What is the focus of PROMPT therapy?

• A. Using melodic cues for speech
• B. Phonetic target restructuring
• C. Drilling speech activities
• D. Initiating spontaneous speech

Answer: (B)

PROMPT therapy focuses on phonetic target restructuring, which involves a multi-sensory approach to teach the specific movements required for producing speech sounds. This technique uses tactile prompts, visual cues, and auditory feedback to guide patients in how to accurately articulate sounds, thereby addressing their speech production challenges directly. The aim is to facilitate proper motor programming necessary for speech, making it particularly beneficial for individuals with motor speech disorders such as apraxia.

This method helps in enhancing the clarity and accuracy of speech sounds by allowing the clinician to identify the specific phonetic targets that need to be addressed. By restructuring these targets, individuals can improve their ability to sequence speech movements and develop more fluent speech patterns over time.