Speech Class

I started speech class when I started elementary school.   The classes were done during the school hours, and were free.  The first teacher I had was Linda Herod, a wonderful lady I just called her Linda.  The classes were always small, in the beginning it was usually just me or maybe one other kid.   She was a good teacher (all of my speech teachers were good :), then again I didn't have a problem with any teacher...how often do you hear a kid say that?? ;) ) and I remember her spending time with me, explaining where I needed to put my tongue against my teeth, curving it, or whatever position that it needed for a particular sound.  She used hers hands to show me, one hand being the roof of the mouth and the other being the tongue.  We spent time reading out of comic strips, both regular newspaper comic strips (like Peanuts, which I later became a huge fan of) and special strips designed for speech class... I don't remember what it was called but it had animals as the main characters.

I always remember liking speech class, one reason being was that I got out of regular class :).  I also had fun activities along with the serious learning.

I went through two other teachers while in elementary school, Mrs. Barber and Sandy Dasso...both were just as good and fun as Linda. 

As for my performance in class, I had trouble in the beginning with certain sounds.  The only one I remmber now that I had trouble with was the 'er' sound.  I practiced and repeated it and for some reason it took my a while for me to master it... I forgot how long it took but it seemed like forever.  I practiced at home, by reading out loud.  Mom spent a lot of time with me as I read (and she hates reading!). 

When I entered into junior high, I was tested to see if I needed any more therapy.  A speech teacher (I assume) asked me questions about regular things (I don't really remember exactly what we talked about.  I only remember talking about kids that I knew in elementary school).  And from that, it was determined that my speech was okay and no more classes were needed :).

Today my speech is good, or so says everyone around me.   I think my speech is still nasal sounding but everyone says no (maybe they are used to it? :) ).