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The STAR Program

The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco, Krug, 2004) teaches children with autism the critical skills identified by the National Research Council. The ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training and teaching functional routines form the instructional base of this comprehensive program for children with autism.

The Links® Curriculum

The Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman, Magee-Arick, 2012) is a comprehensive curriculum designed to promote student independence in natural environments. The Links online system utilizes a curriculum-based assessment to individualize routines for every student. The Links school and community lesson plans provide the user with the tools necessary to teach both individual skills and independence in daily routines.

Evidence-Based and Research-Validated Curriculum

The STAR Program and the Links Curriculum are grounded in evidence-based practices and have shown to be effective in many settings, including public school programs. These curricula transfer research into practice by providing teachers with the tools to implement a comprehensive program using the teaching strategies identified as most effective for students with significant learning challenges.

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STAR Autism Support | Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research

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The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco, Krug, 2004) teaches children with autism the critical skills identified by the National Research Council. The ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training and teaching functional routines form the instructional base of this comprehensive program for children with autism.

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Lesson Structure:

1. I do - Model the behavior- set up your expectations for them-give an example and/or model what you are looking for in their response.

2. We do- Practice the Skill- "let us do it together" this is where you give your client- practice time with varying your support.

REMEMBER: Least to most when checking the skill and most to least when you are teaching the skill).

1. You do- This is when you set up for the data trails! Mske sure they match the data criterion on the short-term objective.

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Peer Modeling Videos for Good Communication

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Peer Modeling Videos for Good Communication

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© 2023 UCLA Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior

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ABC Song - Learn the Alphabet | Starfall Education

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ABC Song - Learn the Alphabet | Starfall Education

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Do you have students who can communicate but really only communicate when they want something? How about a student who has lots of receptive language concepts but isn't using them expressively? Commenting is one of the first steps toward more social language for a lot of our students.

Why Is Commenting Hard?

But, commenting is often difficult to teach to our students with autism because it typically is used purely for social reasons. In other words, it's reinforced primarily by someone else's interaction. In the first post of this increasing functions of communication series, I talked about commenting as one of the first phases of learning to communicate and converse successfully.

Commenting comes easily to typical toddlers. I was at a family function several years ago where all the cousins were talking about their kids. Several of them noted that when they went through their photos, all their kids were pointing in every single picture taken when they were about 2 years old. That's typical. And during that time, their parents were modeling the language for what they were pointing at. As the kids got older, they pointed and commented. One of the early signs of autism is the lack of this behavior, so it's no wonder our kids struggle with it. And getting it to come spontaneously is tough. So here are some things I have done in the past to try to encourage it.

Visual Sentence Strips

If you have ever taken the training for Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), the later phases of the system focus on commenting. They teach it by using sentence starters with the students. When they are still in the requesting phases they use an "I Want" starter. When they move to commenting we typically add "I see" and "I hear." You could also easily add "I feel" (as in textures-I wouldn't start this with emotions). Then, just like with describing, you set up situations in which the student uses those comments prior to making a request for a desired item.

So for instance, say you have a kid who likes to do puzzles and he really likes them to be complete. Hold back the pieces of the puzzle (or or just the last few) and cue him with a sentence strip for "I see ___" in which he tells you what he sees in the puzzle. He gets a puzzle piece after the comment to add to the puzzle. you could require him to make a request for it or not depending on your situation. That way you are providing reinforcement for the comment but the comment isn't a requesting function.

Examples of Activities for Commenting

You can do some of the same activities you use to teach describing to practice commenting with sentence strips. Here are just a few.

Magical Mystery Bag: Have the students pull out items and use "I see," or "I feel" when they see them.

I Spy: Have students use sentence strips to start with "I spy..."

Reading books and looking at illustrations...have a sentence strip for "I see" and prompt the students comment about the picture before you turn the page

Go for a walk with sentence starters on a ring. Stop at certain places and present them as a prompt for the student to comment about what they see or touch.

Use musical instruments that make different sounds and have students comment on what they hear

Fade the Sentence Strips

The sentence strips essentially serve as a visual prompt, but they are helpful to get students started. This is a new function of communication for many of our students, so they need the supports at first. But we have to make sure we fade them out over time to build to spontaneous commenting.

Why Use Visual Sentence Starters Instead of Verbal?

Precisely because they need to be faded. Visuals are easier to fade than verbal prompts. You can cut the sentence strip to use have I ____ on it and they begin to fill in more. You can make the print lighter on a copier or printer. Also you can hold the visual farther away from the student. And finally, you can delay presenting them. If you use verbal sentence starters you can shorten the statement or delay them, but those are the only options you have. Also the verbal starter often becomes a direction to the student with autism rather than focusing on what he/she is commenting about.

Assure Communication Supports

And of course as with all communication teaching, we have to make sure that we have the supports for students to comment. You can use extra picture boards or visual pictures they add to the sentence strip and read. If you need communication materials, these communication boards include a variety of comment-type words. However the student is communicating, you have to make sure you have the vocabulary to support what they might way.
Note from Chris: There will be no Facebook Live session this Sunday. My family life has spun out of control at the moment but I hope to be back next week with some new ideas and surprises!
So, sentence strips are a great way to get started with comments. I'll be back later in the week with a way to work on more initiation of comments that are more student-generated, than teacher directed.

Until next time,

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How to Use Sentence Strips to Increase Commenting

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Do you have a hard time getting your students with autism to communicate for anything other than asking for highly desired items? Here are some ideas about activities you can use with sentence starter strips to get more commenting from them.

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How To Use

Conversation starters are useful strategies for addressing initial conversations between children with autism and their peers. The concept of conversation starters is similar to preparing for a public speech: The person purposefully prepares an outline and speech content, followed by anticipating possible conversations with the audience, or a rehearsal. For children with autism who need planning and prompts before initiating conversations in a naturally social context, conversation starters provide materials for practicing the thinking process in any potential conversations.

One example of a conversation starter is a Conversation Map (Bellini, 2006). The Conversation Map is a sequential framework that illustrates important elements of a potential conversation, such as the conversation partner, topics, interests, scripted initiation, and practice. Because visual cues are generally effective for children with autism, text or visual scripts or cue cards are also effective for initiating and maintaining conversations (Sarokoff, Taylor, & Poulson, 2001). Scripted planning procedures can address initial encounters and meaningful conversations in a predictable, controlled, and less stressful manner.

Conversation starters may be used in educational settings during social skills training as a way of enhancing communication planning and problem solving. Specific skills related to a child's challenging areas may be embedded into conversation planning. In addition to school settings, these strategies can be used at home or in community settings when parents or adults are provided with guidelines and materials for planning conversations.

When To Use

Can be used in any home, school or community setting.
Steps in Conversation Starters
The following are steps/guidelines for using a Conversation Map (Bellini, 2006):

Select a child to play with. In order to begin a meaningful conversation, a child should select a conversation partner to interact with.

Determine reason for playing with child. The child understands the intention of interacting with the conversation partner.

Identify other child's interest. It is important to know the interest of the other child to ensure the conversation will be meaningful for both parties.

Select topic of planned conversation. For a conversation to maintain, the content is important. The child has to decide a topic or theme to have a conversation about.

Develop scripted initiation and expected response. Based on the selected topic, a series of anticipated statements/questions is listed to prepare for the initiation.

Select best setting to initiate conversation.To promote more natural social interaction, the child must be aware of the location where the conversation takes place.

Practice. After completing the conversation scripts, the child rehearses how to perform the conversation.

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Conversation starters are useful strategies for addressing initial conversations between children with autism and their peers. The concept of conversation starters is similar to preparing for a public speech: The person purposefully prepares an outline and speech content, followed by anticipating possible conversations with the audience, or a rehearsal.

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Flexible Thinking Resources - Express Yourself Speech

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For a lesson plan on teaching flexible thinking, check out my guest post on The Dabbling Speechie's website. For more resources, keep on reading! Using Books If you are an SLP or other educator that is lucky to have access to the Social Thinking curriculum, there are some incredible books on this topic.

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In 2016-17, approximately 55 percent of children in Denton county schools met grade level expectations for reading on the STAAR test. UNT Speech and Hearing Center hopes to ultimately improve that percentage with a new preschool literacy program.
DENTON (UNT), Texas - The University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology is offering a language-literacy preschool at the UNT Speech and Hearing Center to ready children for entry into kindergarten and first grade. Dr. Theresa Kouri, principal lecturer and clinical director for speech-language pathology, is using evidence-based educational practices for children ages 4 to 6 that have been proven highly effective in preventing reading delays and strengthening pre-literacy skills. The training strategies are appropriate for children regardless of their reading level and include guided language-literacy instructional activities in a curriculum that focuses on speech production, expressive and receptive language skills, as well as pre-literacy skills, such as phonics, sight word recognition and print awareness.

