Hide and Seek: Bathroom

Please welcome my guest blogger, Linda!

Hide and Seek: Bathroom

Did you ever have a principal ask you to have your speech office in a bathroom? An IN USE boy’s bathroom??? Seriously!! This actually happened to me when entering an overcrowded city school with a principal who disliked the previous speech therapist. Obviously, I said “No, thank you.” and found my own work space in the building.

While having your office in the bathroom is about as far from ideal as you can get,  SLPs working with preschoolers will end up spending some time there. Fortunately, there are lots of functional words and phrases that can be modeled and elicited while in the bathroom.

Early in the school year, the bathroom is  great for working on following directions with spatial concepts, such as in, out, on, off, under, up, down, here and there.

Action words can be taught in functional phrases. These include: open the door, help me, pull down/up, take off, put on, zip/ unzip my pants, sit down, get up, get toilet paper, wipe yourself, flush the toilet, turn the water on/off, wash your hands, dry your hands, put it in the garbage, etc.

While you will be modeling and teaching bathroom vocabulary receptively or for following directions at the beginning of the year, don’t stop there! It is so important to get students using the basic communicative functions expressively, too, such as requesting (help me), commenting (all done, uh-oh!) and describing (cold water).

As SLPs, we tend to jump in quickly and start talking, so it is important to remind yourself to use the expectant pause after routines have been established and the basic vocabulary is understood. You know what comes next in the routine, he understands! Now is the time to wait for your student to ask for help or comment! It’s okay if she can go through the routine independently and quietly. That is your cue that your student may be ready to have conversations about what you were doing before the bathroom break!

For nonverbal students or those with ASD, don’t forget to work on joint attention and expressive communication skills, too! Name the item needed and wait for her to look at it before helping. Wait for him to look at you and then what he needs help with to make a request. Start adapting your environment with visual symbols, like ‘I need help.’  Use hand over hand exchanging to get requesting started, if needed.

Speech therapy in the bathroom?

Absolutely! As long as it isn’t your office, too!

Linda’s home base is Looks Like Language, but today she’s in the: Bathroom! 

Thank you to Kim from Activity Tailor for organizing this blog hop!

To enter the Hide and Seek Blog Hop raffle, collect the names of the participating blogs and where they are hiding and enter them here.

Speech Therapy Count 'UP' to School!

Let's make the count down to the start of school more exciting...let's count 'UP' with prizes!  Each day, I will be giving away more and more prizes, all the way up to the ULTIMATE GIVEAWAY!  To get more details and to enter, visit my Facebook Page.  The giveaway started yesterday, so don't waste any time! 

*You can only enter through my Facebook Page.

Speech Therapy Back To School Organization

I started school last week (so not ready) and this year I have a goal of staying organized.  That is usually my goal in the beginning of each year, but I swear this time I mean it! I came up with a few ideas that I think will keep me organized and I hope they will help you too.

1) Laminate Your To Do Lists

 I go through so many to do lists throughout the year.  This year, I decided to laminate mine and simply wipe off all of my completed tasks.  Why didn't I think of this before?

 1) Laminate your To Do List   2) Use a dry erase marker to write your notes  3) Wipe off your completed tasks    *To Do List shown is part of my SLP Planner, Files & More

2) Separate Your Files

Files usually have so many random papers in them that make finding anything almost impossible.  Organize your files with strips of paper labeled with years, categories, etc.  This makes finding paperwork simple and quick!

3) Use Manila Envelopes

All of my upcoming IEP files are placed into a large manila envelope labeled 'Upcoming IEPs'.  This makes them so easy to grab when I am working on paperwork.  It also reminds me of what I have to do!

Here's to keeping organized this year!

Life Size Board Games

It's Friday Fun Day* which means it's time to post about a fun activity to use during speech therapy!  Today's activity topic is life size board games...doesn't that sound like fun? 

Materials:

 - Paper plates (round, square, small, big, anything will work)

 - Picture cards or question list - Picture cards can be anything from articulation cards to pronoun cards.  You can also have a question list or some type of other prompting item if you prefer.

 - Quarter or other coin

Set Up Before Therapy:

1) If you have picture cards, tape them onto the bottom the plates facing upwards. 

