My daughters speech therapist says she's not paying enough attention !!

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, my daughter is 3 years and 9 months old, she's been having speech therapy for 10 months for a phonological disorder. She used to have one to one sessions every week, but she's now been put in to a sound group of about 4 children. They learn the "f" sound. She's been learning this one sound for about 6 months now and it still hasn't really clicked. She can say it when prompted but it dosn't come naturally for her. We work hard on it at home, through fun activities and her nursery are helping too.
After her last session, the therapist said to me that Lucy finds it hard to concentrate in the group and is distracted by the other children.
I was quite supprised by this as her teachers always say how well she concentrates at nursery, and how she's usually the first to settle and pay attention. At home I find that she concentrates really well too. I spoke to the nursery about it and they said that they can't understand why she wouldn't concentrate at speech therapy, other than her being a bit boared of the learning the same thing for months on end. I'd really like her to go back to indevidual speech therapy, but I'm not sure wether she'll let her. I know when she's bored, she will play up and the therapist isn't strict at all. She's the only girl in the group also and she goes to a girls school, I don't know if this could be a reason. What do you think I should do ?

Anyone ?

You are probably right that she is bored and/or hasn't gelled with a group of boys. Try to get her back to individual therapy. Good luck [smile}

Thanks Anna, she likes the boys in the group. One in particula I think that could be the problem.

Is she supposed to go on her own to these groups? Could you sit in on them and help her focus if she's getting distracted? 3.9 seems awfully young to do solo tuition when it's so important.

Yes, I could ask to sit in. She goes on her own usually, I prefered it when I could watch. I got a better idea of how she was progressing, and I'd pick up tips on how to help her at home.
She is the youngest in the group, I think she did a lot better one to one.

My son is a bit younger and I sat in with him. He's had two blocks of SALT, but although I was pinning so much hope on them, he wasn't so keen! He was more interested in looking in the cupboards and dragging chairs around the room. I'm hoping the next block will be more successful!

Is your dd motivate to speak or frustrated by the fact that she can't? My son isn't I don't think. I'm hoping that he'll just WANT to learn this speaking business one day and that the next block of SALT will be a lot more successful than the last two.

My DD's nursery described her as bright as a button and one of the most mature there, but one speech therapist said she was unable to concentrate, tending to giggle and not work, in her group therapy. Her next one didn't even know why she was having therapy, because at 4.5 it all came together (she did need some when referred given that at nearly 4 she used no consonants). Rambling though this is, what I'm trying to say is, speech therapists can and do get it wrong - nursery which sees your DD regularly is far more likely to know her. And hopefully you'll get a good therapist next time round.

Thanks everyone, she is very motivated usually and very keen to communicate and be understood. she uses facial expressions, and hand gestures a lot to back up her speech. She does tend to get upset and frustrated when people don't understand her. She is very chatty and sociable, which will help.