The Preschool SLP

Are you an agent of change? Looking to create real, life-long change in your work and in yourself? Ready to turn your visions into reality? Looking to work smarter, not harder—and have lots of fun along the way? Every Thursday, join international author, researcher, and speaker Kelly Vess to put only the best research to work. Kelly covers effective, practical strategies for children AND therapists to thrive. You are a miracle. Your time here is short. Let’s make the most of it. Follow Kelly @KellyVessSLP on Instagram for daily inspiration. Subscribe to The Preschool SLP podcast and make sure to share the show. Have a question or topic you’d like to see on the show, contact Kelly at KellyVessSLP.com For more support on learning the effective 'how-to's' in treating the whole child, check out Kelly's book "Speech Sound Disorders: Comprehensive Evaluation and Treatment" at Amazon and major booksellers internationally.

The Preschool SLP is a education podcast hosted by Kelly Vess, MA, CCC-SLP, with 228 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Kelly Vess, MA, CCC-SLP hosts The Preschool SLP, a education show with 228 episodes published.

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  Episode #229

  229. The Behavior Crystal Ball: 5 Research-Backed Rules for Kids with Communication Delays

  Aug 20, 202625 minS5

  Get ready for the new school year with your behavior crystal ball — the research! In this episode, we dig into five behavioral challenges that show up more often in preschoolers with speech and/or language delays — and the five simple rules (with free flip cards!) you can start using today to get ahead of them. You'll learn: - Why children with developmental language disorder and speech sound disorders struggle with sustained attention and how to teach it - Why kids with communication delays are more likely to avoid answering questions (even ones they know!) and the social-pragmatic reason behind it - Why task persistence is harder for these children, and how to build in "working super hard" as a proactive rule - What recent research out of a 300-child clinic in Baghdad found about behavior + speech sound disorders and what it means for your therapy sessions - The connection between communication delays and self-regulation/physical aggression, and how to address it before it becomes a pattern - How to combine Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) + Universal Design for Learning (UDL), print, picture, gesture, and artifact, to reinforce these five rules without turning them into redirection cards Plus: how to use a "treasure box" the *right* way (hint: it's not a reward system) and why 80% positive reinforcement is the magic number. Free Resources & Ways to Get Involved Join the SIS Membership: https://www.kellyvess.com/sis Get two ready-to-use movement activities delivered straight to your inbox every week. Free Behavior Flip Cards + Certificate: https://www.kellyvess.com/behavior Download the five rule flip cards (with gestures and a completion certificate) mentioned in this episode — totally free. Take the AAC Survey: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FHfcoyCK3z5vJs Your voice matters: whether you're an SLP, teacher, paraprofessional, parent, OT, PT, ABA tutor, or BCBA. Complete the survey and receive the AAC Toolkit (Spanish, Arabic, and English) immediately and anonymously. Thanks for listening! If this episode helped you, share it with another SLP, teacher, or parent who could use it before the school year kicks off. See you next week!Kelly

