Thursday, January 31, 2013

Easy and Fun Valentine's Day Booklet/Carryover Activities!

Happy Thursday everyone!!!  I wanted to share my quick, simple, and fun Valentine's Day booklet and carryover activities that I will be using in my speech room next week.  I came up with the ideas to use with my articulation students.  I'm not sure about all of you, but my caseload is 50% ESLS students.  I get very bored with the same board games and activities, so I am constantly trying to come up with new ideas! I will be posting many more pictures next week once I use the activities with my students.  So here we go....

Valentine's Day Articulation Booklet

Each student will get the worksheet with blank hearts, a piece of construction paper (color of his/her choice of course!), and a word/picture list (depending on which speech sound he/she is working on).  I have a lot of craft supplies in my room including markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, glitter pens, tissue paper, paint, and more!  
Students will write words from their own articulation lists onto the blank hearts.  They can then color in all the hearts and be creative as they would like!  Next, they will cut out all of the hearts and glue them onto the front, inside, and/or back of their booklet.  As you can see in the picture above, I just labeled my sample booklet as "My Valentine's Speech Booklet".  I will have my students write their names and add their speech goal as well to the front of the booklet.


The best part about this Valentine's Day booklet is it can be taken home to use as practice/homework!  SLPs know how important it is for students to practice, practice, practice!!  

Hope you all enjoy this post and cute idea!  I will be posting more pictures and updates next week once my students make their booklets!

Monday, January 28, 2013

New activities for Articulation and Naming Attributes!!!

I am so excited to show all of you my THREE newest activities!  Each one focuses on either Vocalic /r/, /th/ and /s/ PLUS naming attributes.  That's articulation and language goals all rolled into one!  Each activity is listed separately in my TpT store in hopes that it is easier for all of you to grab what you need.   Check out details and pictures below...


Each activity includes: 

A Poster explaining what an attribute is



Hint cards with examples of attributes

3 Sets: Numbers 1 through 5

24 Wild Cards


Vocalic R 
Included:
96 cards: /er/, /ar/, /air/, /ear/, /ire/, and /or/

/S/
Included: 
84 Cards: /S/ in the initial, medial, and final positions

/TH/
Included:
48 cards: /TH/ in the initial, medial, and final positions

How to play:

Shuffle and spread the “shield” number cards face down on the table. Place the R, S, or TH cards face down in a pile within reach of all students. Students take turns choosing the top articulation card from the pile and choosing a number card from the table. The students will name the specified number of attributes according to the number card chosen. Example: If a student chooses “tooth” and the number 3, he/she must name 3 attributes that describes a tooth. Once the student has successfully named the chosen number of attributes, he/she keeps the card. If chosen, follow the directions on the included wild cards. The student with the most cards wins!
CHALLENGE: 
Have students formulate sentences using the targeted R, S, or TH word and one of the named attributes.

Hope you all enjoy these activities!!!! Please leave feedback and/or comments! 

SLP <3

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kristine-Lamb





Sunday, January 27, 2013

Using Bubbles in Speech/Language Therapy

I don't know about all of you but one of my students' (past and present) favorite activities is blowing bubbles!  It's a low tech, inexpensive, and fascinating therapy activity.  I have even taken it a step further and had my students create "bubble prints".  There are so many of these ideas on pinterest, blogs, websites, etc.  Here is how I had my PreK students create their very own bubble prints (while working on language/speech development)!




Here is what I used: 5 bottles of bubbles, food coloring, small plastic cups, card stock cut in half, and disposable tin trays.

Preparing and creating bubble prints:  I added drops of food coloring into the bottles of bubbles to create, red, blue, green, purple, and orange.  Each student got a piece of card stock with his/her name on it and a tin tray (to eliminate your table being a mess!).  Students were able to be creative and choose whatever colored bubbles they wanted to make their print.  Before they started we practiced lip rounding, taking deep breaths, and how to blow in order to create a bubble.  Finally, the fun part, blowing the colorful bubbles onto the paper! I allowed the prints to dry over night and then each student was able to his/her home!

I think they came out adorable and look so awesome!




There are so many ideas and ways to use bubbles in therapy (just do a google search!).  I personally have used bubbles with students/children working on /b/ and /p/, lip rounding, and turn taking!  

