Reflections on Hopscotch and Speech Therapy in Natural Environments

This summer I had a chance to see the power of natural environments in action with a new patient. Natural environments can powerfully connect the skills we work on in speech therapy to the patient’s world — home. family. immediate environment.

Hopscotch grid chalked in the driveway

The first time I pulled up at the house I noticed a hopscotch grid chalked on the driveway and thought to myself, “Hmmm, don’t forget that” as I walked to the front door.

This child had a frontal lisp, meaning that her tongue extended between her front teeth and obstructed the airflow, turning an /s/ into a /th/ (“thoap” instead of “soap”). During this first session, I learned a lot about her while working on correct placement. She was a quick, limber third grader (athletic too, based on her summer activities), and was motivated and determined. After working on placement we went outside and drew a new hopscotch grid, chalking simple CV words (consonant plus vowel, such as “So,” “See”) into some of the squares. We practiced the rest of the session hopping the squares and saying these simple /s/ words. So, See, So, See. Hop, hop, turn.

Mom texted the next week “Well done! She was hopping and practicing all week-end. 😂 🤣” There was a sticker system with a prize as well, to sweeten the deal.

Besides being ten boatloads of fun, hopscotch plus articulation drills combined attention, balance, breath control, motor planning, and gross motor movements with articulation, a fine motor task. In other words, there was more going here on than hopscotch.

Connection between movement and learning

Teachers have long understood the connection between movement and learning. But the connection between movement and speech therapy is still being researched. There is some evidence that involving the gross motor system with speech production helps with building neural pathways. Dvorah Waldmann wrote an article in ASHA Leader about this topic. “Motor movement during speech-language activities involves additional neural pathways in the motor activity of speech production. This helps generalization and carryover occur.”

The gift that kept on giving

This brings me back to natural environments. Had I not had my sessions in the home, I would not have seen that chalk hopscotch outline in the driveway, and would not have gotten the idea to incorporate a meaningful, fun activity that paid dividends in terms of opportunities to practice after the session was over.

It was a gift that kept on giving.

Sources:

Cornejo, R., Martínez, F., Álvarez, V. C., Barraza, C., Cibrian, F. L., Martínez-García, A. I., & Tentori, M. (2021). Serious games for basic learning mechanisms: reinforcing Mexican children’s gross motor skills and attention. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 25(2), 375-390.

Lucht, M., & Heidig, S. (2013). Applying HOPSCOTCH as an exer-learning game in English lessons: Two exploratory studies. Educational Technology Research and Development, 61(5)

Stevens-Smith, D. (2004). Movement and learning: A valuable connection. Strategies, 18(1), 10.

Waldman, D. (2017). Reasons and Ways to Use Gross Motor Equipment in Articulation Treatment. The ASHA Leader.