What is Motor Learning? Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech

QUESTION MARK
What is motor learning? 

 

What does it have to do with apraxia and learning to talk?

 

Even as an experienced speech-language pathologist, you may not be able to answer these questions! 

 

But you should, if you want to make a real difference in how you work with a child with apraxia. 

 

In the previous projects I’ve produced about treating apraxia, I’ve included motor learning strategies, but I haven’t always called them that or focused on making sure you understand why these strategies are important and how they work to help a child with apraxia learn to talk. 

 

That’s my purpose for writing The Apraxia Workbooks 1 & 2.

 

If you’re like me, you probably already use many of these strategies, not only with children with markers for apraxia, but for nearly all the kids on your early intervention caseload, as well as with older children, because these techniques work so well! Strategies like…

 

  • Eliciting multiple repetitions of the target word

 

  • Providing specific cues for how a child should produce the word and then feedback about his attempt

 

  • Accepting a child’s productions as his best attempts and then using that information to “shape” that sound or word toward accuracy

 

These are all motor-based teaching strategies, so let’s make sure you understand why these strategies work for very young children with apraxia of speech. We’ll unpack each statement so you’ll continue to confidently implement these strategies for your kids with apraxia. I also want to briefly contrast language facilitation strategies with motor principles for the purpose of helping you know what works and what likely won’t for toddlers and young preschoolers with apraxia. 

 

These are excerpts from the beginning of the chapter for Outcome 5: Emphasize Motor Treatment Strategies for First Words in my newest therapy manuals, The Apraxia Workbooks 1 & 2… Order your copy today

MORE INFORMATION about The Apraxia Workbooks 1 & 2

 

 

 

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Laura

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"I just want to thank you for the invaluable information you’ve given me in helping my grandson to talk (which I have passed on to his parents). We’ve ve learned patience, appropriate expectations, and fun and effective strategies that we had found no where else. He is exploding with conversation! Sometimes I struggle to interpret his articulation, but all I have to do is say, “Show me”, and he’s excited to do so. He and I both want so badly to communicate with each other, and your strategies have made it so much easier and non-threatening. Once again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

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Thank you so much for all your hard work and publishing books! Our 17-month-old toddler suddenly exploded into speaking and imitating everybody's gestures and sounds, just a week or two after we 'completed' all activities that are listed under 11 pre-linguistic skills! Your method really works!"

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I absolutely LOVE all of your workbooks, especially your Autism Workbook. Starting with Social Games has been a game changer for many of my littles with ASD and their families. It's been the best way for them to finally connect and sustain shared attention and engagement, leading to longer social interactions, through play!"

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Thank you so much for the videos you have posted on your youtube channel. They are so direct, informative, and helpful. Thank you for being a resource for me to become a better therapist."

Dianne

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Thank you!

Hailey

 

"Laura,

I love your work! I am a professor of early childhood special education and a speech language pathologist! I have worked to help children learn to communicate and I know how valuable the information you share is for both early interventionists and pediatric speech language pathologists!

Thank you for systematically organizing and explaining essential steps for young children to learn and develop. You are having a great impact on our profession, the ECE profession and families!"

Sincerely,

David

"Thank you.

If this is Laura herself reading this email let me take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have put forth for us professionals. I own every manual (except the autism manual) and have watched every course on DVD. I have listened to countless podcasts. All of what I’ve come to be as an Early Intervention speech therapist was absolutely to your credit. With your resources at my side I have never needed to scramble for answers and strategies and above all the clear language I use when communicating with parents. My fun, animated affect and key phrases I use have been learned through watching your example. So….thank you! May you be blessed."

Chaya

"I just wanted to thank you so much for your incredible help! You are so kind and lovely and every time I implement something you've taught in your manuals or videos it is always a success, I cannot thank you enough. I really appreciate how specific you are in giving us examples of wording to use and how to use a toy in therapy with your videos, it is exactly what I need to properly help my little students. I also really appreciate your list of books of list of toys. I have seen my little students make significant progress thanks to you. I'm looking forward to watching more of your videos, taking more of your CEU's, and reading more of your materials. From the bottom of my heart: thank you so much again!!"

Lauren

Laura thank you so much. Btw, you have transformed my therapy- I have become such a competent and strong therapist after watching probably like 350 of your videos and podcasts over the past few years. And I am a seasoned therapist with almost 25 years experience. (Yes prob 350 episodes ha!) But there was still a lot I learned from you. I have such a thorough understanding of birth to 3 development and how to properly incorporate appropriate therapeutic goals, techniques and strategies now, thanks to you. Kelly

 
But I just keep watching and learning because we can always learn something new! 
Thanks for all you do!