Foundation Communication - Jill King , Speech-Language Pathologist

Foundation Communication - Jill King , Speech-Language Pathologist Speech therapy services for children with speech disorders such as apraxia of speech, phonological disorders, and articulation disorders.

Helping your child find their voice isn’t just about pronouncing words the “right” way, it’s about building the confiden...
04/27/2026

Helping your child find their voice isn’t just about pronouncing words the “right” way, it’s about building the confidence to use their voice.

In my sessions, I see it all the time, when a child feels like their thoughts, their choices, and their stories matter, their communication starts to grow in a whole new way. It's not just the sounds we’re shaping... it’s their confidence, their independence, and their belief that what they say matters. 💚💙

At home, simple moments make a big difference. Letting your child pick between two snacks 🍎🍪, listening to their ideas about today's big adventures, or slowing down to hear every word of their "tallest tall tale" all of it tells your child: Your voice matters! 💬🌟

And when a child knows they’re truly being heard? That’s when we see the biggest leaps not just in words, but in building confidence, self-expression, and independence.

How do you help your child feel heard and empowered? Share something that’s worked for you, I’d love to hear what those moments look like in your family!

When your child picks seeds at a store, communication is already happening. They’re choosing, responding, naming, pointi...
04/23/2026

When your child picks seeds at a store, communication is already happening. They’re choosing, responding, naming, pointing, and using language to share interest and preference. That becomes expressive language practice in a real moment that matters to them.

Reading the seed packet together brings in following directions. Your child listens, takes in each step, and helps figure out what comes next. That supports receptive language skills through real-world understanding, not isolated instruction.

Planting the seeds builds sequencing. Digging, placing, covering, and watering create a simple order your child hears, holds, and follows through. That strengthens how language is processed, remembered, and carried out in action.

As your child works with soil, tools, and water, coordination and attention support participation in shared communication moments, keeping language tied directly to movement and doing.

A mini-garden becomes a shared at-home space where language is practiced through action, repetition, and connection as the plants grow 🌱🪏.

Let’s talk about messy play, the kind that makes you flinch just a little as a parent. The shaving cream, the water bead...
04/22/2026

Let’s talk about messy play, the kind that makes you flinch just a little as a parent. The shaving cream, the water beads, the paint that somehow gets on the ceiling (how?!). 🎨🫠

I always remind parents in speech therapy: Messy play is not just about making a mess. It’s a powerful tool for communication.

Why?
👃 It’s multi-sensory—so your child is more engaged, which means more chances to connect.
💬 It opens up so much language: textures, actions, describing, requesting, problem-solving.
🧠 It activates parts of the brain that support both sensory processing and speech development.
🧼 And for kids who are sensory seekers or avoiders, it helps them regulate while we build speech.

From the outside it might look like chaos. But underneath, it’s connection, attention, and language blooming in real time.

You don’t need to set up a Pinterest-worthy activity. Even finger painting in the bathtub or digging through rice in a bowl at the table can be enough. And if it makes you a little twitchy—don’t worry, you’re not alone. 😅 Try laying a towel down. Or keep a wet rag close. Or do it right before bath time.

Because that messy moment? Might just be the one where they find their words. 💙💚

What’s one messy play activity your kiddo actually loves?

Is your child obsessed with their train set? Good news: that wooden track is actually a powerful tool for speech practic...
04/21/2026

Is your child obsessed with their train set? Good news: that wooden track is actually a powerful tool for speech practice!

Here are 4 ways to turn "Choo-Choo" time into Speech Time:
1. The "Wait & See" Trick (Requesting)
Instead of giving them all the tracks at once, keep the bridge or the favorite engine in your lap. Wait for them to make eye contact, use a gesture, or say a word like "track" or "please" before handing it over. It builds the habit of using language to get what they want!

2. Narrate the Commute (Building Vocabulary)
Be a "sportscaster" for their play. Instead of asking "What are you doing?", describe it:
"The train is going UP the hill!"
"Oh no, it’s going SO FAST!"
"The blue car is BEHIND the red one."

