Here are some more questions that I have been asked:
(See my first FAQ post here.)
My child has trouble with vowel sounds. Do your materials cover vowels?
No, but they do cover most of the consonant sounds. It is unusual for children to have trouble with vowel sounds and if they do, it is likely that the articulation disorder may be severe enough to beyond the scope of Super Star Speech. However, the principles in the book, and the practice activities are easily generalized and may be used with vowel sounds as well as consonants. Just be aware that no specific instructions or speech tips are offered for vowels in the books.
Should I buy physical books or e-books?
This is primarily a matter of personal preference. The e-books are more economical, although they may be less convenient. Either way, you will want to print or copy many of the pages. The e-books are very convenient for printing out picture cards and practice games. You will probably want to copy the picture cards in the spiral-bound books onto card stock, but they could be removed and used as is.
Does my child need to be able to read to use Super Star Speech?
No, your children will not need to read to use the materials. I use the same activities with non-readers all the time when I do therapy. Super Star Speech has only a few reading activities. Since you will be helping your children practice and playing the games with them, you will just read the word or sentence for them and have them repeat, or fill in the blank. The sound specific books (Super Star R and L, etc) are geared for somewhat older children and have more reading activities, but again, nearly anything can be read aloud by the parent. Many of the activities are picture-based.
And, the most frequent question..”My child has only a few error sounds. Which books do I need?”
If your child only has a few problem sounds and these sounds are covered by specific books (r,l,s,z,sh,ch,j,th), then you ONLY need the specific book(s) that cover those sounds. For example, if your child can’t say /r/, then don’t buy Super Star Speech. Just buy Super Star R and L. It has everything you need. If your child has trouble with /r/, /s/, and /z/, I would suggest buying both Super Star R and L and Super Star S, Z, and Sh. You would be fine with only Super Star Speech, since it covers all sounds, but I really think you would be happy with the many additional games and practice activities provided in the sound-specific books.
These are some questions typical of those that I receive in my email:
What ages is Super Star Speech appropriate for? Super Star Speech: Speech Therapy Made Simple is designed for ages 3 and up. It can be used for serious drill work for older children or for very low key teaching for little ones. The sound teaching tips are certainly appropriate for even middle schoolers, but the included activities and games are most appropriate and fun for preschoolers and younger elementary ages. The other three books focus on specific sounds that are often not mastered until age 5 and up. Although some of the practice activities and games are appropriate for preschoolers, the books are generally geared for ages 5-12.
My three year old isn’t talking much. Can your books help him? Super Star Speech focuses only on articulation (speech sounds). If your child isn’t speaking in sentences or has a very small vocabulary, language is your concern. Super Star Speech won’t be helpful. Please visit a speech-language pathologist to find out your best plan of action.
Which book should I buy? If you know that your child has only a few errors, and these errors are covered in Super Star R and L, Super Star S, Z, and Sh, or Super Star Ch, J, and Th, just buy that specific book. It will contain all you need. If your child has many errors, Super Star Speech: Speech Therapy Made Simple covers all sounds and is all you need. BUT you may want to consider the Complete Edition or one or more of the specialized books, which include many more practice activities, including some that are of more interest to older children.
My child is already in speech therapy. Would your book be useful? Certainly. The more speech practice time a child has, the faster he will progress. Hopefully, your SLP is sending home practice assignments. But if not, or if you want picture cards or more practice activities, or if you want your child to continue progressing during a summer break from therapy, you will find Super Star Speech helpful.
My child has a tongue thrust. Will your book help? Super Star Speech does not address tongue thrust at all. It can certainly be helpful to address some of the speech errors associated with a tongue thrust, but does not address the underlying issue. Find an SLP who is experienced in working with tongue thrust to help you. Some speech sounds can be very difficult to correct without first changing the swallowing pattern.
If you have any more questions, leave a comment or email me at debbie@superstarspeech.com. I’ll be glad to help or to direct you to someone who can!
I am proud to announce that Super Star Speech was awarded the “Favorite Special Needs Product” of 2009/2010 by the The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew! It was fun and rewarding to have my books reviewed by the “Crew.” Links to all the reviews are posted here.
