This week in speech therapy...
Primary Articulation
Turtle Snap
I got the idea for this game from my lovely co-worker Orlanda De Los Santos (I’ve obviously forgiven you and your Arkansas team for beating my Wildcats). I changed the activity a little by using these super cool handmade turtles (yes, they are totally necessary and fun!). Each child gets one turtle. Articulation cards are placed in the “mouth” or the open part of the plates. Then, “turtle snap” cards are added. The child draws a card and says the word. If they draw a “turtle snap” card then they have to put all their cards back in the turtle. The child with the most cards out of the turtle’s mouth at the end, gets an extra sticker (or however you do rewards).
How to make the turtle: I stapled two paper plates together, painted the top and then used paper towel rolls to make the head and feet. Please excuse the missing tail. All my turtle tails looked funny so I decided this particular turtle was tail-less.
Snowmen All Year
I used a lesson plan from Super Duper Inc.’s Once Upon A Sound. I supplemented the lesson plan with a snowman sound game. The students make words out of the 3 circles of a snowman. Here is the link, just add letters to each circle and have the kids make up words with their sound in it.
Intermediate Articulation
New Year’s Resolutions
I got both of these ideas off Pinterest. Click on the links to see where I got the idea.
Articulation Lab
I like my older kids to take responsibility for their practice. I set up different centers in the classroom i.e. listening, game, recording etc. so they can be independent. The kids are at each center for 5 minutes. All of them at one point come and see me and we go over what they did in the other centers and/or listen to a recording of them practicing.
Primary Language
Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear?
This book creates a great opportunity for talking about different senses and sequencing. I supplement with this activity I found on Pinterest. It focuses on feelings and descriptive words.
Additional activity: Have the kids draw a polar bear and everyone has to guess how the polar bear is feeling.
Snowmen All Year
This book is a great conversation starter and opportunity to have kids answer wh- questions. They can talk about where they would go with their snowman, what they would do, why they chose those activities. Have the kids draw a picture of one thing they would do and then use the wh- dice from this post, and ask them questions. You could also supplement with the snowman direction activity from my holiday post.
Intermediate Language
New Year’s Resolutions
(See Intermediate Articulation for links.)
New Year’s Opposites
I found this lesson plan off of Pinterest. I just printed and laminated the antonym activity.
Primary Fluency
Turtle Snap
Use the Turtle Snap game to talk about “turtle speech”. Put cards in that the child can label and they have to use “turtle talk” when they say and/or talk about the word. When they pull out a “turtle snap” card they have to walk really slowly around the table. I also add some “Too fast rabbit” pictures and when they draw it they have to run around the speech table. Great for visual and kinesthetic learners for the “turtle talk” lesson.
Intermediate Fluency
New Year’s Resolutions
See Intermediate Articulation for links
Primary Pragmatics
Don’t Break The Ice
I like to introduce the session talking about “ice breakers” in conversation. Each time it is a child’s turn in the game, they have to come up with a good conversation starter they could use if they wanted to talk with a new or old friend. It’s also a great way to teach teamwork, turn-taking etc.
Intermediate Pragmatics
New Year’s Resolutions (See Intermediate Articulation for links.) and/or Don’t Break The Ice activity above.
That's what we did this week, what did you do with your kids? Feel free to email me (liz.gretz@gmail.com) pictures and explanations of ideas and I will add them to an upcoming post.
