My client, G., is a four year old female who is in the last stages of her articulation therapy. She has received therapy for multiple articulation errors and now is at the conversation level on all her age- appropriate sounds. The challenge is eliciting the conversation. Most of the conversation is elicited through play-therapy. However, last session we had a show and tell session. She brought in some of her favorite things from home in addition to a book to read to me. She chatted easily about her favorite toys, then we played with them. She read me her book she borrowed from her day school as well. This produced the most conversation of any of our sessions and it was something G. really enjoyed. She is doing excellent with her target sounds (most are at 100%). However, there is concern that she is not being understood or talking as much as school. So, making G. comfortable using her sounds in spontaneous conversation is the goal this semester (probably her final one at the speech clinic). The play therapy is working wonders in eliciting her conversation and correct use of the target phonemes. Free play is one approach used in the article cited below. If that does not produce language samples/utterances, conversation (which I also use), or story generation can be used.
Southwood, F., Russell, A.F. (2004). Comparison of Conversation, Freeplay,and Story Generation as Methods of Language Sample Elicitation. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47, 366-376.
http://jslhr.asha.org/cgi/reprint/47/2/366
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It seems as if your client is progressing nicely. She is doing very well if she is working on conversation level. I found your blog to be interesting. I am also using play therapy with my client who is almost two. I think if you compare my therapy and yours you can see just how vast play therapy is. With yours it involves the conversation level, trying to get her to use more spontaneous speech and be more comfortable with productions. Mine is completely different my client is pretty much nonverbal. I am trying to get the client to imitate sounds and words just by us play together. I think play is very important especially for such young clients. My client is just learning play skills and learning how to actually play. I think play is very important and young children can learn so much just through play. This makes learning easier and more interesting. You don’t have to worry about them not being able to sit through boring structured activities. You would be surprised to see just how man articles disproving the idea and use of play therapy. When looking for play therapy I found a few that did not support it and was a little surprised. However, I did find a few studies that proved the importance of it. On my blog site I have the article cited. I also came across articles about the importance of play therapy. I came across one that may not discuss the many steps and importance in play therapy. You may one to give it a look sometime. It may be helpful now or in the future with other client. Good luck with your client she sounds like a great little girl who is making great progress.
Allen, V.,Folger, W., Pehrsson, D. (2007). Reflective process in play therapy: a practical model for supervising, counseling, students. Education: Summer2007, Vol. 127 Issue 4, p472-479, 8p. Retrieved February 29, 2008.
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