Thursday, August 23, 2012
Incentive Charts
I went to the teacher supply store and found these Very Hungry Caterpillar incentive charts. I will most likely use them in the spring but had to share. What an adorable way to sequence and review literature and vocabulary!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Parenting Tips to Elicit Language
Throughout the day, there are so many ways to engage your children in language based activities and elicit language from your toddler. Here is a simple list of things you can do to help your toddler use language to meet his/her needs.
1. Establish a routine-
Creating a routine is so important for your child. First, a routine reduces stress and anxiety. Second, it will most likely decrease tantrumming and behavior problems. Lastly, a routine will foster and prompt language (i.e. first breakfast and then the park). An example of a routine appropriate for a toddler would be: breakfast, errands, snack, playtime, lunch, read, nap, snack, playtime, dinner, tv, read, sleep.
2. Model-
It's time to channel your inner goddess and become the model you have always dreamed you'd be. Unfortunately, I don't mean modeling designer fashion. Even though your child may not be able to respond just yet, what you say is important; narrate the days events, label all of the fruit in the grocery store, sequence the steps during bath time. Use simple language. Use short sentences. Use basic vocabulary (i.e. "More soap"). Give your child "wait time" to respond as if he/she WAS taking his/her conversational turn. Which leads me to the next item.
3. Accept Word Approximations-
Language, inclusive of articulation, develops slowly in a developmental pattern. Did you know that the "r" sound isn't expected to develop until a child is seven years old? So, accepting approximations of a word is completely appropriate. You ask your child to say "please" and she says "pea"..... Close enough... Praise her! Your 14 month old says "da da" during a socially appropriate "thank you" moment..... 2 syllables you say? Socially appropriate? Is there intent? It's an approximation.
4. Get Excited-
Praise, praise, praise! Respond positively to word approximations. Praise your baby's socks off!
5. Language is...... everywhere-
Realizing that every possible routine-based activity you establish is embedded with lots of language is so important! From the park, to the beach, to nap-time, use language that is associated with the activities you are doing. During bath-time you can: practice on/off hot/cold wet/dry with the water, practice "more" with bubbles, label body parts while washing, practice "all done", play with boats, sequence steps to washing hair...etc. At the beach you can: jump over the waves and practice up/down, count the seagulls, find and label shells and other sea creatures, label all the items in your beach bag, dress up sister for the beach and name all the appropriate beach wear, narrate the steps to build a sandcastle...etc. Really, the opportunities are endless, but they are really important. Using language from a routine-based task is so meaningful for your child. And guess what? Because it's during a routine... chances are tomorrow you can revisit and practice again and again.... and... again.
6. Hold Back-
This is where it gets a little tricky. So... you have an established routine, you model language consistently throughout the day during routine-based activities, you are accepting word approximations and praising your child whenever possible, but your child just isn't using language to get his or her needs met. Sometimes, as a caregiver, it is important to create opportunities for language... and that doesn't always mean fun and games! Hold back on giving your child items until he/she uses his/her language. For example, Joe wants a cookie. He is able to approximate /k/ for "cookie". He is used to pointing at items and having his caregiver give them to him without using his language. He's realized, he doesn't need to necessarily use verbal language to get his needs met during mealtimes. Parent shows him a cookie. He points. Parent says, "Do you want cookie? Say... cookie." Joe will hesitate at first, and may become frustrated pointing and whining. Stay firm. "Do you want cookie? Say.... cookie." After a few small battles, he says, "k". Praise his socks off... and give him the cookie. Pat yourself on the back. You held back on an item and didn't give in until he gave some type of word approximation to represent the item with intent.
7. No!!!!!!!-
One of my favorites because all kids react in the same way, and it's guaranteed to create language. Give your child the opposite of what he/she wants to teach your child to oppose and negate. Learning how to say "no" in life, is equally as important as learning "yes". You want your child to oppose an item and state what he wants. Let's take the above example with Joe and his cookie. He doesn't say cookie so mom gives him milk. He will most likely pout, whine and say 'No!!". And if not, teach him no.... say.... "Oh.. silly mommy! That's not a cookie! That's milk! Joe, is this a cookie? No!!!!! Silly!" You are teaching him that the label "cookie" belongs to a cookie and by using his verbal language to indicate his wants/needs will get him what he wants/needs!
Language is fun and exciting and descriptive and beautiful! Enjoy these precious learning moments with your child. You are your child's first teacher. Don't take that role for granted.
Peace and love,
JP
1. Establish a routine-
Creating a routine is so important for your child. First, a routine reduces stress and anxiety. Second, it will most likely decrease tantrumming and behavior problems. Lastly, a routine will foster and prompt language (i.e. first breakfast and then the park). An example of a routine appropriate for a toddler would be: breakfast, errands, snack, playtime, lunch, read, nap, snack, playtime, dinner, tv, read, sleep.
2. Model-
It's time to channel your inner goddess and become the model you have always dreamed you'd be. Unfortunately, I don't mean modeling designer fashion. Even though your child may not be able to respond just yet, what you say is important; narrate the days events, label all of the fruit in the grocery store, sequence the steps during bath time. Use simple language. Use short sentences. Use basic vocabulary (i.e. "More soap"). Give your child "wait time" to respond as if he/she WAS taking his/her conversational turn. Which leads me to the next item.
3. Accept Word Approximations-
Language, inclusive of articulation, develops slowly in a developmental pattern. Did you know that the "r" sound isn't expected to develop until a child is seven years old? So, accepting approximations of a word is completely appropriate. You ask your child to say "please" and she says "pea"..... Close enough... Praise her! Your 14 month old says "da da" during a socially appropriate "thank you" moment..... 2 syllables you say? Socially appropriate? Is there intent? It's an approximation.