"I t has been demonstrated that early intervention is the most effective mechanism for preventing more pronounced literacy delays during early and later elementary school years," Dr. Kouri said. "For example, in many of our school-aged clients with dyslexia, many early and basic literacy skills are weak or missing. It is believed that had these skills been established earlier through effective early intervention, a number of reading delays may have been reduced."

The UNT language-literacy preschool will be offered in the morning two to three days per week depending on a child's programming needs. It will include large and small group instruction as well as individual therapy sessions if needed. The cost is $100 per week, but full or partial scholarships - funded through the generosity of the Dallas Scottish Rite Foundation and Independent Bank - are available as needed or requested.

Dr. Neale Chumbler, dean of the college, says this program is one of many in HPS that's making a difference.

"I applaud Dr. Kouri's hard work in leading an innovative service delivery program for children in Denton who can benefit tremendously from strengthening their pre-literacy skills," Dr. Chumbler said. "This program, which employs cutting-edge techniques, is one of several key HPS services that aims to improve the health and well-being of the community."

Parents with children in Dr. Kouri's summer preschool program say they've seen improvement in their children's ability to build and recognize words and identify letter-sound associations, as well as increase vocabulary and speech production skills.

To register for the program or for more information, call (940) 565-2262.

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Literacy program at UNT aims to prevent reading challenges in preschool-aged children

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In 2016-17, approximately 55 percent of children in Denton county schools met grade level expectations for reading on the STAAR test. UNT Speech and Hearing Center hopes to ultimately improve that percentage with a new preschool literacy program.

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In 2016-17, approximately 55 percent of children in Denton county schools met grade level expectations for reading on the STAAR test. UNT Speech and Hearing Center hopes to ultimately improve that percentage with a new preschool literacy program.
DENTON (UNT), Texas - The University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology is offering a language-literacy preschool at the UNT Speech and Hearing Center to ready children for entry into kindergarten and first grade. Dr. Theresa Kouri, principal lecturer and clinical director for speech-language pathology, is using evidence-based educational practices for children ages 4 to 6 that have been proven highly effective in preventing reading delays and strengthening pre-literacy skills. The training strategies are appropriate for children regardless of their reading level and include guided language-literacy instructional activities in a curriculum that focuses on speech production, expressive and receptive language skills, as well as pre-literacy skills, such as phonics, sight word recognition and print awareness.

"I t has been demonstrated that early intervention is the most effective mechanism for preventing more pronounced literacy delays during early and later elementary school years," Dr. Kouri said. "For example, in many of our school-aged clients with dyslexia, many early and basic literacy skills are weak or missing. It is believed that had these skills been established earlier through effective early intervention, a number of reading delays may have been reduced."

The UNT language-literacy preschool will be offered in the morning two to three days per week depending on a child's programming needs. It will include large and small group instruction as well as individual therapy sessions if needed. The cost is $100 per week, but full or partial scholarships - funded through the generosity of the Dallas Scottish Rite Foundation and Independent Bank - are available as needed or requested.

Dr. Neale Chumbler, dean of the college, says this program is one of many in HPS that's making a difference.

"I applaud Dr. Kouri's hard work in leading an innovative service delivery program for children in Denton who can benefit tremendously from strengthening their pre-literacy skills," Dr. Chumbler said. "This program, which employs cutting-edge techniques, is one of several key HPS services that aims to improve the health and well-being of the community."

Parents with children in Dr. Kouri's summer preschool program say they've seen improvement in their children's ability to build and recognize words and identify letter-sound associations, as well as increase vocabulary and speech production skills.

To register for the program or for more information, call (940) 565-2262.

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Literacy program at UNT aims to prevent reading challenges in preschool-aged children

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In 2016-17, approximately 55 percent of children in Denton county schools met grade level expectations for reading on the STAAR test. UNT Speech and Hearing Center hopes to ultimately improve that percentage with a new preschool literacy program.

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SUGAR Sampling Utterances and Grammatical Analysis Revised

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© 2023 & TM Spin Master Ltd. All rights reserved.
© 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nick Jr. and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

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© 2023 & TM Spin Master Ltd. All rights reserved. © 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nick Jr. and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

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© 2023 & TM Spin Master Ltd. All rights reserved.
© 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nick Jr. and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

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© 2023 & TM Spin Master Ltd. All rights reserved. © 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nick Jr. and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

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Recently, I've published an article in SIG 16 Perspectives on School Based Issues discussing the importance of social communication assessments of school aged children 2-18 years of age. Below I would like to summarize article highlights.

First, I summarize the effect of social communication on academic abilities and review the notion of the "academic impact". Then, I go over important changes in terminology and definitions as well as explain the "anatomy of social communication".

Next I suggest a sample social communication skill hierarchy to adequately determine assessment needs (assess only those abilities suspected of deficits and exclude the skills the student has already mastered).

After that I go over pre-assessment considerations as well as review standardized testing and its limitations from 3-18 years of age.

Finally I review a host of informal social communication procedures and address their utility.

What is the away message?

When evaluating social communication, clinicians need to use multiple assessment tasks to create a balanced assessment. We need to chose testing instruments that will help us formulate clear goals. We also need to add descriptive portions to our reports in order to "personalize" the student's deficit areas. Our assessments need to be functional and meaningful for the student. This means determining the student's strengths and not just weaknesses as a starting point of intervention initiation.

Is this an article which you might find interesting? If so, you can access full article HERE free of charge.
Helpful Smart Speech Resources Related to Assessment and Treatment of Social Communication

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Recently, I've published an article in SIG 16 Perspectives on School Based Issues discussing the importance of social communication assessments of school aged children 2-18 years of age. Below I would like to summarize article highlights. First, I summarize the effect of social communication on academic abilities and review the notion of the "academic impact".

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Educatjion Impact Statement and Modifications for Classroom

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Educatjion Impact Statement and Modifications for Classroom

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This is a page that includes free speech therapy paperwork shortcuts that I use to reduce IEP and Evaluation report writing time. Please feel free to copy/paste and use them as a template to save you time and energy! Currently included: Speech and Language Classroom Accommodations, Speech and Language Educational Impact Statements, Parent/Teacher Recommendations Sections. The sample statements below are intended as examples. It is the responsibility of the multidisciplinary evaluation team to develop student-specific accommodations, goals, and recommendations. This is your starting place! Check back often, as this page will continue to grow!

If you'd like to highlight this resource, please use a link to the page. Do not copy/paste the content into your own website. If you have a template to share please do so! I'll repost the information on this page with your name. Just shoot me an email speechroomnews@gmail.com or leave it in the comments!
Classroom Accommodations: Source: Tulsa Schools, Fentress Schools, KHPS

Articulation: Allow longer oral response time. Model good speech production in the classroom. Provide preferential seating beside a peer with good speech production. Reinforce accurate production of speech sounds. Reduce the amount of background noise in the classroom. Provide preferential seating near the teacher or at the front of the class. Modify assignments requiring student to make oral classroom presentations. Discuss speech concerns with speech-language pathologist. Based on speech severity, allow the student to substitute oral assignments with written papers or use AAC. Modify grading based on speech impairment. Allow the student time to express themselves (do not interrupt a slow speaker). Provide SLP with spelling/vocabulary list. Allow the student to use AAC to help communicate with peers. Have student practice in a small group before presenting to the class.

Language: Shorten and/or modify oral directions. Ask student to repeat or rephrase the directions to ensure understanding. Allow longer oral response time. Provide visuals to enhance explanation of new material, especially with abstract concepts. Give written directions or visual cues for verbal directions. Obtain student's attention before giving a direction. Assist student in giving correct responses by accepting his/her answers and expanding, or giving the student an opportunity to explain his/her response. Simplify question forms by asking basic questions, one at a time. Modify assignments requiring student to make oral classroom presentations. Provide individualized instruction to improve student's ability to complete activities requiring listening. Provide varied opportunities for language development through participation in regular classroom activities. Discuss language concerns with speech-language pathologist. Utilize a planner to maintain organization. Utilize classroom routines and highlight changes to any routine. Pre-teach vocabulary. Pair vocabulary with visuals. Emphasize multi-sensory learning for vocabulary. Create word lists with vocabulary and definitions to display in a visible place within the classroom. . Use a story map, graphic organizer, student drawing, etc. to increase understanding. When the child's speech or writing contains grammar or word order errors, show them in writing the correct form. For frequently occurring errors, build it into daily oral language as practice for the entire class. Allow students to use manipulatives to solve math problems to give them a visual cue. Paraphrasing new information. Sitting near a peer for assistance. Provide two sets of textbooks - one for home, one for school. Use marker to highlight important textbook sections

Voice: Encourage appropriate use of voice in the classroom. Help student reduce the instances of yelling or throat clearing. Modify assignments requiring student to make oral classroom presentations. Reduce the amount of background noise in the classroom. Discuss voice concerns with speech-language pathologist.