Heidi at http://mommyspeechtherapy.com explains the use of bubbles to improve language development!  Here are her 10 ways to use bubbles:


1. Use bubbles to promote eye contact.
Engage your child in a fun bubble blowing activity. Watch for the anticipation of more bubbles. Wait for eye contact before you blow more bubbles.
2. Use bubbles to stimulate your child to make a request.
This may be as simple as blowing the bubbles, screwing the lid on tight, and giving them back to your child. Wait to see what they do. If after trying to open the bubbles themselves unsuccessfully, they hand them back to you for help, they have just made a request.
3. Use bubbles to teach a sign.
When your child hands the bubbles back to you to open you can use this opportunity to teach the sign for open.  Or while blowing bubbles for your child you might pause to see if he asks for more. If not, teach the sign for more
. You may also teach the signs for again, want, please, and all done.
4. Use bubbles to teach a sound.
When your child requests for more bubbles with a sign or gesture try modeling the sound /m/ for more
, /b/ for bubbles, or /p/ for pop (pop bubbles).
5. Use bubbles to teach a word.
Use bubble blowing to teach the words, bubbles, more, again, want, pop, all done, fun, please,
 and whatever else you can work into the activity.
6. Use bubbles to teach turn taking.
Bubbles are a fun way to teach my turn, your turn.
 Basic turn taking routines teach kids the skills for conversational turn taking. You may also teach the signs for my turn, your turn during this activity.
7. Use bubbles to teach lip rounding for the sounds /w/, oo, and /o/.
When your child blows bubbles through a wand watch the shape of their lips. If they are round, great! If they are more on the flat side try squeezing their cheeks forward to get their lips in the right position. If this doesn’t work try having them wrap their lips around a wide straw (McDonald’s straws work great) that has been cut to about 2″ in length, then with their lips around the straw have them blow the bubbles through the wand. The straw positions their lips into the correct posture for blowing.
8. Use bubbles to position and strengthen the tongue correctly for the /k/, /g/, and ng sounds.
Blowing exercises such as blowing bubbles position and strengthen the tongue for sounds produced in the back of the mouth.
9. Use bubbles to strengthen abdominal muscles for sustained speech.
Strong abdominal muscles can help increase sentence length. Work with your child to blow consistently longer streams of bubbles each time you practice.
10. Use bubbles because they are fun and kids love them!!!

The article above regarding ways to develop language using bubbles was written by Heidi at http://mommyspeechtherapy.com/?p=38.  


I hope you all enjoyed this post!!

Kristine


Thursday, January 24, 2013

{FREEBIE} Shamrock Articulation for R, S, and L



Hope you all enjoy this St. Patrick's Day themed activity!  Head over to my TpT store to download.  PLEASE leave FEEDBACK!!!!  Thank you!


http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREEBIE-Shamrock-Articulation-for-R-S-and-L

Included:
2 identical pages for each targeted sound, R, S, and L
Total of 24 cards for each sound
8 wild cards

Preparing:
Print and laminate all cards.

How to play:
This game was created to be played like “memory”. Students take turns choosing cards and say the word or phrase. When two identical cards are chosen, the student keeps the pair of cards. The student to make the most matches wins the game! If students choose a wild card, they earn an extra turn!



Thank you for the continued support!!!!!

Kristine
Live Love Speech

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Review of Valentine’s Day Pragmatics created by The Speech Bubble


Review of Valentine’s Day Pragmatics created by The Speech Bubble



I had the opportunity to review this AMAZING Valentine’s Day Pragmatic Packet!! This 64 card activity targets many social skills using the cutest Valentine graphics! You can grab this activity here!! Also, be sure to head over to The Speech Bubble’s blog and check out her review of my activity, Skiing Vocabulary.

Here is what you receive in this packet:

Three activities to work on social skills including:

How Sweet It Is: (24 activity cards, 8 wild cards) Expected and unexpected behaviors. Students read the situation and determine if the behavior is appropriate (expected) or inappropriate (unexpected) for the situation and place card on appropriate side of included mat.


I'm Stuck on You: (24 activity cards, 8 wild cards) This activity works on flexible thinking/problem solving. Students read the situation on the card and create a reasonable solution. 


You're the Apple of My Eye: (16 activity cards, 8 wild cards) This activity works on perspective taking. Students read the situation on the card and determine how other students may view the situation.


There are a total of 64 cards!

Goals this activity focuses on:
This is a great game for students working on answering questions, critical thinking, problem solving, reading comprehension, social skills, and listening skills.

How my students played each activity:

How sweet it is:  I used this activity with one of my 3rd grade groups.  My students took turns flipping over a card and reading the situation and behavior (i.e.  “You are talking while the teacher is giving directions for a game.”).  Then, he/she needed to decide if the behavior stated on the card was appropriate (expected) or inappropriate (unexpected) and place it in the correct column on the mat.  My students really enjoyed this activity and it also sparked many conversations about appropriate/inappropriate behaviors.

