Selwyn Speech Studio provides individualised, evidence-based speech and literacy support for children who need extra help with communication and learning. Services are delivered in a calm, encouraging, and engaging environment, with a strong focus on confidence, progress, and family involvement.

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Speech Sound Difficulties

Supporting clear, confident communication

Speech sound difficulties occur when children have trouble producing speech sounds clearly or consistently, which can make them difficult to understand. These difficulties can impact a child’s confidence, participation at school, and social interactions.

At Selwyn Speech Studio, speech sound therapy is tailored to each child’s individual needs and developmental stage. Therapy is delivered in a supportive, engaging way, helping children build skills while feeling confident and motivated.

What Speech Sound Therapy May Support

Speech sound therapy may support children who:

  • Are difficult to understand compared to peers

  • Substitute, omit, or distort speech sounds

  • Have ongoing speech difficulties beyond expected developmental timelines

  • Feel frustrated or reluctant to speak

  • Are preparing for school or adjusting to classroom demands

Our Approach

Intervention is evidence-based and individualised, and may include:

  • Comprehensive assessment of speech sound production

  • Targeted therapy to support accurate speech sound development

  • Structured, play-based activities to promote learning and engagement

  • Repetition and practice in a way that feels positive and achievable

  • Ongoing review and adjustment of goals

Sessions are designed to be enjoyable and encouraging, while still providing the structure needed for progress.

Family Involvement

Parents and caregivers play an important role in supporting speech development. Families are provided with:

  • Clear explanations of goals and progress

  • Practical strategies and activities to support learning at home

  • Guidance on how to support communication in everyday situations

Literacy Support (Sounds-Write Programme)

Evidence-based support for reading and spelling

Selwyn Speech Studio provides literacy support using the Sounds-Write programme, a structured, evidence-based approach to teaching reading and spelling. Sounds-Write is grounded in the science of reading and focuses on the relationship between spoken sounds (phonemes) and written letters (graphemes).

This approach supports children to develop strong foundational skills for reading, spelling, and writing.

Who Literacy Support Is For

Literacy support may benefit children who:

  • Are struggling with reading or spelling

  • Find phonics confusing or overwhelming

  • Have difficulty sounding out words

  • Lack confidence with literacy tasks

  • Need structured, systematic instruction

How Sounds-Write Works

The Sounds-Write programme:

  • Teaches the sounds of spoken language and how they map to letters

  • Builds phonemic awareness and decoding skills

  • Uses a clear, cumulative structure

  • Supports children to read and spell with understanding, not guesswork

Sessions are paced to suit each child, ensuring learning feels manageable and confidence can grow alongside skills..

Our Approach to Literacy Support

Literacy sessions are:

  • Structured and evidence-based

  • Individualised to each child’s needs

  • Delivered in a supportive, encouraging environment

  • Regularly reviewed to ensure the level remains appropriate

Homework or practice activities may be provided, with flexibility to suit family life and school commitments.

What to Expect

When you access services at Selwyn Speech Studio, you can expect:

  • Individualised assessment and goal setting

  • Engaging, child-centred sessions

  • Clear communication with families

  • Practical strategies to support learning beyond sessions

  • Therapy delivered in person, during school hours, by appointment

Service Area & Availability

Services are provided in person for children and families across Selwyn and the western suburbs of Christchurch.

Fees are discussed individually based on your child’s needs. Please get in touch to discuss availability and suitability.

  • "Our daughter (11years) has been going to Elissa for Literacy Support for almost a year now. Elissa has built up a great rapport with our daughter to make her feel confident and supported during her sessions. The sessions are very well structured with regular checking to make sure the level is at the right place for our daughter. Homework is provided but it is done at your own speed with Elissa understanding that somethings extra curricular activities or events at school can impact this so it is easily modified to suit your needs. We couldn't recommend Elissa more for literacy support and helping create a great environment for learning and development."—Former Client

  • "Elissa has such a warm and welcoming manner that really made our daughter feel at ease. Elissa was sensitive and responsive to what our daughter was interested in and how she was progressing. The Speech sessions were always fun, with interesting games and toys to motivate and engage our daughter. The communication was excellent and Elissa provided us with activities and practical ideas to try at home to continue the learning. Our daughter benefited greatly from Elissa's work, and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for Speech and Language Therapy for their child."

    —Former Client

  • “Elissa worked with my 4‑year‑old daughter for seven months, and was absolutely brilliant. She made each session fun and engaging, which meant my daughter was always excited to attend. Elissa’s approachable and caring nature created a positive environment where learning felt enjoyable. Over the course of our time together, my daughter’s speech improved dramatically, and we couldn’t be happier with the progress. I would wholeheartedly recommend Elissa to any parent looking for speech therapy support for their child. “

    —Former Client

  • "We were very impressed with Elissa's ability to listen and assess our son's speech so quickly. Her techniques and friendly approach worked well for our 3 year old who made great progress every session. The home-based activities and coaching were a big help for us as parents and made us feel like we were part of the journey. Elissa also went above and beyond to connect with his Kindy teachers and give them tools to help support his speech development. We have no doubt that Elissa's involvement dramatically improved Noah's speech at a crucial time in his life and set him up for school. The teachers and children could understand him, and we couldn't believe it when he came second in a speech competition!"

    - Former Client

  • "My daughter attended speech therapy with Elissa for one year. Elissa has a warm, caring and enthusiastic nature and uses lots of praise and positive language. My daughter loved her sessions, as she always made them fun and kept my daughter engaged through game based activities. Elissa was also able to provide resources for us as parents to continue working on at home. We are so thankful to Elissa as our daughter has gained so much confidence with her learning at school as her speech has improved. I highly recommend Elissa as a speech language therapist."

    - Former Client

Get in Contact

If you’re wondering whether speech or literacy support could help your child, I’d be happy to talk with you.