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  Episode #228

  228. The Research Is Clear: Combine Movement + Storytelling for Bigger Gains

  Aug 12, 202621 minS5

  Narratives and movement are better together, and today's episode has the research to prove it. I'm breaking down a preschool study that found combining movement with storytelling produces bigger gains in language and motor skills than either approach alone, and I'm walking you through exactly how to bring this into your own sessions. In this episode, you'll learn: Why narratives are the "kettlebell" of intervention: hitting vocabulary, syntax, comprehension, verbal working memory, and social pragmatics all at once The preschool research showing combined movement + storytelling beats movement-only or storytelling-only conditions for both language and motor outcomes How a simple "how do you..." task-oriented story (no imagination required!) works just as well as a made-up story My go-to tier-two conjunction words (first, next, then, lastly, because) and how to pair them with gestures to build automaticity How to use dynamic cueing to shift the "locus of control" so the child becomes the storyteller, not you Three easy ways to scale the task up or down (simple sentence → complex sentence → multi-step paragraph) to keep kids engaged without frustration Want two ready-to-use, highly engaging movement activities delivered to your inbox every single week — plus so much more? Join the SIS Membership and never run out of effective, easy-to-implement session materials again: https://www.kellyvess.com/sis Have you completed the AAC survey yet? This is your chance to shape resources built around what AAC professionals and parents actually struggle with. Complete the comprehensive AAC survey and get the AAC Implementation Toolkit as a thank-you — open to both parents and professionals: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FHfcoyCK3z5vJs ✋ Download my storytelling cueing gestures — the exact visual cues I use for first, next, then, lastly, and because — so you (and the parents you work with) can start using them today: https://www.kellyvess.com/storycues Referenced Study: Duncan, M., Cunningham, A., & Eyre, E. (2019). A combined movement and story-telling intervention enhances motor competence and language ability in pre-schoolers to a greater extent than movement or story-telling alone. European Physical Education Review, 25 (1), 221–235. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X17715772

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  Episode #227

  227. From Cause-and-Effect to Complex Play: A 3-Step Bridge for Kids Who Get 'Stuck’

  Aug 6, 202637 minS5

  Does your caseload include kids who only want the piggy bank, the ball chute, or the same three dinosaur figures? This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at how I move children out of the cause-effect and sensory-toy stage and into richer, more complex play, without losing the relationship or the child’s motivation along the way. I’m sharing a three-step bridging process I use to expand play repertoires, build executive function, and grow narrative and language skills, all while still honoring what the child already loves. What we cover: • Why variety matters: the research behind why a broader repertoire of toys and play experiences leads to better long-term outcomes • Step 1: Build rapport first: using a parent input form to learn a child’s favorite toys, shows, and characters, and why front-loading relationship pays off • Step 2: Bridge, don’t replace: three concrete ways to bridge high-interest and sensory activities into task-oriented movement activities: ◦ Blending sensory play (like a beans/mud bin) into a structured task ◦ Adding movement breaks to build attention and increase vocalizations ◦ Swapping the theme while keeping the structure the same • Step 3: Why task-oriented movement activities work: how they naturally build the problem → plan → action → check sequence of executive function, and lay the foundation for strong narrative skills (vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and verbal working memory) • A real example using 'The Little Blue Truck' activity from my SIS membership, including how I use songs, stickers, and movement to keep kids engaged • How to fade supports over time as kids get comfortable with the new routine Links Mentioned in This Episode Take the AAC Survey Complete my comprehensive AAC survey: written entirely from in-depth interviews with speech-language pathologists and teachers in the field. It takes 15–20 minutes, and upon completion you’ll immediately receive a full AAC Implementation Toolkit (in English, Spanish, and Arabic) including a 64-goal AAC goal bank, an AAC storybook training, and an AAC FAQ guide. Take the AAC Survey: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FHfcoyCK3z5vJs Parent Input Form This form referenced in this episode for learning a new client’s favorite toys, shows, and activities before your first session. Parent Input Form:: https://www.kellyvess.com/parentinputform SIS Membership Get access to weekly task-oriented movement activities like the Little Blue Truck example featured in this episode. SIS Membership: https://www.kellyvess.com/sis

