it

Did it work? If not, go back to step 2

I'll also walk you through how to teach the framework, including introducing the steps, posting a visual, practicing with pretend scenarios, and bringing it up naturally when real problems pop up. You'll hear how social stories can help the skill stick, plus practical activity ideas like building a LEGO bridge over a drawn river, pausing a storybook to brainstorm solutions for the characters, and working through social scenarios together.
Inside Speech and Language Kids, members can grab our Navigating Disagreements social story and use our AI tools to create custom social stories and social scenarios for their students.
Perfect for SLPs, educators, and parents who want a simple, flexible way to help kids become more independent problem solvers.