"Parents are the ultimate role models for children. Every word, movement, and action has an effect. No other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than the parent." These insightful words by Bob Keeshan emphasise the profound impact parents have on their children's development, particularly in the realm of literacy.
In a world where effective communication is paramount, nurturing a love for language from an early age is invaluable. Join us as we engage with Angeline, a dedicated speech therapist and advocate for childhood literacy. From practical tips for encouraging speech development to creative ways to foster a love for reading, Angeline shares her expertise to empower parents in nurturing confident communicators.
Hi Angeline! Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi, my name is Angeline. I’m a certified speech-language therapist (also known as SLP to some) and mum to two beautiful girls (2 and 4 years old) and a gentle giant, our 34kg labrador retriever.
After my GCE ‘A’ Levels, I chanced upon the MOH Health Science Scholarship and was blessed with the opportunity to pursue my Bachelors of Speech Pathology at the University of Queensland, Australia. Upon graduation, I worked at an acute hospital where I developed special interest in the areas of voice and head and neck cancers. After serving my scholarship bond, I went on to pursue my MSc in Clinical Speech and Language Studies at Trinity College Dublin. Living overseas was an amazing experience but it also made me appreciate what we have here in Singapore—being able to walk around at night alone without fearing for my safety, our efficiency is top notch, and of course, our delicious food!
After that I came home, settled down and fast forward to now, where I run my own private practice called Ting Speech Therapy Services. Outside of work, I spend time with my daughters and furkid. One of our favourite activities is reading (yes, my dog joins us too!), and that is how MamasReadingLap got started!
What made you decide to start @mamasreadinglap to promote book reading for children?
“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”
– Emilie Buchwald
I love this quote and it is the main reason why I started my social media account and named it @mamasreadinglap.
I truly believe that parents play a paramount role in their child’s reading and learning journey. Through this platform, I want to build a community of parents and caregivers that grow and learn together to better invest in their children’s future through reading. Growing up, my sister would bring me to the old National Library at Stamford Road, where I have fond memories of us scouring through the shelves to pick out interesting books and lugging them all the way home. These are memories I’m very thankful for and deeply cherish, which is why my book reviews will always include a statement to let my audience know if the books are available for loan at the National Library Board.
That said, I also have a penchant for collecting children’s books, especially those that are thoughtfully written or beautifully illustrated. Children’s books can be pricey and sometimes the books turn out quite different from what the synopsis and reviews make them out to be. So when I receive a new book, I’m always extra delighted to find that it is as wonderfully made as what I’ve expected it to be. This led me to only recommend books that I feel are worthy of parents' money and time. I also try to find the best online deals and share them via IG stories or the link in my bio. I also share reading tips based on my training as a speech therapist and experience with my own children. I believe that reading can be enjoyable for our children and for us caregivers too! Come join me in creating fun and loving memories for our children in their reading journey!
Are there any common misconceptions that people may have when it comes to speech therapy?
Many people think that as speech therapists, we only work on children's speech and language skills but there is so much more that we do. We work with clients across the lifespan from neonates all the way to patients requiring end-of-life care. Speech therapists provide a wide range of services including:
Voice therapy e.g. for professional voice users such as teachers/salespersons who may have injured their vocal cords
Fluency therapy e.g. for people who stutter
Swallowing therapy e.g. for patients who have suffered a stroke that has impacted their ability to eat and drink safely
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) e.g. for people who have difficulty speaking due to their medical conditions such as cerebral palsy
How can parents encourage and support their children's speech and language skills at home? Do you have any favourite books or reading strategies to recommend?
I have so many tips to share but one of the best things parents can do to help develop their children’s speech and language skills is to read with them! You can start reading to your child even as a newborn! Babies are wired to pay attention to intonation and rhythm in their parents’ speech. Reading short and simple books to them is a great way to lay the building blocks for communication while exposing them to a wide vocabulary. Plus, it is such a fun and easy way to bond with your baby! Some of my favourite books for babies are below (and also available here):
High contrast books:
⚫️ “It Had to Be You” by Loryn Brantz (sweet poem for mummies and babies)
⚪️ “First Baby Days: On the Move” by Mojca Dolinar (has pull out tabs)
🔴 “Baby’s Day” by Raffaella Castagna, S&S Alliance (features daily routine and has pull out tabs)
Indestructible books:
🌟 “Indestructibles: Happy and You Know It!” by Amy Pixton & Vanja Kragulj (sing-a-long)
🌟 “Indestructibles: Big and Little: A Book of Opposites” by Amy Pixton & Carolina Búzio
Puppet books:
🐠 “I’m a little fish” by Lucy Cousins
👃🏼 “Nosey Norman” by Sam Lloyd (teaches numbers)
Sensory books:
🦖 “Never Touch a…” series by Rosie Greening and Stuart Lynch (rhymes)
🐞“Baby Touch: Animals” by Ladybird
Lift-the-flap books:
🦁 “Dear Zoo” by Rod Campbell (features animals and adjectives) – Chinese version available
🐶 “Where’s Spot” by Eric Hill (features animals)
👶🏻 “Where is Baby’s Belly Button” by Karen Katz (teaches body parts, prepositions e.g. “under)
Can you share some tips for parents on how to incorporate speech therapy techniques into everyday activities with their children?
I – Interpret the message
M – Model the words
E – Emphasise the pronunciation
R – Repeat!
Even before they learn to speak and have actual words, your baby is already communicating with you, sometimes via screaming! This is why I.M.E.R is one of my favourite tips for babies or toddlers who are just learning to talk. They won’t use the words immediately but each time we model the words, we are laying down the foundation for them to build on their speech and communication skills. The more we repeat and model, the more likely they are to learn the actual words.
