Archive for April 2013

Teachers Pay Teachers Tuesday

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Time for a new blog schedule! I am going to do my best to review a TpT product on Tuesdays, show you some therapy ideas on Wednesdays, and offer free/cheap resources on Friday. 
We will see if I can keep up! 

For my first TpT Tuesday I am reviewing: Super Strategies for Word Retrieval Deficits by the lovely, Figuratively Speeching SLP!

What it includes: -
--A poster describing word retrieval strategies.
--A poster describing visualization strategies.
--A Superhero open-ended game to use with any of the included cards, or any of your materials.
--Two puzzles (have students earn a piece for every two or three correct responses). Glue onto cardboard or poster board then cut apart.
--Blank cards for you to customize.
--Card sets for:
  • Associations (36 cards)
  • Visualizing/describing (36 cards)
  • Phonemic/semantic cues (24 cards)
  • Synonyms (18 cards)
  • Antonyms (18 cards) 
Why I think this is a great buy:
  • I love the strategy poster! This would be great to have up on my white board or for each student to read during the activity. For example: can the student visualize, use cues they are given, think of related words or opposites to help them retrieve a word. All good things to remind myself and my student of common strategies. 
  • Jess of Figuratively Speeching SLP really takes the time to think out each of her activities including activities for her strategies!
    • This one is my favorite for visualization. This reminds me of Expanding Expressions program only cuter and with more options for expressing with detail all in her own  unique way!! 

    • The cards after this poster target words that the student then visualizes! I love doing this with my students. We practice first without the strategies to see how little we come up with. Then use the poster as a cue and watch as whole descriptive paragraphs practically form themselves!
  • She also includes clue cards where the SLP or student reads the hints and see how long it takes everyone to guess what it is! 
  • Also really enjoy the antonyms/synonyms! I feel like I can never practice this skills enough with some of my students. Especially placing extra emphasis on the pronunciation of "synonym" is NOT the same as, "cinnamon".  ;)
  • Also included are puzzles, game board and blank pages. Sweet!
Overall: A great buy and on sale for $4.25 (normally $5.00) get it while you can. I enjoy Figuratively Speeching SLP's packets like this because they include multiple activities that target many goals. Makes running groups easier and you get more "bang for your buck"! Promise you will not regret buy this and you will be pulling it out often!

Love this? Check out Figuratively Speeching SLP's 
for more fun items!

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Product Review- Impact of Cultural and Linguistic Variables on Speech-Language Services

Thursday, April 25, 2013

BILINGUALISM! 
 I am not a bilingual SLP, but I do have extensive training in all things bilingual (I will post more on that later) and I work in a school that is has 86% Spanish language dominant students. Naturally I was very interested in gathering more helpful tools for those SLPs who are not very familiar with bilingualism and how to assess/treat their bilingual students.

Tatyana Elleseff, M.A., CCC-SLP of Smart Speech Therapy LLC is a certified bilingual SLP and shared a great resource that I would like to review for all of you! She has many various credentials that are all far to extensive for me to list on this page. To read more about her background click here.

Now let's review

  Impact of Cultural and Linguistic Variable on Speech-Language Services

What it is: This is a powerpoint presentation to review, "how cultural and linguistic variables impact speech language service provision to children from bilingual and multicultural households"(Elleseff, 2013).

What is included:
  • 54 slides that review many various different topics including: "individualistic and collective cultures, cultural values towards play, differences in child-rearing practices, cultural perceptions and beliefs about disability, as well as cultural communication differences. The impact on learning of socioeconomic status as well as parental level of education is also discussed."(Elleseff, 2013).
Why I think this is a great buy:
  • If you have limited experience with bilingualism this presentation is a great place to start! 
  • CULTURAL & LINGUSTIC VARIABLES:
    • Discusses the definition of a culture, the things you should research before beginning an assessment. To summarize as an SLP working with bilingual students you must: research the culture of your student to look at verbal/nonverbal communication, traditions,  child-rearing practices and beliefs about disabilities. Conduct a detailed case history to gather other information about parent's education level and socioeconomic status. 