Fluency: Reinforce instances of "easy speech" in the classroom. Allow longer oral response time. Modify assignments requiring student to make oral classroom presentations. Reduce amount of pressure to communicate in the classroom. Avoid telling student to "slow down" when participating in group discussions. Discuss fluency concerns with speech-language pathologist. Have student practice in a small group before presenting to the class.

Behavior/Attention: Allow for time-outs as necessary (in room and out of room). Follow PBS and reward the student when on task. For students with AAC devices allow time for them to respond. Allow the student to use a visual schedule. Provide the student with visual choices. Provide written and verbal instructions If-Then/First-Then Boards. Alternative testing arrangements. Preferential seating (Near the teacher, away from noises). Extended time to complete assignments or modify assignment. Break assignments into small steps. Allow the student to have an object to fidget or chew. Use a wiggle cushion during seat activities . Allow the student to stand at desk if necessary. Alert students several minutes before a transition occurs ƒ Provide additional time to complete a task ƒ Allow extra time to turn in homework without penalty. Have student practice in a small group before presenting to the class. Arrange a "check-in" time to organize day. ƒ Pair a student with a good behavioral model for projects.

Hearing Impairment: Preferential seating (Near the teacher, away from noise). Writing assignments and directions for student to read. Speak facing the student. Utilize FM system/Sound Field as prescribed by your SLP. Copy class notes for the student. Accommodate testing (extended time, placement). Reduce classroom noise as much as possible.

Education Impact Example Statement:

Source: Examples for communication

The articulation disability results in student frustration, withdrawal, undesired attention and/or teacher and peer difficulty in understanding the student. The receptive language disability causes difficulty with the student's understanding of subject content; with their ability to follow directions; and with the learning of new concepts. Limited vocabulary affects comprehension in the academic content areas. The expressive language disability causes the student to appear inappropriate in conversations, to have difficulty expressing ideas or asking questions, and makes it difficult for teachers and peers to understand. The student is be unable to adequately communicate his/her intent or needs which inhibits him/her from requesting help or information The student's inability to adequately express him/herself inhibits conversation with others. Inappropriate or illogical use of vocabulary, syntax or grammar sometimes causes listener confusion. The voice (vocal abuse) disability results in impaired classroom communication, reluctance to participate in oral activities and may eventually result in permanent vocal impairment. The voice disorder limits the amount of oral information presented in speaking or reading tasks. The speech fluency disability causes the student: to become reluctant to enter conversation; to have difficulty expressing ideas and asking questions; and to be misunderstood by teachers and peers at times. The student's reaction or attitude toward the disorder limits his/her oral interaction in the classroom or at home. Listener discomfort with the disorder limits interactions with the student at times. The disorder calls attention to the manner of speaking rather than to the content of the student's communication.

Source: Charem ISD: Examples on Page 18

Early Childhood:

XXX's speech is difficult to understand most of the time. XXX is able to say many sounds in isolation and combine a consonant and a vowel to form a syllable. XXX has difficulty combining sounds to form words and combining words to form phrases and sentences. XXX substitutes the "d" and "t" sounds for most consonant sounds. XXX is often reluctant to speak, especially when the tasks are directly related to speaking. XXX is more talkative in an indirect activity. This delay affects the ability to express needs, thoughts, and interaction with peers and adults.

XXX's speech is usually understood when speaking in single words. Intelligibility decreases when words are within phrases and sentences. An assessment of sound production indicates that most speech sounds (with the exception of "l", "th", and "v") are present. XXX is not always a willing oral communicator. XXX often whispers, or speaks so softly XXX is not understood.

XXX's speech is difficult to understand much of the time. Speech contains many omissions and substitutions of sounds. XXX attempts to put words together into phrases and sentences, but as the length of phrases and sentences increase, speech becomes more difficult to understand. Articulation errors affect the ability to interact and be understood by others.

XXX's receptive and expressive language skills are delayed. XXX has difficulty answering a variety of questions and following new directions. XXX's vocabulary is delayed and affects the ability to formulate sentences and understand the sentences of others. XXX has difficulty understanding and using language concepts (spatial, descriptive, and quantitative). This delay affects participation in classroom activities that require verbal responses and interaction with peers and adults at home and in the classroom.

XXX's receptive and expressive language skills are delayed. XXX is able to formulate complete sentences, but sentences have grammatical errors and are lacking vocabulary. XXX has difficulty learning and using language concepts. Interaction with others is attempted, but XXX is unable to sustain a conversation due to limited language comprehension and expression. This language delay affects the ability to follow classroom directions and participate in group activities which require the expression of thoughts and experiences.

XXX's receptive and expressive language skills are delayed. XXX is not able to follow a variety of simple directions. It is difficult for XXX to answer and ask simple questions and formulate sentences that include a variety of word types (verbs, pronouns, articles, modifiers, etc.). XXX attempts to interact with others, but is not able to sustain a conversation, or stay on topic due to limited language comprehension and expression.

K-3

XXX demonstrates speech sound difficulties significantly below that of same-aged peers. Students in kindergarten, who are six years old, are expected to use the /K/, /G/, /F/, and /V/ sounds accurately. XXX's speech sound errors interfere with the ability to isolate and pronounce the initial and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (CVC) words. This impacts XXX's fluency in conversational speech.

XXX demonstrates speech sound difficulties significantly below that of same-aged peers. Students in second grade, who are eight years old, are expected to use the /R/ and /TH/ sounds accurately. XXX's speech sound errors interfere with the ability to read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

XXX demonstrates difficulty answering comprehension questions regarding information that is read aloud compared to same-age peers. Students in second grade are expected to correctly answer questions about a grade-level story. XXX's weaknesses in listening comprehension cause difficulty answering such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

XXX demonstrates difficulty comprehending oral directions that contain early acquired basic concepts when compared to same-age peers. Students in kindergarten are expected to follow 1-2 simple directions in a sequence and understand concepts (e.g. in, on, in front, behind). XXX's inability to understand and use the frequently occurring prepositions makes it difficult to understand frequently used directions within the kindergarten setting.

XXX demonstrates difficulty using complete sentences of adequate length, and with accurate use of pronouns and grammatical forms when compared to same-age peers. Students in kindergarten are expected to use four or more words in a sentence and use pronouns and grammatical forms correctly (regular plural -s, regular past tense -ed, and uncontractible copula). XXX's weaknesses in oral expression cause difficulty using frequently occurring nouns and verbs, and producing and expanding complete sentences in shared language activities.

XXX demonstrates difficulty orally expressing relationships between spoken words, and giving oral definitions for common words. Students in first grade are expected to make comparisons by answering "How are things the same/different?", and use adjectives for describing/defining. XXX's weaknesses in oral expression cause difficulty defining words by category and by one or more key attributes (e.g., a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large cat with stripes).

Recommendations:

I try to include recommendations at the end of my evaluation, so the parent feels like they walk away with specific ideas to use at home. Having them written in the report also gives the parent somewhere to come back to and look for tips when it's been a few months and they forget what you discussed in person!

Preschool Language Recommendations:

According to parent report, observation, standardized assessment and criterion-referenced assessments, STUDENT demonstrates a severe communication delay compared to same-aged peers. His vocabulary includes 50 words and his speech intelligibility was rated at around 25% during the observation. He uses mostly single words to communicate. He demonstrates many phonological processing errors. STUDENT needs to use words to make requests and comment, use language to get his needs met in a classroom, and use a variety of word structures (CVC, CVCV, CVCVC). STUDENT needs to use language for a variety of functions, label vocabulary words, imitate a variety of speech sounds, combine single words to make phrases, and use speech that is greater than 50% intelligible. STUDENT's pragmatic language is delayed for his age. He most often plays by himself and doesn't initiate social routines. STUDENT's receptive language is an area of strength. He understands a variety of vocabulary words and can follow directions that are familiar.

