Dear Families,
My name is Kelly Elias and I am the speech-language pathologist at Crissman Elementary. I have been supporting children in Utica Community Schools for 24 years. My professional desire has always been to work with children and I feel blessed to have that opportunity here at Crissman with students in grades K-6, as well as, the AIM classrooms. I received my Bachelor of Science in Education from Wayne State University and a Masters in Speech and Language Disorders from Eastern Michigan University. My certifications include a "professional education certificate" from the State of Michigan, a "certificate of clinical compentency (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing association (ASHA), and a Michigan License.
My goal for your child is to be their "speech and language coach." I want to help motivate and guide them as they work on improving their communication skills. I believe that every child should have the opportunity to be the best they can be and with your support, that goal can be achieved!
The materials provided within this site are just a resource for you. They are not meant to be time consuming or an added project. Rather, I hope to provide a number of activities to choose from that will appeal to a variety of learning styles. You can also use your child's homework to meet speech and language goals. What does this mean? If your child is reading to you or if you are reading to your child, have them repeat words, phrases, sentences in the text that contains their sound. Stop periodically throughout the story and ask a "WH" questions (Who, What, Where, When, Why). Choose words from their spelling list or science/social studies vocabulary. Have them say the word and/or use in a sentence. Not only will you foster good speech and language skills during homework, but you will start to show them the importance of good speech and language outside the "therapy room."
Practice does not have to be restricted to a specific time or place. GO MOBILE! Practice in the car, walking from the bus, working on the computer, doing household chores, etc. I know life is soooooo busy, but research has shown that a few minutes of practice several times a week improves speech intelligibility and language skills considerably.
To reward and motivate your child for hard work, I have established a reinforcement system called the Communication Express. Children earn points during their speech and language time and at home for working hard and doing their personal best. After they earn 20 points, they can choose a prize from the speech room prize box.
It takes some children many months to master a sound or language skills. If this is happening to your child, please don't give up. Just continue to practice, and make a BIG deal out of the attempts they make (i.e. Good Try! That was closer!). Remember remain positive and HAVE FUN!!
Thank you for your support,
Kelly Elias, M.A. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Crissman Elementary
Crissman AIM
My name is Kelly Elias and I am the speech-language pathologist at Crissman Elementary. I have been supporting children in Utica Community Schools for 24 years. My professional desire has always been to work with children and I feel blessed to have that opportunity here at Crissman with students in grades K-6, as well as, the AIM classrooms. I received my Bachelor of Science in Education from Wayne State University and a Masters in Speech and Language Disorders from Eastern Michigan University. My certifications include a "professional education certificate" from the State of Michigan, a "certificate of clinical compentency (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing association (ASHA), and a Michigan License.
My goal for your child is to be their "speech and language coach." I want to help motivate and guide them as they work on improving their communication skills. I believe that every child should have the opportunity to be the best they can be and with your support, that goal can be achieved!
The materials provided within this site are just a resource for you. They are not meant to be time consuming or an added project. Rather, I hope to provide a number of activities to choose from that will appeal to a variety of learning styles. You can also use your child's homework to meet speech and language goals. What does this mean? If your child is reading to you or if you are reading to your child, have them repeat words, phrases, sentences in the text that contains their sound. Stop periodically throughout the story and ask a "WH" questions (Who, What, Where, When, Why). Choose words from their spelling list or science/social studies vocabulary. Have them say the word and/or use in a sentence. Not only will you foster good speech and language skills during homework, but you will start to show them the importance of good speech and language outside the "therapy room."
Practice does not have to be restricted to a specific time or place. GO MOBILE! Practice in the car, walking from the bus, working on the computer, doing household chores, etc. I know life is soooooo busy, but research has shown that a few minutes of practice several times a week improves speech intelligibility and language skills considerably.
To reward and motivate your child for hard work, I have established a reinforcement system called the Communication Express. Children earn points during their speech and language time and at home for working hard and doing their personal best. After they earn 20 points, they can choose a prize from the speech room prize box.
It takes some children many months to master a sound or language skills. If this is happening to your child, please don't give up. Just continue to practice, and make a BIG deal out of the attempts they make (i.e. Good Try! That was closer!). Remember remain positive and HAVE FUN!!
Thank you for your support,
Kelly Elias, M.A. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Crissman Elementary
Crissman AIM