10-Minute Speech Practice That Doesn't Require Sitting Still

Last updated 2026-07-11

What exactly is the Hanen program?

The Hanen Centre is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 1975 by speech-language pathologist Ayala Manolson. Its idea has stayed the same for 50 years. Instead of a therapist working with a child alone behind a closed door, train the people the child spends the most time with. Parents. Grandparents. Daycare workers. Teachers.

Hanen runs several distinct programs, each aimed at a different age range or diagnosis:

• It Takes Two to Talk (ITTT): for parents of children under age 5 who are late talkers or have language delays
• More Than Words: for parents of children on the autism spectrum
• TalkAbility: for parents of autistic children who already use some words but struggle with conversation
• Learning Language and Loving It: professional development for early childhood educators
• Target Word: a shorter online program for parents of late talkers, available independently

Every program runs on one belief: language grows through warm, responsive relationships, not drills. The approach draws on decades of research on parent-child interaction, especially studies of contingent responsiveness (responding to what your child is already interested in) and natural language facilitation. ^[1]

Hanen is not a therapy you do to a child. It's a shift in how every adult around the child talks and listens.

Who is the Hanen program designed for?

It Takes Two to Talk targets children aged 5 and under who have a language delay. That includes late talkers, children with developmental language disorder, children on the autism spectrum, and children whose delays tie to hearing loss, Down syndrome, or other developmental differences.

A "late talker" in research terms usually means a child between 18 and 30 months who has fewer words than expected for their age without another identified cause. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) puts the rate at roughly 10 to 15 percent of children. ^[2] Many catch up on their own. Others don't. Nobody can reliably predict which group a given child lands in, which is exactly why programs like Hanen matter for families who want to act instead of wait.

More Than Words, the autism-specific program, is built for the early intervention window, typically before age 5. A randomized trial in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found the program improved parents' responsiveness to their child's communication, with child gains showing up mainly in kids who started with higher social engagement. ^[3]

If your child is older, already verbal but struggling with conversation, or has a diagnosis like apraxia of speech or complex communication needs that call for AAC devices, Hanen may be one piece of a bigger plan rather than the whole answer.

How does It Takes Two to Talk actually work?

The structure is specific, and worth knowing before you sign up. A certified Hanen speech-language pathologist leads the program. It runs over roughly 8 to 10 weeks and mixes two kinds of sessions.

1. Group sessions: typically 6 to 8 sessions, weekly, about 2.5 hours each. Parents come without their children. The SLP teaches strategies, parents watch video examples, and the group works through what's clicking and what isn't. 2. Individual video feedback sessions: usually 3 sessions where the SLP visits your home (or meets by video), films you playing with your child, then reviews the footage with you and points out moments of connection and missed openings.

The video feedback is the strongest part. Watching yourself with your child, with a trained clinician marking the moments you'd never notice on your own, teaches something no handout can.

Core strategies taught in ITTT include:

None of this is complicated in theory. It's surprisingly hard to do consistently while you're making dinner, refereeing siblings, and living your life. That's why the group sessions and video feedback carry the weight. They make the habits stick. ^[4]

What does the research say about Hanen's effectiveness?

Honest answer: the evidence is genuinely positive but not overwhelming, and effect sizes run moderate rather than dramatic.

A frequently cited randomized controlled trial by Girolametto, Pearce, and Weitzman (1996) in the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research found that toddlers whose parents completed ITTT used significantly more different words and communicated more often than a wait-list control group. ^[5] The samples were small, which is a real limitation and worth naming.

A Cochrane systematic review of parent-mediated interventions for autism (Oono and colleagues) found that parent-training programs, including Hanen's More Than Words, improved parent-child interaction and had some positive effect on child language and autism symptom severity. The reviewers described the evidence as "low to moderate quality." ^[6] That's not a dismissal. Low-to-moderate quality evidence is still evidence. It just means you shouldn't expect miracles, and you shouldn't stop there.