3. Build "Sound Stations" (Articulation)
If your child is working on a specific sound (like "S"), make that the "password" to cross the bridge. Want to go over? Say your "S" sound three times! It turns repetitive practice into a fun game.

4. Problem-Solving on the Rails (Social Language)
Put a "blockage" on the tracks (like a toy cow or a fallen block). Ask, "Uh oh, what should we do?" This encourages them to explain a problem and brainstorm a solution, which is a huge boost for complex language skills.

Pro-Tip: Don't forget the Power of the Pause. Make a loud "Choo-choo..." then stop and look at them expectantly. Let them fill the silence with the next sound or word!

Which train does your little engineer love most?

Here’s your reminder to celebrate those amazing “little” speech victories. 🎉🌟 That tricky sound finally coming through w...
04/20/2026

Here’s your reminder to celebrate those amazing “little” speech victories. 🎉

🌟 That tricky sound finally coming through with more clarity.
🌟 A word your child has been working on starting to show up in conversation.
🌟 That name, that request, that sentence is spoken with more ease than before.

Pause, celebrate, clap, high-five, cheer. Celebrate your kiddo and their progress!

What speech milestone is happening in your home right now?

Singing the same song every night at bedtime. Naming the same foods at every meal. Describing what is happening during b...
04/17/2026

Singing the same song every night at bedtime. Naming the same foods at every meal. Describing what is happening during bath time, every single bath. 💙💚

This is repetition. And it is one of the most important things you can do to support your child's speech and language development at home.

When your child hears the same words over and over through songs, through games, through your daily routines together they get multiple opportunities to learn those words. To understand them. To start using them. That is how vocabulary grows. Not from hearing a word once, but from hearing it again and again in moments that feel familiar and safe.

Label what your child is feeling. Name the materials they are playing with. Describe what is happening around them throughout the day. The more ways a word shows up in your child's day, the stronger it becomes. 🗣️

Even when your child is not talking, they are listening, processing, and storing what they hear. That steady repetition is building the foundation for speech.

When a child can’t get their words out clearly, frustration shows up fast. At home, that can look like meltdowns, shutti...
04/17/2026

When a child can’t get their words out clearly, frustration shows up fast. At home, that can look like meltdowns, shutting down, or giving up on trying to communicate. 💬

Speech therapy changes that experience by giving children a different way in. 🗣️

Through play-based activities 🎲, children practice speech sounds, language, and fluency in ways that feel natural instead of pressured. Games, routines and shared play give repeated chances to try, hear models, and get feedback in real time.

Speech sound disorders, language delays and stuttering are all addressed with one goal in mind: helping the child successfully get their message across so they are understood.

When that starts to happen, everything shifts for a parent watching it unfold. The same child who once got stuck in frustration begins pointing, speaking, or attempting words that actually land with others.

That moment of being understood is where confidence starts to build . Not because everything is perfect, but because communication starts working.

I can help your child find their voice and thrive in communication–so schedule your free screening at https://www.foundationcommunication.org/screenings.

Today we celebrate voices you can see and the beauty, culture, and power of American Sign Language. National ASL Day mar...
04/15/2026

Today we celebrate voices you can see and the beauty, culture, and power of American Sign Language. National ASL Day marks the opening of the American School for the Deaf over 200 years ago, a moment that continues to shape communication, culture, and connection today.

ASL is a complete language that brings meaning through movement, expression, and shared understanding 🤲💬, and it plays an important role in Deaf culture and in everyday communication for many families.

You might already be using parts of it at home without even thinking about it. Signs like “more”, “all done”, “water”, and “milk” give your child a clear way to communicate before spoken words fully develop. They connect the sign to what they want, then use it to express it to you in a way you can understand right away.

Those early signs build strong communication foundations because your child is learning that their message matters and that connection happens in many forms.

Today is a beautiful reminder that communication goes far beyond spoken words and every way of expressing it holds value.

Have you used any signs with your child during your daily routines?

Sometimes parents ask if saying the same word again and again is really necessary. It can feel like a lot in the moment....
04/15/2026

Sometimes parents ask if saying the same word again and again is really necessary.

