Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Brooklyn Letters was recommended to me through a friend's speech therapist friend in NJ. The articulation evaluation for my daughter went well. We were pleased with Kristin's services.
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Melissa was wonderful. Our daughter warmed to her immediately and by the time she left, had already started "practicing" some of the techniques Melissa had shown her. I will not hesitate at all to reach out to Melissa again, should … More the need arise.
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Aileen was INCREDIBLY helpful to us, both in assessing possible origins of my grandson's food aversions, as well as informing us of various available interventions to consider.
I can’t thank you and Brooklyn Letters enough for connecting … More us with Aileen. In all our feeding therapy journey we have not gotten anything near the kind of benefit that we did from her. Her knowledge, professionalism, and responsiveness have put us on the path of progress with my grandson and has also made us feel genuinely well cared for. -
We were amazed with Allison! She met my son at 2 1/2 years old, not speaking much at all, and over a computer, and she was able to develop a bond and friendship, so much so that he would look forward to his weekly computer time with Allison. … More I was not sure how the speech therapy would go- but we are so happy that we tried it out and continued. It allowed my son to gain confidence in his speech, make a new friend :), and also give him the skills and a bit of understanding of how to shape his mouth or where to place his tongue to make the proper sounds. We were extremely happy with Allison- she was fantastic to work with.
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My sessions with Karen have been extremely helpful. My speech has improved tremendously. In fact, I just finished 2 hours of conducting interviews with a consulting client via MS Teams and I have an upcoming conference call. Both my … More neurologist and neurosurgeon remarked about how good my speech is. Much of the day it is perfect, although I still have some rough spots when I get tired or speak too quickly. One of my granddaughters is a speech pathology student at Ithaca College. She sat in on 2 sessions while she was home for winter break, and she was very impressed with Karen.
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We were delighted with Christie. First, and most importantly, our son made great strides under her guidance. So great, that we felt he no longer needed help! She was incredibly patient and kind with him and our son really responded to … More her. Christie was also great with me and my wife. She provided thorough and informative updates on our son's progress and which exercises she was using with him, so we could reinforce what she was teaching him. All in all, we had a fabulous experience with Christie and would highly recommend her. -
Theo was wonderful and his work with my son has produced some progress. I am grateful for the services Theo provided.
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Highly recommend Jill. She is a total pleasure to work with. After a few months working with Jill, my son is reading above grade level and LOVES to read. Mission accomplished!
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Paige was great and we had been really happy with her. I would highly recommend her! I recommend Brooklyn Letters to whomever asks for a speech therapist.
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Isabel was WONDERFUL and our son absolutely adored her, and he is making great progress with his reading and writing.
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Theo was fantastic with our 4yo son. We were very worried that his progress would fall off when we had to switch to remote sessions, but Theo kept our son happy and engaged through the screen. Highly highly recommend!
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We've been working with Theo from Brooklyn Letters for close to 4 months now and the results are apparent; our daughter has vastly improved her speech in a relatively short amount of time. We make "Theo Day" a celebration … More in our house with pancakes for breakfast, and the enthusiasm is matched in the sessions. Theo is fun, patient, professional, and caring, and he gives us the tools to take the lessons beyond the session. Thank you Theo, and Brooklyn Letters, for helping our daughter express herself.
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I worked with Alina to enhance my pronunciation, tone, and pacing while communicating socially and in a work environment. She was great to work with and clear about goals and learning objectives. The improvement from day 1 has been tremendous! … More -
Cathy has been excellent with us and our son. We will sorely miss her. He has improved significantly with Cathy’s help. Cathy was a true partner with us, especially as we pursued additional help through our son’s school system.
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We really loved working with Alina, she is so fantastic. Patient yet firm, and determined the best course of action very clearly and succintly for us. And it all transitioned so well to Zoom as well. I will definitely be back in touch for … More services for our other child after summer break! -
Vera was amazing! My 11 yo daughter made progress so quickly and really looked forward to her sessions. She was kept motivated and engaged. -
The work that Allison P. did with our daughter over the years has been invaluable to us. Our daughter had such a good relationship with Allison, and it allowed them to work really well together - even remotely these past 6 months. This … More year, Allison went above and beyond by helping us throughout the neuropsych eval we did, trying to re-open our daughter's IEP at her school, and eventually landing her at our chosen school. She was in contact with our daughter's teachers, with the neuropsychologist, and made herself available as a reference to speak on behalf of our daughter's learning differences.
Allison stopped by our house last week to give our daughter cupcakes and say goodbye, and I literally cried with appreciation for what an amazing speech therapist she has been. She has been our daughter's biggest champion. The new families that she will work with this year are lucky to have her. -
Sydney was great! Our son was sad to end his sessions with her, which says a lot. We appreciated her honest assessment of his skill level, and he now has materials to self monitor and practice. Thank you! -
Our experience with Theo was terrific. Theo was great with my son. He developed a positive relationship with him based on sincerity, respect, trust and a deep personal connection. In their lessons, Theo was encouraging, creative and kind. … More He helped our son understand how to differentiate the sounds he made when he spoke, and gave him great exercises to practice every week between lessons. Our son was sorry to have the lessons come to an end, but recognized that Theo had helped him as much as possible and it was time for him to stop. Theo explained to him (and us) how to keep working to get the last 5%, and encouraged him to keep working on the exercises on his own. I have recommended Theo to another parent who noticed my son's improvement and inquired for her own son.
