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From: elise goodman
Date: 06 Oct 2012
Time: 05:17:39 -0500
Remote Name: 76.24.94.137
Hi, Thank you for your response. I teach normal speech production by drawing a picture for my clients. My drawings usually make them laugh, because I have absolutely no artistic skill. With adults, I sometimes use a photo of the speech mechanism, which includes the lungs...because we need to talk about respiration, phonation, articulation, and to some extent resonation. I basically teach the client how the speech mechanism works...and focus on the need for smooth inhalation and exhalation, and limited tension at the level of the vocal folds and articulators. The concept of reducing tension in the "system" is emphasized. Check out the work of Susan Dietrich ....and the 1-10 tension level system she teaches her clients. You are so right...we are trying to teach "normal" speech production to a person who may have never known what that is supposed to "feel" like. Focusing on how it "feels" to the PWS ( Is it tight? Is it gentle? I like to use the term "loosey goosey" for reduced tension throughout the speech mechanism. I hope this helps. elise