2) Then, place the plates in some type of game board formation around the playground, room or other area.

How To Play:

1) The first player tosses a coin.  See what the coin lands on and have the student move that amount of spaces. (Heads = 2 Tails =1)

2) When the student gets to his/her spot, he/she must perform a task in order to stay there.  For example, if there are articulation sound cards on the plates, then the student needs to say the corresponding word 5-10X.  If you are working on WH questions, then the student must answer a question before moving on...etc. 

3) If the student cannot perform the task, he or she must move back to their original spot and it's the next person's turn. 

4) Students take turns flipping the coin and moving to spaces on the game board.  

5) Whoever gets to the end first, WINS!

My students love this interactive game and forget that they are actually working and learning!  I hope your students will enjoy this too. 

*If you don't know what Friday Fun Day is, please read about it and other daily themes by clicking here. 

 If you are participating in the Scavenger Hunt, here is my secret word: Blogging

If you would like to participate in the scavenger hunt, please Click Here to get all of the information!

Thank you Kristin Immicke from Beautiful Speech for hosting!



What's In My Shopping Cart - Linky Party

Who doesn't love a SALE? Teachers Pay Teachers will be hosting the annual Back to School Sale on this Monday & Tuesday.  My ENTIRE store will be 20% off...even the huge 2000+ page Year Long Articulation Therapy Plans bundle that is already 40% off!  Just enter the code BTS15 and TPT will give you an additional 10% off. Thank you to Jenna Rayburn at Speech Room News for hosting this! As a part of this linky party, I am going to share with you what is on my wish list along with a few of my favorite things from my store! 

My Favorite Materials

Year Long Articulation Therapy Plans Bundle *Everything You Will Ever Need*

ENTER TO WIN THIS PRODUCT

IN MY PREVIOUS POST

For years, I have been running out of fun activities to do with my students during articulation therapy.  So, I finally sat down for 200+ hours (not all at once) and made articulation plans for the entire year!  It took forever, but I am so excited to use this!  I know that my kids will love each activity and it will free up SO much time.  Check out the preview for more details.  This product is already discounted, but if you buy it during the sale, you will save 50%! 

Back To School Language & Articulation FREEBIE

No need to buy!  Just download this FREEBIE for some fun back to school activities!

Now for my wish list!

1) Ashley Rossi's 'First Day In Speech Therapy Flap Books & Extras'

I am so excited to use these for the first day of speech!  I think this product is a perfect way to get to know my students PLUS I know that they will have a great time using them!  I also like that the students get reward punch cards, schedule reminder cards and get to color bookmarks!

2) TLC Talk Shop's 'Interactive Articulation Notebooks - Later Sounds'

This is another amazing product that I am so excited to use.  My students' parents are always looking for ways to help their children at home.  I love that this product has goal sheets, student data sheets, progress monitoring and even a communication log to keep in contact with the parents!  I am excited to see the variety of great games, worksheets and interactive activities that this notebook includes!

3) Beautiful Speech Life's 'Superhero Compare and Contrast Vocabulary'

I always have so many students that are working on expressive language, reading skills and comparing/contrasting vocabulary.  I love that this includes 6 lesson plans, a variety of categories, helping questions, cards, stories and even awards!  I also love that it is superhero themed and I know my students will too!

4) CLIP ART!  I kind of have an obsession with buying clip art.  I am not sure what I will buy, but I pretty much guarantee it will be in my cart! 

I hope you have a great time shopping...I know I will!

P.S. Click on the What's In My Cart Image to see what other SLPs are buying!

YEAR LONG ARTICULATION THERAPY BUNDLE GIVEAWAY!

Do you ever find yourself saying...

· How do I keep my students engaged during drill?

· Articulation therapy is so boring!

· I am out of activities to do with my students!

These are the questions that I have constantly asked myself since becoming an SLP.  So, I decided to make one large yearly lesson plan that I could use for the entire year and never have to think about another articulation therapy lesson plan again!

After 200+ hours of work, I finally have most of it finished!  It is a growing bundle, so it will continue to be updated until September through May are finished.  Enter below to win this prize worth $140!

Here is some of what it includes!

