How AI Supports Children’s Speech and Language Development Today
As technology becomes part of everyday life, many parents wonder how it fits into their child’s learning, especially in speech and language therapy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) may sound like a very recent development, but its use in communication support has been growing for several decades. Research and clinical practice now show that, when guided by trained speech-language pathologists, here at DCCD, AI is viewed as a helpful tool in supporting storytelling, innovative activities for intervention, additional precision during documentation, and problem-solving. Importantly, AI does not replace therapists; it enhances therapy by making learning more engaging and responsive to a child’s needs (ASHA, 2023).
AI in Speech-Language Pathology
The roots of AI in speech and language go back to the 1980s and 1990s, by then computer-based programs and early augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems were introduced to support individuals who struggled with spoken language (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). In the early 2000s, these tools became more interactive, offering visual supports, simple language games, and structured practice activities.
With recent advances in AI, today’s tools can adapt to a child’s responses, adjust difficulty levels, generate personalized stories, and provide immediate feedback. This evolution has helped therapy become more child-centered, engaging, and flexible, while still being guided by clinical expertise. There are several ways in which it can be utilized efficiently.
1) Individualized Therapy Goals and Ideas for Activities (fun activities based on the goal/personalised flashcards)
Every child’s communication journey is unique. Speech and language therapy works best when goals are specific and tailored to the child’s strengths and needs. AI helps therapists organize assessment information, and adjust goals precisely.
AI can create personalised flashcards that directly match your child’s speech therapy goals, making practice more effective and enjoyable. The flashcards are designed using the specific sounds, words, or skills your child is learning, along with familiar and motivating images.
Eg., If your child has difficulty with /k/ sound in the initial position, AI can generate flashcards with words like car, cake, cow, and cup, using pictures of your child’s favourite toys or foods. This helps your child practice the target sound in a fun, meaningful way while supporting the goals set by the speech-language pathologist.
AI is a fantastic tool for generating creative and unique activity ideas when you're feeling stuck. Eg., For a child targeting two word combinations, AI sites that can readily design simple games can be utilised to create a vehicle-themed game where the child moves cars along a road and says words like “go bus,” “red car,” or “big van” each time the vehicle stops, allowing frequent practice in a fun, motivating context.
2) Supporting the Clinicians During Difficult Decision Making
AI plays a positive role in supporting precise clinical decision-making during speech and language assessment and intervention. AI supports clinicians by helping clarify doubts and provide precise, evidence-informed answers during moments of uncertainty in assessment or intervention planning. By quickly organizing clinical information, comparing possible options, and summarizing relevant guidelines or research, AI assists clinicians in making more confident and well-reasoned decisions—while the final judgment always remains with the professional.
Dived B. (2025) argues that AI tools can improve assessment precision, automate parts of speech analysis, and support personalized therapy planning, while emphasizing ethical and practical considerations for clinicians.
3) AI and Storytelling: Making Learning Personal
Storytelling plays a crucial role in language development. According to Bruner (1986), children make sense of language and experiences through stories. In speech and language therapy, storytelling supports vocabulary growth, sentence formation, sequencing, and emotional understanding.
AI allows therapists to create personalized stories where your child becomes the main character. These stories can reflect your child’s daily routines, interests, or challenges such as going to school, sharing toys, or expressing emotions. Research shows that children learn language more effectively when it is presented in meaningful and familiar contexts (Snow et al., 2014). This makes storytelling with AI a powerful and motivating tool.
4) AI as a Support, Not a Replacement
AI does not replace speech-language pathologists or human interaction. According to ASHA (2023), technology should be used as a supplement to professional expertise, not a substitute. The most important elements of therapy, empathy, encouragement, observation, and connection, come from trained professionals and caregivers.
Conclusion
Guided by evidence-based practice and professional expertise, AI can help in customising activities, support clear goal setting, provide gentle corrections, and help children navigate challenging moments. When combined with skilled therapy and knowledge to use this advancement in technology wisely, AI will contribute to a positive, engaging environment that supports a child’s communication growth one step at a time.
Speech Language Pathologist
Dimensions Centre for Child Development
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). (2023). Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists in Early Intervention.
Bruner, J. (1986). Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Harvard University Press.
Justice, L. M., & Redle, E. E. (2014). Communication Sciences and Disorders: A Clinical Evidence-Based Approach. Pearson.
Thomas, K. S., Edpuganti, S., Puthooran, D. M., Thomas, A., Joy, A., & Latheef, S. (2025). Artificial intelligence in modern clinical practice (Review). Medicine international, 6(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3892/mi.2025.289
Snow, C. E. (2014). Input to interaction: Language learning in children. Cambridge Handbook of Child Language.