Demystifying the Complexity Approach: Making Theory Practical

This presentation will provide an overview and rationale for this approach and explain the principles for target selection. Strategies for choosing appropriate target phonemes and therapy implementation will be discussed.

Explore Course

The complexity approach is a highly researched evidence-based intervention for children with phonological disorders, though not widely used even among seasoned practitioners. Its guiding target selection principle contends that strategically targeting just one or two complex later developing phonemes or clusters will have a broader and more efficient impact on a child’s speech system than by targeting each early developing sound in error one at a time. This presentation will provide an overview and rationale for this approach and explain the principles for target selection. Strategies for choosing appropriate target phonemes and therapy implementation will be discussed.

Presenters

Amy Graham
MA, CCC-SLP
Amy Graham is a speech language pathologist and owner of Graham Speech Therapy, a private practice in Colorado Springs that specializes in pediatric speech sound disorders. Amy is the creator of the Graham Speech Therapy Oral-Facial Exam and the Bjorem Speech Sound Cues Deck for Lateralization. She has a particular interest in supporting and equipping SLPs to provide evidence-based treatment by posting frequent therapy videos and practical therapy tips via her social media accounts.

Learning Objectives

Explain how the complexity approach differs from traditional developmental approaches for speech sound disorders
Discuss how the principles of implicational universals and sonority sequencing can help SLPs choose appropriately complex targets.
Describe how the complexity approach can be integrated into real-life therapy

Agenda

5 minutes	Introduction
15 minutes	Overview and rationale of the complexity approach
15 minutes	Underlying principles of the complexity approach
20 minutes	Target selection for the complexity approach and implementation
5 minutes	Wrap-Up

Disclosures

Speakers - Financial	Amy was paid a flat fee for this course and receives a percentage of course sales. Amy has developed materials available for purchase on her private practice website, GrahamSpeechTherapy.com, Bjorem Speech Publications, Teachers Pay Teachers, Boom Learning, and Holland Healthcare.
Speakers - Nonfinancial	Amy has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclose.
Course - Content	Amy has no relevant content disclosures.
Course - Financial Support & In Kind	This course, and all courses in the Speech Sound Disorder Series, are being sponsored by SLP Toolkit, Adventures in Speech Pathology, Bjorem Speech Publications, and Graham Speech Therapy

ASHA

This course is offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs, Intermediate Level, Professional Area

To earn ASHA CEUs you must complete the courses by viewing them, provide course feedback, pass the exams with a score of 80 or more, provide your ASHA credentials, and confirm submission.

Demystifying the Complexity Approach: Making Theory Practical: $20.00
This course offers an overview of a structured approach to speech sound intervention, including the rationale behind it and key principles for target selection. Learn how to choose appropriate phonemes and implement effective therapy strategies to support meaningful progress. Includes access to the recorded course and optional ASHA reporting.