Talk With Me | Anglophone North School District

Early Language Services

Posted: July 10, 2019

You, Me and Mother Goose at Esgenoopititj

You,Me and Mother Goose-Spring 2019 at Esgenoopititj Head Start concluded On June 13, 2019. Each of the children will recieve certificates of participation and the one mom who attended faithfully each week will recieve a special certificate of appreciation for her efforts.

Head Start in Esgenoopititj has been a long time partner with Talk With Me and especially of the You, Me and Mother Goose program. The staff have certainly developed an appreciation of the value of ryhme, song and story. They use the same to motivate the children, encourage their development and cement the bond between caregiver and child. For example the Mother Goose standard, Tiny Tim the Turtle, is now included as part of the classroom routine alongside songs like Clean Up, Clean Up to remind children that the day is ready to begin and that toys have to be cleared away. Down on the Corner, a newer song for the group, is becoming a favorite way to introduce the names of children during circle time. Children love to hear their name especially when it is part of a song or rhyme!

Mother Goose at Esgenoopititj is also a unique learning opportunity for me, the facilitator, as I have the opportunity to hear some of the words to our songs and rhymes expressed in Micmac language. Granted not all translate very easily but the children and teachers teach me a word or two as we progress through the program. For example, "muin" the MicMac word for "bear" came up during past sessions and again during this session as we learned the song Grr, Grr Went the Little Brown Bear and Two Little Black Bears.

While the children appear to enjoy most of the songs and rhymes their favourites continue to be the action ryhmes which include lap songs and bouncy rhymes, e.g. Popcorn,Popcorn and Smooth Road; These, I think, are the kind of rhymes that really help encourage the bond between child and caregiver because there is respectful touch, shared laughter, smiles, lots of eye contact and simple fun.

Please find the following words to one of Head Start's favorite rhymes. Just a cautionary note, the heavier the child the more your thighs are going to ache!

With your little one on your knee, your legs stretched out in front...Popcorn,Popcorn sizzling in the pan, Shake it up, shake it up! Bam,bam,bam. Popcorn,popcorn its getting really hot! Popcorn,Popcorn, POP! POP! POP!

All Smiles at Baby Massage!

Posted: June 13, 2019

All smiles after participating in a Baby Massage class with their moms! Research shows that massage nurtures babies’ psychological,...

Posted: May 30, 2019

Preschool Speech & Language Quiz

Preschool Speech and Language True & False Quiz

To end off “May is Better Speech & Hearing Month”, check out our Preschool Speech & Language Quiz and learn more about a child’s communication development. Contact Talk With Me at 1-888-623-6363 for more information.

1. Approximately 1 in 10 Canadians have a speech, language or hearing problem.

TRUE: For example, 10% of the general population, 20% of those over 65 and 40% of those over 75 have a significant hearing problem www.caslpa.ca

2. The number of cases of ear infections is highest in children from 6 to 12 months.

TRUE: Studies have shown that 80% of infants have had at least one ear infection by 12 months of age. www.msha.ca

3. 25 – 50% of ear infections with fluid in the middle ear are “silent” meaning there are no symptoms that tell you your child has an ear infection.

TRUE: There are “acute” ear infections that can be painful; then there are ear infections with fluid in the middle ear that we may not know about. This type of ear infection is usually associated with a thick fluid in the middle ear that affects the way we hear sound. During this time, a mild hearing loss can occur – and one study found that 60% of the time, parents are unaware of a hearing problem in a child with an ear infection. Watch for signs such as a child who is inattentive, pulls or scratches at their ears, is irritable or listless. www.nlaslpa.ca

4. Noisy toys such as talking phones, toy radios and squeaky toys can cause hearing loss.

TRUE: Literature recommends a safe noise level of 70 dB. Some squeaky toys have been measured at over 100 dB and young children often play with them right at their ear. Cap guns and firecrackers have been measured at over 150 dB and can cause instant and permanent hearing loss. www.msha.ca

5. An estimated 10% of preschoolers stutter.

FALSE: Approximately 4% of preschool age children stutter. Children will often go through a period of normal dysfluency where they sound like they are stuttering. If you have concerns, please talk to a speech-language pathologist who can help you determine when the dyfluencies are “normal” and when they could be the start of a more serious problem. www.caslpa.ca