We are all grateful to have gotten to know Theo, and we greatly appreciate all the work he did to help our son. -
"I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Michelle Macroy-Higgins. We are extremely pleased with her work with our daughter. I was so grateful for my daughter to have a speech therapist who is a researcher (specialty in late … More talkers), graduate professor and practitioner. Her expertise was clearly evident in our conversations and work with our daughter. She was very responsive to my questions and often sent articles and other materials about language development that I found helpful. Thankfully, my daughter's speech improved tremendously. Michelle developed such a warm relationship with my daughter. My daughter was always excited to see Michelle and would greet her at the door with a big hug. Lastly, I would add that Michelle always demonstrated empathy with me as a mother who was initially worried about her daughter's language development. I could go on and on about how pleased we were with Michelle's work." -
Theo is a wonderful Clinton Hill speech therapist. We were really pleased with him. Our son showed drastic improvement, not only in his speech but in his confidence. -
Alexa has been an enthusiastic, reliable, well prepared and caring teacher for our 6 year old daughter. She has been able to improve and increase our daughter's confidence lesson by lesson with patience and competence; through varied … More and productive didactic practice. Alexa has engaged our daughter in several activities that always kept her motivated and eager to learn literacy. My wife and I, both of us are educators, feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to observe Alexa's pedagogical skills. Alexa has had a big impact on our daughter literacy growth. Thank you Brooklyn Letters! -
We were absolutely DELIGHTED with Marsha's services. She was wonderful. We found her to be kind, fun, engaging, very knowledgeable. She provided us with clear instructions and additional written handouts each week. She engaged our … More son with different techniques and toys, and showed us how to use her techniques when we were interacting with him. I actually just texted her on Saturday - Our son finally said "more" - one of the target words we had been working on with her. It was a total joy to hear, and I had to share it with her - she wrote back immediately to congratulate us. I am so appreciative of her expertise, and wish we could have seen her for longer. I recommended her to another family in our neighborhood who is looking for a speech therapist.
IS YOUR CHILD’S SPEECH ON TRACK?
A Parent's Guide to Early Language Assessment
As parents and caregivers, you’re always watching for signs that your child is growing and thriving. When it comes to communication, it’s natural to wonder, “Is my child on track?” At Brooklyn Letters, we believe that empowering you with knowledge is the first step toward building a strong foundation for your child’s success on their unique communication journey. Developing strong communication skills lays the groundwork not only for academic achievement but also for their confidence, social interactions, and emotional regulation.
This guide will walk you through what an early language assessment is, how a speech pathologist evaluates children, the role of play in understanding communication, and when you should consider professional early intervention.
Understanding Early Intervention: The Role of Speech Pathology for Your Child
An early language assessment is a comprehensive, play-based evaluation conducted by a licensed speech therapist (also known as a speech-language pathologist or SLP). This is a crucial first step in speech pathology and language pathology. It is not a test your child can fail, but rather a structured process designed to understand your child’s unique communication skills profile—strengths, areas for growth, and next steps for support, such as speech therapy or language therapy. This process is vital for identifying any developmental delays early on.
How Speech Pathology Experts Assess Communication in Children
A speech pathologist uses a combination of tools to assess speech and language in kids, including:
- Standardized Tests: These are norm-referenced assessments that compare your child’s performance to large groups of same-age peers. While useful for generating scores and identifying significant speech and language delays, standardized tests have limitations. They may not fully capture how a child communicates in everyday situations, particularly for very young toddlers or those from diverse backgrounds.
- Informal/Non-Standardized Measures: These provide equally valuable information about a child’s speech and language skills. Through observations, language sampling, and parent interviews, SLPs can compare your child’s skills to developmental data. This research-based data shows the typical ages at which most children achieve language development milestones. This naturalistic approach often reveals a more accurate picture of how your child truly communicates, helping to diagnose potential speech and language disorders. You can review some of the literacy milestones by age.
The Power of Play in Speech Development for Kids
Play is one of the richest windows into a child’s communication abilities, especially in early childhood. SLPs often reference frameworks like Weatherby’s play scale, which track how children use toys and objects in increasingly symbolic ways. For many kids, including those with autism or other developmental challenges, play-based therapy sessions are the most effective approach.
- Early play (sensorimotor): Mouthing, banging, or exploring objects.
- Functional play: Using objects for their intended purpose (e.g., rolling a toy car).
- Symbolic play: Pretending (e.g., feeding a doll, using a block as a “phone”).
Symbolic play is closely tied to the development of language skills. If a child can use an object to represent something else, they are developing the mental skills needed for language. During a play-based assessment for pediatric speech therapy, SLPs also observe vocabulary, grammar, nonverbal communication (eye contact, gestures), and pragmatic skills (turn-taking, having a conversation) in a natural setting.
