Better Hearing and Speech Month Kick-Off

May will be here in a few, short hours, which means that the kick-off for Better Hearing and Speech Month is here, too.  YIKES!  How am I not ready for this?  Wasn't it just the start of April?  I always seem to find that May sneaks up on me.  Maybe it's because we just finished state testing.  Maybe it's because the end of the school year is winding down.  Maybe it's because I'm just that forgetful.  Who knows!?  What I DO know is that I always find a way to make BHSM happen!

With last minute evaluations in full-swing, I wanted to share several resources that I've found over the last few months that have been helpful for me in the screening and evaluation processes.

Informal Elementary Language Sampling Checklist
This resource is thorough, comprehensive, and well-organized.  I really like this checklist because it covers so many areas, including listening comprehension, semantics, morphology, fluency, oral peripheral, intelligibility, MLU, literacy/narrative skills…and I could go on and on.

Preschool-Speechie
Preschool Speechie has several great resources for the pre-school population. These are very easy to use…check out their TpT store.  Here are just a few:
          Following Directions Hierarchy
          WH Hierarchy for Pre-Schoolers
          Language Sample Summary Preschool Checklist Part 1
          Language Sample Summary Preschool Checklist Part 2

The Helpful Counselor
This pragmatic resource is a four-point rating scale for the pre-K and elementary levels.  It focuses on three main areas: social play and emotional development, communication, and emotional regulation.  These three areas are further  broken into more specific areas.  It's a very helpful resource in looking at student strengths and needs.

Do you have any great resources to share?  Please comment on them!

Puppet Pals 2 in the Classroom

Puppet Pals 2 by Polished Play LLC is one of our new favorite apps. The newest version helps students use higher order thinking skills through interactive scenes as they present their learning. We love this app because it engages our students and in some cases is easier than writing things down. The 2nd version has many new features over the first that include scrolling scenes, moving mouths and bodies, and characters can be placed in vehicles. There is a free version and a paid version. In most cases the free version has enough features. The main difference with the paid version is you can add your own faces into the app (similar to JibJab).  Here is an example I made in less than five minutes about adjectives. 

It is extremely easy to play around with! Or click here for a tutorial. I have to give a big thanks to the technology coach in my building for finding this app. What a find!

Autism Awareness Month Continues...

Isn't it crazy how much a few people can make such a huge impact?  I never cease to be amazed with the students who attend our school.   Here's why…

Earlier this month, we helped to spread autism awareness by sharing our blog post "World Autism Awareness Day" with different teachers in our building who, in turn, shared it with their students.  Two students in particular were so moved by Drew Elliot's story, they wanted to know how they could help make a difference in our school.  Make a difference?  In fifth grade?  The response from these two girls I had never met before caught me completely off guard.  After connecting with their classroom teacher and getting more background information about these two, amazing 11 year-old girls, I was was no longer surprised with their request but in awe.  These were the same two students who managed to put together a fund-raiser in a matter of days for Briarwood and Plaza Towers Elementary Schools, which were devastated by the tornado that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma in May 2013.  Two young girls with such beautiful hearts.

With the support of my colleague, classroom teachers, and our building principal, the girls set out to make rainbow loom bracelets to sell in the mornings before the start of the school day.  Word caught quickly, and soon, dozens of students were bringing in bracelets they made at home to include in the sale.  The girls' classroom teacher allowed the students to bring in their rainbow looms to make bracelets during snack time and class read aloud time.  Teachers were asking for us to give autism presentations.  Wow.  We were blown away.

My only request with the entire project was that we communicated to other students that not only is it important to be a friend to someone with autism, but it is equally important to be a friend to everyone.  So, the two girls and I created a pledge using what the school already had in place and then expanding on it.  Here is what we came up with!

Teachers gave students the opportunity to sign the pledges in their classroom, and they were also available at the bracelet sale.  We currently have one more week of bracelet selling, and we continue to hang up the pledges around our school.  In fact, the girls have now asked to sell the bracelets the end-of-the-year school carnival, which was immediately approved by our principal.  (Have I mentioned how awesome it is to be so supported?)  It looks like the girls will continue to raise money beyond the month of April!

