Little Ears & Voices

Little Ears & Voices Community based speech-language pathologist serving families in Lake County, FL and surrounding areas

05/22/2026

Part II of our target selection series: Co-articulation considerations👏🏼

When choosing speech targets, we don’t just want to think about where a sound appears in a word, but also about how sounds change in connected speech through coarticulation.

For example, a “medial SH” target doesn’t only have to be words with /ʃ/ “sh” in the middle. In phrases like “miss you,” the /s/ in “miss” naturally shifts closer to a “sh” sound because our speech system is constantly adjusting surrounding sounds to make speaking more efficient.

This matters BIG TIME for our kids with motor planning difficulties. Understanding how sounds influence each other can help us choose targets that are more functional, natural, and easier to generalize into real speech. ✨

(Visual description in the comments)

05/22/2026

When selecting speech targets, placement matters… but so does functionality. 👏🏼

I don’t know about you, but for me, these considerations were not highlighted in graduate school.

I like to think about how sounds actually show up in everyday speech. Present progressive verbs and connected phrases can create natural opportunities for medial SH practice that feels more meaningful, age-appropriate, and functional for kids. Our targets don’t have to be random, arbitrary, single words from a list. We can consider things like grammatical, form, phrases, and co-articulation (stay tuned for part II!).

This is also so important for generalization because we don’t speak in isolated words, we speak in connected speech. Especially for kids with motor planning difficulties, we want to practice the movement between sounds in the same way they’ll actually need to use them in real communication. 🗣️

Therapy targets should support real communication, not just isolated drill words.

Next in this series: co-articulation considerations for target selection using this same SH client example 👀

(Visual description in comments)

05/22/2026

Target selection matters ✨

We don’t want to just hand kids a random list of words and hope for the best. What we know about speech therapy is that we only need a small number of well-chosen and intentional targets to promote generalization… so why not make those targets functional and meaningful?

Think about words your client already knows, uses daily, are relevant to the current activity, and that the child actually cares about. Consider the activities they participate in, the people they talk to, and the phrases that naturally occur in their everyday life. Meaningful targets are often more motivating, more functional, and more likely to carry over outside the therapy room 🙌🏼

Check out the next 2 videos for other important considerations when selecting targets using the example of medial SH 👀

(Visual Description in Comments)

05/18/2026

Today, on National Speech-Language Pathologist Day, I’m feeling extra grateful for this career. 🤍

I get to show up every day for little humans as they find their voice, build confidence, and connect with the people around them. I’m so grateful for the trust families place in me and for the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life forever.

If you’ve known me for a while, you probably know… I’ve always loved to talk. 😂 I have always been a hard worker and a good student, but the one thing I constantly got in trouble for in class as a kid was talking. My seat got moved all the time, and teachers would put me next to the quietest kid in class… only for them to be talking by the end of the day too 😉

Was it my ADHD? Probably. But honestly, I can’t help but feel like I was made for this job.

Tag your favorite SLP below! And if you’re an SLP, tag your SLP bestie and share your favorite thing about being a speech-language pathologist 💬✨

Happy National Speech Language Pathologist Day to all of the amazing SLPs out there!If you know an incredible SLP who de...
05/18/2026

Happy National Speech Language Pathologist Day to all of the amazing SLPs out there!

If you know an incredible SLP who deserves to be recognized today, tag them below 🫶🏼

05/14/2026

One of the biggest barriers I run into when recommending AAC for a child is hearing comments about whether they’re “capable” of using or learning it, and it usually always comes back to assumptions about their cognitive potential.

And every single time, I think about these videos I love of dogs, pigs, and other animals learning to use AAC to communicate wants, needs, and thoughts. If we can believe animals are capable of learning symbolic communication… why are we still questioning whether children are?

I’ll say it once, I’ll say it again, and I’ll keep saying it forever: there are NO prerequisites for AAC. Every child deserves access to communication. We have to presume competence and presume potential, because when we don’t, we risk limiting a child’s opportunities for language, connection, autonomy, and self-expression.

AAC can and should be individualized and adjusted to meet a child’s unique strengths and needs, but access to a robust communication system should NEVER be withheld until a child is expected to “prove” they’re ready.

Thanks for the amazing videos! 💗

does.dog.stuff



Visual description:
POV-style reel opens with a 30-year-old white woman with dark brown hair in a ponytail, wearing an orange shirt, facing the camera and pretending to talk seriously.

On-screen text:
“them: they won’t be able to learn how to use the AAC device”

Cut to the same woman in a different outfit — hair down with a white headband, denim overalls, looking confused at the camera.

On-screen text:
“huh?”

She points toward the screen and mouths:
“watch this.”

Video transitions into a compilation with the woman now appearing in the bottom-right corner reacting picture-in-picture style. She smiles, nods, looks surprised, and reacts with amazement while watching animals successfully communicate using AAC buttons.

