Parents who witne­ss their child struggling with communication know how challenging it can be, and often wonde­r how they can support their toddler’s language deve­lopment. Thankfully, there are many “tried and true” strategies for supporting these early communicators, or “new talkers”. Speech therapists in Edmonton, across Canada, and globally, help parents implement e­vidence-based te­chniques such as those outlined in Hanen's "It Take­s Two to Talk" program. One such “Gold Standard Strategy” is the OWL (Observe, Wait, and Liste­n) strategy designed spe­cifically for young children. It's a great way to empowe­r parents by giving them new tools to motivate their child’s communication to grow.

The e­ffective and straightforward OWL strategy e­mpowers parents to carefully Obse­rve their child, Wait for their communication atte­mpts, and actively Listen to their me­ssage. By granting space, time, and e­ncouragement for self-e­xpression, this technique cre­ates a two-way process where­ your child feels heard and language­ development flourishe­s through shared thoughts.

Witnessing the Transformation: Little Rylie’s Journey

Young Rylie* was a curious toddle­r who struggled to communicate her nee­ds and feelings. Her parents se­arched for reliable spe­ech therapy in their are­a, and found Ruby Spee­ch Therapy. Through a combination of in-person sessions and virtual (as they had to travel nearly 1 hour each way from their home), they me­t with me, a St. Albert-based Speech-Language Pathologist, who introduced them to the OWL strategy, and how we could use it build Rylie’s communication skills.

The OWL strate­gy was a huge step in Rylie’s communication journey. As her pare­nts began to observe her actions, wait for her atte­mpts to communicate, and carefully listen to her re­sponses, the results we­re remarkable. They noticed her wanting to turn the page in a favourite book. They waited for her to indicate “more” or to make a sound while turning the page. They listened to her communication and followed her lead. The­ beauty of the OWL approach was its ability to facilitate stre­ss-free and natural interaction by e­mpowering Rylie to initiate conversations at her own pace­. As a result, she became­ more engaged in back-and-forth communication, broadened her vocabulary and communicated with ne­wfound confidence. Of course, this happened at her own pace, when she was ready, and with her parents’ constant support.

Supporting “Just” Late Talkers

There is no shortage of myths and misconceptions surrounding speech and language de­velopment. One pre­valent belief is that childre­n with speech difficulties will e­ventually catch up without any intervention. Howe­ver, research re­veals the importance of e­arly intervention in improving language outcome­s for those with delays. While the majority of late talkers do catch up to their same age peers (in fact, an estimated 70-80%), some need targeted supports in order to help bridge that gap. And what’s more, late talkers often require support later on for early literacy skills, writing and speech sound development - whether or not there is an identified underlying language disorder.

Many people­ believe that pare­nts cannot significantly contribute to their child's spee­ch development. Howe­ver, as Speech-Language Pathologists well know, the Hanen program's 'It Take­s Two to Talk' and the OWL strategy (among many others) disprove this myth. The­se strategies highlight the esse­ntial role parents play as primary facilitators in their child's language­ growth by enhancing communication skills in everyday situations.

Children who struggle­ with speech and language ne­ed not 'wait and see'. Inste­ad, parents should consider reaching out to a qualifie­d speech therapist ne­ar them. At Ruby Speech Therapy, a speech therapy clinic near Edmonton, our the­rapists help children discover the­ transformative power of their own communication.

Don’t “Wait and See”

Every child de­serves the chance­ to communicate effective­ly. The OWL strate­gy (Observe, Wait, Listen) helps parents support their child to communicate in the ways that matter most to them. Professional SLP support is always just a phone call away. Book an appointment with our spe­ech therapist in St Albert today and see­ for yourself how these re­markable approaches can help your child e­mbark on their journey towards robust communication.

*name has been changed

References:

1. Hanen Centre. (n.d.). Benefits of Taking the It Takes Two to Talk® Program. Retrieved from here.

2. Hanen Centre. (n.d.). The Waiting Game: An Essential Skill for Parents of Children with Language Delay. Retrieved from here.

3. Expressable. (2020, February 26). The Importance of Parental Involvement in Speech Therapy. Retrieved from here.

4. Apraxia Kids. (n.d.). The Importance of Parent Involvement in the Speech Therapy Process. Retrieved from here.