Seven Steps to New Syntax

I found a monograph that summarizes the Association Method. Apraxia-Kids has less detailed summary of this language therapy originally developed for the deaf. Several schools in the United States feature this program: Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Arkansas, Napa, CA, and San Francisco, CA.

We are covering pronouns (except we) right now, which puts Pamela on the seventh level of instruction out of fourteen (page 343). I do not follow all seven steps (page 17) exactly as described in the manual. I added a Charlotte Mason twist in what we call our steps to make it consistent with what we do in language arts. Every speech therapy lesson, which usually lasts about thirty to forty-five minutes, includes the following:

• Read aloud – Pamela reads aloud a typed story (cursive, color-coded) in her therapy book with the new syntax for the week (reading).
• Recitation – I read a sentence from the story. Pamela repeats it while seeing the page (associating) and without seeing the page (recall of spoken language).
• Copywork – Pamela copies a story I wrote on the dry erase board in cursive (written memory for the language structure).
• Written Narration – Pamela writes her own story applying the new syntax in print (written memory for the language structure).
• Dictation – I say a sentence, and Pamela writes it on paper in print (identification of selected language through audition alone).
• Oral Narration – Pamela practices the new syntax during her daily conversations, usually about perseverative topics (saying).

I try to do speech therapy every school day and generalize the new syntax in our daily conversations. If Pamela does not automatically apply the new syntax, I remind her to use her therapy sentences and questions. If the new syntax kicks in, then I know she is ready to move on to the next language structure. If it does not, that tells me we need to linger another week and practice the new syntax.