It can feel like a lot in the moment. Saying the same thing over and over can seem like it should not be doing much. But in speech development, those repeats are where change happens. 💬

Each time your child hears and tries a word again, their mouth is practicing the exact movement needed for that sound. That practice is what helps speech become easier and more natural over time.

Especially for apraxia and other speech sound disorders, repetition is the work. It’s not about memorizing words. It’s about learning how to say them. 🗣️

Even when your child repeats something they’ve heard before, they are practicing how to move their mouth to say it more easily next time. It’s part of how language develops.

Repeating words through play is key!

Hey there, fellow parents! I'm thrilled to share my toy of the week recommendation: Learning Resources Insect Counters! ...
04/14/2026

Hey there, fellow parents! I'm thrilled to share my toy of the week recommendation: Learning Resources Insect Counters! 🦋🐞🪲 Join me in exploring how these fantastic counters can supercharge your child's speech development journey.

Dive into speech therapy fun with bugs! 🐜

🌟 Imaginative Play: Enhance verbal expression with storytelling.
🔢 Counting and Sorting: Develop speech sounds while counting and categorizing.
🎨 Color Recognition: Strengthen language skills with color identification.

Ready to boost your child's speech development? Explore my blog article over at Foundation Communication for more details on Games that Shape Lifelong Learning in Speech Therapy.

You probably understand almost everything your child says — but what about their teacher, their grandparent, or a kid th...
04/10/2026

You probably understand almost everything your child says — but what about their teacher, their grandparent, or a kid they just met? 🗣️ Speech intelligibility is simply how clearly your child is understood by the people around them, not just the ones who know them best. Children naturally make errors while learning to speak, and that's completely expected. But when those errors are getting in the way of other people understanding what your child is trying to say, that's when it's worth paying closer attention.

It may be time to reach out if you notice any of these:
• An unfamiliar adult regularly struggles to understand your child
• Your child gets upset, shuts down, or pulls back from talking because they aren't being understood
• Their speech isn't getting clearer over time
• They've lost sounds they used to have
• They rely on gestures more than words to get their point across

The good news is that you play a bigger role in your child's speech development than you might realize. Children learn to talk by listening to the people around them, and you are the voice they hear most. The everyday moments — reading together, talking through routines, responding warmly when they try — are actively building the foundation their brain needs for clearer speech.

Here are simple ways to support that right now:
– Model it back naturally — if they say "tup," respond with "Yes, that's a hot cup!" No correcting, just clear modeling
– Slow your own speech down so they have more time to hear individual sounds
– Read together every day — even 10 minutes builds vocabulary and exposes them to clear language
– Narrate daily routines like getting dressed, bath time, and snacks — and invite them into the conversation
– Choose face-to-face talking over screens whenever you can — your voice is their greatest model

If you aren't sure whether your child's speech is on track for their age, a free screening is a great place to start. 💙💚 Book yours here: https://www.foundationcommunication.org/screenings

Your baby is listening and learning long before they ever say a word 👂💙. Daily narration and rich language exposure buil...
04/09/2026

Your baby is listening and learning long before they ever say a word 👂💙. Daily narration and rich language exposure build vocabulary and cognitive language processing long before they speak.

Here are five simple ways to make it happen at home:
🗣 Narrate Daily Life: Use short sentences to describe what you are doing or what your child is doing — "I'm putting on your red shoes" — so they hear words and strengthen their ability to eventually use them.
🍌 Add Detail: Expand on simple words by adding adjectives — "yellow banana" rather than just "banana" — to build richer vocabulary.
👋 Use Gestures and Play: Pair words with gestures and play to create meaningful context for new words.
🔁 Repetition: Consistently repeat words during everyday routines to help with retention.
📚 Read Aloud: Reading, even to young infants, exposes them to new vocabulary and language structures.

What's the one routine you could add more language to starting today?

Address

2093 Woodsedge Court
Hebron, KY
41048

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15132546062

Website

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Speak-Up-With-Miss-Jill, https://www.foun

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Foundation Communication - Jill King , Speech-Language Pathologist posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Foundation Communication - Jill King , Speech-Language Pathologist:

Shortcuts

Share

Category