There are many language problems, most of which affect the articulation of words or are caused by motor difficulties in the muscles involved in speech. For this reason, there are several exercises that can help overcome them, being applied in the classroom or even from home, depending on the language problems that arise.
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Some language problems are derived from developmental disorders such as autism or attention deficit disorder, others from physical disorders in the organs that participate in language or emotional aspects due to some additional extrinsic factor. On the other hand, one of the causes of language problems may be the way in which this skill is acquired.
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Exercises to treat language problems are related to respiratory movements and actions, which affect the rhythm and some oral-facial movements on the tongue, lips, cheeks and the palate. These are the top 10:
1 – Breathing exercises
It is done with simple and repetitive movements, incorporating sounds. You can perform nasal and mouth inhalations and exhalations, retaining the air. Also progressively retain air inside the mouth or nose. You can also include fast, slow or deep breaths, letting the air out quickly.
2 – Blow paper balls
Paper or polyethylene balls should be placed, you can also use candles, blow down towers of paper and use straws to suck up water or lemonade. Another fun strategy is to blow soap bubbles.
3 – Pronounce the vowels
To perform the pronunciation the child must inhale slowly through the nose, retain the air and then exhale slowly mentioning the 5 vowels. Speed can also be increased, depending on how the air is handled.
4 – Rhythm exercise
In language problems, rhythm is essential to deal with, so that words can be correctly articulated. To do this, you can tap a table or drum, and then ask the child to imitate the sounds with his voice, in this way he can adapt to the rhythm.
5 – Play with the syllables
The child must articulate syllables using a consonant, repeatedly, for example: With the letter P, he will articulate the syllable pa, pa, pa, pa. Then you must change the vowels and each time you perform this exercise, rhythm and articulation are exercised, improving language problems.
6 – Articulate phrases
In this case, complete sentences, poetry, tongue twisters or short stories can be used, in this way the child will repeat the syllables and phrases, over and over again until they are correctly articulated. This exercise helps to improve language problems, which can also be combined with hitting small objects to set the pace.
7 – Exercises with the tongue
They include a diversity of movements with the tongue, ideal for language problems in which the articulation of some phonemes is affected. You can roll your tongue in all directions, stretch your tongue, bring it to the upper palate, eat gum, and touch all teeth with the tip of your tongue.
8 – Silence exercises
They should first be located in a completely silent room, and then make a sound, so that the child can detect and pay attention, and then ask what sound we hear.
This exercise not only helps to improve language problems, but can also help them distinguish the duration and intensity of sounds, exercising their location and recognition of the objects that emit them.
9 – Exercises with the lips
They can be done by holding a toothpick with your lips, without putting it completely in your mouth. They can also be tightened and loosened, separated and brought together quickly. Make the sound of the letter P with your lips repeatedly.
10 – Facial exercises
Inflate the cheeks and deflate them, after holding the air for a few seconds. The cheeks can also be alternated, first on the left side and then inflate the right. In addition, the water can be retained in the mouth and released slowly.
- Cards
Flashcards can go a long way in helping children learn sounds that they cannot pronounce correctly. It is best to turn this exercise into a game and reward the child when she pronounces the sounds shown on the cards correctly.
This will not only make it more attractive to your child, but it will also motivate your child to pronounce the sounds correctly.
- Mirror exercises
Children with articulation problems have difficulty pronouncing words and sounds due to their inability to make the correct movement with their mouth to produce the correct sound.
Mirror exercise is one of the most useful speaking exercises for young children who need to solve these types of problems.
You can teach your child the correct movement of the mouth and the sound that accompanies this movement while he repeats it in front of a mirror. This way, you will know how to move your mouth with the words that are more difficult for you.
- Repetitions
Among all the other speaking exercises for preschoolers, repeating the words over and over can be a tedious job for parents or even children if it becomes too boring. Although repetition can be very important for children to improve their speech quickly. When you repeat the words for your children, you should do it slowly and easily so that they hear them and realise all the phonemes.
- Enhance speech
Talking regularly with a child is the best way to get her to develop her speech and language skills. Another way to do this is to pronounce the name of the object that the child wants, encouraging her to say the word to get it.
To enhance speech in young children, it is ideal to only give her what she asks for if she says the right word and not just using hand gestures. This will motivate the child to find ways to be able to use language and get what he wants.
In Parkwood Green Medical we are specialised in speech pathologies, and of course, the professional medical team to perform it based on the needs of the patients, and also taking into account what led the patient to have the condition.