What the research agrees on more firmly:

• Parents who finish Hanen training change how they communicate in measurable ways
• Children with more responsive parents show better language outcomes across many studies, no matter the specific program
• Early action beats waiting; the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developmental surveillance at every well-child visit and referral when delays are suspected ^[7]

A meta-analysis by Roberts and Kaiser (2011) in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology found moderate to large effects of parent-implemented language interventions on child language, which supports the model Hanen is built on. ^[9]

Nobody has a single study that says "Hanen produces X months of language gain." That kind of claim would be fiction. What Hanen gives you is a structured, researched way to become a more responsive communication partner, and the broader developmental literature backs that as meaningful. ^[1]

How much does the Hanen program cost?

Cost is one of the first questions families ask, and the honest answer is that it depends on who runs the program near you. The Hanen Centre doesn't deliver programs directly. Individual SLPs and early intervention organizations buy certification and licensing to offer them, so pricing varies a lot by provider and region.

Common cost scenarios:

• Early intervention services (birth to age 3 in the US): Under IDEA Part C, eligible children get services at no or reduced cost to families. Some families access ITTT or its parent-training pieces through an IDEA-funded plan with no direct charge. ^[8]
• Private SLP practice: A full ITTT program (group sessions plus video visits) can run anywhere from $800 to $2,500 or more, depending on location, clinician fees, and session count. Prices land outside that range in both directions. Regional variation is significant.
• Insurance: Coverage is inconsistent. Some plans cover the SLP visits as speech therapy. Group parent-education sessions often aren't covered. Call your insurer and ask specifically about parent training or group speech-language services.
• University clinics: Some speech-language pathology training programs offer Hanen-certified programs at reduced cost through supervised clinical training.
• Target Word online program: Hanen's digital program for late talkers is available directly at hanen.org at a much lower price (roughly $100 to $150 USD as of recent pricing, though check the site for current rates).

If cost is the barrier, early intervention through your state is the first call to make. Services under IDEA Part C are designed to reach families regardless of income. ^[8]

How do I find a Hanen-certified speech-language pathologist?

The Hanen Centre keeps a directory of certified SLPs on its site at hanen.org, searchable by country and region. Clinicians self-report their listing after finishing certification, so it's a reasonable starting point, not an exhaustive one.

A few practical steps:

1. Search hanen.org for certified providers near you. 2. Contact your local early intervention program (in the US, search your state's IDEA Part C program or call the national IDEA information line). 3. Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a speech-language pathologist, and say you're interested in parent-coaching approaches. 4. Check university speech-language clinics in your area. 5. Contact your school district if your child is 3 or older; Part B of IDEA covers children 3 to 21 and may include speech services.

If you can't find a Hanen-certified SLP locally, online speech therapy has grown a lot. Some certified clinicians run the whole program by telehealth, video feedback sessions included, and Hanen has adapted several programs for remote delivery.

One honest caveat: the quality of any Hanen program rides on the individual SLP delivering it. Certification means they finished the training. It doesn't guarantee skill. Ask about their experience, how many cycles of the program they've run, and whether they do home visits or clinic-only sessions.

How is Hanen different from regular speech therapy?

Traditional pediatric speech therapy puts the SLP in the room with the child, usually 30 to 60 minutes once or twice a week. That's roughly 1 to 2 hours of specialized interaction weekly.

Hanen flips the model. The SLP trains the parent. The parent is then with the child for dozens or hundreds of hours a week. Even modest changes in how a parent communicates add up to thousands of extra moments of language practice every month.

This is a "parent-mediated" or "caregiver-mediated" approach, and a growing body of evidence supports it. The logic is simple: language doesn't develop best in a therapy room. It develops through repeated, responsive interactions in the places a child actually lives.

Hanen and direct speech therapy aren't competing options. Plenty of families do both. For children with childhood apraxia of speech, for example, direct motor-speech therapy from a skilled SLP is considered essential, and parent coaching is a useful addition, not a swap.

