About

About Learning Language Together

Learning Language Together™ materials have been carefully designed by, Jill Hicks, who was a speech-language pathologist for 41 years, and just recently retired. Jill created materials to develop speech (articulation), language (understanding and use of vocabulary and grammar) and early literacy (beginning reading and spelling skills).
These materials are fun because they are presented clearly without clutter and at a pace geared for maximum learning. Individuals learn through:

video and still images of real people, animals and objects
music
books
manipulative and interactive materials

Learning Language Together™ materials are sold individually but fit together in an integrated way so learning will be reinforced across activities.
The Learning Language Together™ principles:

Use materials that are simple and uncluttered.
Use images of real people, animals and objects
Slow down input to allow for processing time.
Give extra information to increase understanding.
Use a variety of media for multisensory learning.
Reinforce learning across activities.
Use music to teach grammatical structures, vocabulary and to increase phoneme awareness.
Use print to reinforce speech and to teach grammatical structures.
Teach letter/grapheme SOUNDS.
Use modeling and repetition.
Develop specific skills and then integrate those skills.
Teach practical skills.

Testimonials

"I've had an opportunity to observe and use the Phoneme Touch and Say program in a number of teaching environments, and I have found it to be one of the best tools I have ever used for the development and reinforcement of phonemic awareness. It is a low cost, user-friendly program that provides both teaching and reinforcement. It works ideally with a small group or in a one-to-one situation, but can also be introduced into the whole class setting. The ease with which it can be learned and used by students, parents, educational assistants and teachers alike, as well as its multi-sensory approach, make it an ideal program for developing phonemic skills."
Brian Fancy, Resource Teacher

"Just a quick note to let you know that I use the Phoneme Touch & Say hand cues with individual students that I see during Resource times. I initially began to use the short vowel cues with one student who was really struggling with distinguishing between the trickier sounds (i.e. short "a" and "e".) ... Not long after, I found myself, without really being conscious that I was doing so, using the hand cues when working on vowel sounds with my other students. Interestingly enough, whithout me saying anything about the cues, these students began to mimic what they saw me do. It was then that I realized that I was using them in an automatic and natural way. The hand cues come naturally to me and now, to my students. They make sense!"
Karen Baker, Resource Teacher

"I have used Phoneme Touch and Say for almost 3 years now and I continue to find it easy to use, widely applicable, and extremely useful. The hand cues are easy to learn and make sense, which in turn makes them easy to remember (for teachers, parents, and students). I have used Phoneme Touch and Say with many children, some with mild articulation and some with severe motor speech disorders, and I have seen them learn and even start using the cues within a session.  In fact, after working on a really hard vowel sound (long a) for many weeks, I started using PT&S to teach it, and in that session I was able to have the child start saying it accurately.  Children have also spontaneously used the cues to help others understand what sound they are trying to say.  I think this speaks to the power of the program.  I know I will be using it for many years to come."
Leah MacEachern, Speech-Language Pathologist

"My daughter is 10 and had a diagnosis of Down syndrome. One year ago she started using the Phoneme Touch & Say program. When she started she recognized the letters of the alphabet but could not say one sound any of the letters made.
One year later she is able to spell words! The progress she has made is amazing! She now knows what all the letter sounds are.   She realizes that words have a beginning, middle and ending sound. She can see a word and is able to sound it out and figure the word out with little or no help. What this program has done to her confidence....she wants to read more, write more. She loves to do her "homework" because she feels success. The program is set up for her to succeed.
Over the years we have tried many programs, many things to help teach our daughter. The Phoneme Touch & Say program has been by far the most successful program we have used. It is amazing! I truly am still amazed when I see my daughter use this program; how far she has come and how excited she is to go further.  I finally feel like I am on the right track."
Angie Patey, Parent

"I wanted to tell you that I feel the Phoneme Touch & Say program is wonderful. I am an Educational Assistant and work with a student on this program on a daily basis. This student is now using her speech sounds in daily conversations and when working on her assignments. I have worked with a lot of programs over the years and this is one of the best."
Debbie Sabine, Educational Assistant

"The Phoneme Touch and Say program is an indispensible tool in my S-LP toolbox. It is helpful for such a wide range of student needs that I have a copy of the cards handy in every school I visit. I use it to help most of the students on my caseload from those demonstrating intelligibility (apraxia) issues to those needing support for phonemic awareness to older students who are struggling with literacy. I also use Phoneme Touch and Say with low verbal special needs students to encourage sound production and to remind them of placement.
Elementary teachers of all grade levels have been enthusiastic after having the program demonstrated. They see immediately how it benefits students and because it is so easy to use they can integrate the cues easily into their classroom routine.
When I demonstrate the program for parents they too see it's value and how easy it is to use and want a set of cards for home use.
But the best thing about Phoneme Touch and Say is - the reaction of the students themselves. They learn the cues easily and this program becomes their silent helper - always there when they need it."
Pam Shelton, Speech-Language Pathologist