I’m stuck on you:  This adorable activity was used with a 3rd and 4th grade group.  Students took turns choosing and reading cards which included various situations (i.e. “You are passing out your Valentine’s cards and forgot one for your friend.  What will you do?”  Each student needed to come up with a possible solution to the situation.  For my older students, I had them come up with more than 1 solution which added a challenge!  They really enjoyed choosing a wild card which states “Surprise! Someone sent you a Valentine’s Note. Go again!”  The student who ended up with the most cards was the winner!

You’re the apple of my eye:  This was personally my favorite activity of them all!  I have many students who need work on perspective taking so I used it with a bunch of my groups.  Students took turns choosing cards and reading the social situation (i.e. “A girl doesn’t like the card she got and throws it away.  What will people think?”)    When answered correctly, the student got to keep the card.  If a wild card was chosen (“you got an extra candy for being so sweet. Go again.”), the student got an extra turn.  The student with the most cards was the winner!  My students really enjoyed this activity!!


This is a must have packet that targets so many social skills goals. Your students will love using it for Valentine’s Day.

Here is all the information you need to check out The Speech Bubble and her activities:

Blog: http://thespeechbubbleslp.blogspot.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheSpeechBubbleslp?fref=ts

TPT store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Speech-Bubble

Be sure to head over to her blog, facebook page, and TPT store to show support.

Head over to her blog to see a review of my activity, Skiing Vocabulary!!
You can grab Skiing into Vocabulary here!

Thanks everyone for checking out my blog!!!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

{New} Vocabulary Activity: Secret iPod Words!!!




Hey everyone!!  I hope you are enjoying your 3 day weekend (if you are having one!).  I used some of my time off to make this AWESOME activity which I like to call "Secret" iPod Word!  I think you and your students will absolutely love it.

This activity/game focuses on synonyms, antonyms, and rhyming words.

Included: 
•Poster explaining what synonyms, antonyms, and rhyming words are.

•72 cards with a “secret word”, synonym, antonym, and rhyming word.

•9 homework/extra practice pages.



How to play:
Students can be divided into teams or each student can play for himself/herself.  On a board, make 3 columns with the headings, synonym, antonym, and rhyming word.   

The SLP/teacher chooses a card (as seen above)  and starts by reading ONLY the antonym.  The first team/student to raise their hand, gets a chance to guess the “secret word”.  Alternative: Go back and forth between students/teams allowing each a chance to solve a “secret word”. If a team/student is able to guess the “secret word” when given only the antonym, 3 points are earned.  When both the antonym and synonym are given, 2 points are earned.  When all three clues are given, 1 point is earned.  Less clues equals more points!


 Use the included homework pages for students to practice the “new” words they have learned!


Hope you all enjoy this activity!  I had so much fun creating it!  Thanks everyone for the support!!!

Kristine 
Live Love Speech

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Review of Sock Monkey Articulation by Busy Bee Speech


Review of Sock Monkey Articulation created by Busy Bee Speech



I had the opportunity to review this AMAZING Valentine’s Day articulation packet!!    This 42-page activity targets articulation skills using the cutest Valentine sock monkey theme! There are visuals for each card as well!  You can grab this activity here!!  Also, be sure to head over to Busy Bee Speech’s blog and check out the review of my activity, WinterArticulation /r, s, l/.

Here is what you receive in this packet:

An adorable sock monkey themed game board, 24 heart number cards, 24 monkey face activity cards,
and 24 articulation cards for s, r, l, k, f, sh, ch, and th. That’s 192 cards total!!!!




To play: On each turn, draw a heart card and move across the game board the indicated number of spaces. Choose an artic card and say the word. Optional: Choose a monkey card to say the word in different ways.



Here is how to play:

Students take turns choosing articulation cards and practice saying the word.  Another option is to choose a monkey card which specifies other ways to practice saying the word.  Then, students draw a heart card numbered 1, 2, or 3, and move across the game board according to the number they choose.  The first student to land on finish is the winner!

How I used this activity:

I decided to use this activity with a few different groups of students in order to try various articulation goals.  I mostly used the articulation cards focusing on s, r, l, and th.  Many of my students love game boards and were especially excited that this activity was a monkey AND Valentine’s Day theme!  My students took turns choosing an articulation card.  I had each of them practice the word and put them in sentences.  The visuals were a HUGE help for my younger students and non-readers.  For my students that were closer to mastery, I used the monkey cards! These cards include directions like, “say your word 5 times” and “say your word in a silly voice”.  This was a huge success and made things so much fun for my students!  Most of my students love a challenge which makes the game board so exciting!   