Clip 1:
A yellow lab presses AAC buttons laid out on the floor.

Clip 2:
A brown pig presses a single communication button in the kitchen to get the owner’s attention and request dancing. The owner picks the pig up and spins him around.

Clip 3:
A cat sitting on a counter presses a “hungry” button. Then an orange-and-white corgi in the same room uses floor buttons to request “help” and “outside.”

Clip 4:
A fluffy gray-and-white dog uses AAC communication buttons on the floor.

Clip 5:
An older brown dog communicates using floor AAC buttons.

Final cut back to the woman in denim overalls. She squints slightly, nods knowingly, and mouths:
“interesting…”

Final on-screen text:
“Presume potential.”

Here are 14 things I do as a Type B + ADHD speech therapist that would probably make my Type A SLP friends lose their mi...
05/14/2026

Here are 14 things I do as a Type B + ADHD speech therapist that would probably make my Type A SLP friends lose their minds 😂

inspired by .type.b.slp ✨

• I love themes in theory, but I’ve found that following a child’s special interests and lead builds way more connection and communication

• I used to over-plan every session with crafts and activities, until I realized the best sessions were usually the unplanned ones. Most of my planning came from insecurity in my own ability to be flexible, not necessity.

• My systems could definitely use some work, but I am simply not the cute planner girlie with gel pens and color-coded highlighters… and I’ve accepted that 😂

• I prioritize what actually matters, and having a perfectly fresh data sheet every session is not at the top of the list 😅

• I am constantly losing pens, so at this point we just adapt and get creative.

• Sitting in one place all day does not work for my brain. I work best with movement, changing environments, and getting out of the house whenever possible.

• Most of the time, I’d rather choose targets naturally during the session instead of forcing preselected words. I focus on what the child is already communicating, because that’s what supports true generalization.

• Since my sessions are very go-with-the-flow, I draw a LOT of visual cues on the spot. Are they pretty? Absolutely not. Are they effective? Usually yes.

• I lose game pieces constantly, and honestly, it doesn’t faze me. We improvise.

• I don’t mind getting messy, wet, dirty, or sitting on the floor if it benefits the child and the session.

• Single-use crafts are cute, but I can’t bring myself to prep materials that can only be used once.

• If I’m testing, I’m not teaching. If I’m staring at a clipboard, I’m not connecting. Data matters, but connection matters MORE.

• No-prep therapist = no laminator. I said what I said.

• I work with KIDS. I sit on the floor, run around, roll in the grass, and get messy sometimes. Yes, I’m a professional, but my outfits need to match the actual job or I won’t be able to do it well 🤍

05/11/2026

So here’s the thing about IEP meetings…

They can feel incredibly overwhelming as a parent.

You walk in and suddenly people are throwing around acronyms and educational terms you’ve never heard before. All while making decisions (or proposed decisions) about YOUR child.

You’re hearing about delays, slow progress, goals that still need work…and by the end of the meeting, so many parents have told me they leave feeling defeated, confused, or just really sad.

And honestly, that’s not how it should be.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in IEP meetings and heard misinformation being shared about special education services, IEP eligibility, accommodations, parent rights, or the process for getting support in school. All hidden behind confusing language and acronyms that most parents were never taught to understand.

Your child has rights.
You have rights.

And when you understand the IEP process and know what questions to ask, it becomes so much easier to advocate for the support your child truly needs at school.

I will always advocate for my students, and now that I’m outside of the school system, I’m able to help families in a different way too.

If you’re a parent navigating special education, IEP services, autism support, speech therapy, or school accommodations, follow along for more tips and education about advocating for your child!

And if you’re in Florida and interested in a virtual IEP consultation, send me a message 💗🫶🏼

05/11/2026

Public school acronyms and paperwork can feel SO overwhelming for parents 🤯

IEPs, 504s, evaluations, accommodations, meetings… it’s a lot to navigate.

Here is a simplified breakdown of the difference between an IEP and a 504 Plan so you can better understand what support your child may qualify for in school ✨

One other important thing parents need to know 👇🏼

Both IEPs and 504 Plans are federally protected legal documents. An IEP is protected under IDEA, while a 504 Plan falls under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

This means the services, supports, and accommodations listed on these plans are LEGALLY required to be implemented at school. No IFs, ANDs, or BUTs about it!

Aren’t sure how to advocate for your child’s needs?

I offer virtual IEP and 504 consultations for parents in Florida to help answer your questions, understand your rights, and feel confident advocating for your child at your next school meeting 👏🏼

05/08/2026

Here are a few things I don’t care about as a speech-language pathologist 👀

Hot takes? Maybe. 😂 Let me know what you think!

And tell me in the comments: what’s something you don’t care about in your field? ⬇️

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Tavares, FL
32778

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Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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