To help STUDENT improve his language, provide opportunities to practice and hear good language all day. Daily routines are a great time to work on language skills because they utilize familiar actions and words. For example, while in the kitchen, encourage your child to name the utensils needed. Discuss the foods on the menu, their color, texture, and taste. Where does the food come from? Which foods do you like? Which do you dislike? Who will clean up? Emphasize the use of prepositions by asking him or her to put the napkin on the table, in your lap, or under the spoon. Identify who the napkin belongs to: "It is my napkin." "It is Daddy's." "It is John's." At bath time, work on action words like take off/put on for each clothing item. Then talk about what your child is doing in the bathtub. You can say, "splashing", "washing", "swimming", "kicking", or "pouring". Label all the items in the tub (shampoo, boat, duck, wash cloth) and talk about who has each item to work on pronouns (I have the boat and YOU have the cup.) When you put on pajamas talk about where each clothing item goes. You can say, "Socks go on feet."

Sing to STUDENT. Children love music! Songs promote vocal play, imitation, attention, listening and speech. For example: "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Twinkle, Twinkle little star" or "The Wheels on The Bus."

Wait, Wait, Wait! Don't anticipate our child's needs. Delay your response to your child's pointing, gestures or babbling when she wants things. Pretend you don't understand what she wants. Allow enough time for her to process information and find the words that she needs to say.

Play with your child! When you do, let your child lead. It allows for a safe environment where they do not need to 'talk' to the adult all the time. You will help them to build their self-confidence. Using imagination is important! Let your child be bored! Boredom produces very creative play! Offer open-ended toys such as blocks, dolls, old clothes, costumes, and balls that encourage imaginative play. Ask open-ended questions. You want to encourage your child to use his words and to avoid answering yes/no questions. For example ask; "What do you want?" as opposed to "Do you want the ball?" Don't pressure your child. Communication should be fun and interactive. If your child isn't using words during play, model environmental sounds like an airplane noise or a train noise. Children tune out when they feel pressured so make sure they are having fun!

Read books with your child. Go through and look at the picture and talk about them without reading the text. Pick books with predictable text. Predictable books are books that are written in a way that makes it easy to guess what will happen on the next page. Many predictable books repeat words, phrases, or sentences throughout the text. For example, in the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., the question "What do you see?" and the answer "I see a ___ looking at me." repeat throughout the entire story. Deborah Guarino's book Is Your Mama a Llama? is another kind of predictable book that uses rhyme and rhythm to help children solve riddles about animal mothers. Other predictable books build on storylines or sequences that are familiar to children. For example, Cookie's Week, a story by Cindy Ward, follows the misadventures of a cat through the familiar sequence of the days of the week. These books help children participate in reading. Predictable books are easy to understand and remember. Because of this, children become familiar with predictable books quickly, which allows them to fill in words and phrases when they read the books again. This is a great strategy for increasing language. Children learn inflection in a natural way. We don't usually speak in just one tone of voice. Inflection is the change between the high tones and low tones in our voices when we speak. Predictable books often have a rhythm that is read with a sing-song inflection which is easier for children to imitate. Finding a book that repeats your child's targeted speech sounds can give them additional speech practice as they read.

Reduce the number of questions you ask STUDENT. Try to follow of the rule of 3:1. Ask one question for every three comments you make. During play, make a comment and then be quiet and wait to see if your child comments back. It's okay for play to be quiet. If you ask questions or talk the whole time, your child won't have a chance to jump in!

Model short but correct phrases that add a one word to what STUDENT says. For example, if STUDENT says "juice", you repeat "juice please." This will model communication one level higher than his current level. Set up communication opportunities using highly desired objects. Place desired objects (i.e. bubbles) in a container. Do not open the container until your child asks. You might need to model, "help please" or "open please" for him. You can also play with highly desirable toys that are hard to work (i.e. wind up toys, toys with lids) that require adult assistance to encourage and elicit communication.

Phonology Recommendations:

According to parent report, observation, criterion-referenced, and norm-referenced assessments, STUDENT demonstrates a severe communication delay when compared to his same-aged peers. STUDENT demonstrates significant phonological delays, which reduce his speech intelligibility. He needs direct intervention that includes treatment of phonological disorders through modeling, repeated practice, multi-sensory cues, and corrective feedback. He demonstrates a need for specialized instruction in the area of communication.

You can work with STUDENT to practice his phonology skills. To model 3-4 syllable words, tap on the table as you say each syllable (ie: EL-E-PHANT) and have your child copy you while tapping. Grab some pots and pans and tap the syllables out. Try using tap lights from the dollar store and turn on each light as you tap each part. You can also use your whole body to tap out each sound! Take a big jump each time you say a syllable.

With younger children, bring whatever you are talking about closer to your mouth so that the child is more apt to focus on speech production. If you're modeling a hard word like "dinosaur", bring that toy up close to your mouth. You can even point to your mouth and say "watch me".

Stopping is a phonological process of replacing a held out sounds (like F or S) with a short sound (like T or D). To elicit the F sound, prompt STUDENT to gently bite his lip and blow. You can call this sound your "lip cooler" sound. To elicit the S sound, put your mouth in a smile position and blow out skinny air. I call this the "snake sound". To practice sounds that are held out, drag your finger along a line or in sand. You can give a tactile prompt of sliding your finger down your arm down.

Fronting is producing sounds from the back of your mouth (K, G, SH) in the front like (T, D). Try making a growling sound like a bear. Can you child imitate that 'grrrr'? Now growl and then add "oh". "grrrr - oh" That's the word "grow". Now trying to say the "g" sound by itself. Have your child open his mouth as wide as possible and say "g". If your child can't produce the sound don't practice it wrong. Wait until your speech therapists gives you some more tips!

You can read books with STUDENT and talk about the words you hear that have his sounds. You can practice reading them in different voices. While you practice make sure you give plenty of positive feedback. Even if he doesn't say the sound correctly you can say, "I like how hard you're trying!" Practice for a few tries and if he doesn't produce it correctly, stop trying. You don't want to practice the sound incorrectly a bunch of times. Wait until your child's speech-language pathologists can help you elicit the sound correctly. As you practice, give specific praise. For example, "I like how you kept your tongue up on the bumpy spot for /t/."

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This is a page that includes free speech therapy paperwork shortcuts that I use to reduce IEP and Evaluation report writing time. Please feel free to copy/paste and use them as a template to save you time and energy! Currently included: Speech and Language Classroom Accommodations, Speech and Language Educational Impact Statements, Parent/Teacher Recommendations Sections.

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What Are Speech Sound Disorders? Most children naturally learn to say sounds correctly by hearing other people say them. There are certain sounds that are typically acquired earlier and others that come a little later. For example, it's perfectly normal for a small child to say "tat" for "cat" and "wing" for "ring".

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About
Articulation Early Sounds Initial Position
Set of 22 cards, two for each early sound in initial position (b, p, k, g, m, n, d, t, f, w, h). Children can drag and drop 5 words per card. Have students practice a word 5 times at the word, phrase or sentence level before dragging it to decorate the larger picture on the screen (also with the same beginning sound). Additionally can be used to target in/on as you drop the items in or on the larger picture.

Keywords: articulation, early sounds, initial position

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Articulation Early Sounds Initial Position

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BoomLearning.com - Amazing authors make awesome learning content! Set of 22 cards, two for each early sound in initial position (b, p, k, g, m, n, d, t, f, w, h). Children can drag and drop 5 words per card.

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Contents Brainstorming- free text responses Labeling Speech Machine YouTube Video on Voice - make sure the video is still working on YouTube & send me a message if it is not Draw your speech machine using your platform's drawing tools How our voices work - brainstorming Tic-tac-toe voice exploration game Quiz

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Click the sections below to view video tutorials for Zoom product tutorials. You can also register for upcoming live training sessions or access recent recordings. Start watching Zoom product tutor...

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The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected]. The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E220001. The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S.

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Visual Schedule for Task Box Cards Editable FREEBIE

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Using videos in speech therapy is an engaging way to target many important skills, including inferences, emotions, cause/effect, retelling, summarizing, predictions, sequencing, and more for all ages!

I have a Pinterest board dedicated to short videos that I pull up in sessions. This works for both in-person or teletherapy!

Feel free to pull this web page up in your session to work on any of the skills listed below. These are videos from the internet that I have saved on one webpage (pictured below.) You will need a Pinterest account and an internet connection. Feel free to follow and bookmark it to work on the skills listed below!

