The Teaching of Talking: Learn to Do Expert Speech Therapy at Home With Children and Adults

People with speaking difficulties are at the mercy of insurance companies who are determining how often and for how long speech therapy services should be delivered. It is also a disturbing reality that the likelihood for therapy frequency and length of care is contingent upon either the level of competence or comfort level of the speech-language pathologist or the financial policies of each institution. Often it has nothing to do with the severity or need for speech therapy. Our health care system is in no position to bankroll the long-term therapy that many people need who have moderate to profound speaking difficulties. The goal of Teaching of Talking is to make sure that any loved one, caregiver or speech-language pathologist is thoroughly knowledgeable in methods to help people improve talking since it is never known when the plug will be pulled on speech and language therapy services.

Ittleman says: “I see hundreds of people with speech and language difficulties each year. By reading and applying The Teaching of Talking, you will have the confidence to help your client or loved one, no matter what the insurance company or institution does. By learning to do what is in Teaching of Talking you will be more self-sufficient and will not have to rely on anyone to provide your loved one with expert speech therapy.

Mark A. Ittleman, M.S. has been a speech-language pathologist for the last 40 years serving in rehabilitation hospitals and facilities working with adults and children who have mild to profound voice, swallowing and speech and language handicaps caused by stroke, aphasia and neurological diseases. Prior to that, he ran a private practice for children and adults with speaking difficulties.  He holds a Masters of Science Degree in Speech Language Pathology and the Certificate of Clinical Competence, Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.  He also holds numerous postgraduate certifications in advanced therapies. He has lectured at numerous state speech and hearing associations as well as the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.  He has also been a frequent speaker at area hospitals and others throughout the State of Texas.  Ittleman was the founding speech language pathologist of an intensive program for patients with aphasia and has now written a book to teach family members, caregivers, students and speech language pathologists how to do expert speech language therapy with adults and children. 

Ittleman believes the home is the perfect place for speech therapy.  As our health care delivery system changes, more of the responsibility for long-term speech therapy will be the responsibility of the family.  He believes students, family members and speech-language pathologists can learn this revolutionary method through books, online webinars, and seminars devoted to the Teaching of Talking.  Since speech and language skills are first developed in the home, why would it not make sense to stimulate the majority of speaking there, with a family member or loved one?  Speech language pathologists can also use Ittleman’s method for a home program when the person is discharged from speech therapy.