6. A good way to help a child who is stuttering is to tell them to slow down and think before they talk.

FALSE: Telling a child to “slow down” or “think” before they talk makes them feel like they are doing something “wrong” and can actually lead to more serious stuttering. A better technique is to give the child lots of time to get the words out and to respond to WHAT they are saying, not HOW they are saying it. www.caslpa.ca

7. Often children say their first word by their first birthday.

TRUE: However, children’s language develops at different rates. For some strategies & activities that help “start” the words coming, contact the “Talk with Me” 1-888-623-6363 (Hanen Early Language program, www.hanen.org)

8. It is common for children to only have a few words by 2 years of age.

FALSE: For the “average” child, we would expect to hear:

· From 25 – 200 words by 18 months and some two word phrases

· From 100 – 475 words by 24 months

(from the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories)

Consider contacting a speech-language pathologist if you are hearing:

· Fewer than 18 words by 18 months

· Fewer than 100 words and/or no two word combinations by 24 months.

(A. Wetherby, 2000; P. Hadley, Hanen Early Language Program, 2004)

9. 75% of children who are delayed talkers (good understanding but not saying many words yet) will grow out of it by the time they start school.

TRUE: However, this means that 25% of children will not grow out of it. If you have concerns your child is delayed, don’t let them be that 1 in 4 who are still delayed by the time they reach school; contact a speech and language pathologist to discuss your child’s speech and language development. It’s never too early to start. (Agin, Geng & Nicholl, 2003)

10. It is okay for people to not understand your preschooler’s speech.

FALSE: Generally, people not as familiar with your child’s speech should be able to:

Understand at least 50% of what a 2 year old says
Understand at least 75% of what a 3 year old says
Understand at least 90-95% of what a 4 year old says
Understand 100% of what a 5 year old says

Call “Talk With Me” to talk with one of our Speech-Language Pathologists

if you have questions or concerns about your child’s speech or language development.

Don’t Wait & See, Call “Talk With Me” – 1-888-623-6363.

Posted: May 23, 2019

Bond to Literacy in Esgenoopetitj

We are in week three of the Bond to Literacy program at Tiny Treasures Day Care Centre in Esgenoopetitj. Week one saw the children(mostly two and three year olds) looking at the pictures in the book "Niwechihaw". This book is about a grandmother and grandson who travel to the woods to pick rosehips for traditional medecines. We talked about the noises we would hear on a walk in the woods and what objects we could put in our baskets as we walked. After our story and discussion the children turned their efforts to decorating paper baskets with assorted stickers and/or crayons.

At week two we looked at the book "Ancient Thunder", a story about the beautiful, beloved horses of the Blackfoot Nation. We talked about colours, animals that run like or with horses and about the regalia featured on each page. The children were especially curious to examine horse feed, some even ate the tasty oats and corn sweetened with molasses! And they marvelled at the necklace crafted from beads and small bells intended to be worn around the horse's neck to alert other animals, people and ward off evil spirits. Our story was folowed by a fun craft where the children got to decorate their very own horses. These we fashioned from cardstock and clothespins!

As we enter week three the story of "Eddie Longpants" will be introduced. It is a story about a boy who is teased due to his height. However Eddie's height proves to be a most valuable asset near the end of the story. It will be for most of the children their very first story about inclusion. The supporting craft ties in with the concept of short and tall. The children will be decorating a giraffe by gluing fabric shapes on a template. This should prove interesting as we've been avoiding glue to this point. Just imagine a glue bottle in the hands of two year olds. It will be all hands on deck for this activity!

Week four will see the conclusion of this program with the story of "Amos' Sweater". It is a story about an old sheep who looks for a way to get his wool back. The children will hear all kind of words that describe "feelings" , example; old,tired, cold, angry etc. We'll be making our very own sheep from paper plates and cotton balls. And we'll have a little closing ceremony where each of the children will recieve a certificate of participation and we hope a set of books.

Posted: May 15, 2019

May is Speech and Hearing Month - Coloring Contest!

Hello everyone, May is Speech and Hearing Month! Speech-Language and Audiology Canada (SAC) has a coloring contest that ends June 1st for a chance to win a $100 gift card for Chapters/Indigo!

Here's the link - all you have to do is scroll down to "KId's Contest" to find the right coloring sheet for your child (there are three age groups: 5 and under, 6-8, and 9-11 years old), print it, have your child color it, and then scan and email it to julie@sac-oac.ca by June 1st, 2019!