Why Language Comes Before Speech
It’s important for parents to know that language development drives speech development. In other words, the more advanced a child’s understanding and use of language, the more sophisticated their speech and phonology will become.
- If a child has a language delay (for example, expressive language delay), they often also show delays in speech sound development.
- Parents may notice that their child “can’t say certain sounds” or “isn’t enunciating clearly,” but in many cases, the underlying issue is that the child’s language system itself is delayed. When vocabulary and sentence skills grow, sound development typically advances as well.
This is why skilled SLPs always evaluate language first, before focusing narrowly on speech.
Why Language Skills are the Foundation for Pediatric Speech
It’s important for parents to know that language development drives speech development. The more advanced a child’s understanding and use of language, the more sophisticated their articulation and phonology will become.
If a child has a language delay (for example, expressive language delay), they often also show delays in speech sound development. Parents may notice that their child “can’t say certain sounds,” but in many cases, the underlying issue is that the child’s language system itself is delayed. When vocabulary and sentence skills grow, sound development and clarity typically advance as well. This is why skilled SLPs in pediatric speech always evaluate language first.
Key Areas in a Speech and Language Assessment for Children
A comprehensive assessment looks at multiple areas:
- Receptive Language: This covers your child’s receptive language skills—how well they understand directions, questions, and words.
- Expressive Language: How your child communicates using gestures, words, and sentences (including Mean Length of Utterance [MLU], a measure of sentence complexity). You can find more data on expressive language and vocabulary charts here.
- Pragmatic Language: How your child uses language socially—eye contact, turn-taking, asking questions. Issues with fluency, such as stuttering, may also be noted here. You can learn more about general pragmatic milestones here.
- Speech Production/Phonology: How clearly your child produces sounds (speech intelligibility) and whether they have patterns of errors, known as speech sound disorders, that are age-appropriate. For a comprehensive overview, see our page on speech sounds.
Early Childhood Speech Development: Milestones and Tips for Parents
Here are a few reference points for early communication growth. Engaging in simple language activities at home can make a big difference.
- Vocabulary Growth: ~50 words by 18 months; two-word phrases by 24 months.
- Speech Intelligibility: ~50% understood by age 2, ~75% by age 3, ~90% by age 4. You can see a visual chart of these benchmarks here.
- Phonological Processes: Errors like “wabbit” for rabbit should resolve by ages 5–6; simpler errors, like leaving off final consonants (“ca” for cat), should resolve by age 3. You can see a chart with the typical ages of elimination for these processes.
(See this chart outlining when specific consonant sounds are typically acquired.)
Identifying a Potential Speech Delay: When to Seek Speech Therapy
Every child develops at their own pace, but consider an evaluation for a potential speech delay or other speech disorders if you notice these red flags. Strong parental involvement is key to early identification.
- No babbling by 9 months.
- No words by 15–18 months.
- No two-word combinations by age 2.
- Less than 50 spontaneous words/approximations by 24 months.
- Difficulty following simple directions.
- Persistent speech errors beyond expected ages.
- Ongoing frustration during communication.
After the Assessment: Navigating Therapy and Early Intervention
If the assessment indicates that your child would benefit from support, the SLP will recommend a plan that may include therapy. This plan will outline specific therapy goals and strategies. Family involvement is crucial for success, as progress made in therapy is best reinforced at home. This collaborative approach is also a cornerstone of special education programs, ensuring that individuals with disabilities receive comprehensive support. Following the evaluation, your family will have clear next steps and valuable tips for parents to help your child thrive.
FREE CONSULTATION!!!
Call: (347) 394-3485,
Text: (917) 426-8880
Email: [email protected]
(we respond to email right away!)
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Craig Selinger
Owner at Brooklyn Letters
Craig Selinger is the dedicated owner of Brooklyn Letters, a reputable private practice renowned for its exceptional services. Together with his team of skilled professionals, they extend their expertise across a wide range of locations, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Bronx, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
With a New York State license as a speech-language therapist (pathologist) and a learning specialist, Craig boasts an impressive track record spanning over two decades, during which he and his team have helped more than a thousand families, establishing Brooklyn Letters as a respected practice in the field.
Craig's proficiency encompasses a diverse array of domains, including addressing early childhood speech-language delays, skillfully managing expressive and receptive language disorders, and adeptly tackling language learning obstacles such as reading, writing, executive functioning, social and pragmatic communication. He also demonstrates mastery in speech production concerns, i.e., articulation and enunciation.
In addition to his clinical work, Craig is a published author on Amazon, where he has written books on topics such as speech delay and dyslexia, further extending his expertise to families and professionals beyond his practice.
What sets Craig and his team apart is their dedication to providing comprehensive care. They actively collaborate with the finest professionals in the NYC metro area, including neuropsychologists, mental health therapists, and allied health professionals. This network of expertise ensures a holistic approach to each client's unique needs.
Latest posts by Craig Selinger (see all)
- How Play Shapes the Growing Brain - February 2, 2026
- Powerful Truths About Bilingual Speech Delay NYC: What Parents Must Know - December 11, 2025
- Private Speech Therapy vs Early Intervention NYC: What’s the Difference? - December 8, 2025