So you might be wondering where the money will be going.  Me too!  The girls want to donate it to an organization that supports children who have autism.  I have found five local organizations from which the girls will make their decision.  I can't wait to see where they choose to donate all of their proceeds!  More to come with their decision and the total amount of money raised at the end of May!

CHARADES: articulation

Erik X. Raj has created a free and super fun app: CHARADES: articulation!  I'm excited to use it this Friday with my fourth grade articulation group!  (It'll be the perfect activity after a long week of state testing.)  

This is an easy-to-play game in which students act out and describe words.  With over 1,000 words targeting the S, Z, R, L, CH, SH, TH and blends, the fun is endless!   First select a sound.

Next, select a word position: initial, final, medial, blends, or mixed.  

Students then have 60 seconds to act out/describe as many sound-specific words as possible to a designated "guesser."  Everyone is able to see the words except for the guesser.)  Students give the guesser as many clues as possible through actions or clues.  If the word is guessed, students touch the green "count it" button on the left of the screen and if not, they can touch the red "skip it" button on the right.  The more words guessed, the higher the score!

This app can be used with a mixed group of speech and language students.  It is easily tailored to a student's individual needs but is engaging for all.  It is a great go-to activity when you have only a few minutes left of a session or a perfect motivator!

How cool is this app?  Check out more of Eric's fun and VERY affordable apps here: http://www.erikxraj.com

Word Clouds

I have found the use of word clouds to be a powerful tool for my students who struggle to find meaning from a text. It is a great visual strategy that combines art with vocabulary. I find it really pulls my students in and gets them excited with what we are doing.

What is a Word Cloud? 

Well a word cloud is a visual way of organizing text into a picture. The bigger the word the more frequently it was used in the text. This makes common ideas or themes from a text easy to spot for older students. Here is how I have used them:

All about Me Poems: 

I have students think of their own describers for themselves and then have the students put it in a word cloud.

Making Predictions:

Here is one I created for Goldilocks and the Three Bears to show elementary students before reading the story to make predictions about what it might be about.

Here is one from  a news article to help with prediction:

Teaching Vocabulary:

Here is one with Earth Day vocabulary that I will have my students look at and then we can discuss the words they know and those they want to know.

Comparing/Contrasting:

Compare two characters from a book. Have students look up character traits and describe characters. Share with the group to compare and contrast. These examples are of Percy Jackson and his friend Annabeth. 

Summarizing: 

 I have students use these to create a quick summary of the text they read by copying the text from their ipad into a word cloud app, then have them describe the key points they notice. The bigger words are the most frequently used.

Inferencing:  

Make an inference game with common describer words. Have students guess the animal or object.

Here are some other helpful resources:

http://www.teachthought.com/literacy-2/19-interesting-ways-to-use-word-clouds-for-learning/

https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/reading-teaching-strategy

http://edutech4teachers.edublogs.org/files/2012/10/Edutopia-Top-10-Tips-for-New-Media-color-ugzygq.pdf

Autism Meet Up and Support Groups

Raising awareness for autism all year round, especially in April has been something that we have been passionate about for years.  We do this by educating teachers, paraprofessionals, and peers.  We participate in fundraisers, autism walks, and give presentations.  We talk about what autism is, and what it isn't.  We talk about difficulty with social communication.  We talk about how students with autism   often have difficulty with their "friendship radar," and how they want friends just as much as neuro-typical peers.  We stress how they (peers) can be a friend to someone who has autism and give examples of how to do so.  We focus so much on the support in school because that is the nature of our role.  But what about supports outside of the school environment?  I decided to take a quick look at local support groups and found some great resources:

MN Autism Friends Unite is for both parents and people with autism spectrum disorders to meet up for fun and affordable outings in the community.  

TAG-We're It! Tween & Teen Autism Group is a social group for parents who have tweens and teens on the autism spectrum, focusing primarily on ages 7-17.  Children and parents develop social skills and friendships through social activities.

Twin Cities Spectrum Kids Meetup Group is a meet up group for parents and kids who have social and emotional needs but not necessarily autism specific.  The group focuses on forming peer relationships so that the kids can be "productive, caring, respectful, and self-confident citizens."  In addition, parents have an opportunity to learn and share about current issues, research, etc. while participating in social outings.