SPEECH THERAPY LANGUAGE TARGETS

INFERENCES

Short videos are a great way to work on inferences in many contexts! Making inferences from videos is easier (and tend to be more engaging and fun) than from text.

PREDICTIONS

Pause the video and make predictions about what will happen next or at the end of the video.

EMOTIONS

Wordless videos are especially great for identifying and discussing emotions. Pause the video at appropriate times and discuss what can be learned from the body language and facial expressions exhibited. After the emotion is identified, discuss: Why are they feeling this way? What events lead to this emotion? If it is a negative emotion ...What can they do to feel better? Can someone in the video do something to help?

CAUSE/EFFECT

Use the video to discuss what caused an event to occur or the effect of an action. What would happen next if...? Why did that happen? Cause/effect is an important skill for cognitive organization and helps students find a connection between two separate events.

WH QUESTIONS

Videos are a fun way to work on receptive language (comprehending language). Use them to test understanding by asking WH questions (who, what, when, where, why, how).

SEQUENCING

After watching the video, have the child sequence the events. If helpful, use visuals such as "first" "next" "last" or have the child draw pictures.

RETELLING

Test the comprehension of what the child watched by having them retell what happened in the video. This is a great option if you have a child who won't attend for a book, but you'd like to test their comprehension and think their attention may be affecting their ability to answer questions, sequence, or retell the text. Depending on the video, many other things can be addressed, such as figurative language, social skills, empathy, and problem-solving.
Have you ever used short videos in therapy? What other skills would you target? Y ou may also be interested in these Pinterest boards:
WANT GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS TO PAIR WITH THE VIDEOS?
Interested in more speech and language activity ideas, plus access to the freebie library!? Sign up below!
Provide structure to your therapy sessions with these story elements graphic organizers! The 14 graphic organizers cover a variety of topics such as, character traits, main idea, story retelling and sequencing, story plot, and more.

Enjoy this post? Please share it!

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How to Use Short Videos in Speech Therapy (+ videos!) | Allison Fors, Inc.

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Using videos in speech therapy is an engaging way to target many important skills, including inferences, emotions, cause/effect, retelling, summarizing, predictions, sequencing, and more for all ages! I have a Pinterest board dedicated to short videos that I pull up in sessions. This works for both in-person or teletherapy!

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Teletherapy / Distance Learning Resources Library

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Speech Mixed - Teletherapy / Distance Learning Resources Library - 1

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NAME DESCRIPTION PRICE abcmouse.com Elementary website ELA, math usually costs money to use but they are waiving their fee ABCya PK-6th educational phonics and...

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Teletherapy / Distance Learning Resources Library

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Research Best Practice Guideline - Teletherapy / Distance Learning Resources Library - 1

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NAME DESCRIPTION PRICE ASHA Resources for Telepractice Selection of relevant articles regarding telepractice free ASHA Resources for Telepractice specifically...

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Teletherapy / Distance Learning Resources Library

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AAC Genesis Augmentative & Alternative Communication Team

An online resource with materials and supports for different AAC programs/devices

free

Online resources and materials, lesson plans, supports Unity language and SS/PCS symbols, tied to curriculum (listed below)

Some free materials, 2-month free trial, $19.99 yr

PK-6th educational phonics and numeracy games

Limited free; $9.99 month/ $69.99 year; $25 month for classroom

90 minute webinar chockful of practical ideas for providing Tele-AAC to students with CCN

free

Boston Children's Hospital AAC Resources

Printable, English communication tools specially designed to support communication between healthcare providers and patients across the lifespan, available in both PDF and editable powerpoint forms, list of resources such as online learning modules, videos, and free or low-cost communication materials. Bilingual versions of each of the tools will be avaible by April 1st: Arabic, German, Hebrew, French, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, & Spanish.

free

Endless resources for AAC instruction and support with lesson plans. Videos and printables.

free

Resources and Materials with symbol support. Good all around SLP resource, not just AAC.

Many free materials, $3 a month or $36 year

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Speech AAC - Teletherapy / Distance Learning Resources Library - 1

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AAC Genesis Augmentative & Alternative Communication Team An online resource with materials and supports for different AAC programs/devices free Online resources and materials, lesson plans, supports Unity language and SS/PCS symbols, tied to curriculum (listed below) Some free materials, 2-month free trial, $19.99 yr PK-6th educational phonics and numeracy games

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Learn to Read | Consonant Letter /b/ Sound - *Phonics for Kids* - Science of Reading

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This early language Boom Card deck is designed to be open ended and used to target a variety of lanugage skills for your early language learners or younger children.

Children can describe which shape they want to move,

name the object behind the shape, move the shape, move the item, practice with prepositions, wh- questions, describing, following directions, etc.

Sample directions:

Move the square. What do you see? It's a train!

Give the train to the boy who is sitting.

Put the train on the boy's head.

Have fun and be creative!

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BoomLearning.com - Amazing authors make awesome learning content! This is a simple but engaging language activity to use to address a variety of skills.

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Goodbye To YOU! - Super FUN and FAST Goodbye Song by ELF Learning

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https://wow.boomlearning.com/play/eotJiSoKYngRrHvZe/1

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file:///C:/Users/dredu/Downloads/AnsweringYesNoQuestions-1.pdf

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https://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/Parents/ramigparents.html

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Super Simple Español - Canciones Infantiles Y Más

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¡Hola! | Canciones Infantiles | Super Simple Español

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The letter b - Learn to write the alphabet with Letter School

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Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Read Aloud)

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Sesame Street: Common and Colbie Caillat Sing "Belly Breathe" with Elmo

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Colonel Crockles the Crocodile | A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure!

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What is MINDFULNESS and how do you do it? (Zen Den) | Cosmic Kids

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Calming Stories to Help Kids Sleep I Close Your Eyes SleepyPaws

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Caterpillar Shoes | Sweet rhyming bedtime story for kids!

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Papa, Please Get The Moon For Me (The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories) | Made For Kids

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See it, Say it, Sign it | The Letter B | ASL for Kids | Jack Hartmann

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Body - Kids vocabulary - parts of the body - Learn English for kids - English educational video

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Preschool Spanish lesson for kids: "Hola" greeting, answer "What's your name?"

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Hola, hola / Hello, Hello - Greeting song in Spanish

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Spanish Speech Therapy Materials | Speech Therapy Talk Services, 's collection of 10+ speech therapy materials ideas in 2020

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Sep 26, 2020 - Explore Speech Therapy Talk Services, 's board "Spanish Speech Therapy Materials", followed by 1473 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about Speech therapy materials, Speech therapy, Speech.

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https://myunt-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/r/personal/courtneyolivo_my_unt_edu/Documents/Attachments/AllAboutMeWorksheetsFreebie.pdf?csf=1&web=1&e=UcXsy5

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file:///C:/Users/dredu/AppData/Local/Temp/Visual%20Schedule%20for%20Task%20Box%20Cards%20Editable%20FREEBIE.pdf

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The next step is to select appropriate vocabulary for your child, including:

words such as mommy, daddy, more, milk, up, tickle

short phrases such as "what's that?", "all gone!", "fall down."

sound effects such as giggling; "raspberries"; vehicle noises associated with cars, airplanes or trains; or music

For each context chosen for intervention, select appropriate vocabulary (that is, words or sentences), or sound effects, to expand your child's communication.

How do I select appropriate vocabulary for my child?

Watch and listen to your child throughout the day, especially within the contexts chosen for intervention.

Make a list of the things that your child wants to communicate.

Focus especially on those things that your child cannot currently communicate effectively.
For example, words that he or she cannot say

Watch for opportunities to connect and be playful.

Watch and listen to other children when they are playing, especially in the contexts chosen for intervention.

Review vocabulary lists or questionnaires for more ideas.

Click here for a questionnaire to help you select vocabulary for your child. This questionnaire was designed by Karen Fallon, Janice Light and Tara Kramer Paige to help parents, speech-language pathologists, and teachers identify the most important and meaningful vocabulary for young children.

Kara and her brother play bubbles with Janice.
Copy or use of this photo outside of this website is prohibited.
What type of vocabulary is appropriate?

Choose vocabulary that is:

Motivating and fun

Functional

Appropriate to your child's development, culture, and personality

Why is it important to choose vocabulary that is motivating and fun?

Children will be most likely to communicate if they have access to vocabulary that is fun and interesting to them.

Remember to think about the kinds of things that young kids say.