Good luck!

https://speechandhearing.ca/kids-hub/

May 14th is "Apraxia Awareness Day"

Posted: May 14, 2019

May 14th is "Apraxia Awareness Day"

"Childhood apraxia of speech is a rare but severe motor speech disorder that affects less than 1% of children."- Speech-Language & Audiology

...

May is Speech and Hearing Month and This is Who We Are!

Posted: May 10, 2019

If you are having difficulty seeing or reading the poster, here is a link to the original:

https://speechandhearing.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SLPs_Who-we-are_i...

March Activities

Posted: March 13, 2019

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Posted: February 27, 2019

Communication Before the First Words

You can help build your babies’ communication skills as soon as they are born by talking and responding to them throughout the day.

Copy the sounds/movements they make, say what you think they would say (i.e. "interpret"), or talk about what is happening around you! By adding lots of language to your day, you can help your baby learn their first words! Add emphasis to the key words so that they know that the word is important.

You can respond to…

Their movements/gestures

Baby: Moves their arms side to side and jumps up and down after seeing their favorite food.

Adult: Waves their arms and says "Avocado!", “Yummy avocado!”, "Let's eat avocado!"

What they are looking at

Baby: Looks at a bird outside the window.

Adult: Waves towards the window and says, "There's a bird! Hello bird!”

What they might be feeling (ex. tired, sad, hungry, happy, surprised, scared...)

Baby: Yawns and his eyes are slowly shutting.

Adult: Pretends to yawn and says, “You’re so tired!”

The sounds they are making

Baby: Says “Baaaaaaaa” during bath time while splashing the water.

Adult: Splashes the water, copies the sound "baaaa", or says “Bubbles!”, "Bath time"

Have fun!

Contact us if you would like to learn more about early communication milestones and language stimulation strategies! Our toll free number is 1-888-623-6363.

Posted: February 6, 2019

Sensory Bins

Young children love to play with sensory bins. They are a lot of fun and you can create bins for various themes or everyday bins. To make your own sensory bin, begin with a medium to large sturdy plastic container. Select a filler such as beans, rice, pasta, shredded paper, or any other material that would be fun to feel. Include a couple of "tools." Children love spoons of all sizes, measuring cups, and small shovels. With Valentine's Day approaching, try making a sensory including objects related to Valentine's Day. You can add things like heart-shaped stickers, blocks, small and large foam pieces, stirring sticks, glitter wands, beads, bracelets, squishy fidgets, muffin papers, and small cups. Be creative! But also be safe! Carefully supervise any child who still mouths objects to prevent choking

Sensory bins can be used to address a variety of goals in therapy. Here are some ideas.

A child will:

1. Build attention and participation. Include objects you know will appeal to a child's sensory preferences. If he’s a visual kid, pick cool things for him to look at and explore. If he's a kid who likes to pinch and pull, add squishy fidget toys.

2. Exhibit joint attention. Make yourself at least as fun as the stuff! Sit across from him and interject yourself into his space. Play along to keep yourself relevant.

3. Imitate actions to increase reciprocity and turn taking. Provide two sets of tools - one for him and one for you - so that you can dig as he digs and pour as he pours.

4. Find new ways to regulate his sensory system. Busy kids calm down with these tactile activities. Flat kids rev up their low arousal systems.

5. Improve cognitive skills. Include sets of small objects for sorting, matching, or counting (ugh!). Add separate cups for each set of material you'll sort.

6. Demonstrate fine motor skills. Stir. Pour. Scoop. This is super practice for kids who are also working on self-feeding. You can also practice all of those pre-writing skills - peel paper off stickers, operate tongs, stack smaller blocks, etc...

7. Understand new words. Go beyond labeling the nouns! Target new comprehension targets with prepositions (in, out, on, off, under), new verbs (pat, squeeze, squish, scoop, dig, dump, pour, shake, hide, etc...), and new descriptive words (BEYOND COLOR WORDS!). Try shiny, pretty, size words big/little, yucky, squishy, etc.

8. Imitate or say new words. Don't forget your exclamatory words: whee, wow, whoa, and boo (as you find hidden objects). Create verbal routines to build automatic speech so kids learn to fill in the blank with your cute routines such as "Scoop. In. Scoop. In. Scoop. ____." Target holistic phrases such as: I did it, I got it, Where (did) it go, There it is! Work on simple phrase patterns such as "My + ____" as you teasingly take an object a child wants or "Bye bye + _____ as you hide the objects."

Have fun! Your little one will love it!