For late talkers without a specific motor or structural diagnosis, the evidence suggests parent-mediated approaches can be at least as effective as direct therapy for building early vocabulary, especially in the birth-to-3 window. ^[5] That's not a reason to skip the SLP evaluation. It's a reason to treat parent training as real intervention, more than homework.

Can Hanen strategies help a child with autism?

Yes, with some nuance. More Than Words, the autism-specific Hanen program, is built for autistic children in the early stages of communication development.

The strategies come from ITTT but add autism-specific content: understanding different communication stages (including pre-intentional communication), supporting sensory and regulatory differences, and building on each child's own interests rather than assuming shared social motivation.

The research on More Than Words is more mixed than parents might hope. The trial by Carter and colleagues (2011) in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found the program improved parental responsiveness but did not show significant improvements in child outcomes across the whole group, though children with higher baseline social engagement did benefit. ^[3] That finding is honest and useful. Parent training helps more when it's matched to where a specific child is starting.

For autistic children who have words but struggle with back-and-forth conversation, Hanen's TalkAbility program targets pragmatic language and social communication.

If your child is autistic and uses little or no speech, look into autism spectrum speech therapy more broadly, and possibly AAC devices if speech alone isn't meeting their needs. Some children who use AAC also show more speech attempts over time. The two can work together instead of competing.

Behaviors like echolalia (repeating words or phrases heard elsewhere) are common in autistic children and can be a communication bridge. Hanen-trained clinicians generally understand this and work with echolalia rather than trying to erase it.

What should parents realistically expect from the Hanen program?

Set expectations clearly, because overpromising does families a disservice. Most parents who finish ITTT say they feel more confident and more tuned in to their child's communication attempts. Many notice more communication from their child, even when speech doesn't suddenly take off. The program tends to feel empowering rather than prescriptive, which counts for a lot when you're already stressed about your child's development.

What it probably won't do: produce fluent speech in a child with a significant underlying delay or disorder inside the program's 8 to 10 weeks. If your child has a specific diagnosis like apraxia, autism, or a developmental language disorder, Hanen is one tool in a larger kit.

Timeline is genuinely hard to predict. Some children whose parents complete ITTT show measurable vocabulary growth within a few months. Others don't show obvious gains in that window but seem more engaged and communicative in ways that resist counting. Nobody can honestly promise your child will say 50 new words by the end.

If you want a low-stakes start while you wait for a Hanen-certified SLP or an evaluation, tools that build parent responsiveness at home can help. The Little Words app is designed to help parents practice responsive communication strategies with their child in daily routines. You can take a short quiz to see if it fits your child's stage.

The bigger point: Hanen works best as a practice, not a course. The strategies keep mattering long after the group sessions end.

How do Hanen programs relate to IDEA and early intervention services in the US?

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C, children from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or conditions likely to cause delays are entitled to early intervention services at no or low cost to families. ^[8] Speech and language services are among the most commonly provided under Part C.

Hanen-based parent coaching fits the IDEA Part C mandate to deliver services in "natural environments," meaning the places where children usually live and learn. The US Department of Education's guidance on natural environments supports caregiver-coaching approaches over clinic-only models. ^[8]

In practice, your IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) could include Hanen-style parent coaching as part of your child's services, delivered by a Part C-funded SLP. It depends on your state, your local provider, and whether their SLPs are Hanen-certified. Many are. Hanen training is widely respected in the early intervention field.

For children aged 3 to 21, IDEA Part B covers speech and language services through school districts. The structure leans less on parent coaching at that stage, though good SLPs fold in caregiver strategies no matter the formal program name.

If you've been told to "wait and see" with no services or parent guidance, you have the right to request an evaluation under IDEA at no cost. That request starts a timeline, usually 45 to 60 days depending on state, for completing the evaluation. ^[8]

Are there free or low-cost alternatives to the Hanen program?

