How to Build a Strong Foundation for Your Child's Language Skills
May 27, 2020
Article

Did you know that interaction is the most important foundation for your child’s language learning? Learn how to engage your child in the kinds of back-and-forth interactions that set the stage for the best language learning.

Tap into Your Child’s Natural Way of Learning Language
February 10, 2020
Article

By age six, the average child understands about 10,000 words! This amazing feat happens by children picking out patterns in the language they hear every day. For children with language delays, they have more difficulty picking out these patterns in language. In this article, we share some tips on how you can help your child find patterns during your everyday interactions.

Encouraging Joint Engagement
April 04, 2019
Handout

Joint engagement happens when you and your child are paying attention to the same object or event during a back and forth interaction. Joint engagement makes learning easier for your child because when you’re focused on the same thing, your child can pay more attention to the things you say and do. Here are some tips for encouraging joint engagement. 

Five Books, Five Literacy-Building Ideas!
December 15, 2017
Article

Early literacy skills are critical for preparing your child for school success. Here are some tips for making the most of five popular children's books to maximize your child's early literacy learning. 

OWL with Playdough!
September 09, 2017
Handout

Playing with playdough provides endless learning opportunities for your child -- especially when you join in the play and talk about what interests them.

Build Children's Critical Thinking Skills with the E's and P's
September 01, 2016
Handout

You can encourage children to develop critical thinking during the everyday conversations and activities you already do with them. All you need to do is remember the E’s and P’s!

Combining Words Together: A Big Step in Language Development
August 02, 2016
Article

First words are always exciting, but a child’s first combination of two different words is just as important. In fact, research shows that children who are late to combine words are more at risk for future problems with language than children who were late with their first words. Discover when your child should start putting words together, what to do if you suspect a delay, and how you can help him start making combinations.

Creating Conversation with Good Night, Gorilla
March 20, 2015
Book Nook

In this Book Nook video, Hanen SLP Tamara Stein talks about how to turn book reading into a conversation with the fun children’s book, Goodnight, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann.

Shoot for the SSTaRS
September 15, 2014
Handout

Vocabulary is one of the most important early literacy skills your child needs to be prepared for school. But it isn’t just about how many words your child knows. How well they understand those words is important as well. To build your child’s understanding of new words, you’ll need to “Shoot for the SSTaRS”.