Mrs. Key

Speech Pathologist

          Hi!  My name is Ginger Key.  I am the new speech pathologist here at Centreville Elementary.  This is my fourteenth year of teaching.  I received my bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Montevallo.  I have worked in the schools of Tuscaloosa County as well as Perry County.  My husband and I live in the Duncanville area.  We have four sons, one daughter-in-law and one precious grandson.  Bibb county school system is great and I am proud to be a part.

   When to Refer

WHEN SHOULD I MAKE A REFERRAL?

If I child can not be understood by most people, most of the time, when they are three years old, a referral should be made.

 If your school age child is having difficulty understanding what sound goes with a specific letter, then a referral needs to be made.

 If your child, frequently, does not understand what you mean when you talk to him, you need to make a referral.

 If your child is stuttering and is older than four, you should make a referral.

 If your child is chronically hoarse and does not have problems with allergies and asthma, you need to make a referral.

 If you’re not sure you should make a referral then you probably need to make a referral.

   Why to Refer

WHY SHOULD I MAKE A REFERRAL? 

Speech, language, stuttering and voice problems, when identified, can be decreased and sometimes eliminated.

The earlier we identify a communication problem, the better the later outcome.

Children that have a lot of trouble saying sounds are at risk for reading problems. 

Children who misarticulate many sounds may develop a language delay.

Children who stutter may develop secondary characteristics such as head jerking, blinking, stomping, etc. when they haven’t received therapy.

Children with voice problems need to be seen by a physician to rule out any physical problem.

  How to Refer

 HOW DO I MAKE A REFERRAL?

Anyone can make a referral.  First, call the school your child attends or will attend (preschooler) and leave your name and phone number for the speech pathologist.  She will call you back and set up a meeting to talk with you about the child and his/her need for testing.  This meeting will include you, the speech pathologist, a teacher and a principal.

HOW DOES YOUR PRESCHOOL CHILD LEARN TO COMMUNICATE?

Excerpt from:   Communication Parent Helper

Maryland State Dept. of Education

 BY FOCUSING HIS/HER ATTENTION.   Looking at people and objects or listening to sounds requires certain kinds of attending skills.  These include a child’s ability to establish eye contact and focus attention on a particular person, object, or sound without becoming distracted by other sights and sounds.  Maintaining this kind of attention is important in learning the meaning of language and in interacting with others.

BY USING HIS/HER SENSES.  Your young child learns about people and objects by listening to the sounds they make, looking at their appearance, and exploring them through touch, smell and taste.  If a child’s sense of hearing, sight, or touch is impaired as an avenue for learning, communication and interaction skills may be delayed.

 BY ATTACHING MEANING TO WORDS.   For effective communication, your young child needs the sense of hearing and the ability to listen, the sense of sight and the ability to look, the sense of touch and the ability to feel.  Your young child especially needs to learn that spoken words are merely symbols which represent what is heard, seen, and felt.  Words have meaning which your child must learn to understand.

 BY REMEMBERING INFORMATION.   Your young child’s memory is important to store the information he/she has learned about the world through his/her senses.  This ability to remember information is important in both understanding and expression of language.

 BY USING A COMBINATION OF FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, GESTURES, AND WORDS.   Just as your young child learns about the world through a combination of senses, he/she communicates and interacts with the world through a combination of facial expressions, body movements, tone of voice, and words.  This combination or language system becomes his/her personal way of reaching out to others to express an emotion or idea.

 HOW CAN I HELP MY PRESCHOOLER?

Excerpt from:   Communication Parent Helper

Maryland State Dept. of Education

 GET YOUR CHILD’S ATTENTION.   Before giving directions or explanations to your child, make certain that he/she is looking at you and is ready to receive your message.  Use simple words with special emphasis such as calling his/her name or saying, “listen,” “look,” or “ready.”

GIVE YOUR CHILD TIME TO RESPOND.   Children with delayed language development sometimes require more time to understand, recall information, and express their thoughts.  This time period may be difficult for parents who are eagerly awaiting a response.

CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OR CLIMATE FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.   Your child needs feelings of security and predictability.  Try to provide some structure, routine, and limits in your child’s life.  Communicate an acceptance of your child by using genuine words of encouragement.  Create a positive atmosphere that responds to your child’s actions and needs as well as stimulates him/her to explore and learn.  Try to keep communication stress low.

MAKE YOUR TALKING RELEVANT TO THE SITUATION.   Talk about the here and now.  Talk about what you and your child are doing, hearing, seeing, smelling, and tasting.  Children tend to listen more to language that is obvious, meaningful, and interesting to them. 

LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD’S MESSAGE.  Maintain eye contact as your child communicates.  Let your face and voice convey that you are interested.  Listen to your child’s tone of voice and watch his/her face, body and hand movements.  A combination of all these behaviors communicates a message.

MODEL AND EXPAND YOUR CHILD’S LANGUAGE.  When your child is able to express thoughts with spoken words, repeat the words in a phrase or short sentence to expand the response.  Model a new combination of words or a sentence that relates to what your child has already said.  This demonstrates a new idea and new language structure.

HELP YOUR CHILD UNDERSTAND LANGUAGE.   Try communicating at your child’s eye level.  Use language that is appropriate for your child’s developmental level.  Speak clearly, using short, simple sentences.  Be specific, using the names or labels for objects.  Repeat, repeat, repeat!  Use actions or gestures as cues for understanding if your child does not attach meaning to words.  Build in success by physically guiding your child step-by-step through the desired behavior if he/she appears frustrated by your request.

REWARD YOUR CHILD’S ATTEMPTS TO COMMUNICATE.   Your child’s desire to communicate may depend, in part upon the kind of feedback he/she receives from you.  Your smiles, hugs, and words, of genuine praise can encourage your child to interact and teach him/her the rewards of communication.

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Date of last update Friday July 18, 2008