Too often parents and professionals select vocabulary that is of interest to them but not necessarily to their child.
For example, words like "shirt, toilet, sit," or "nap," may not be highly motivating for your child.

Instead think about the kinds of things that young kids love to communicate.

For example, sound effects like car or airplane noises (beeping, vroom, crashing sounds), animal sounds, burping, "raspberries"

giggling, laughing, squealing, crying

singing and music

silly words like "uh oh, oh no, yucky, stinky, icky, oops, whoops, goober, awesome, wow, yay," or "hey"

Example of vocabulary that is motivating.
In this video, Genevieve is 18 months old. She has Down syndrome. She has a wonderful sense of humor and loves to play games.

In this clip, Genevieve has just finished playing the "upside-down game" with Janice. This is a play activity where she stands up, bends over, and looks out between her legs.

When the video begins, Genevieve finds the visual scene display (VSD) on the computer for playing the "upside-down game".

As soon as she sees the VSD of the "upside-down game," she asks Janice, "What's that?"

Janice labels the game for Genevieve and then models for her how to comment, "That's funny," by selecting the hotspot of the child who is laughing. Janice also shows her the sign for "funny".

Genevieve quickly learns how to comment, "That's funny," and repeats the comment several times. She touches the hotspot of the child laughing on the computer display and retrieves the speech output, "That's funny," and the sound of a child giggling. Each time she does so, she giggles herself.
Genevieve is clearly motivated to communicate when she has the vocabulary available to play silly games, to giggle, and to make funny comments. This is a powerful way for Genevieve to acquire new words and learn that communication is fun.

Why is it important to choose vocabulary that is functional?

Children will be most apt to communicate if they have access to functional vocabulary, in other words, if they have vocabulary that allows them to do the things they want to do.

For example, young children need vocabulary to interact with family and friends:
words to allow them to play fun games

They need words to allow them to talk about their experiences and tell stories:

people they know

words for describing, comparing, and contrasting

activities they like to do

places they like to go

Here is an example of what is meant by choosing vocabulary that is "functional":

In this clip, Gareth is using a simple SGD to ask, "What's that?" while reading a book about cars and trucks.

Gareth is 28 months old in this video. He has cerebral palsy.

He loves cars and trucks, and he loves to read books.

In this video, Gareth is reading a book about vehicles with his mom and Janice. He has a high motivation for this activity!

He is using a simple SGD to ask, "What's that?" to find out the name of one of the construction trucks -- a wheeled excavator.

Having the vocabulary to ask questions like, "What's that?" gives Gareth a powerful way to learn new words and concepts.

It also empowers him with a way to alert others to his interests, and get new vocabulary added to his communication book or his SGD.
When he asks about something, his parents check to see if he wants to add the new word or concept to his AAC systems.

Why is it important to choose vocabulary that is appropriate to my child's development?

Choose vocabulary that fits your child's:

developmental level

cultural background

personality

Choose vocabulary that fits your child's development:

Kids should sound like kids.

Kids use different words than adults do.

Kids use different sentence structures than adults do.
often single words, as well as short phrases and sentences

Introduce vocabulary that kids would use.

Choose vocabulary that fits your child's culture.

Children with special needs come from rich and varied cultural backgrounds.
Their culture is an important part of who they are.

Introduce vocabulary that includes important aspects of your culture.
For example, include appropriate foods and celebrations.

Use representations that are appropriate to your culture.
For example, make sure that the people depicted in AAC symbols have skin color, facial features, and clothing that are appropriate to your child's experiences.

Choose vocabulary that fits your child's personality.

Each child has a unique personality to express.
For example, some children are serious, others have a silly sense of humor.

Introduce vocabulary that allows your child to express his or her unique personality.

Emma enjoys playing bubbles with her mom and Janice.
Copy or use of this photo outside of this website is prohibited.

How do I introduce vocabulary to my child?

Children learn new words by seeing and hearing parents, teachers, and others use those words around them in their daily lives.

Children with special needs require lots of opportunities to see and hear parents, teachers, and others using new vocabulary in meaningful situations in their daily lives.

When you play, read books, or complete daily activities with your child, use the new vocabulary

Say and sign the words at the same time, or

Say the words and show the representations on a communication board or book, or

Say the words and select the representations on the computer or SGD

Here is an example of introducing new vocabulary (in this case, with an infant):
In this video, Genevieve is 9 months old. She is learning her "first word."

Genevieve, her family, and Janice are reading the book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
Genevieve loves the page with the yellow duck.

She touches the picture of the duck on the computer screen to activate the speech output, "duck," and the sound effect of a quacking sound.

She is learning the sign for "duck," as well.

Genevieve's mom, her sisters, and Janice provide her with lots of models.

They say the word, "duck," and show her the sign.

They show her how to select the picture of the duck from the computer screen to say the word, "duck."

They give her lots of opportunities to learn this new word in a meaningful and motivating context.

How often should I introduce new vocabulary?

As children develop, they learn new vocabulary rapidly.

They may learn as many as 5 new words a day!

Children with complex communication needs can only learn new words if parents, teachers, and others introduce new vocabulary regularly as they play and interact each day.

Here are some ways that you can help your child learn new vocabulary:

Learn new signs.

If you only sign the words that your child already knows, he or she has no opportunity to learn new words/signs.

Regularly learn new signs and use them with your child.

Check to see if the early intervention center or local parent center has sign language resources available. Some may offer book and/or video libraries or classes to parents for sign language or baby signs.

Program new vocabulary into your child's assistive technology / SGD.

If you do not add new concepts your child has no way to learn new words.

Add new words to your child's computer regularly - every week!

As you continue to add contexts to your child's communication system, you will also be adding new vocabulary.

Watch your child's use of his or her system carefully -- he or she may be giving you clues for new vocabulary when exploring parts of the VSDs that don't currently have hotspots!

Here is an example of introducing new vocabulary regularly, as the opportunity arises:

In this video, Lili is 32 months old. She has Down syndrome. Lili, her mom, and Janice are reading a personalized book about Lili's weekly activities.

Janice starts by reading out loud the title of the book, "Lili's Week." Janice signs as she says each word in the title.

Lili shows an interest in the word, "week" -- a new word in her vocabulary.

Lili says the word and signs it for her mom. At first, her sign and speech are approximations but Lili's mom and Janice can easily understand her in context.
As she uses this new word over time and has more opportunities to practice it, she will be able to say and sign it more clearly.

Lili's mom and Janice say and sign the word "week" again for her.

They give her lots of opportunities to learn this new word as the opportunity arises in a meaningful and motivating context.

Last Updated: February 10, 2019

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The next step is to select appropriate vocabulary for your child, including: words such as mommy, daddy, more, milk, up, tickle short phrases such as "what's that?", "all gone!", "fall down." sound effects such as giggling; "raspberries"; vehicle noises associated with cars, airplanes or trains; or music For each context chosen for intervention, select appropriate vocabulary (that is, words or sentences), or sound effects, to expand your child's communication.

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Use these interactive stories for helping with sequencing events.

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To play with Daniel, enable javascript in your browser.

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Shake It Off - Think About It Mindfulness Video

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Shake It Off - Think About It Mindfulness Video

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Shake It Off | Guided Meditiation For Kids | Breathing Exercises | GoNoodle

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Poppin' Bubbles Song | Songs For Kids | Dance Along | GoNoodle

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Five Little Monkeys Karaoke! | Kids Songs | Super Simple Songs

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Who Took The Cookie? (On The Farm) | + More Kids Songs | Super Simple Songs

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Boom Chicka Boom | Fun Dance Song for Kids | Brain Breaks | Jack Hartmann

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Little Baby Bum - Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs

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Wheels On The Bus | All Wheels On The Bus Videos | Little Baby Bum | Nursery Rhymes for Babies

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Animal Sounds Songs + More | Nursery Rhymes for Preschool | Super Simple Songs

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Parent Tips to Encourage Speech in Spanish

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Parent Tips to Encourage Speech in Spanish

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Being a toddler is all about action. Encourage continued language development and interest in books and reading by keeping things lively and engaging. Everyday experiences are full of opportunities to engage in conversation and develop language skills. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help…

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Sunny Side Up, Kids Songs: Days of the Week with Chica & Carly | #StayHome #WithMe | Universal Kids

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See It, Say It, Sign It | Letter Sounds | ASL Alphabet | Jack Hartmann

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file:///C:/Users/dredu/Documents/ABC/Documentation/Picture%20scenes.pdf

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MyStorybook.com - Make Your Own Storybook for Free

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This free new tool makes storytelling fun again!

