Ensuring Success with Remote Speech Therapy
Here are 5 tips & tricks that we’ve found work great to keep school aged kids engaged.
1. Set Up
Having a functional & efficient remote therapy setup is the first step to success. For therapists, having a computer that supports multiple screens allows you to flip between activities quickly without your students getting bored & losing interest. Preloading websites & materials also allows you to devote more time in session to therapy. A high quality microphone and headset allows you to communicate with students clearly & efficiently.
2. Gaming
Using games within lessons serves several purposes. It can motivate students to focus, provide brain breaks throughout, and make seemingly mundane lessons more fun. Many of my students enjoy games that are similar to things they played when they were younger. Digital versions of Connect Four, Hi-Ho Cherry-O, Candyland, Battleship, and Memory are fan favorites!
3. Online Books
There are several free online libraries to start with when beginning your remote therapy journey. With the internet at your fingertips, you can find books of all levels and topics to fit the student’s language goals.
4. Videos
Finding fun and interesting videos is a great way to keep my students engaged and enjoying their sessions. Although I can find many good clips from TV shows and movies to incorporate, I have found that commercials work really well for therapy & keep students interested. Funny commercials typically have several language elements that can be discussed, such as processing sarcasm, understanding non literal language, learning about body language, & focusing on comprehension.
5. Flexibility
Remote speech therapy really thrives in its ability to be flexible & meet students where they are that day. Maybe a student is excited that they’re getting a new puppy & you can instantly work in a resource on puppy care that fits their language goals. Perhaps they mentioned that they’re struggling on a particular topic in school & you can work that in to their communication goals. With experience, you can flex your lessons quickly using the above tips to tailor each session to the student to help them meet their goals.
Bonus
Students love fun Zoom/video conferencing backgrounds. With in person speech therapy, you’re always in a classroom setting, one that likely looks similar to all their other classroom settings. With remote speech therapy, you can use photo backgrounds from landscapes around the world. Students love beaches, mountains, & landmarks like the Great Pyramids. It’s a fun way to connect with them with the background you upload for the day.