Jennifer Taps Richard will speak on Phonological Complexity Principles and Cluster Clinic. She is an engaging, nationally renowned speaker who understands the demands and joys of school SLPs.

Bio:

Jennifer Taps Richard is a speech-language pathologist in San Diego Unified School District. She provides classroom and small group services to children grades PreK-5. Additionally, Jennifer teaches graduate students at San Diego State University and owns SLPath LLC, promoting best practices in speech sound disorder intervention through online resources and intensive workshops.

Event Descriptions:

Phonological Complexity Principles:

A significant body of research has demonstrated that teaching complex clusters induces system-wide learning for both treated and untreated singletons and clusters, thus increasing overall intelligibility for children with phonological disorders. Thus, target selection is the key to efficient phonological intervention. Teaching complex clusters may constitute a substantial (and intimidating) paradigm shift for practitioners. This session will feature performance-based assessment tasks, an overview of complexity principles, and a range of multisensory techniques and activities for teaching complex two-element (e.g., /fl-/) and three-element clusters (e.g., /skr-/). In San Diego Unified School District, speech-language pathologists have utilized these methods to teach complex clusters to children with phonological disorders only as well as children who present with concomitant language, fluency, or intellectual impairments, leading to more efficient outcomes.

Cluster Clinic:

A significant body of research has demonstrated that teaching complex clusters induces system-wide learning for both treated and untreated singletons and clusters, thus increasing overall intelligibility for children with phonological disorders. Thus, target selection is the key to efficient phonological intervention. Teaching complex clusters may constitute a substantial (and intimidating) paradigm shift for practitioners. This session will feature an overview of complexity principles and a range of multisensory techniques for teaching complex two-element (e.g., /fl-/) and three-element clusters (e.g., /skr-/). In San Diego Unified School District, SLPs have utilized these methods to teach complex clusters to children with phonological disorders only as well as children who present with concomitant language, fluency, or intellectual impairments, leading to more efficient outcomes.

This unique session will alternate providing research-based principles with small group projects throughout the afternoon.

Program Agenda

- 60 minutes In-Depth Assessment Tasks
- 45 minutes Phonological Analysis: Identifying Phonetic, Phonemic, Cluster, and Stimulability Inventories
- 60 minutes Complexity Principles and Language Universals
- 15 minutes Q & A

Lunch

- 90 minutes Target Selection, Goal Writing, and Progress Monitoring
- 45 minutes Multisensory Cues for Teaching Clusters
- 15 minutes Utilizing Children’s Literature to Target Complex Clusters
- 15 minutes Naturalistic Activities Featuring Complex Clusters
- 15 minutes Q & A