Another tip that I frequently share with parents is O.W.L. This is a well-known strategy within the speech therapy profession.
O – Observe
W – Wait
L – Listen
Observing our children’s body language and communication attempts allows us to tune in to what they are trying to tell us. What are they pointing to or looking at? Why do they have this facial expression? What were they trying to tell us when they displayed this behaviour previously?
It can be frustrating for both parties when we cannot figure out what our child is trying to tell us. Observing our children and getting curious about their behaviours can give us clues and help us better guess what they are trying to say.
Waiting sounds like a simple thing to do but the truth is, we all don’t do it enough!
Many parents rush to fill in the gaps and quiet pauses for their children, anticipating their needs even before they attempt any form of communication, and sometimes, we simply do not have the luxury of time.
By waiting, I mean to pause, not say anything, and look expectantly at your child. This conveys the message that you are paying attention to them and ready for their communication attempt. It doesn’t matter if your child responds with an incomplete sentence, an unintelligible word, or even a gesture. But it is important that we acknowledge their attempt and respond to it promptly e.g. if your child says “nana”, which you interpret as banana, model the words for them and reinforce their attempt by giving them what they want “Banana! You want a banana! There you go, here’s your banana.” (Incorporating I.M.E.R from above)
What we are trying to achieve is letting our children know that there is power in their communication and that it is important to us. This reinforces the behaviour and encourages them to attempt communication with us again.
Listening means paying attention to what your child is saying and not interrupting, even if you’ve already figured out what they are trying to tell you. Again, this tells your child that what they are communicating is important to you, and it builds their self-esteem and confidence in communication.
What are some signs that a child may benefit from speech therapy, and how can parents approach this topic with sensitivity and support? In your experience, how does early intervention contribute to better speech and language outcomes for children?
Developmental milestones are guidelines used by healthcare professionals to monitor a child’s growth and development. There is usually a wide range for these milestones, and it is important to remember that every child is unique and may reach these milestones at their own pace. However, if a child is not meeting their milestones, and their parents (or teachers) have concerns about any areas of speech and language development, I’d say to trust their gut and seek professional guidance. Some healthcare providers may advise a wait-and-see approach, especially for very young children, but early intervention in speech therapy can lead to improved communication outcomes and overall developmental progress in children.
Early intervention can provide children with the necessary tools and strategies to improve their communication skills, build confidence, and participate more fully in everyday activities. Even if parents are not looking to commence regular therapy sessions, I would recommend that they at least speak with a certified speech therapist about their concerns to get advice that is specific for their child.
Can you suggest activities or games that parents can use to improve their child's speech and language skills while making it enjoyable and engaging?
Apart from reading, one thing I really love to do with my kids is to simply chat with them! Language learning can happen anywhere, and you really don’t need to be spending hours setting up play activities or spending money on fancy toys.
Even before children can speak, they are learning language by listening to you.
In our brains (and our children’s brains), there is something called mirror neurons, which can be simplified as “copycat brain cells” that become active when we see someone else do something. Talking to our children fires up these mirror neurons and helps our children "mirror" or imitate our speech and language patterns. It's like they're learning by copying what they see and hear. So, the more we talk to children, the more their brains practice and learn how to talk.
I talk to my baby all the time—narrating what is happening or is going to happen (soothes anxiety and helps transitions), how I am feeling (modelling healthy communication around emotions), what I see around me (encouraging observation skills) etc. During a simple grocery run to the supermarket, my baby would have heard me use nouns/names of objects e.g. “watermelon”, adjectives/descriptors e.g. “heavy”, and verbs/action words e.g. “carry”.
Can you recommend any resources or organisations in Singapore that parents can turn to for more information and support related to speech therapy?
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has comprehensive information and resources for parents, including developmental milestones
Speech and Language Therapy Singapore (SALTS) is the professional association for speech and language therapists in Singapore
Lastly, how can parents and caregivers foster a love for reading in children?
1) Focus on the Interaction
Let your child enjoy the book at their own pace! Give yourself permission to skip words and sentences or even whole pages. Your child will read the book again, there will be opportunities in the future to revisit the pages that you’ve skipped.
Also, let them participate in book reading! Do you remember the content from the TV advertisement that was just playing in the background while you were cooking? Probably not, but you are a lot more likely to remember the game that you played on your phone. Participation leads to engagement, which promotes learning!
2) Make it Accessible
It doesn’t have to be fancy! I’ve reused gift boxes and put some books in them to create little book corners around the house. The idea is to keep books within reach and sight. This allows opportunities for your child to request to read with you, and you’ll never know, one day you might just find your child flipping through the books independently.
And if you find that there is never time for reading, how about building it into routine? Reading a couple of books with your kids before bed is a great way to end the night on a positive note. Stash a few books in the car so they could flip through the pages while driving to school—less bored kids, peaceful car rides, win!
3) Make it Fun
This sounds intuitive but you need to put some thought into it. Choose books that are engaging or of interest to your child. You can also make reading a fun activity! For instance, we’ve tried making dumplings from a recipe at the back of a children’s book, and taking a book featuring different birds to the Bird Paradise to try to spot them.
4) Be Their Role Model
Children cannot be what they do not see! Let them see you reading, even if it’s a few pages from a magazine. Let them know that you value reading and that knowledge can be gleaned from reading. If reading is important to you, it’ll be important to them!
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Heartfelt thanks to Angeline for sharing all the tips above with our community. We hope you find this article helpful!
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