Throughout early childhood development, communication is one of the most pivotal skills for a child to acquire. If a child is experiencing delays in their communication skills, as a result of speech and language delays, they may benefit from a therapeutic preschool program that emphasizes speech and language in their curriculum. There are many different ways to help a child develop their expressive language skills, and these strategies may vary from child to child.
If a child is motivated by working with an iPad or tablet during class, they may benefit from using apps to practice their expressive language skills. Keep in mind, excessive screen time is not advised for anyone, especially young kiddos, so you may want to limit these activities. That being said, there are many incredible apps on the market today that can help children make great gains in their speech and language skills, so there are certainly benefits to using apps. Children and parents can also use the apps on the go to practice these skills in different settings.
Every child is a unique learner, so not every app is a great fit for every child. Many apps will have a “lite” version, which allows you to test out the app before purchasing the full version.
TouchChat: This is one of the most popular language apps, which is widely used by speech-language pathologists. This app contains many different (customizable) pages of vocabulary and phrases that help individuals to communicate with others. TouchChat also has a voice synthesizer feature, which allows you to record a voice, so the app will “speak” to others. This app may be particularly helpful for children who are still working to develop their expressive language skills. Here is a link to the app in iTunes if you would like to learn more or download the app (there is also a “lite” version of the app if you wish to trial the app before paying for the full version): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/touchchat-hd-aac/id398860728?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Proloquo2Go: This app, like TouchChat, is very popular among SLPs, as it allows individuals to communicate using symbols. These communication pages can also be customized with vocabulary specific to the needs of the patient. This app is widely used with children with autism or other developmental delays. Here is a link to the app in iTunes to learn more: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/proloquo2go-symbol-based-aac/id308368164?mt=8
See.Touch.Learn: This app allows you to create digital flashcards for the child, so that they can practice using their expressive language skills. This app is also free. To download the app or learn more, here is a link to iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/see.touch.learn./id406826506?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Bitsboard: This is another flashcard app that can be used to help kiddos develop their vocabulary and expressive language skills. As with See.Touch.Learn, this app is free (always a nice bonus!). Here is a link to download the app in iTunes or learn more: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitsboard-education-games/id516842210?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Expressive Builder: This app helps children to build expressive language skills and uses real pictures to illustrate ideas. Here is the link to iTunes if you would like to learn more about the features or download the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/expressive-builder/id405801365?mt=8
Do you think a child could benefit from a therapeutic preschool program to develop their expressive language skills? Contact CST Academy by clicking the purple button below or calling 773-620-7800 to learn about all of the services we provide services for children in Chicago, including speech therapy, ABA therapy, feeding therapy, and occupational therapy.