4. Get Excited-
Praise, praise, praise! Respond positively to word approximations. Praise your baby's socks off!
5. Language is...... everywhere-
Realizing that every possible routine-based activity you establish is embedded with lots of language is so important! From the park, to the beach, to nap-time, use language that is associated with the activities you are doing. During bath-time you can: practice on/off hot/cold wet/dry with the water, practice "more" with bubbles, label body parts while washing, practice "all done", play with boats, sequence steps to washing hair...etc. At the beach you can: jump over the waves and practice up/down, count the seagulls, find and label shells and other sea creatures, label all the items in your beach bag, dress up sister for the beach and name all the appropriate beach wear, narrate the steps to build a sandcastle...etc. Really, the opportunities are endless, but they are really important. Using language from a routine-based task is so meaningful for your child. And guess what? Because it's during a routine... chances are tomorrow you can revisit and practice again and again.... and... again.
6. Hold Back-
This is where it gets a little tricky. So... you have an established routine, you model language consistently throughout the day during routine-based activities, you are accepting word approximations and praising your child whenever possible, but your child just isn't using language to get his or her needs met. Sometimes, as a caregiver, it is important to create opportunities for language... and that doesn't always mean fun and games! Hold back on giving your child items until he/she uses his/her language. For example, Joe wants a cookie. He is able to approximate /k/ for "cookie". He is used to pointing at items and having his caregiver give them to him without using his language. He's realized, he doesn't need to necessarily use verbal language to get his needs met during mealtimes. Parent shows him a cookie. He points. Parent says, "Do you want cookie? Say... cookie." Joe will hesitate at first, and may become frustrated pointing and whining. Stay firm. "Do you want cookie? Say.... cookie." After a few small battles, he says, "k". Praise his socks off... and give him the cookie. Pat yourself on the back. You held back on an item and didn't give in until he gave some type of word approximation to represent the item with intent.
7. No!!!!!!!-
One of my favorites because all kids react in the same way, and it's guaranteed to create language. Give your child the opposite of what he/she wants to teach your child to oppose and negate. Learning how to say "no" in life, is equally as important as learning "yes". You want your child to oppose an item and state what he wants. Let's take the above example with Joe and his cookie. He doesn't say cookie so mom gives him milk. He will most likely pout, whine and say 'No!!". And if not, teach him no.... say.... "Oh.. silly mommy! That's not a cookie! That's milk! Joe, is this a cookie? No!!!!! Silly!" You are teaching him that the label "cookie" belongs to a cookie and by using his verbal language to indicate his wants/needs will get him what he wants/needs!
Language is fun and exciting and descriptive and beautiful! Enjoy these precious learning moments with your child. You are your child's first teacher. Don't take that role for granted.
Peace and love,
JP
Monday, August 20, 2012
Ready....Set....
The beginning of the school year reminds me of a few things. First, my birthday is the first week of September. I am gently reminded that I am older and wiser. Second, I usually have a to-do list that ties up my summer and propels me into the swing of things for work in September.
I'm sure I will add more to my list as time moves on. My current to-do list is as follows:
1. Organize the house. Declutter!
2. Clean the house... moving all furniture and dusting EVERYTHING!
3. Buy 35 notebooks, my favorite pens, pencils, cleaning products, hand sanitizer, 2 large solid binders (one for school, one for agency)...etc. at Walmart.
4. Buy bulletin board edges and lesson plan book at teacher supply store.
5. Plan first week of school outfits (I'm meeting new people this year at my new job. There is never a second chance to make a first impression).
6. Update all necessary paperwork, including: send EI license to agency and mail check for liability insurance.
Here is a picture of the fun things I bought at Walmart this year for my room. I love a colorful, happy space for my students. Walmart had such a great selection of back-to-school items for $.88 a piece! Also, I found these great notebooks for $.50/each! I usually use a yellow notebook so that it stands out among the rest as the "speech" book, but I couldn't find those this year. Instead, I found all of these funky patterns.... which works out great! Once I set up the notebooks, I will share them with you. You probably also notice a bunch of "speech bubble" stickers and magnets. I am a huge fan of speech bubbles! So much fun for the kids to use and helps teach a variety of skills. I found these at Walmart, too! Wowzers! Great deals this year!!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Welcome! Aloha! Ciao! Bienvenido!
Hi! My name is Jessica and I am a speech-language pathologist. I work part-time in a school-based setting and also through a local agency doing EI and CPSE work. To top things off, I am looking to expand my own private practice. I consider my "work" as a simple extension of myself and funny enough.... I don't really consider it work at all! I am new to blogging and figured it would be SO much fun to share my ideas, trials and triumphs of a school-based SLP. Hopefully, I can make a few friends along the way!
A little bit about myself:
I eat, breathe, live and work on Long Island (is there a world outside of here?). I just celebrated my 3 year wedding anniversary with my darling husband. I love the beach, traveling, my family, friends, social-media, reading, decorating my home, bargain-shopping, yoga, pilates and recently started paddleboarding!
Happy reading my fellow speechies!
Peace and love,
JP
A little bit about myself:
I eat, breathe, live and work on Long Island (is there a world outside of here?). I just celebrated my 3 year wedding anniversary with my darling husband. I love the beach, traveling, my family, friends, social-media, reading, decorating my home, bargain-shopping, yoga, pilates and recently started paddleboarding!
Happy reading my fellow speechies!
Peace and love,
JP
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