Archive for category: Parent Resources

Play is one of the key mediums for children to learn language in their development. However, how should parents effectively aid children in improving their comprehension and communicative skills through play?

 

We are going to introduce ROCK method for language stimulation, ensuring that both parents and children have a joyful time learning through play.

 

1. Repeat what you say – key words/stress sounds and elaborate:

• Parents can choose 3-4 key words or stress sounds in relation to the current game and repeat them when playing with your children. For example, when playing a cooking game, parents can repeat simple names of food (e.g., bread, biscuits, pie), utensils (e.g., knife, bowl, plate), verbs (e.g. wash, cut, cook) and onomatopoeia (e.g. umm, wow)

• Parents should observe children’s behavior and use key words and stress sounds to elaborate (e.g., “It’s time for Mary to cut the cake – cut, cut, cut”)

 

2.Offer opportunities for children to express themselves:

• When playing games, parents can place items in places children cannot reach to encourage them to request for help using language.

• If children cannot use language to communicate their needs or feelings effectively, parents can demonstrate the correct saying and ask them to repeat (e.g., Can you say, “Help me.”)

3. Cue

• Parents should play with children face to face. Not only does it allow for eye contact, but children can also visualize the oral movements you are making when speaking to them.

• When taking turns, parents should place the toys or items children are focusing on near the corner of your eye to build eye contact.

4.Keep it fun and follow children’s interest:

• When playing with children, avoid taking the lead in the activity, let your children decide how to play, and what to play with.

• Parents can mimic the way children plays, for example, if the child uses a banana as a telephone, parents can pick up another toy as a phone and play pretend with them.

• Converse with children face to face and practice turn-taking.

• Repeat instructions: When you have given an instruction to a child, encourage them to repeat it back to you to ensure that the child has grasped/understood what is expected.
• Sensory Integration therapy: To addresses attention difficulties that are sensory in nature.
• Eye contact: Get close to the child to ensure they are able to hear you and see your face;  get down to their level.
• Simple language: Use clear, specific language when making requests and, if necessary, show them what you want them to do.
• Reduce background noise and distractions: To help a child maintain attention long enough to grasp the information required to complete a task.
• Develop Receptive Language: Improve your child’s receptive language (i.e. understanding of language) so that they are better able to understand expectations and information and are therefore better able to respond to information.
• Alert (Engine) program to promote self-regulation through sensory and cognitive strategies to help improve attention and concentration.
• M.O.R.E program uses physical (motor) components, oral organization, respiratory demands, and eye contact to assist with sensory regulation to help improve attention.
• The Wilbarger Protocol (Deep Pressure Proprioceptive Technique) is a therapy program designed to reduce sensory or tactile defensiveness and assist with sensory regulation and thus attention.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior. ASD diagnosis can be done as early as 2 year of age by a paediatrician or clinical psychologist.

Good visual perceptual skills are important for many every day skills such as reading, writing, completing puzzles, cutting, drawing, completing math problems, dressing, finding your sock on the bedroom floor as well as many other skills. Without the ability to complete these every day tasks, a child’s self esteem can suffer and their academic and play performance is compromised.

 

• Completing puzzles or dot to dots.
• Planning actions in relation to objects around them.
• With spatial concepts such as “in, out, on, under, next to, up, down, in front of.”
• Differentiating between “b, d, p, q”
• Reversing numbers or letters when writing.
• Losing place on a page when reading or writing.
• Remembering left and right.
• Forgetting where to start reading.
• Sequencing letters or numbers in words or math problems.
• Remembering the alphabet in sequence,
• Coping from one place to another (e.g. from board, from book, from one side of the paper to the other).
• Dressing (i.e. matching shoes or socks).
• Discriminating between size of letters and objects.
• Remembering sight words.
• Completing partially drawn pictures or stencils.
• Attending to a word on a printed page due to his/her inability to block out other words around it.
• Filtering out visual distractions such as colorful bulletin boards or movement in the room in order to attend to the task at hand.
• Sorting and organizing personal belongings (e.g. may appear disorganised or careless in work).
• With hidden picture activities or finding a specific item in a cluttered desk.