Speech Therapy and Tablet: Integrating Digital into Sessions
The tablet has become an essential tool in the speech therapy office. Discover how to integrate it effectively to enrich your sessions without losing the essence: the therapeutic relationship.
The integration of digital technology into speech therapy practice raises many questions: what equipment to choose? How to balance screen use? What pitfalls to avoid? This guide will help you make the tablet an ally in your therapeutic practice, not a substitute for human interaction.
🎯 Why the Tablet in Speech Therapy?
The tablet has established itself as a valuable tool in the modern speech therapist's toolkit. Its intuitive touchscreen, portability, and the wealth of available applications make it a versatile therapeutic support suitable for all ages and pathologies.
Motivation
The appeal of digital technology enhances patient engagement, especially among children and adolescents
Immediate Feedback
Instant correction promotes learning and allows for self-correction
Objective Tracking
Accurate statistics to measure progress and adjust care
📱 Choosing Your Equipment
The choice of tablet determines your daily experience and access to applications. Two ecosystems dominate the market with distinct characteristics.
iPad (Apple)
The richest application catalog in speech therapy. Recognized fluidity and reliability. Excellent update tracking.
- iPad 10th gen.: effective entry-level
- iPad Air: optimal quality-price ratio
- iPad Pro: for intensive use
Android Tablets
Greater diversity of models and prices. Catalog in constant progression. Advanced customization.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab A8: budget-friendly
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: versatile
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S9: high-end
Recommended Accessories
Protective Case
Essential for sessions with children. Prefer reinforced washable cases.
Stylus
Precision for drawing and writing. Apple Pencil or compatible alternatives.
Headphones
For activities requiring individual listening without disturbing others.
⚖️ Balancing Use
The balance between digital and traditional materials remains the key to a balanced practice. The tablet enriches but never replaces human interaction and tangible materials.
💡 15-20 Minute Rule
For a 45-minute session, limit tablet use to 15-20 minutes maximum. Alternate with tangible materials and screen-free interactions to maintain balance and avoid dependence on digital support.
⚠️ Warning Signals
Reduce use if you observe:
- The patient only asks for the tablet and refuses traditional materials
- Decreased attention during screen-free activities
- Loss of relational quality during sessions
- Passive behavior in front of the screen without active reflection
🎬 Usage Scenarios
📊 At the Beginning of the Session: Cognitive Warm-Up
5-10 minutes of short exercises on the tablet to activate attention and motivation. Quick game-type applications working on attention, working memory, or auditory discrimination.
🎯 In the Core of the Session: Targeted Exercises
10-15 minutes on specific applications corresponding to rehabilitation goals. Work in interaction with the patient, not in passive autonomy.
🏆 At the End of the Session: Positive Reinforcement
5 minutes of reward game on the tablet if session goals are met. Values efforts and ends on a positive note.
🏠 At Home: Therapeutic Extension
Prescription of exercises to be done between sessions with applications allowing for remote tracking. Involvement of the family in the therapeutic project.
🎯 DYNSEO Applications for Your Sessions
COCO, JOE, and EDITH each offer over 30 games, perfectly suited for use in sessions with integrated performance tracking.
Discover the 69 tools →⚠️ Pitfalls to Avoid
The Babysitting Screen
Leaving the patient alone with the tablet while you do something else
Overexposure
Using the tablet throughout the session without alternation
Ease
Choosing exercises that are too simple just to maintain motivation
✅ Best Usage Practices
- Stay Active: Always accompany the patient, ask questions, rephrase, enrich
- Verbalize: Maintain oral exchange even during tablet activities
- Adapt: Adjust difficulty settings based on progress
- Objectify: Always keep the therapeutic goal of the exercise in mind
- Vary: Regularly alternate between digital and traditional materials
🧼 Hygiene and Maintenance
The tablet passes through many hands throughout the day. Rigorous hygiene measures are necessary, especially since the recent health awareness.
💡 Practical Advice
Invest in a tempered glass screen protector: it makes cleaning easier, is more scratch-resistant, and can be replaced at a lower cost. Plan for microfiber wipes specifically for screens rather than household products that can damage the oleophobic coating.
🎯 Conclusion
The tablet has become a valuable tool in the arsenal of the modern speech therapist. Used judiciously, it significantly enriches therapeutic possibilities while maintaining patient engagement.
The essential remains to preserve balance: digital technology serving humanity, never the other way around. Your clinical expertise and the quality of the therapeutic relationship remain the irreplaceable foundations of effective care.
Digital as an ally, human as a priority:
DYNSEO supports you in this balanced approach.