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Preschool Worksheets & Free Printables | Education.com

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Preschool worksheets help your little one develop early learning skills. Try our preschool worksheets to help your child learn about shapes, numbers, and more.

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Browse Interactive Stories | Education.com

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Browse Interactive Stories. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

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Why I created my sight word books

When my oldest was just starting to read, I found it nearly impossible to find simple books that she could read all by herself. I was looking for books with:

just a few words per page

bright and engaging pictures

repetitive text

sight words for children to learn at an easy pace

Now that I'm teaching her younger brothers to read, I've decided to create my own set of emergent readers! We are using these along with This Reading Mama's fabulous Reading the Alphabet curriculum for preschoolers. (Talk about a hands-on, age-appropriate approach to learning to read!) Since Reading the Alphabet teaches a new sight word per week, I'm creating a set of four readers featuring each sight word. So if you're using set 5 of my readers, you'll find lessons to go right along with them in Reading the Alphabet, Lesson 5.

Sample sets

Here's a sample page from Set 1, Farm Animals.

Here's a sample from Set 6, The Cookout. You can see how the text is getting more challenging.

Here's a sample from Set 13, A Snowy Day - the sentences are longer and require more attention to phonics.

Save yourself some time and buy the bundle pack!

You can get the first 26 sets individually for free. Save yourself some time and get four extra books plus an organizing system!

Download each set individually

You can find the post which shares each set of readers by clicking below. When you get to the post, scroll to the bottom to download the set of readers.

More books!

After creating the first 26 sets to use alongside Reading the Alphabet, I've had requests for more books. I'm creating additional sets. These correlate with my free phonics books. When I have a large collection, these will also be available for purchase in a bundle pack. For now you may download each set below.

Note: If your child is reading these books, he's moving at a quicker pace. For that reason, each set may introduce more than one new sight word.

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This video will show you how to assemble the readers:

These dividers fit perfectly in a plastic shoe box and will keep your books organized and easy to access! Get them when you purchase the bundle pack of all 104 readers plus a bonus set.

Or... consider my newest set of books. It teaches the same sight words, but the books advance much more slowly. Plus, they also come in black and white!

P.S. Want to know more about teaching kids to read?

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Free Emergent Readers - The Measured Mom

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When my oldest was just starting to read, I found it nearly impossible to find simple books that she could read all by herself. I was looking for books with: just a few words per page bright and engaging pictures repetitive text sight words for children to learn at an easy pace Now that I'm teaching her younger brothers to read, I've decided to create my own set of emergent readers!

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4 million free and priced teaching resources created by teachers for instant download including lesson plans, interactive notebooks, unit plans, novel studies, worksheets, printables, quizzes, task cards, math centers, projects and more. Join over 6 million teachers on the web's most vibrant collaborative exchange.

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literacy Archives - Lessons for Little Ones by Tina O'Block

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Some of the Amazon links on Lessons for Little Ones are affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking an affiliate link, I receive a small percentage of the sale for referring you, at no extra cost to you. Purchasing through affiliate links is an easy, painless way to help out your favorite bloggers.

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30+ Pete The Cat Activities For Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten

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30+ Pete the Cat learning activities for your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom. Make learning FUN with Pete the Cat!

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You may wish to review additional alphabet related worksheets, coloring pages, and activities from the Alphabet Worksheet collection.

You are free to print these preschool worksheets for your own personal (includes printing materials for your classroom), non-commercial use only. Please be familiar with these Terms of Use before using any worksheets from this site.

In order to view and print worksheets from this site you will need Adobe Reader version 6 or later. You may download the latest version of the free Adobe Reader here.

Printing Tip: If a worksheet page does not appear properly, reload or refresh the .pdf file.

Letters are lovely!

Preschool Letter Worksheets

Letter Concepts Worksheet Set 2 - The five worksheets in this set reinforce recognition of capital letters and promote visual discrimination and attention to detail.
Letter Concepts Worksheet Set 1 - Promote visual discrimination, attention to detail, and recognition of lowercase letters when you provide your students with any or all of these five worksheets.
Letter Concepts Worksheets 1-7 - Letter recognition and visual discrimination are reinforced when students circle the word that begins with the letter shown on each picture.
Ocean Letter Match - Students will draw a line to match each ocean related picture to the letter with the same beginning sound. Letters include c, f, l, s, and w.
Alphabet Print and Match - The four worksheets included here provide practice printing uppercase and lowercase letters as well as pairing uppercase and lowercase letters.
Farm Animal Letter Match - Students will match each farm animal to the letter with the beginning sound. Letters are c, d, g, p, and r.
Halloween Letter Match - Draw a line from each Halloween picture to the letter with the same beginning sound. Letters include b, c, g, s, and w.
Ant to Apple Letter A Maze - Use of fine motor skills are required when tracing letters and words that begin with a.
C is for Car - Students will practice tracing an uppercase and lowercase letter c, print the letter c, and color the car!
B is for Boat - Students will trace and print the letter b and color a boat.
ABC Practice - This set of alphabet worksheets provides the student will practice printing uppercase and lowercase letters. This set also promotes color recognition when students follow the directions for coloring each uppercase and lowercase letter shown on each page.
ABC Maze 2 - Begin at letter "a" and follow the lowercase letters through the maze to letter "z".
ABC Maze - Follow the uppercase letters in alphabetical order to complete the maze.
Beginning Consonants Worksheet 2 - Circle the picture that has the same beginning consonant ( m, s, f, b)as the first picture in each row.
Beginning Consonants - Circle the picture that has the same beginning consonant as the first picture in each row. Sounds of t, l, b, and p.

The following worksheets require students to trace and print uppercase and lowercase letters, name pictures, and write the letter in front of the word that has the same beginning sound as the featured letter.

All worksheets created by T. Smith.

Did you know that . . .
many hours and resources have been dedicated to providing you with these educational materials. The materials found on this site are available for you to print and use with your child or the students in your class. The worksheets on this site are copyrighted and are the property of tlsbooks.com. By using this site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. Please do not post/display/frame any worksheets or copy entire pages of worksheet links on another web site, blog, file storage system, etc. Thank you for your consideration and continued patronage.
This page has 65 preschool letter worksheets and coloring pages.

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You may wish to review additional alphabet related worksheets, coloring pages, and activities from the Alphabet Worksheet collection. You are free to print these preschool worksheets for your own personal (includes printing materials for your classroom), non-commercial use only. Please be familiar with these Terms of Use before using any worksheets from this site.

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[Animated] My No No No Day by Rebecca Patterson | Read Aloud Books for Children!

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The following is one section of Judith Kuster's Net Connections for Communication Disorders and Sciences (www.communicationdisorders.com). The internet is FULL of materials that can be adapted to speechlanguage therapy. Be aware that URLs change and disappear and other sites are available and will become available. These sites are provided simply as good examples.

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Introduction

Semantic maps (or graphic organizers) are maps or webs of words. The purpose of creating a map is to visually display the meaning-based connections between a word or phrase and a set of related words or concepts. Semantic maps help students, especially struggling students and those with disabilities, to identify, understand, and recall the meaning of words they read in the text.

Learning to create these maps aligns with three of the ELA Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Teaching Students to Use Semantic Maps

You can provide your students with direct instruction on how to use semantic maps. Below is an example of a step-by-step set of directions, which can be especially beneficial for struggling students.

Pick a word you don't know from a text you are reading and mark the word. If you're using digital text, you can highlight, bold, or underline the word.

Use a blank map or begin to draw a map or web (either on paper or using an online tool).

Place the word you don't know in the center of the map.

Pronounce the word. If necessary, use an online dictionary with audio to help you.

Read the text around the word to see if there are related words you can add to your map. If you're using digital text, you can get the computer to read the text to you using the text-to-speech function (if necessary).

Use an online dictionary or online thesaurus to look up the word and find a definition.

Find words and phrases that fit with the meaning. Select pictures/images (online or from available resources) or draw pictures that fit with the meaning.

Add these words, phrases, or images to your semantic map.

If you're working online, print out the map.

Read the text again, applying the meaning of the word to the text.

Share and compare your map with your classmates.

With direct instruction and repeated practice, struggling students will find that using semantic maps is a very good way of expanding their vocabulary.

Integrating Technology

There are many technology tools that can help students create semantic maps (including thinking maps, mind maps, bubble maps, and concept maps). You might want to check out Webspiration , Bubblus , Gliffy , Creately , Diagrammr , and Mindomo .