    • Tatyana includes some generic information about communication styles of various cultures! Perfect for SLPs working in culturally diverse locations. There are many slides that include specific patterns. Like this one:
    • A slide I think is great is the different between individualistic vs collectivistic cultures! Explains the difference between an individual family or a big collective family with many generations or extended families living or all helping to raise a child. Worth reading!
    • I work in an area where the majority of my students are Hispanic and there are slides on child-rearing practices of this culture. Many of these children are told to be quiet because they live in very small apartments, sometimes share these small apartments with other families. The child may thus appear very quiet and nonverbal when they truly have more skills. 
    • It also discusses the belief that in some Hispanic cultures that the school system has the main responsibility for educating their children. I find this to be true for many families I work with. The parents have to work multiple jobs, do not have time or believe that they need to help with their child's education. 
    • Many other components are discussed including the role of religion, parents education level, views of disabilities and the impact of all of these factors on the students we work with. This important where I work, specifically with stuttering! I have a few families that believe it is the result of a demon/spirit of some kind. They believe going to church will fix the problem. Many parents also believe that it is their fault their child has a language disorder or specific learning disability. I find many parent blame each other and experience more guilt than others. This is not true for all Hispanic cultures, but a select few I have worked with.
    • Socioeconomic Status (SES)- I could write an entire review on the impact this has on our students. For example students from lower SES typically have lower vocabularies, however another important factor is the education of their parents and how big their parents vocabularies are. Cognitive tests have also shown that low SES does not result in a lower cognitive ability level.
Overall:  There are so many aspects to cultural and linguistic variables that are discussed in this presentation. It includes detailed information about each area and gives specifics to many different cultures. It also explains the reasons why SLPs need to be educated in the culture of our student's and their families! It impacts every part of language!  Keep this handy when conducting a bilingual assessment, and review it before conducting parent interviews and formal assessments.

If you are interested in purchasing this product it is currently on sale for only $7.99 (normally $11.99)check out Tatyana's Store at Smart Speech Therapy LLC

Don't forget to check out
 her fabulous blog and follow her on facebook!



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Product Review-Articulation Menus

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

What Did You Do? Wednesday

Today I am reviewing a new way to target articulation (and some other skills as well) brought to you by, Shannon of Speechy Musings! Shannon is a first year graduate student! Cannot believe she has time to create such great products while in graduate school.

For example this product: Articulation Menus
What is it? A pack of articulation "menus" for made-up restaurants! Each target a different sound in the initial position!

What is included:
  • Ideas page that gives all kinds of different ideas for use! Example: Have the students act out a real restaurant. Have one student be the waiter and take orders for all the other students. Then switch so everyone has a turn to be the waiter.
  • 2 menus for each of the following sounds in the initial position: /s/, /f/, /l/, /k/, and /g/. 
  • A review worksheet that asks comprehension questions about the menu the student had during the session.
  • A worksheet that includes sequence of ordering (first, next, last) with pictures of the food they ordered.
  • An instruction page for a dice game that asks comprehension questions.
Why I think this is a great buy: 
  • Frankly, I am getting so sick and tired of using my SuperDuper articulation cards! I can only look at those pictures so many times. This packet is a fresh new idea to target many different phonemes in one game! 
  • Because so many sounds are included differentiation is easy. Pass out a menu to each student that has their specific speech sound on it. Pick one student to be the waiter and order away! 
  • Shannon also includes worksheets and games to use these menus for other goals. Now we are talking! Targeting articulation and language comprehension in one packet!? Sweet!  
  • The menus are adorable! The different types of food are things I would love to try: Fun Five Cheeses,  Fay's Fun Fudge, Lemon Pie, Caramel Coffee, Garlic Bread, Salami Sandwich (YUM!)

  • One of my favorite parts of this packet is the comprehension sheet. To give you a sneak peek these are my two favorite questions:
  • Also, each menu has a location. Students are later asked where their restaurant was located! I am Irish, so I am drawn to the "Lucky Lantern."
  • This packet also targets sequencing of First, Next, Last with ordering! So students could pick an appetizer, entree and dessert (or drink). They then get to draw pictures. 
Overall: Well thought out, creative idea, and good for multiple different goals all in one therapy session. Mix it up and get many uses out of this by playing different games that are included. Target comprehension and articulation at the same time! Fabulous! In fact, I would LOVE to see more of these menus for medial and final sounds! As well as maybe an /r/ packet *hint hint* 

For more fabulous products please check out and follow 
Speechy Musings Facebook, Store and Blog!

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Owl's Multiple Meaning Words

Monday, April 15, 2013


Owl's Multiple Meaning Words-UPDATED 4/21/2013 with MORE content!

 
Skill targeted: Multiple Meaning Words and the different types! This packet includes both homopohones and homographs and the subclasses: heteronyms, heterographs and homonyms!

Other skills: expressive language, semantics (vocabulary building), syntax (when used in sentences).

