Goodbye 2012....

Before the year ends, I want to share one last item that I recently made for therapy.

I love using hedbanz in therapy for language groups and decided to adapt it for my articulation groups. I hope to make versions for other sounds as time allows. Here is your copy. I suggest printing it out on card stock or taping them to note cards (what I usually do). 

As 2012 comes to pass, I just want to say thank you for reading my blog. My discovery and unexpected journey into this field has been full of blessings and trials. I hope that 2013 is a year filled with joy and happiness for everyone.

Got pronouns?

My Christmas break project was to find a better way to teach the concept of pronouns to my younger students. It's such a hard concept for them to understand with the Pronoun Parade cards and using pictures from books (even though I love those strategies for my older groups.) My solution was to use the sales catalogs I have stock piled since Thanksgiving for therapy activities to make pronoun books.

Here's what the finished product looks like....(7 hours later)

This is the second of my pronoun books. The first one is for he, she, and they.

I tell what each word is used for twice with a single image. Then, I let them look at two pages with single images and examples of sentences they could say. The next step is for them to make up sentences on their own.

Walmart, Target, and ToysRUs had the best ads. I also used pictures from Belk, JC Penny, and Kmart.

The key to the book is to have just enough pictures on each page to avoid sensory overload.

What this project takes:
3-ring binder
15 sheet protectors (you can do more or less)
Basic copier paper or construction paper.
1 Sharpie
Lots of sales ads (I had a month's worth)
Scissors
Lots of free time

Pronouns

I'm going to let you in on a two little secrets that I use to teach pronouns as a sort of Christmas present....

1) For she/he: I usually tell my students that "hers" and "his" are dead...not an option....not a choice. It is a little bit harsh, but I have found that my students will always use these two words if I don't place heavy emphasis on not using those words. 

2) I use the Pronoun Parade deck from Super Duper to drill my older students. We've turned it into a competition of sorts....whoever says the correct pronoun the fastest and in a complete sentence earns the card. They obviously want to earn the most cards so it's a great motivating tool. It usually takes about three minutes for us to go through all of the cards. 

I love this card deck as it's a versatile tool. I use it for describing images, who questions, and formulating sentences. 

Now, I have another idea for teaching pronouns that I will share with you in my next post. 

Merry Christmas

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday!

Sometimes, all you need is a rubber band....

Learning to make do with what you have.....it's a lesson that my parents stressed to me since I was in preschool. (Perhaps, this is why I started out playing dolls with little wooden blocks that I drew faces on???)

Last year, I worked with lots of students on /s/, /sh/, and /ch/. I use your typical sound associations most of the time with my articulation groups. /s/- make a snake sound, /sh/- make a quiet sound, and /ch/- make a choo-choo sound. It's a great way of giving students a connection to the sound. However, there are quite a few kids that need more than just that auditory or visual cue. For these students, I suggest a simple solution:

Rubber Bands

They come in all colors and sizes.

I use rubber bands to teach the /s/ and the /sh/ sounds as they are a great tactile cue (I've also tried it with s blends). My students learn to stretch out the rubber band as they say the sound (at whatever level we are working on). The /ch/ on the other hand makes a short chopping sound so we act like we are chopping up a carrot. After a few sessions, I take the rubber band away and have them simply do the motion with their hand as they say the target. This slowly weans them away from the tactile cue but continues to aid in the visualization process. It works well for students who like to rush through drills too.

Let's have a fiesta!

Life has a funny way of teaching you lessons. When I was growing up, I assumed that everyone had the same things and same types of people in their lives that I had in mine. I remember hearing about those starving children in Africa who wished they could eat my broccoli and thinking that they were welcome to take as much as they wanted. College helped me grow up in many ways, but life as a school-based SLP continues to throw invaluable lessons my way.

The biggest thing being an SLP has taught me is to look at the world through fresh eyes and a different perspective. 

My goal is to make therapy sessions both fun and functional. I have to be able to put myself in my clients shoes even if they happen to be a lot smaller than my own. What do they really need from me and what will be a good way to get us there? Almost any object can be used for therapy whether it be an old magazine, store catalogs, restaurant menus, figurines, games, planting flowers, etc. It just takes a little imagination. 

Here is an example: pictured below is a snack tray that has seen plenty of celebrations in its lifetime. It showed up at Goodwill for $2 looking for a new lease on life. I couldn't resist buying it to use in my therapy room even though it is a bit scratched up. 

The hat can hold manipulative objects or drilling cards. However, I have been on the search to make sentences and plurals more fun for my older kids. My solution is to have a fiesta as there's not many things in life that are more fun than a party. It's a great way to get students to talk about their own experiences with birthday parties, Christmas celebrations, etc...and I love to hear their experiences.

 If you would like a copy of the fiesta document it includes the following:

Taco Sentences- Which ones are correct?
Mariachi Fill-Ins- Fill in the blank to complete the sentence (most target verbs)
Fiesta Chica- Plural nouns
WH Sombreros- Basic questions
Taco Articulation- /t/ production
Pronouns- He/She

Day of Silence for Sandy Hook