Spectrum Connections is a social club for pre-teens, teens, and young adults who are on the spectrum.  It is designed to help make new friends in a safe and friendly environment.  Parents are welcome as well.

Ausome Family is an online resource that highlights people, groups, organizations, and ideas to "raise awareness, inspire acceptance and/or improve the quality of life for individuals on the autism spectrum."  The website includes a resource directory and calendar of events for all things autism.

"A Sick Day for Amos McGee"

This book is definitely one of my favorites.  I love the illustrations.  I love the theme.  What can I say?  I LOVE this book!  After reading this book to my daughter the other night, I decided to sit down and create an activity pack to accompany this book, which is available on TpT: A Sick Day for Amos McGee Language Activities.

This language pack includes seven activities that are all aligned to the Common Core Standards from students in grades 1-5.  The activities include the following skills:

Vocabulary

Comprehension

Important vs Not Important Information

Sequencing

Syllable Sort

Friendly or Not?

What Makes A Good Friend?

I'm super excited to use this activity pack with my students in May (right after all of that state testing).  Let me know what you think!

Poetry Month

We are now two weeks into national poetry month. In the 2Speak Right speech room we enjoy poetry as it is a skill that encourages vocabulary, writing, analysis, and phonological awareness. Here are some ways that poetry is used at all levels of learning and links to some lesson ideas. Hope you enjoy them.

Preschool
1. Recite nursery rhymes and finger plays.

Click here for 50+ downloable rhymes and finger plays

2. Pair pictures- bear and chair "That Rhymes"

Click here for free rhyming card match up

3. Alliteration- play "I am going on a trip" (I will bring an Aunt Addy, a big brown bear and a calm cat)

Elementary
1. Write an acrostic poem:

Slow
Promise
Rising up
In
Northern Minnesota
Go away Winter

2. Write a concrete poem (poem in the shape of its subject)

3. Write a Haiku (three lines of five syllables, seven syllables, and five syllables).

4. Read it and Rate it- Read a poem and have students give a review
 
5. Use a KWL to sort words in the poem: words you know, Words you want to know, and words you learned.

More Lesson Ideas
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/87

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/calendar-activities/april-national-poetry-month-20478.html

http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/poetry-writing-lessons/

http://www.lauracandler.com/filecabinet/literacy/poetry.php


Check out our TPT store for our "Poetree" graphic organizer.

Parkinson's Awareness Month

April is Parkinson's Awarness Month and I feel a great empathy to the 7-10 million worldwide who suffer with it. My experience with patients of Parkinson's began several years ago. I was asked to talk at a local support group for patients and families about affects of the disease on speech and swallowing. I was so moved by this group that I eventually began volunteering to be their facilitator during the summer months when school was out.

What is Parkinson's, What causes it? and How is it treated?

Parkinson's disease progresses over many years for most sufferers. Most sufferers start noticing a twinge in their fingers or toes, or sometimes differences in their digestion as the first signs. What is happening is that the neurons that produce dopamine in their brain do not produce as much or then stop producing it. Dopamine is a very important neurotransmitter for movement and without it the nerves have trouble sending messages to the muscles. What happens is that muscle movements become erratic and a struggle to control. Patients who have it can have trouble completing every day tasks. Some Patients (but not all) may experience memory problems, altered speech, insomnia, digestive problems and depression. So far treatments do alleviate the symptoms but do not slow the progression of the disease. There is no cure but research continues to be conducted to determine a cause and more effective treatments. 

The best resource I have found was the Davis Phinney Foundation located at http://www.davisphinneyfoundation.org/. Their mantra is live every day well and to celebrate everyday victories. They offer several free webinars to help to educate sufferers about treatment, ways to stay positive, and research that is being conducted. They also host a victory summit every year for patients and their families to attend and celebrate the victory of living everyday.


Here are other resources that you may also find helpful:

 http://www.pdf.org/en/parkinson_statistics

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/09/keeping-parkinsons-disease-a-secret/

https://www.michaeljfox.org

New Spring Language Activities!

We have posted a new spring language bundle on our TpT store!  The price has been reduced until Tuesday, April 8th at 9:00 pm.  The activities are available for individual purchase as well, and ALL activities are aligned to the Common Core.  Spring Language Learning

Spring Fever!

