Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST)

This approach uses nonsense words to help the child learn accurate movements for sounds, beats, and smoothness. Access the FREE training in the resources sections at the bottom of the page!

Who It's For:

This is for children 4-12 years old with Childhood Apraxia of Speech or Ataxic Dysarthria.

How It's Practiced:

You will use non-words to teach transitions between sounds and syllables and improve prosody. The child must have CV structured syllables and 4 syllable initial consonants and 4 vowels to start ReST.

Determine if the child should start with 2 or 3 syllable words. The child must produce at least 5 two syllable words to target 3 syllable words.

Choose targets with 4 different consonants and 4 different vowels. Write them out for the client to see. You can choose non-word targets here

Each session

Training phase:

You will have the child match the word you say including beats, sounds, and smoothness.

  1. Randomly select words from training in first session or incorrect targets.
  2. You can provide child as much support as necessary.
  3. Play the recording for child to hear their productions.
  4. Repeat all steps until child has made 5 correct productions of any of the targets.

This phase takes 20-30 minutes for the first two sessions but no longer than 10 minutes in sessions after that.

Practice phase:

You will engage in a 20 trial drill block with 2 minute game between to provide short break (no focus on language, speech or literacy).

Repeat

If the child is not able to produce more than 4 correct targets out of 40 then return to the training phase. If the child can produce more than 4 correct targets, then continue 20 trial blocks with a 2-minute break until the end of the session.

Note: once the child is producing targets with 80% accuracy for 2 sessions, they can target in short sentences.

Download Rapid Syllable Transition Training (ReST) handout here

Duration:

Blocks of 60-minute sessions, 4 sessions per week for 12 sessions.

Resources:

Access the free ReST clinician manual here and the step-by-step approach for ReST here

CAS treatment methods supported by research evidence. Child Apraxia Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://childapraxiatreatment.org/cas-treatment-supported-by-research-evidence/#evidence

Reinking, R. (2022). Just Tell Me Which Approach To Choose[PowerPoint Slides]. Bright Ideas Media. https://www.bethebrightest.com/courses/please-just-tell-me-what-therapy-approach-i-should-choose.

Step by Step Learning. ReST Rapid Syllable Transition Training. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2023, from https://rest.sydney.edu.au/cases/step-by-step/

Thomas DC, McCabe P, Ballard KJ. Rapid Syllable Transitions (ReST) treatment for Childhood Apraxia of Speech: the effect of lower dose-frequency. J Commun Disord. 2014 Sep-Oct;51:29-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2014.06.004. Epub 2014 Jul 6. PMID: 25052390.