This is a must have packet that targets so many articulation goals.  It can also be adapted to work for various grade levels!  Your students will absolutely love the adorable sock monkey graphics!


Here is all the information you need to check out Busy Bee Speech and her activities:

Blog:

Facebook Page:

TPT store:

Be sure to head over to her blog, facebook page, and TPT store to show support.  I highly suggest getting this activity for your students with articulation goals! 

Head over to her blog to see a review of my activity, Winter Articulation /r, s, l/!!

Kristine
Live Love Speech

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Review of Answer Me, Maybe? WH Question Packet created by The Speech Ladies


Review of Answer Me, Maybe? WH Question Packet created by The Speech Ladies



I was so lucky to review this AMAZING packet!!  I’m sure you all will love it as much as I do.  Grab this activity here.  Also, be sure to head over to their blog and check out the review of my activity, Mad Scientists Inferences.  

Here is what you receive in this packet:

There are 100 “wh” question cards, 100 picture cards, 5 cards where the student must unscramble the question, 5 blank phones and 9 bonus cards. There are 20 question and picture cards for each question word (who, what, where, when, and why). 





Goals this activity focuses on:
This is a great game for students working on answering “wh” questions, sentence expansion, memory, reading comprehension, and listening skills.



Here are ways to play:

Level 1 (Best for non-readers and younger students)
Use the cards to play memory. Lay question cards and picture cards face down on the table. Have students match questions to the correct picture.

Level 2 (Best for readers)
Shuffle question and bonus cards. Have students draw a card. If they answer the card correctly they may keep the card. Player with the most cards in the end wins.

Level 3 (Advanced readers and older students)
Shuffle picture and bonus cards. Have students pick a picture card and ask a question. If they ask a question correctly, they may keep the card. Player with the most cards in the end wins.

How I used this activity:

I decided to use this activity with a few different groups of students in order to try each “level”.  Level 1 was used with one of my first grade groups.   I split up the questions and answers (which include pictures) and put them on opposite sides of the table.   When they chose a question card, I read it to them.  I had them answer the question and then flip one of the answer cards over.  If they matched the correct picture with the question, they kept the cards.  They were very excited when they made a match.  Level 2 was used with one of my third grade groups.  I used the where, when, and why question cards and bonus cards with this group.  The bonus cards include things like, “dropped a call, lose a turn”, and “send a text, take an extra turn”.  My students loved drawing the bonus cards!  Any game that includes”challenges” is a plus!  Finally, I used the level 3 game with my 4/5 grade group.  My students absolutely loved it!  Like the directions suggest, I used the picture and bonus cards.  Each student took a turn choosing a picture card and creating their own question.  Asking questions is a very difficult task for many of my students so this game was perfect!  Again, the bonus cards made it interesting and fun!



This is a must have packet that works for students across many grade and reading levels!  Your students will absolutely love the awesome iPhone graphics and the excitement they gain from the challenges.

Here is all the information you need to check out The Speech Ladies and their activities:

Blog:

Facebook Page:

TPT store:

Be sure to head over to their blog, facebook page, and TPT store to show support.  I highly suggest getting this activity! 

Head over to their blog to see a review of my activity, Mad Scientists Inferences!!!

Thanks everyone for checking out this review!

Kristine
Live Love Speech


Monday, January 14, 2013

{NEW} Activity: Skiing into vocabulary

Hey everyone!!!  Here is my newest activity...Skiing into VOCABULARY! This activity targets upper elementary and middle school aged students.  Head over to my TPT store to grab this activity!!!

Don't forget to "like" my Facebook page for an upcoming GIVEAWAY of this activity as well as many more!!!!

Preparing:
Print, laminate, and cut all cards.
Included:
80 Cards: Scrambled words with definitions
The first letter of each scrambled word is underlined.
Answer Keys


How to play:
Shuffle and divide cards evenly to students.  Students will keep cards in a pile face down in front of them.  Students take turns choosing their top card from the pile and unscramble the word shown on their card one at a time.  After all students in the group have unscrambled their words, everyone discards their cards into the center of the table at the same time.  When two discarded cards match, the first student to call out the word “match” or the word of the match shown like, “tree, gloves, skis, etc.”, gets the entire pile. The student with the most cards wins!





Alternative for younger students:
Place answer keys in direct view of group or give each student their own set of answer keys to assist them with unscrambling the words. (Like a word bank!)


I hope you all enjoy!!!

Kristine
Live Love Speech