14 SOUNDS ADDRESSED 

· Sounds include K, G, F, V, R, S, Z, L, SH, CH, TH, L Blends, S Blends, R Blends in all positions.

9 MONTHLY ACTIVITY CALENDARS

· Each calendar includes 11 different activities per month for you to choose from.  Most kids are seen 2X per week (8X/Month) so you can take your pick of activities!

· Make your own plan….you have options!

   9 MONTHLY MATERIALS LISTS

  · Each month has a list of materials that are needed to complete the activities (such as  crayons, glue, etc.) 

· Next to each material is a list of corresponding activity numbers so you will know what activity you need the material for.  That way, you will know which materials you need for your specific monthly  plan.

  9 MONTHLY PRINT OUT LISTS

· Each month has a list of pages that you will need to print out in order to complete each    activity

· Next to each materials is a list of activity ‘numbers’ so that you will know what you need to print for your own monthly plan.

 PROGRESS MONITORING (14 Sounds in All Positions)

· Monitor your students’ progress each month with these fun seasonal worksheets!

· This set is sold in my store & includes 400+ Color, Cut & Paste worksheets and all progress monitoring tracking forms (See it in my store)

 ACTIVITIES

Each month also includes directions on how to have a fun activity or party day!

 CARD GAMES (2 Different Game Ideas Per Month)

· 39 UNO Game Sets—Each contains 14 Sounds in all positions (Total of 2379 game cards)

· 39 Playing Card Game Sets—Each contains 14 Sounds in all positions  (Total of 2028 cards)

· 39 Picture Card Game Sets—Each contains 14 Sounds in all positions (Total of 1422 cards)

· Directions for each card game are also included

ART PROJECTS (2 Per Month)

· 18 Different Art Project Ideas—Each art project idea includes a materials list, directions and any print outs that are needed (some art projects are holiday or seasonal)

 

WORKSHEETS (2 Per Month)

· 18 different sets of worksheets/print out activities (includes Dot to Dot, Scavenger Hunt, Color By Word, Silly Stories, Dot A Dot, Word Searches, Roll A Picture, Artic. Scenes, Artic. Stories, Color By Number, Color the Picture and more!)

· Each worksheet set addresses 14 sounds and most worksheet sets include all positions of each sound. 

 

GAMES (2 Per Month)

· 18 Different sets of Games/Ideas (Bingo, Candy Land Artic, Artic Hopscotch, Artic. Board Games,  I Spy, Toss A Sound, Ball Time, Music Freeze, Bean Relay, Chutes & Ladders, Coin Toss & More)

· Each game comes with directions, printouts and necessary game materials.

MY SOUNDS BOOK (2 Pages Per Month)

· Includes a ‘My Sounds Book’ for each of 14 sounds.  Each book is 18 pages long. Students get to make this book.

All activities, games, worksheets and card games include directions on how to use each during articulation therapy!

Interested?  Check it out here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I Have A Confession...

I have a confession to make...I am actually afraid of writing blog posts!  This sounds crazy because I have a blog, but in reality, writing has never been my strength.  In fact, my little sister used to check my papers when I was in grad school and she was in high school! So, why do I have a blog?  Well, I have always had a creative mind and love to think of fun therapy ideas.  I also like to create games and host giveaways because they make my life more exciting! What better way to do this then blogging? 

This past month, I took a break from blogging to really think about where I wanted to take my blog and what I truly want to make it into instead of what it 'should be'.  Here is what I came up with.
1. My blog posts are probably not going to be perfect in grammar and the best showcase of writing skills.  Yes, I am an SLP, but speech is my thing...not writing. 
2. I want to make my blog fun and exciting to visit.  I can only do this by thinking about what I think of as fun and exciting. 
3.  I want my posts to be directed and consistent.  I want my readers to know what to expect when they come to my blog.
4.  I love alliteration and want to make different days of the weeks into corny topics!  Please see the picture below to see what these corny topics are (they took me hours to think of). 
5.  I want the reader to know me (and my faults), because I am a not a perfect person and definitely not a perfect blog writer.  For those of you who love writing and are great at it, I envy you!

Make sure to check my 'Start Here' page to see my updates!