Special needs · Childhood apraxia of speech

Speech practice where every movement can be seen and heard

Pencil Spaces gives therapists treating childhood apraxia of speech online a close view of the mouth, clear audio, picture cues on the board and easy practice at home.

Get a demo Try Pencil Spaces

Share it with your child’s tutor Teaching at home? Try it

Free for 2 weeks on any paid plan. Card required. No charge when the trial ends.

Area

Communication and interaction

Who it helps

Children with childhood apraxia of speech, speech-language pathologists, schools and families

Also called

CAS (US, Canada, Australia) · developmental verbal dyspraxia, DVD (UK, Ireland) · verbal dyspraxia · apraxia of speech

What lessons need

A clear view of the mouth, clean audio, many repetitions, visual cues, practice at home

In Pencil Spaces

7 features available today

Part of

Special needs, need by need

What does therapy for childhood apraxia of speech need online?

Children with apraxia of speech know what they want to say but struggle to plan the movements. Therapy means many careful repetitions, with the therapist watching and listening closely.

See the mouth moveVideo Layouts · AvailableA large view of the therapist’s face shows how each sound is made.
Every sound comes throughNoise Cancellation · AvailableAI noise cancellation and echo reduction filter out background sound, so the therapist hears each attempt at a word.
A picture for every target wordImages & Video · AvailablePut picture cards for each target word on the board, ready for many repetitions.
Hear the progressSession Recording · AvailableRecordings let the therapist and family listen back and hear how a word has changed.
Easy to join, several times a weekPermanent Links · AvailableEach Space has one link that never changes, so getting to the lesson is the same every time.
Practice words sent homeLesson Summaries · AvailableA recap after each lesson, with a version for parents, lists the words to practice at home.
Every good try noticedCelebrations · AvailableReactions and stickers mark each good attempt.

The features behind it

Why can online therapy be hard for childhood apraxia of speech?

Small video tiles hide the lips, teeth and tongue. Compressed audio and background noise blur the sounds a child is working on.

Young children also need an adult nearby, and therapy works best little and often.

What does a lesson look like in Pencil Spaces?

The speech-language pathologist switches to one big face and models a word slowly. The child watches, then tries it while seeing their own mouth in self-view.

Picture cards for today’s five words sit on the board. After each set of tries, the therapist sends a celebration.

Tips for apraxia therapy online

Use a headset or a good microphone on both ends, and keep the room quiet.
Light your face from the front, and sit close to the camera.
Plan short lessons several times a week where you can.
Have a parent or aide sit beside younger children.
Send the target words home with pictures.

Good to know

Pencil Spaces is the live room. The speech-language pathologist brings the assessment, the treatment approach and the materials. Touch cues can’t be given through a screen, so an adult beside the child helps.

Questions people ask

Can childhood apraxia of speech be treated online?

Many speech-language pathologists treat it by teletherapy, often with a parent beside the child. It depends on clear audio and a good view of the mouth. Your therapist will say whether online therapy suits your child.

What do families need at home?

A laptop or tablet, a quiet room and a headset or good microphone. Tech Check tests the camera, microphone and connection before therapy starts.

Is childhood apraxia of speech the same as verbal dyspraxia?

Yes. Childhood apraxia of speech, or CAS, is the usual name in the US, Canada and Australia. In the UK and Ireland it’s often called developmental verbal dyspraxia.

Can families practice between lessons?

Lesson Summaries include a version for parents with the words to practice. The child’s board stays in the Space, so the picture cards are there for the next lesson.