AZA United offers Individualized Speech & Language Therapy for children & teens at several clinic locations throughout the valley. This model provides one-on-one speech and language therapy tailored to each child’s unique needs and goals. Services are delivered in dedicated therapy rooms allowing for a focused and child-led environment. This model is ideal for children who benefit from a personalized, distraction-reduced setting. Sessions are designed to target specific areas such as expressive and receptive language, articulation, and social communication, with therapists adjusting strategies in real time. Parent/guardians are present for the session allowing for increased parent engagement and in-the-moment teaching.
Program Highlights
- Available for children and teens of any age
- Services take place at an AZA United clinic, typically for 1 hour/week
- Individualized goals support a wide range of speech and language needs
- Parents or caregivers participate in each session to facilitate success at home
Program Overview
Individualized Speech & Language Therapy supports a wide range of speech and language needs, including expressive and receptive language delays, articulation and phonological disorders, social communication challenges, and early language development. It is well-suited for children who benefit from focused, goal-directed intervention within a less stimulating environment.
This approach aligns with established best practices in pediatric speech-language therapy by emphasizing individualized, evidence-based intervention and family-centered care. Research supports one-on-one therapy as an effective approach for delivering targeted instruction, allowing for precise goal alignment and ongoing progress monitoring.
This model is further strengthened by its use of an assent-based, child-led approach, consistent with neurodiversity-affirming practices that prioritize autonomy, engagement, and meaningful participation. By tailoring strategies to each child’s interests and responses, therapy remains responsive, motivating, and focused on functional communication outcomes.
Because speech therapy at AZA United is client-led, no two sessions look the same. The individual’s goals and interests drive the session’s activities. However, every session follows one consistent and crucial theme: embed speech and language goals into activities freely chosen by the client. Client-led therapy means that throughout the session, the therapist follows the client’s interests while intentionally creating opportunities to practice communication skills. Therapy is designed to feel engaging and enjoyable, allowing clients to learn and use new skills in meaningful yet motivating ways. During the session, the therapist collects data about the client’s communication. This information will be used to report on the client’s progress every quarter. After every session, the therapist and the individual, family member, or caregiver brainstorm ways to overcome obstacles and practice goals outside of therapy sessions.
Some examples of common speech therapy activities may include:
- Learning to follow directions: During a preferred puzzle activity, the therapist may give simple directions such as “put the cow in the barn” or “find the blue piece” and supports understanding and responding.
- Answering questions: While reading a book together, the therapist may ask questions about the pictures, characters, or events to encourage language comprehension and expression.
- Turn-taking and social skills: During board games, pretend play, or joint activities, the therapist may model and teach skills such as waiting, sharing ideas, greeting others, and maintaining interactions.
- Expanding vocabulary: While playing with toy animals, vehicles, or a dollhouse, the therapist may introduce new words and concepts to help the individual use them in meaningful ways.
- Speech sound practice (“articulation”): If a child is working on their articulation, the therapist may target specific sounds during play by selecting words that contain those sounds and providing feedback and encouragement.
- Problem-solving and conversation: For older clients, activities such as games, crafts, or discussion topics may be used to support conversation skills, perspective-taking, organization of thoughts, and narrative language.
- AAC use: For individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), the therapist may model how to use the client’s communication device throughout activities so communication occurs naturally and consistently during their favorite activities and daily routines.
- Pretend play: For younger clients, activities such as playing restaurant, grocery store, doctor, or school can be used to practice asking and answering questions, making requests, sequencing steps, and engaging in social interactions.
- Emotional language: Therapists may help children identify and talk about feelings by discussing emotions during stories, games, or real-life situations that arise during therapy
Before starting services, our team of expert clinicians conducts an assessment to fully understand the child’s current skill levels. An individualized treatment plan is created that is unique to each child’s needs and family preferences.
AZA’s Model of Care
AZA United provides Individualized Speech & Language Therapy through a child-led, family-centered approach that builds on each child’s strengths, interests, and unique communication needs. Therapists use evidence-based strategies tailored to the child’s goals while maintaining flexibility to respond to learning opportunities in the moment. Parent and caregiver involvement is encouraged throughout sessions to promote collaboration, skill carryover, and confidence in supporting communication outside of therapy. Treatment focuses on functional communication, meaningful participation, and empowering children to reach their fullest potential across daily environments.