WHAT ARE MULTIPLE MEANING WORDS?
Multiple Meaning Words are complicated! 
This packet will help you and your students understand the different types!
Under the multiple meaning "umbrella" are homophones and homographs, break it down further. Their are different types: heteronyms, heterographs and homonyms.
Ages: 1st grade through 8th grade


INCLUDED:
--Page 1 Title
--Info/Types of Multiple Meaning Words (Pages 2-4) Includes definitions and examples of homonyms, heterographs and heteronyms, as well as a graphic organizer page to compare/contrast.
--Set #1 Homophones (Pages 5-15) Includes 24 homophone cards, 24 definition cards and 5 bingo cards.
--Set #2 Heterographs (Pages 6-26) Includes 24 heterograph cards, 24 definition cards and 5 bingo cards.
--Set #3 Heteronyms (Pages 27-37) Includes 24 heteronym cards, 24 definition cards and 5 bingo cards
--Multiple Meaning Game Board (Page 38) Can your students state the two meanings for each word?
--Multiple Meaning Review (Page 39) Students write 3 sentences, pick 2 more new multiple meaning words and draw 2 pictures.
--Multiple Meaning Sort (Page 40) Mix up all 72 picture card and have your students sort them into each category!
--Other Ideas: Play a matching game with the cards! Mix up all the pictures, place face down, have students take turns trying to match the two meanings for each word.
--Page 41 Terms of Use, Page 42 Credits

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Product Review-The Little Red Hen-Book Companion

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Lately book companions are all the rage on Teachers pay Teachers! Today I reviewing a brand new, super cute, extensive book companion by, Maureen of The Speech Bubble!  I really enjoy her blog because she often includes Evidence Based Practice (EBP)/references to back up her therapy. For example this post about her new companion Why Are Fairy Tales Important? Now onto the review!


 
First I must say I am slightly biased because I think The Little Red Hen is an adorable story with a great moral and my sister was The Little Red Hen in her school play. I have fond memories of watching her perform! 

What is included in this book companion:
  • Synonyms, Antonyms, Irregular Verbs, Rhyming Words, Verb Tenses, Context Clues, Story Sequencing, Story WH Comprehension Questions and Coloring Mats, Inferencing, Articulation, Little Red Hen Writing and Little Red Hen Pragmatics!
WOW! All of that squeezed into 36 pages!? 
Don't believe me? Let's review! 

Why I think this is a great buy:
  • She included a little key to the bottom of each card! I really like this because sometimes TpT products can be hard to organize and keep track of. Usually I put them in rubber banded or paper clipped sections, but when using them it's hard to keep track! This makes it much easier to tell what cards are for what task! Genius! 
  • There are worksheets that are included for the sections! These would be great pages to photocopy and have students fill out as a data collection. You could also copy a few and use in a plastic sheet protector to reuse.  
  • Another great feature are the sorting mats! 
  •  I think my favorite part is the context clues. Personally I have a hard time teaching vocabulary because well...where do you begin!? Using books to teach vocabulary and then using these cards makes it easy! 
  • The sequencing is great! It includes a mat for sequencing events 1-5 and the best part is there are two levels of difficulty, with and without pictures. 
  • The WH questions are clever. Again there are two levels of difficulty!  The first includes little pictures of each possible answer which is great for students who are visual learners or need extra support. For older students you can use the ones that do not have pictures. 
  • There are coloring mats for articulation and rolling the dice game! I also love the inferencing and social skills sections. I think social skills tie in very well with the moral of the story. 
  • Writing sections: great way to tie in personal experience and theory of mind (e.g. If you were the Little Red Hen...)
  • Again as I mentioned above she includes references at the end that include information about why this is a great skill to work on! 
Overall: Worth every penny you would spend on this! There are so many different skills targeted all in one pack! This would be a handy resource for those groups of students who all have different goals, or students with both articulation/language goals. You could hit every goal in one or two sessions with this. This is why books seriously RULE!

I own many of The Speech Bubble's products. Some of my personal favorites include:
 Don't take my word for it, go purchase a few and you will see how great her products are!

Don't forget to follow her facebook, blog and TpT store!

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What Did You Do? Wednesday

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I went back to work today after 2 glorious weeks of Spring Break! I forgot my work keys, which unlock everything in my office (including all my supplies), so I had to come up with things on the fly!
We read a book from wegivebooks.org, and made watercolor butterflies to decorate our spring bulletin board. Tomorrow we make bees!


