Program Improves Preschool Communication

PROGRAM SEEKS PRESCHOOLERS TO 'LEAP' INTO LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

     COLUMBUS -- An Ohio State University program seeks to give
preschoolers a fast start in language development with a unique
combination of play with speech and language enrichment.

     The Language Enrichment and Acquisition Preschool (LEAP) is
a language preschool for children ages 3 to 5.  LEAP is for both
'typically developing' children and children with language
impairments.

     "We integrate speech and language intervention with play and
everyday activities," said Jan Edwards, associate professor of
speech and hearing science and faculty advisor to the program.

     "Typically developing children act as models for the
language impaired children."

     The program, which began in June 1994, is sponsored by Ohio
State's Department of Speech and Hearing Science and university's
Speech-Hearing-Language Clinic.  LEAP is licensed by the Ohio
Department of Human Services and also serves as a teaching site
for graduate students in speech-language pathology and audiology.

     LEAP includes both typically developing children and
preschoolers with normal intelligence but some language
impairment.  Language impairment can include problems with
pronunciation, syntax, sentence construction or using voice to
communicate.

     The preschool enrolls seven children and is open Tuesdays
and Thursdays from 9 to 11:30 a.m.  Edwards hopes to expand the
program by enrolling a total of 12 students and eventually
increasing it from two to four mornings per week.

     "The preschool looks like a typical nursery school," said
Marcia Taber, head teacher in LEAP and a clinical supervisor at
the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.

     The curriculum is structured to encourage the children to
talk to each other and to their teachers as they move from
activity to activity.  Activities include structured and free
play, sharing, stories and music, and snacks.  Weekly themes are
used as a basis to plan activities.  Speech and language
intervention are integrated into all of the daily activities of
the preschool for the children with language impairments.

     Edwards says all children, both typically developing and
language impaired, benefit from language enrichment.  "The
program teaches communication skills that all the kids can
benefit from," she said. "They learn to think about thinking.
It's a strong foundation for learning to read and write and for
later academic success."

     For more information on LEAP, enrollment and fees, call
Camille Pyles, LEAP enrollment coordinator, (614) 292-6251.

                                  #

Contact: Jan Edwards, associate professor of speech and hearing
science, (614) 292-8207.


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Mon, 09 Jan 1995 08:39:24 -0500 (EST)]
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