It is now April 6th, and even though we just had 6" of snow several days ago, it is slowly disappearing.  People are walking.  Dogs are at the park.  It's spring time, and it's contagious!

I find myself getting so antsy this time year, just as state testing is rolling in.  How in the world can students focus when I can't either?  I've tried brainstorming a few ideas to take therapy outside either as a clinician or parent.  After all, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?  I'm all about conformity when it comes to being outside in spring!

1.  Read Books
Read a book…under a tree…on a blanket!  Get comfy and relax.  Books are an easy and engaging way to work on concepts, comprehension, and even articulation.

2. Sidewalk Chalk
It's cheap and kids love it!  Plus, it's easy to draw concrete pictures (no pun intended) of basic concepts.  It's also easy to write different words to target specific speech sounds.

3.  Memory Game
This game may work best when working with a group of several students.  The first person starts by stating, "It's spring, and I see flowers."  The second person says, "It's spring, and I see flowers and grass."  The third person says, "It's spring, and I see flowers, grass, and birds."  You get the idea.  This game may not drill articulation as much as you could inside, but it also works on memory skills and vocabulary.

4. Wagon Ride
This is obviously for younger children, but none the less, it's fun!  Try an "I spy" game.

5.  Simon Says
This game is great for executive function and following directions.

6.  Red-Light, Green-Light
Another great game for working on executive function.

7.  BounceA Ball
Yep.  That's it.  Pick a category and students name items in the category.  After each turn, they bounce the ball (only one time) to another person.  If they miss an item in the category or miss catching the ball after one bounce, he/she is out!  This game also works well if your students are working on articulation sounds.

8.  Go On A Bear Hunt
Not for real, but the kids don't have to know that!  This game works well for following directions and understanding basic concepts.

9. Story Telling
Kim Rowe, a pediatric speech-language pathologist, has some great ideas for working on storytelling and play.  5 Ways To Foster Creative Storytelling + Play

10.  Go On A Scavenger Hunt
A treasure hunt can be anything you want it to be!  It can be by color, size, shape, etc. for categorizing. Sounds for articulation.  The options are limitless.  We have a freebie on our TpT store if you're looking for something already made!  Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Speech and Language

If you have any other ideas, please feel free to add them in the comment section!  We'd love to hear your ideas!

Autism Speaks Family Reference Guide

Autismspeaks.org has a gather information about goods and services for students and adults with autism and their families. Services include camps, therapies, and products. We love this because it covers services throughout the United State. Follow the link here to look.

Sensory Friendly Movies

AMC theaters partners with Autism Society of America

Going to movies has been a past time in the United States for over a hundred years now. People love going, but if you have sensory processing needs you may not be able to handle the constraints. For kids with sensory processing needs the volume is often too loud, the previews too long and some kids cannot eat the snacks that are offered due to gluten free or other special diets. Kids with sensory needs as well often struggle to remain quiet during a movie and may struggle with sitting in their seats without moving for extended time.

AMC Theaters and the Autism Society of America set to change this a few years ago. They wanted to make movie viewing at the theater a positive experience for families and kids who have sensory processing needs including those kids with ASD. At participating theaters across the country they offer families the opportunity to watch one new movie a month with the lights on, lower volume, and relaxed rules for bringing in snacks and talking/moving around. In my neighborhood of the Minneapolis/St.Paul Metro area the participating AMC theaters are the Eden Prairie 18 AMC Theater and the Rosedale 14 AMC Theater. Here is a list of AMC theaters in other cities as well. Please also pass the word on! It is a wonderful idea.

Click here for the full list of AMC theaters who offer sensory friendly films

Appy Autism Awareness Month

Free and Reduced Apps

One of Favorite websites for learning about new student apps is Smart Apps for Kids. The author Lisa, is a mom with three kids with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She started her blog to help raise awareness about apps used for learning. For the past 3-4 years she has shared a list of apps specifically for Autism Awareness Month that have been reduced in price or are free. This year is no different, click the link to her two sites IPAD App and Apps for Android for all the deals this April. As well continue to check her site all month long for more App deals.