Hi everyone! First, thank you for being part of The Speech Community. Whether you've been actively participating or quietly following along, I'm so grateful you're here. Over the past several months, I've learned a lot about what parents are looking for in this space. I've also realized that the most valuable part of this community isn't the resource library. It's the opportunity to connect, ask questions, share wins, and get practical support from both me and other parents who understand the journey. To help create a more active and engaged community, I'm going to be making a few changes over the coming weeks. As part of this transition, I'm doing a community reset. *If you'd like to remain a member of The Speech Community, please COMMENT "I'm in" below OR LIKE this post by June 19, 2026.* Current members who opt in will continue to have access to the community. Going forward, new members will join through a low-cost membership. I know everyone has different levels of involvement they want in a community, and my goal is to make this space sustainable, accessible, and genuinely helpful for the families who choose to be here. A small membership fee for new members will help keep the community intentional and encourage participation, while still keeping support affordable for families. I'll be sharing more details soon, but for now, COMMENT "I'm in" BELOW OR LIKE THIS POST BY JUNE 19, 2026 TO KEEP YOUR ACCESS. *Classroom members will automatically stay. Thank you for being here and for trusting me to be part of your family's communication journey.

We’re officially starting bi-weekly Classroom calls! Our first call will be Wednesday, 5/13 at 2:30 PM, and this first one will be open to everyone. After that, the calls will be for Classroom members only. These calls will be a space to ask questions, talk through strategies, troubleshoot what’s coming up at home, and get more support as you work through the Classroom resources. I’m excited to have a regular time to connect and make this space even more helpful. Drop a comment/like if you’re planning to join and share any topics you'd like covered!

Progress doesn’t have to be big to matter! Sometimes it’s: - a new sound - a new word - more eye contact - taking a turn - trying something (e.g., food, activity) they usually avoid 💬 If you're comfortable, share one win or piece of progress you’ve noticed recently

Prelinguistic Skills: The Foundation Before Words Before children talk, they learn how to communicate through development of lots of small skills. These early building blocks are called prelinguistic skills, and they matter just as much (if not more) than first words. Here are the big ones to know and watch for. 👀 Attention & Engagement This is the ability to: - Attend to people, objects, or activities - Shift attention between an object and a person - Stay engaged long enough to learn from interaction Examples: - Watching a caregiver’s face - Looking at a toy someone else is holding - Staying with an activity for short periods Why it matters: If a child can’t attend, they can’t observe language models or learn patterns. 🔁 Imitation Imitation comes before language production. This includes: - Motor imitation (clapping, banging, gestures) - Object imitation (pushing a car, stacking blocks) - Vocal imitation (sounds, babbling, intonation) Why it matters: Speech is learned through imitation first. Kids copy language first. If imitation is weak, spoken language will be hard. 🌍 Response to the Environment This is how a child reacts to what’s happening around them (eg. sounds, sights, people). Examples: - Turning when their name is called - Reacting to sounds, movement, or changes - Showing interest when something exciting happens Why it matters: Language is interactive. Children need to notice and respond to their environment to participate in communication. 🤝 Joint Attention Joint attention = shared focus between a child and another person. Examples: - Looking where someone points - Bringing an object to show someone - Looking back and forth between a toy and a caregiver Why it matters: This is where language lives. Words make sense when they’re shared. 🎭 Intentional Communication (Without Words) Before words, kids communicate with: - Gestures - Facial expressions - Vocalizations - Leading adults to what they want

I am developing a course that will go into detail on communication development and provide strategies with models to support communication development. As the founding members, I'd love to hear what you want to see and learn about in more detail! I am attaching my tentative course outline here! Thank you all for being here!