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  Episode #226

  226. Using Storybooks to Boost High-Tech AAC Skills: The MODEL Method

  Jul 30, 202623 minS5

  If you work with children who use high-tech AAC, this episode is a can't-miss. Learn a simple, research-backed framework for turning any storybook into a rich language-learning opportunity for kids using speech-generating devices. Before diving into strategy, we tackle the mindset shift so many clinicians need around high-tech AAC: you don't need a training course or a cheat sheet to get started. Think of the device like a hotel remote control. The fastest way to learn where everything is: just start pushing buttons. From there, we break down the MODEL method, a five-step framework for using AAC during storybook reading: M – Model: Provide a completion prompt to get the child to the right "channel" on their device. O – Opportunity: Step back and give the child space to independently find the symbol. D – Demonstrate: If needed, offer a prompt (like pointing) to help the child locate the target. E – Expand: Add a "plus one," a new word or concept that builds on what the child found. L – Like: Model a comment or opinion, inviting social language beyond simple requesting. We also cover... • How to use backward chaining so children build independence over time • Why fluency with a child's AAC device matters just as much as fluency in any shared language • How to layer in multimodal supports, including sentence strips, printed words, and 3D objects, to reinforce vocabulary • A real walkthrough using the book Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell Take Action: A free AAC Implementation Toolkit is waiting for you! If you're a parent or professional who has worked with a child using a high-tech AAC device or tablet-based AAC app in the past year, your experience matters. The survey takes 15–20 minutes, and your answers will directly shape resources used by SLPs, educators, and families. Complete the survey today: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1FHfcoyCK3z5vJs What You'll Receive Immediately After Completing the Survey: 1. AAC Goal Bank: 64 ready-to-use goals for high-tech AAC 2. AAC Training Video: A 20-minute training on the MODEL storybook approach, ready to share with parents and colleagues 3. AAC FAQ Handout: Answers to parents' most common questions about high-tech AAC All three resources are available in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Don't wait. Click the link above and complete the survey today to get your toolkit sent straight to your inbox. Enjoying the show? Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a colleague who works with AAC users.

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  Episode #225

  225. Under the Iceberg: Why Isn't Speech Developing in Autism, with Dr. Karen Chenausky

  Jul 15, 202643 minS5

  We learned in grad school that working on joint attention and language will lead to speech development. But for the estimated 30% of autistic children who never develop functional, fluent speech, that's not the whole story. Dr. Karen Chenausky, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a speech scientist, SLP, and director of the SPAN Lab at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She takes us beneath the iceberg to explore the hidden contributors to speech development in autism, including the motor-speech disorder component our field rarely talks about. In this episode, you'll learn: Challenges that can limit spoken language in autism include joint attention, receptive language, speech perception, sensory differences, fine/gross motor cascades, and motor speech challenges Minimally speaking vs. minimally verbal vs. pre-verbal: what each term really means, and why we wait until about age 5 to classify a child as 'minimally verbal' How Dr. Chenausky identifies suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) in minimally speaking children using Iuzzini-Siegel's (2015) criteria, plus the catch-22 when a child doesn't produce enough speech to diagnose speech motor disorders What to evaluate in a minimally speaking preschooler: the motor component of speech, language comprehension and expression, nonverbal IQ, and gross/fine motor skills An invaluable assessment tool you may not know SLPs can use: the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales for capturing fine and gross motor performance Auditory-Motor Mapping Training (AMMT), the intonation-based treatment inspired by Melodic Intonation Therapy, and the promising findings on who benefits most (hint: phonemic repertoire and readiness-to-learn skills mattered) JASPER (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation), Connie Kasari's play-based intervention that builds the prerequisite skills for language A Monday-morning session framework: three-tiered tasks (mastered, on-the-cusp, challenge) that keep the child at a 70-80% success point in their zone of proximal development Writing pivotal speech goals that expand the phonemic repertoire while diversifying language expression When to prioritize robust AAC, because every child deserves access to all the ways of communicating Dr. Chenausky's call to the field to develop more reliable methods to assess nonverbal IQ and receptive language in children with motor praxis and visual processing/visual motor challenges Articles mentioned in this episode Chenausky, K., Norton, A., Tager-Flusberg, H., & Schlaug, G. (2018). Behavioral predictors of improved speech output in minimally verbal children with autism. Autism Research, 11(10), 1356-1365. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30230700/ Chenausky, K., Brignell, A., Morgan, A., & Tager-Flusberg, H. (2019). Motor speech impairment predicts expressive language in minimally verbal, but not low verbal, individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Autism & Developmental Language Impairments, 4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35155816/ *To connect with Dr. Chenausky, Google search "Karen Chenausky SPAN Lab"

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