The PROMPT System Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) was formally devised by D. Hayden in 1980 after working extensively with/and researching varied speech production disordered populations. Since that time, over a span of 19 Years, Deborah has continued to develop PROMPT as a Technique, System, Approach, and Philosophy. PROMPT is based on neurological, anatomical, cognitive-linguistic and motor theory principles. It has been said that “PROMPT directly translates the neuro-muscular movements required for the phonemic system, connects them to linguistic-codes and articulatory sequences for communicative interactions”. Visit the PROMPT Institute

The prefix “myo” stands for muscle. Orofacial Myology (the basis for myofunctional therapy) is the study and treatment of the oral and facial muscles as they relate to to speech, dentition, chewing/bolus collection, swallowing, and overall mental and physical health (Sandra R. Holtzman). Amy has completed the 28 hour intensive course and achieved certification in orofacial myology via the IAOM in 2020. She has also achieved her Qualified Orofacial Myologist designation with NEO Health Services.  Amy completed Chrysalis Orofacial’s Specialty Tethered Oral Tissues® Training.

Unlike traditional phonics and word study programs which begin with the written letter and teach students to match the letter to a sound (print to speech), SPELL-Links helps students first learn how to attend to the sound structure of spoken English words and then how to connect and combine sounds, letter patterns, and meanings to read and spell words (speech to print). This is exactly how the brain works in good readers and writers!

SPELL-Links students also learn meta-linguistic strategies and develop the executive function skills that empower them to independently apply their word study knowledge, skills, and strategies to independently read, write, and spell.

Lively Letters is a reading program that turns abstract letters and sounds into lively, colorful characters. Forty-four letters and letter combinations are embedded into colorful pictures that show students what to do with their mouths when making the letter sounds. The keys to this powerful program are, Embedded Letter Character Pictures, Imagery, Hand/Body Cues, Oral Kinesthetic Cues, Comical Mnemonic Stories, and Songs for the Letters. Amy is a Certified Trainer for the implementation of this program.  Visit Reading With TLC

While using the The Lindamood Phonemic Sequencing® (LiPS®) program, individuals become aware of the mouth actions which produce speech sounds. This awareness becomes the means of verifying sounds within words and enables individuals to become self-correcting in reading and spelling, and speech. It is common for individuals to gain several grade levels in decoding ability in four weeks to six weeks of intensive instruction, or to make further gains in speech-language after hitting a plateau under traditional speech therapy approaches.  Visit Lindamood-Bell

The SGM® is an acronym for The Story Grammar Marker®. “Story Grammar” is the technical term for the parts of a story (narrative).   Schools in many countries, including the United States, use the “goal-directed” style of a narrative. The Story Grammar Marker® is a hands-on, kinesthetic tool designed with patented icons that represent the parts of a story. Children (and adults) can use the icons to “mark”—and keep track of—the situation unfolding in a story in an organized way for themselves, and for others to understand. The SGM® is used to help children, adolescents and adults think, communicate and learn through stories.

Amy became a Certified Narrative Professional in the Story Grammar Marker approach in 2021.

The Fast ForWord® family of products are designed to help elementary, middle and high school students develop and strengthen memory and sequencing skills, attention, auditory processing, processing speed and the language skills essential for academic success. Neuroscience research has proven that difficulty with language and auditory processing can have adverse repercussions on cognitive skills and academic performance.

Oral Placement Therapy involves all different levels of treatment. The nonverbal child often needs strengthening, sensitization, or sometimes desensitization to be able to use the same muscles for speech production. By working during eating or in play activities, we can achieve these goals in a natural fashion. Individuals with articulation or phonological disorders often had training or retraining of muscle groups in order to achieve a correct sound placement.   Visit Talk Tools

CAPDOTS™-Integrated is a Dichotic Integration Listening Training Program that utilizes time lead-lag, interaural differences (also referred to as DIID-II). It is a web-based, auditory training program module used to treat Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), specifically binaural integration deficits (also referred to as auditory divided attention). CAPDOTS™-Selected is a Dichotic Selection/Separation Listening Training program that is useful for those with binaural separation deficits and who fail or present with atypical inter-aural symmetries on Competing Sentences type tests. Amy is a trained provider for both programs. She has delivered these programs in person and via teletherapy. Click here for more information on CAPDOTS™!

The Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol is a way of teaching children with apraxia of speech the easiest way of saying words until they have increased motor-speech coordination. Children are taught the shell of words without including too many of the complex consonants, vowels, or syllables which make a word too difficult to even attempt on a motor basis. This teaching method is a reflection of how young children attempt “first words.” For example, the word “bottle” may begin as “ba,” progress to “baba,” later becomes “bado,” and eventually, “bottle.”
Visit The Kaufman Center

Correct sound production is essential to communication. Articulation and phonological disorders comprise the greatest number of speech disorders we face. Whether a child’s speech is unintelligible or just not as clear as it could be, effective communication is a primary goal of all speakers.

Language is the basis for most learning. Without language there is no communication. While there are varying degrees of language disorders, the ultimate goal of all people is to  comprehend all that is heard and express ideas in all that is spoken.

Amy uses various tools and methods she has acquired from over 25 years of clinical practice to facilitate and augment a student’s language skills.