Yes, several, and they share the same underlying principles. Hanen's own site (hanen.org) publishes free tip sheets and articles summarizing its core strategies. They're written for parents and are genuinely useful, even though they can't replace the individualized feedback of the full program.

Some universities with speech-language pathology training programs run parent coaching groups at reduced cost, supervised by licensed SLPs. That's often the cheapest route to real, in-person coaching.

Your state's IDEA Part C program, as covered above, may offer parent coaching at no cost for eligible children under 3.

A large library of free parent-education content exists from ASHA (asha.org), the AAP (healthychildren.org), and the CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. campaign. ASHA's public materials on supporting late talkers at home line up well with Hanen principles without asking you to pay for enrollment. ^[2] The CDC provides milestone checklists and referral pathways for families worried their child isn't meeting language milestones. ^[11]

The honest limitation of every free option: you don't get the video feedback. Watching yourself with your child while a trained SLP reflects on specific moments is hard to fake from a tip sheet. If you can reach the full program, it's worth it.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can a child start the Hanen program?

It Takes Two to Talk is designed for children under age 5. More Than Words also fits the under-5 window, though many families start in toddlerhood when concerns first surface. There's no strict minimum age for the child, because the program trains the parent. It can begin as soon as a delay is identified. Earlier training means more time for strategies to add up.

How long does the Hanen program take to complete?

It Takes Two to Talk typically spans 8 to 10 weeks. That includes roughly 6 to 8 group sessions (each about 2.5 hours) plus 3 individual video feedback sessions with the SLP. The schedule varies by provider. Some run sessions weekly; others spread them out to give parents time to practice between meetings. The whole program is built to fit inside a single school term.

Does insurance cover the Hanen program?

Coverage is inconsistent. Some insurers cover the SLP-delivered individual sessions as speech therapy visits. Group parent-education sessions are more often excluded. Check with your insurer directly and ask specifically about "parent training" and "group speech-language services." IDEA Part C may fund the program at no cost for children under 3 who qualify. Many families pay partially out of pocket.

What is the difference between It Takes Two to Talk and More Than Words?

Both are Hanen programs that use parent coaching to support early communication. It Takes Two to Talk is for children with language delays in general, including late talkers and children with developmental language disorder. More Than Words is built for autistic children and addresses autism-specific communication patterns, sensory considerations, and social motivation differences. Some strategies overlap; the framing and content differ.

Can the Hanen program be done online or via telehealth?

Yes. Many Hanen-certified SLPs now offer the program by telehealth, including video feedback sessions over video call. Hanen also offers Target Word, a digital program for parents of late talkers, available directly through hanen.org. Telehealth delivery has proven feasible and acceptable to families, though in-person home visits offer context that's harder to capture remotely.

What is the OWL strategy in the Hanen program?

OWL stands for Observe, Wait, Listen. It's one of the foundational Hanen strategies. Instead of directing the interaction, a parent pauses, watches what the child is interested in, waits for the child to start communicating, then listens to whatever the child produces. The pause itself is the intervention. It opens space for the child to communicate, space many parents close off without realizing it by talking too much.

Is the Hanen program evidence-based?

Yes, with caveats. A 1996 randomized trial by Girolametto and colleagues showed significant vocabulary gains in toddlers whose parents completed It Takes Two to Talk. Research on More Than Words shows consistent improvements in parent responsiveness and some child communication gains. Cochrane reviewers rated the evidence low to moderate quality, mostly because of small samples. The scientific community broadly supports parent-mediated approaches as effective.

Can a speech-language pathologist recommend Hanen if my child also has apraxia?

Yes, though Hanen alone won't address the motor-speech part of apraxia. Children with apraxia of speech typically need direct, intensive motor-speech practice with a skilled SLP. Hanen-style parent coaching can be a useful addition, helping parents create more communication openings and respond supportively. But if your child has a motor-speech disorder, parent coaching complements direct therapy rather than replacing it.

Do both parents need to attend Hanen sessions?

