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Can Ms. Rachel Songs for Littles Help with Speech Delays and Autism? Yes!

  • Ms. Rachel’s “Songs for Littles” videos use proven speech development techniques—like video modeling, parent-ese, and repetition—to help children with speech delays and/or autism. Her engaging content offers an interactive way for children to practice speech, complementing professional therapy at home.
  • Not all screen time is equal; educational videos employing direct engagement, strategic pauses, and familiar scripting can effectively support speech development. These techniques make screen time a productive tool for enhancing children’s language skills.
  • Parents can create personalized videos using Ms. Rachel’s methods, featuring familiar faces and favorite items to boost their child’s speech development.
  • Mary Barbera’s “Ms. Mary” videos (developed in 2010) provide guidance on effectively applying video modeling techniques at home. You can get 9 FREE videos to help your child or clients with autism and/or speech delays at marybarbera.com/speechvideos

Who is Ms. Rachel?

If you’ve been on TikTok or YouTube recently, you might have come across Ms. Rachel, the creator of the wildly popular channel “Songs for Littles.” Ms. Rachel started her channel to help her own son, who had a speech delay. With a background in music education and a passion for helping children, she uses engaging songs and proven speech development techniques to aid not just her child but millions of others around the world.

Understanding Speech Delays and Screen Time

The current recommendation is that children under 2 should have little to no screen time unless video chatting, and children over 2 should be limited to 1 hour of traditional screen time a day. However, not all screen time is created equal. I’ve discussed why screen time can be necessary, especially for busy moms who need a safe tool to get their own needs taken care of.

Using videos like the content Ms. Rachel produces, such as her “Learn to Talk” series, are examples of video modeling. This is a therapeutic technique where desired behaviors are modeled via video, allowing children to imitate and learn. Even though this is still screen time, video modeling is a great resource for learning and expanding your child’s speech.

toddler watching miss rachel. miss rachel and screentime
While not all screen time is the same, we do want to spend a large portion of our time engaging with our children. When a break is needed, Ms. Rachel is a great channel to tune into.

Ms. Rachel Uses Video Modeling

One of the standout features of Ms. Rachel’s videos is her use of video modeling in a format that mimics a video chat or Zoom therapy session. She engages directly with the viewer by asking questions, pausing for responses, and creating a familiar script that children with speech delays or autism can imitate. Many children may find it easier to imitate the videos before they can imitate their caregivers.

Videos can be a great tool because they eliminate other distractions and allow the child to hyper-focus on the skill at hand. We can then expand on the words the child has gained from Ms. Rachel’s videos by using these words in everyday interactions and in early learner programs that we teach within our online courses.

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Ms. Rachel’s Proven Techniques for Speech Development

While Ms. Rachel is not a speech therapist, her videos incorporate a variety of proven techniques that can expand and build a child’s language skills. These include:

  • Video Modeling with an expected and consistent Format
  • Parent-ese: Speaking in a melodic tone that captures the child’s attention.
  • One-Word, One-Syllable Phrases
  • Repetition of One Word Three Times
  • Use of Gestures
  • Engaging Songs
  • Strategic Pauses
  • Intraverbal Fill-ins: Encouraging the child to fill in the blanks.

All of these are tested and proven techniques that allow the child to engage and participate, developing the ability to request, label, and even answer questions. Rest assured, despite not being an SLP, you will find many of the same strategies used in speech and language sessions in Ms. Rachel’s “Learn to Talk” videos.

Miss Rachel videos have proven speech therapy techniques.

Creating Your Own Ms. Rachel-Inspired Videos

While Ms. Rachel has a lot of great content on her YouTube channel, there’s significant benefit in using the same techniques to create your own individualized videos that appeal specifically to your child or client. This is where my own “Ms. Mary” videos come into play.  I developed these 9 videos in 2010 (way before Ms. Rachel became an internet sensation) and they will help you develop your own Ms. Rachel-style videos to help your own child or clients!

With smartphones, it’s easier than ever to create these personalized resources. When making your videos, be sure to include people your child knows: parents, siblings, pets, therapists, etc. Use toys, pictures, foods, and songs that they are interested in. This will help develop speech skills relevant to their lives.

Label their favorite items and people, using the one-word times three strategy. Perhaps even sing a song they love with their favorite toys. Children will love seeing the faces of those they love and their familiar favorites in the video.

I’ve linked to my Ms. Mary videos, which you can use as examples of how to make your own. One boy I made these for was barely talking but had a language explosion after watching these videos.

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training

How the Ms. Mary Videos Can Help

These short videos are designed to teach first words and are especially helpful for children with speech delays with or without an autism diagnosis. They incorporate the same proven techniques as Ms. Rachel’s videos but are personalized and can be more directly tailored to your child’s needs. You can access these videos and learn how to create your own by attending my free 1-hour workshop.

Do Ms. Rachel’s Videos Work for Speech Delays?

ms. rachel songs for littles has videos for kids with speech delays and autism
An example of a Ms. Rachel YouTube video from her learn to talk series that may support kids with delays or autism.

In conclusion, yes. Whether you watch Ms. Rachel’s videos or create your own using the same framework, video modeling can be extremely helpful for young children with speech delays or autism. If you are on TikTok, Instagram, and/or Youtube and not yet following me or Ms. Rachel, please do that. I highly recommend her channel; you can find her longer-form videos on YouTube at “Songs for Littles.” And if you decide to create your own videos, be sure to use the tips and advice I’ve shared.

Ms. Rachel Songs Frequently Asked Questions

Ms. Rachel is the creator of the popular YouTube channel “Songs for Littles,” which she started to help her son, who had a speech delay. Her videos use proven speech development techniques like video modeling to aid children with speech delays or autism.

Ms. Rachel’s videos use techniques such as video modeling, parent-ese, repetition of words, gestures, and intraverbal fill-ins. These strategies help children engage, focus on language skills, and practice speech in a structured and repetitive format that is beneficial for children with speech delays or autism.

No, Ms. Rachel is not a speech therapist, and her videos should not replace professional intervention. However, her content can complement therapy and help reinforce speech development techniques at home, especially when integrated with personalized interaction.

While general recommendations limit screen time for young children, video modeling (as used in Ms. Rachel’s videos) can be a valuable learning tool. It differs from passive screen time by engaging children and helping them focus on developing specific speech and language skills.

Absolutely! Parents can use the same techniques Ms. Rachel employs to create personalized videos. By including familiar faces, favorite items, and using strategies like repeating key words, parents can create videos that are engaging and beneficial for their child’s speech development.

To make this process easier, I’ve created my own set of Ms. Mary videos. These nine short videos are designed to teach first words and can be shown to your child or clients. They serve as a guide for you to create your own videos. It’s important to spend most of your time engaging directly with your child and not over-focus on pre-academic skills like letter and number identification.

You can access these videos and learn more about creating personalized content by attending my free 1-hour workshop. Let’s work together to turn autism around and make a real difference in your child’s life.

Resources and Related Articles

Free Workshop

Increase Talking &
Decrease Tantrums

in Young Children with

Autism &/or Speech Delays

Register for Free Training
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