Simple Session Setup Tips to Improve Engagement in Speech Therapy

Hey, speech friend! 👋🏼

Let’s be honest—some speech sessions just don’t go the way we imagine them in our heads.

You come in with a solid plan, materials ready, goals clear… and then your student is climbing shelves, darting across the room, touching everything, or bouncing from activity to activity before you can even say, “Let’s get started.”

It’s tempting to fall into the quick blame game:
“They’re just having a lot of behaviors today.”

But here’s the thing—before we put it all on the child, it’s worth pausing and asking:
What can I change to make this session more successful?

The good news? Small environmental and setup shifts can make a huge difference in engagement, regulation, and participation.

Let’s talk about two of my go-to strategies when sessions start to feel chaotic.

1. Positioning: Where you sit matters more than you think

If I had to pick one tip I share most often with grad students and CFs, this would be it: positioning can make or break a session.

Big, open spaces are incredibly inviting for kids—especially those who crave movement or exploration. When a room feels wide open, kids are more likely to wander, run, or seek out stimulation.

Instead of fighting that urge, work with it.

Try making your therapy space smaller:

• Move furniture to create a more contained area

• Sit in a way that naturally “closes off” space

• Position yourself as an invisible wall

When you’re seated in a way that gently blocks escape routes, kids are less likely to get up—and if they do, it’s much easier to redirect them back to their spot.

Visual place markers can also be a game-changer. A carpet square, chair, dot on the floor, or cushion gives a clear signal: this is where my body goes. That predictability helps many kids feel more regulated and grounded.

Remember, we’re not trying to trap anyone—we’re creating a space that supports success.

2. Limit distractions: Less really is more

Take a look around your therapy room for a second.

Do you see:

• Toys on shelves?

• Bright visuals on the walls?

• A computer, TV, or tablet within reach?

• Cool things that are way more exciting than articulation cards?

Distraction is human. You and I get distracted too. So when a child is visually overwhelmed, it’s not defiance—it’s sensory overload.

The goal isn’t to eliminate fun, but to control what’s competing for attention.

One of my favorite tools for this? Tunnels.

Yes, tunnels. I love them. Truly.

Tunnels are incredibly versatile. They’re great for:

• Movement breaks

• Obstacle courses

• Sensory input

But they’re also amazing for reducing visual distractions.

Have the child lay inside the tunnel while you sit on the other end. Bring your therapy materials into the tunnel so the focus naturally narrows to what’s right in front of them. Everything else fades into the background.

It creates a “tunnel vision” effect—literally—and often leads to better eye contact, joint attention, and engagement.

Reframing “behavior” as information

When a session feels off, it’s easy to label it as a behavior problem. But often, what we’re seeing is a child telling us something:

• The space is too big

• There’s too much visual input

• Expectations aren’t clear

• Their body needs support to stay regulated

By adjusting positioning and limiting distractions, we’re not lowering expectations—we’re setting students up to meet them.

Small changes, big impact

You don’t need brand-new materials or a full room makeover to improve engagement. Sometimes it’s as simple as where you sit, what you remove, or how you structure the space.

The next time a session starts to feel chaotic, try tweaking the environment before changing the goal or blaming the behavior.

Often, those small shifts are exactly what your student needs to succeed.