Programs encourage both caregivers to attend when possible, because strategies work best when the whole family uses them consistently. In practice, single-parent households and work schedules often mean only one caregiver attends. The video feedback sessions, held at home, can include any regular caregiver. If only one parent makes the group sessions, sharing materials and practicing together at home helps the learning transfer.

How is Hanen different from ABA therapy?

Hanen is a parent-coaching program grounded in naturalistic, relationship-based communication; it doesn't use reinforcement hierarchies or discrete trial training. ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) is a behavioral framework that can include communication goals but uses structured reinforcement. Both can address communication in autistic children through different mechanisms. Some families use both. They aren't incompatible, though their philosophies differ significantly.

What if my child is already receiving early intervention? Can they still do Hanen?

Absolutely. Hanen parent training is often delivered as part of early intervention, not separately from it. If your child's early intervention SLP is Hanen-certified, the strategies may already be woven into their visits. If not, ask your service coordinator whether Hanen-certified providers are available through your Part C program, or pursue it privately alongside existing services.

Can grandparents or other caregivers attend Hanen sessions?

Yes. Hanen encourages involving any significant caregiver in the child's life, because consistency across settings speeds language development. Grandparents, nannies, and daycare providers who spend real time with the child benefit from learning the same strategies. Some families have a grandparent attend in place of or alongside a parent, particularly when grandparent care is a primary arrangement.

Is there a Hanen program for school-age children?

The core Hanen programs (ITTT, More Than Words, TalkAbility) are built for preschool age and younger. TalkAbility extends to autistic children who have some verbal language and can include school-age children in some cases. For school-age children with language or communication challenges, services usually shift to IDEA Part B school-based speech therapy or private SLP services using approaches beyond the Hanen framework.

Sources

1. Hanen Centre, Research Summary: It Takes Two to Talk: Hanen programs are grounded in research on contingent responsiveness and natural language facilitation; the Centre's mission is to train caregivers as primary communication partners.
2. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), Late Language Emergence: Approximately 10 to 15 percent of children are late talkers, defined as having fewer words than expected between 18 and 30 months without another identified cause.
3. Carter et al. (2011), Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 'Randomized controlled trial of Hanen's More Than Words': More Than Words improved parent responsiveness; child outcomes varied, with higher baseline social engagement predicting better child response to the program.
4. Girolametto L, Weitzman E. (2002), American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 'Responsiveness of child care providers': Video feedback as part of Hanen training is associated with lasting changes in caregiver communication style and more language-facilitative interactions.
5. Girolametto, Pearce & Weitzman (1996), Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 'Interactive focused stimulation for toddlers with expressive vocabulary delays': In a randomized controlled trial, toddlers whose parents completed It Takes Two to Talk used significantly more different words and communicated more frequently than a wait-list control group.
6. Oono IP et al. (2013), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 'Parent-mediated early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD)': The Cochrane review found parent-mediated programs including More Than Words improved parent-child interaction and had some effect on child language; evidence quality was rated low to moderate.
7. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Developmental Surveillance and Screening Policy: The AAP recommends developmental surveillance at every well-child visit and timely referral when delays are suspected, supporting early action rather than waiting.
8. US Department of Education, IDEA Part C: Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Under IDEA Part C, eligible children birth to age 3 receive early intervention services at no or reduced cost; services must be delivered in natural environments and may include parent coaching.
9. Roberts MY, Kaiser AP. (2011), American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 'The effectiveness of parent-implemented language interventions: a meta-analysis': A meta-analysis of parent-implemented language interventions found moderate to large effect sizes on child language outcomes, supporting the Hanen model's theoretical basis.
10. ASHA, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Evidence Maps: ASHA's evidence maps include parent-implemented naturalistic interventions as having sufficient evidence to support use for communication outcomes in young autistic children.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Learn the Signs. Act Early.: CDC recommends acting early if a child is not meeting language milestones, and provides milestone checklists used alongside referral pathways to early intervention.