Major focus area

Speech Therapy -> Receptive Language

Short description

Whole Language Approach to Language Intervention takes the philosophy of Whole Language and applies it to the development of treatment strategies. Whole language strategies integrate all aspects of language into personally meaningful activities to facilitate learning in oral and written language (Westby, 1990, Norris & Damico, 1990).

Long description

Whole Language Approach to Language Intervention takes the philosophy of Whole Language and applies it to the development of treatment strategies. Whole language strategies integrate all aspects of language into personally meaningful activities to facilitate learning in oral and written language.

Method: Create a therapy environment where there are opportunities for language to develop along the general to specific; familiar to unfamiliar continuums, there must be repeatable context and experiences. Theme building makes use of recurring ideas and events that are common to the theme, and allows for multiple formats (art, pictures, play, literature, writing, drawing, storytelling, dance, snacks, and discussion) Theme building allows for transactional and expressive language functions to be expressed. By maintaining the same theme across activities and the child has the time and the opportunity to refine his/her understanding to include very specific knowledge. This meaning embedded process results in great language development (Westby, 1990, Norris & Damico, 1990).