FREE therapy ideas for adolescents

We discovered this wonderful site during our search of the world wide web for different therapy ideas for teenagers.  At Small Talk Speech Pathology, we have started working with a few older clients for communication therapy and thought it would be good to get a fresh approach on how to incorporate appropriate language content and themes into our sessions.  

Please check out this site as Karen (a super experienced SLP based in Arizona) has much knowledge and wisdom to share regarding this population.  In addition to numerous tricks and tips, she has shared a list of over 30 therapy activities that target a broad base of language skills.

Karen lists the materials/resources required, skills targeted and also provides instructions. 
Here is an example: 

Funny Headlines & Newspaper Clippings  (Activity)
Materials/Resources: Amusing and poorly written headlines and newspaper clippings are a source of comedy on the Tonight Show and on the Internet.  Within a classroom  or therapy setting, headlines/clippings can be used to help students identify ambiguous language, syntax, and mechanical errors.  Students also utilize inferential and reasoning abilities to discover the original semantic intent of the headline or clipping. For school appropriate headlines, please refer to the corresponding page for a list that can be used as part of this activity.   

Skills Targeted:   *Ambiguity *Syntax *Writing Mechanics/Error Identification *Semantics *Vocabulary *Reasoning *Inference 

 Instruction: 1. Introduce the headline or clipping to the student(s) by stating that the headline has errors. 2. Provide clues for the students as to whether the errors are related to semantics, syntax, or mechanics and adapt to the academic level of the student(s). 3. Have the student(s) read the headline or clipping aloud to assist in identifying the error. 4. If the error is semantic, have the student(s) state the double meaning of the headline. 5. This activity can be done as a group or individually.

Here is a sample of some of the humorous headlines from her list:*Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers *If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile 
*Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures 
*Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges 
*Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge 
*Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half 
And there's more!  Please check out this wonderful website and share with other speechies who may be interested.



Thank you Karen!

Click here at Speechdrive.net to access Karen's site and resources.  

Love, 
STSP

What is dyslexia?

The first step in getting help with dyslexia is to identify it.

When can dyslexia be identified?

Dyslexia will normally become apparent during the early years of schooling, when a child shows an unexplained difficulty in reading despite having all the skills, such as intelligence and verbal ability, which are necessary to read. Even though dyslexia can become apparent in the early years many children are not identified and an evaluation may not be done until adulthood.

How does an unidentified child cope with dyslexia at school?

Many unidentified children develop coping strategies both positive and negative, which can disguise dyslexia. Most children with dyslexia have to work much harder than their peers to remember and apply classroom information. Some children with dyslexia pretend to be less intelligent than they actually are,this is a negative coping strategy.

Research on dyslexia Identification:

The earlier a child with dyslexia is identified the sooner that child can be directed to effective instruction for their specific need. A child identified earlier with correct treatment can be brought up to grade level without the extra burden of the secondary effects setting in, which can include;low self esteem,frustration, loss of motivation for learning,social and emotional issues including attentional difficulties.

What you can do:

Learn about the common characteristics of dyslexia, trust your gut feelings and do something about it.Effective screening for dyslexia will tell you a lot about the type of teaching your child requires, it is not just a label. Dyslexia is an informative description which allows educational treatment to be tailored to the unique differences that an individual with dyslexia has.If you feel that your child is displaying symptoms of dyslexia, do not listen if someone says, "They will grow out of it" or "All children progress at their own rate". No one grows out of dyslexia and time is valuable when it comes to dyslexia and a child's postive self esteem. See "Could it be dyslexia" for common characteristics.

Schools have a responsibility- let's work together

The ADA offers its members information on the best practices for the identification of dyslexia/reading difficulties. The ADA work within a system which encourages a partnership between ADA services and the school. Please do not spend loads of dollars on any external report/s which offer no evidence based educational treatment.Remember there are no quick fixes for literacy difficulties and the earlier a child is identified the better! Contact ADA, so that we can work with you and your child's school first.

Email ADA: dyslexia.association@gmail.com

Courtesy of the Dyslexia association

Cupcake frenzy! Free printable activities - all deliciously cupcake themed!

At Small Talk Speech Pathology, there has been a cupcake frenzy!  We personally love cupcakes however, our clients appear to love them even more.  All of our little clients are mad for anything to do with cupcakes at the moment.  We have been making cupcakes out of play doh, colouring in cupcakes, stacking different cupcakes onto a stand, pretending to sell cupcakes, drawing and decorating cupcakes and the list goes on!  Here are some wonderful resources we have discovered along our cupcake journey!

Play doh cupcakes are a delightful way to incorporate pretend play and language

Click here to view 

Courtesy of Learning4kids.net

Free printable "Build a cupcake" resource

Click here to view

Courtesy of Volume25 Blog

Free printable "Cupcake board game that contains 24 why questions"

Click here to view

Courtesy of Likeplayinghouse.com

Free cupcake clipart for any use

Click here to view

Courtesy of Thecharmingplace.com

Free printable birthday cupcake pattern

Click here to view

Courtesy of Scrapbooking.about.com

Have fun and make cupcakes!

Love,

Vanessa & Lauren

DIY Phonic Flip Book- Learn to Read

kidsactivityblog.com

"What you will need to make your own phonics flip chart:

• Wirebound Index Card Book
• Scissors
• Tape
• Marker

Divide your flip chart into 3 sections for 3 letter words or 4 sections to work on consonant blends.

 

After you cut the number of sections that you want, label each card with a letter (a-z).  You could try adding several common blends on the ends or at the start (ex: ch, sh, th, gr, cl, sp, st, fr etc.)." - Kids Activity Blog

 

Label your middle section with short vowels (a, e, i, o, u, oo)

 

If your child is grade 1 or older you can also include long vowels

(ay/ai, or/aw/au, er/ir/ur, oo/ue/ui/ew, oy/oi, ar, ie/y, ee/ea, oe/oa, ou/ow)

 

This can be used as a spelling or reading tool for real words and for non words.

 

make up some silly non words and have your child sound them out e.g. cr/oa/sk = croask, or even dictate a real or made up word to your child and have them spell it using the flip book.

 

 

Alternatively you could use the same concept to work on Word Families.

kidsactivityblog.com

Check out all the details on Rachel's kidsactivityblog.com

L&V

 

 

 

FREE autumn activities for kids

We have come across some wonderful, FREE autumn themed activities for children that we wanted to share.    As always, we are very thankful to all the generous bloggers out there who create such brilliant resources.

Click here to print courtesy of Activity Village

Click here to print courtesy of Busy Bee Kids Crafts

Click here courtesy of Tip Junkie

Love,

Vanessa & Lauren

A few words of wisdom

Speech Sound Milestones for Children

Please use these milestones as a guide only.  Always seek professional advice from a speech pathologist if you have specific concerns.  For those parents who will be linking in to our "Brisbane Kids" Q & A session tonight at 7.15pm on Facebook, please contact us directly via Facebook or e-mail if you have other questions pertaining to speech development that is not covered in the above flyer.  

Love,

Small Talk Speech Pathology