SLPs' roles in Early Writing

In this practical episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie chats with Dr. Danika Pfeiffer—preschool SLP, assistant professor, and early literacy researcher—about how we can support early writing in young kids, especially those with developmental language disorder (DLD). From understanding why name writing is more about memory than letters, to how SLPs can build in writing practice without adding to their workload, Danika breaks it all down. You’ll hear simple ideas, ways to team up with teachers and OTs, and why even small moments of print awareness can go a long way. If you’ve ever wondered if writing is in your scope, this convo will leave you feeling inspired and ready to dive in—one crayon at a time.

Bullet Points to Discuss: 

• Why early writing starts earlier than you think—even in preschool
• The difference between name writing and letter writing
• How writing challenges show up in kids with developmental language disorder (DLD)
• Simple ways to embed writing practice into your existing sessions
• What SLPs can look for during evaluations—no fancy tools needed
• Building print awareness without overhauling your therapy
• Partnering with teachers and OTs around early writing support
• The SLP’s role in preventing future writing difficulties
• Making early writing doable (and meaningful) for busy SLPs

Here’s what we learned: 

• Name writing is visual recall—not true letter-sound knowledge.
• Letter writing is harder and needs explicit, repeated support.
• Kids with DLD follow typical writing development but at a slower pace.
• Easy, everyday strategies (like sign-in sheets or labeled items) can build writing skills.
• Print awareness fits naturally into speech sessions—no overhaul needed.
• Informal assessments (paper + crayon!) are enough to track early writing.
• Collaborate with teachers and OTs to target both language and motor skills.
• Early writing support helps prevent bigger literacy challenges later

Learn more about Dr. Danika Pfeiffer: 

Website: www.danikapfeiffer.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danikapfeiffer.slp/ 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danika-pfeiffer 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/danikapfeiffer.bsky.social 

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/444VIuWOxBzZ8fI2hqGyFj 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

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