The speech therapy team in the kindergarten specializes in therapeutic intervention for children with complex speech disorders, various language difficulties, and children with cerebral palsy as well as children with eating difficulties. The speech therapy team includes specialists, a rehabilitation assistant, and volunteers. The goal of our work is for each child to express himself and communicate with his environment in the most effective way possible, and develop language and communication skills in an optimal way.
The team provides a broad response to the communication and language needs of the kindergarten children through individual treatment or in pairs, joint treatment with another therapist (either occupational therapist or physiotherapist) and group therapy. Group language treatment is conducted together with the kindergarten teachers, and constitutes an opportunity to develop a learning discussion, promote communication skills between the children in their natural environment, and prepare them for acquiring reading and writing skills. In addition, the team specializes in customization of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems for children who do not speak or children with complex speech disorders. The AAC systems include communication panels, audio output devices, communication computers and iPads with dynamic speech software, used by the children in a variety of daily activities at the kindergarten and at home. In addition, a communication group is held in the kindergarten for children using AAC, in which shared experiential communication activity is conducted.
The means of treatment are diverse and customized for each child: Toys, imagination games and didactic games, application of scenarios from daily life together with the child, songs, children’s books, and technological aids such as communication computers and i-pads.
