Homework can be overwhelming especially when children have chores to do around the house; sports or events to attend; and just want some time to be kids! Let’s figure out some ways that we can utilize school homework to also target speech and language goals.

If your child is attending speech and language therapy, here are a few ideas to incorporate that homework into their academic homework.

(1) Reading and Writing– Many children who are in speech and language therapy are just learning how to read and write. Use the time spent on practicing writing to learn to spell words that have the child’s speech sounds in it. Children can trace dotted letters, use letter stamps to spell words, write words with smelly markers, etc. You can alternate between the child writing out words and reading words that you write for them.

(2) Highlighting- Throughout a homework sheet, assignment, or reading of a chapter highlight or write down words that have your child’s sounds in it. From the words you have highlighted or written down, have your child practice those words. Practice can look like saying them 5 times each; or putting the words into a sentence; or even drawing pictures of the words. If your child has difficulty with language, you can highlight words that the child does not know the meaning of, so that your child can look them up later. Or use multiple highlighters to highlight each step in the direction. For example, using blue to highlight the first step and pink to highlight the second step, etc.

(3) Bedtime Reading– Reading to your children or having your child read books to you is such an important thing to do each day. While reading the story you can write down words that have your child’s sounds in it. Use a blank sheet of paper as a bookmark as a place to write down those words and to be reminded of the words they should practice.

If your child has difficulty with language, you can use the blank bookmark to:

– Write down words they don’t know the meaning to

– Write down the characters, setting, problem, and events of the story

– Write down words that they can give synonyms (words that mean the same) and antonyms (opposites) for

Speech and language homework doesn’t need to be an added stress or extra homework piled on top of the child’s to do list! Maximize time spent on academic homework by including speech and language practice within it. In order to effectively practice speech and language within your child’s homework, ask your speech-language pathologist for goals your child is working on!

Written by Morgan Zenner, Speech Language Pathologist with Wildflowers