After every break I usually have students draw four things they did over break and write four sentences. However...
 I found this AWESOME worksheet called Snapshots of Spring Break for FREE on TpT. It has six "pictures" that ask different questions, and a corresponding sentence sheet. I love this because the younger kids can draw pictures and talk about it. While the older students can write sentences and then share! I seriously think this is a great resource and will be using it for years to come!
It was my birthday on Monday (but I wasn't at work due to house fumigation) so I arrived at work to two doors full of cards, some cute presents (snail) and a student who is not even on my caseload picked me some flowers! I sure feel loved! 

What did you do today?

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Owl's Onomatopoeias

Wednesday, April 3, 2013


 Another new product! If you liked my Who Are You? {Describing Game} you will really like my new product! 


Click Here to fly over to my store. Grab it for only $2.00!

 I know there are about 840 resources on TpT already for Onomatopoeias, but I am telling you mine is the the BEST! Why? Let me show you...

Targets: Onomatopoeias! {expressive language, semantics (vocabulary building), syntax (when used in sentences)}.
Ages: 4+

INCLUDED:
--Page 1 Title, Page 2 Info/What is an Onomatopoeia?
--Owl Onomatopoeia Cards (Pages 3-6 and 14-17) 48 question cards and 48 different onomatopoeias, use by themselves to learn what onomatopoeias we commonly use. There are broken in to two sets for game play with bingo.
--Bingo Question Cards (Pages7-8 and 18-19) 48 bingo question cards broken into two sets for game play. Questions ask what onomatopoeia belongs with each object.
--What Sound Does It Make? Bingo Cards (Pages 9-13 and 20-24) 5 bingo cards per set. Game play: Teacher asks students, “What makes the ____ sound?” and students place a token on the object/animal that makes that sound.   

--Onomatopoeia Game Board (Page 25) Can your students state the sound that each animal or object makes?


--Onomatopoeia Review (Page 26) Students write 3 sentences, pick 2 more new onomatopoeias and draw 2 pictures.

--Other Ideas: Guess That Onomatopoeia!: Pass out one picture card to each student. Pick a student to go first and have them make the sound (onomatopoeia), the first student to guess the object that goes with it will go next. (Example: Student 1 “Pop” Other students respond “Balloon!” or another correct answer “popcorn” etc.). Play with tokens or a game board.
Page 27 Terms of Use, Page 28 Credits 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

As always, thank you for supporting my store and facebook page!

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What Did You Do? Wednesday-My Speech Room!

If you are like me, you are curious about what everyone's space looks like! Today, we are taking a look a my Speech Room (in no particular order)!

What Does Your Room Look Like?
I love these magnetic pocket charts from Lakeshore! I usually put a few TpT materials in the blue one, board games in yellow, books for the week in red and important papers or copies in green. Helps me stay organized and keeps items I need close at hand!
This is my supply cabinet! I keep everything I use often in this cabinet. Mostly games, but I have books and TpT materials in the blue container. All my articulation cards and lots of things you can't even see because it's a deep closet!

These are all my office supplies! I recently got inspired by all those people on pinterest who make everything look cute! This keeps the mess in these drawers hidden! I used colored card stock and a paper cutter, took about two minutes to do and looks so nice. I also can't live without my bright green paper shredder!
So here is a view of my table, cabinet, and whiteboard. I love my larynx, ear and respiratory systems posters. I also have my lovely Colin Firth poster *swoon* My room has an ocean theme, I made the mobile hanging and the plastic thing is a light up aquarium. My preschoolers love finding "Nemo, Crush, and Dory" when it's on!
My blue tape Help Box is my favorite thing in my whole room! Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow's Dates, schedule, sticker time, and some general rules. Parts of speech posters, descriptive words and some great posters I found on pinterest are framed under the white board. Cant you see my objective binder to the right? I haven't even printed my updated version yet!
I count myself lucky to have a window! I didn't during my student teaching year and I know many of you don't. The window looks at the back of another portable, but at least I get some light! I have three filing cabinets, #1 student files/IEP paperwork, #2 is test protocols, student work, CEUs, parent resources and top drawer is extra stuff (wipes, my purse, bubbles etc), and #3 is now TpT and other handouts/resources!  You can also see we have a college theme at our school, I had to adopt a college I did not attend (both mine were taken!) I picked Monterey Bay State as I love Monterey and sea otters are so cute! I have lots of Osborn's Otters in my room and we talk to students about being College Bound even in kindergarten! So I have all my credentials, degrees on the wall. Kids LOVE asking me about them and how many years I went to college!


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