- Verb Network Strengthening Treatment
What is It?
- Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (VNest) is a therapy approach focused on improving sentence production by targeting verbs and their associated nouns. This method leverages the central role of verbs in sentence structure to stimulate sentence generation and comprehension.
How does it work?
In VNest, people with aphasia are given a verb, such as “cook,” and asked to generate sentences involving the verb. For example, they might identify “Who cooks?” (the subject, e.g., “a chef”) and “What do they cook?” (the object, e.g., “a meal”). This encourages them to think about sentence roles and form meaningful connections between words.
How does it help?
VNest targets Broca’s aphasia because individuals often struggle with sentence construction and grammar. It strengthens speaking by promoting sentence generation, supports listening as the person engages with prompts, and indirectly aids writing by reinforcing verb-subject-object relationships.
How do you do it?
Start with a verb, such as “write.” Then, generate sentences by asking questions like “Who writes?” and “What do they write?” Try to form full sentences, and if necessary, use images or examples to prompt ideas. Encourage practice with different verbs to build a wide range of sentence constructions.
At Home
You can practice VNeST principles at home with these activities:
- Create verb scenarios: Choose an action word (like "cook") and list who might do this action and what they might cook
- Expand scenarios: For each pair (like "chef-dinner"), answer where, when, and why questions
- Judge sentences: Create sentences about your scenarios and decide if they make sense
- Word association: When you hear or see a verb, try to think of who might do this action and what they might do it to
Signs of Progress
Look for these indicators of improvement:
- Increased ability to name objects and actions
- Better sentence production
- More complete utterances in conversation
- Less frustration when trying to express yourself
- Family members noticing improved communication
Using Our Website
Our website offers:
- Interactive exercises based on VNeST principles
- Verb scenario activities with customizable difficulty levels
- Progress tracking to monitor your improvement
- Practice with both common and personalized verbs important to your daily life
Remember that consistent practice is important, and even small improvements in therapy can lead to meaningful changes in daily communication.