In addition, many websites (including those listed below) provide information about different types of graphic organizers that you can use as a starting point as you customize your instruction to meet your students' needs.

A Semantic Mapping Lesson

Mr. Green's Grade 5 class is studying American presidents. He wants his 25 students to understand how the personality of each president may have impacted the president's political career. Although some students have no difficulty decoding, several students struggle to recognize or remember word meanings. Mr. Green is reintroducing the use of semantic maps to support vocabulary development.

The specific objective of the lesson is to have students expand their vocabulary by creating semantic maps to represent the different characteristics of a personality. Mr. Green plans to model this strategy first, and students will then have an opportunity to practice the strategy themselves. The unit will culminate in the creation of multimodal president cards - one component of which will be a semantic map - which will be posted on the class website.

As part of his ongoing practice, Mr. Green will use his interactive whiteboard to demonstrate and involve students in creating the maps. To gather information for vocabulary development, he will access a website titled Abraham Lincoln's Personality .

Mr. Green's lesson plan is outlined below. It is organized into three sections to show the steps he will take before reading, during reading, and after reading.

Lesson Plan

Before Reading

Introduce the unit's goals, which are to learn about presidents and create multimodal president cards with new vocabulary.

Review and discuss three different types of semantic map.

Display and discuss the website on Abraham Lincoln's personality.

Invite students to fill out the semantic map with words, definitions, and images.

Save the map on the class website.

During Reading

Continue practicing using semantic maps.

Have groups create new multimedia maps.

Have students share and discuss new vocabulary in maps.

After Reading

Have students begin making the multimodal president cards.

Set the criteria for these cards: the name of the president, vocabulary words, definitions, images, and sentences.

Online Teacher Resources on Semantic Mapping

This article draws from the PowerUp WHAT WORKS website, particularly the Semantic Mapping Instructional Strategy Guide . PowerUp is a free, teacher-friendly website that requires no log-in or registration. The Instructional Strategy Guide includes a brief overview that defines semantic mapping and an accompanying slide show; a list of the relevant ELA Common Core State Standards; evidence-based teaching strategies to differentiate instruction using technology; a case story; short videos; and links to resources that will help you use technology to support instruction in semantic mapping. If you are responsible for professional development, the PD Support Materials provide helpful ideas and materials for using the resources on semantic mapping. Want more information? See PowerUp WHAT WORKS .

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Connecting Word Meanings Through Semantic Mapping

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Semantic maps (or graphic organizers) are maps or webs of words. The purpose of creating a map is to visually display the meaning-based connections between a word or phrase and a set of related words or concepts. Semantic maps help students, especially struggling students and those with disabilities, to identify, understand, and recall the meaning of words they read in the text.

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Connecting Word Meanings Through Semantic Mapping

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Semantic maps (or graphic organizers) help students, especially struggling students and those with disabilities, to identify, understand, and recall the meaning of words they read in the text.

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Conversational turn-taking and topic maintenance | Social skills lessons, Social skills groups, Social skills activities

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Nov 9, 2015 - I think that taking turns in conversation and staying on topic can be difficult skills to teach children, especially younger children. However, these are very important skills because turn-taking and topic maintenance skills impact a child's ability to participate in social interactions, to tell narratives, and to form…

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Online manipulatives bring all of the learning and fun without the mess. Our math virtual manipulatives help students grasp abstract concepts through modeling. Literacy virtual manipulatives create a fun space for practicing spelling, rhyming, and more!

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Virtual Manipulatives | Mathematical Modelling | Toy Theater

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Original teaching tools aimed at supporting teachers in the elementary school classroom. Two color counters, 3D dice, probability spinners, graph builders, fraction bars, base ten blocks, and more!

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Every December for many years now, my mom and her best friend have gathered for "Cookie Day". They wake up early and bake cookies and sweets all day long. Then comes dinner and Christmas carols. I've had the pleasure to help them with Cookie Day most years and am always sent home with more cookies than my husband and I can eat in an entire month. As a result, December always means cookies to me! Here are some fun cookie activities you can do with your children at home to improve their speech and language skills.

Baking Cook Sequencing and Following Directions

Cooking with your child is a great activity to improve language skills! You can find a recipe you like or if you're not that into baking, try getting an easy mix or even the roll of sugar cookies that you slice and bake. Show your child the recipe or directions and tell them what you're going to make. If you want, you can even make a kid-friendly recipe for them to read. For the kid-friendly version, you will want to put down just a few steps and possibly draw some simple pictures of what you're doing. To prove that you don't need to be a great artist to do this, I've included a poorly-drawn example of my own! You can make your recipe as simple or as complex as you want! Add more steps for older children, or keep it simple like this example for younger kids:

When you read the recipe with your child, go through and talk about what you will do first, next, and last. This will help your child understand sequences, which are very important to good literacy and story-telling skills. Following the recipe will also help your child work on following directions. While the cookies are baking, talk again about what you did first, next, and last. Have your child tell someone else the steps to what they did. The more you talk about it, the better they will understand it!

Requesting Items and Using Descriptors

Tell your child that you are going to decorate cookies. If you have some plain sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles, use that! If not, you can always draw a cookie on paper and decorate it with whatever art supplies you have around. Give your child the cookie (or picture of cookie) and then hold onto all of the decorating supplies. Don't give your child anything to decorate with yet. Wait for a bit and see if your child will ask for the materials she wants. If not, give her some prompts that will remind her to use her words to ask for the decorations. You can say "what do you want?" or "use your words". If your child has trouble using words to ask for items, focus on having her just say the name of the object she wants to ask for, such as "icing", "sprinkle", "candy", etc. If your child is doing pretty well with that, have her request items using descriptive vocabulary. You can have your child ask for specific colors (I want the red sprinkles), sizes (I want the big candy), shapes (I want the circle sprinkles), or any other descriptors.

Labeling objects and Requesting

Time to get out the play-dough! (If you don't have any, you can always find a recipe online to make some) You will also need some cookie cutters for this activity. Try to find a variety of different shapes, sizes, and objects in the cookie cutters. Here is a collection on Amazon that would be a great gift idea for your child as well. If your child is old enough to be reading and writing, try these letter cookie cutters to make literacy super fun! Roll or smash out the play-dough and have your child ask you for a specific cookie cutter. Have the child label what the object/shape is when they are requesting the cutter. For example, your child might say "I want the circle cookie cutter" or "I want the tree". Help your child use the cutter to make shapes in the play-dough. This is also a great activity for building hand-strength and developing fine-motor skills. If your child has an occupational therapist, she'll love this!

I hope you and your child enjoy these cookie activities! Don't forget to check out my store with great printable activities, flashcards, games, and e-books!

More Resources for Speech-Language Pathologists:

Looking for more therapy ideas and resources to help you provide the BEST services to your clients? Join us in The SLP Solution, our membership program for speech-language professionals! Inside the membership, you'll find:

Step-By-Step Guides for teaching a variety of speech/language/communication skills

Pre-Made Worksheets and Therapy Activities for hundreds of different topics

Training Videos for dealing with difficult disorders or problems

Answers to Your Questions in our exclusive SLP community

Tools and Resources to help you with your paperwork and admin tasks

Continuing Education through our monthly webinars and webinar recordings

To join us in the full SLP Solution, or to snag a free membership, click on the button below!

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Cookie Activities for Speech and Language

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Every December for many years now, my mom and her best friend have gathered for "Cookie Day". They wake up early and bake cookies and sweets all day long. Then comes dinner and Christmas carols.

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Our speech language screening tests are designed to give you a comparison between what a child is currently doing and what they should be doing.

They are not meant to diagnose any kind of disorder.

Both screeners provide detailed information that will help you decide if you should be concerned and if you should seek further help.

Please understand that there is no substitute for a speech/language evaluation by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist.

Read about speech evaluations to find out what you can expect.

To find your child's current level of development with our Speech and Language Screener:

1. Begin by taking the screener for your child's age.

2. If the results show your child is delayed at his/her age level, take the screener for one age level lower.

3. If the screener shows your child is not delayed for any skills, feel free to take the screener for one age level higher.

Above all, these are tools that can help resolve your concerns or identify problems that your child may have.

Our screeners can help anyone that has a question about speech and language development so please...

...let others know about them.

Simply click on the screener you would like to use below.

*NOTE: The screeners do not work on Phones or Tablets.

If you have any trouble...please see the FAQ page.

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Speech Language Screening Tests Online! Get Excellent Feedback

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Our speech language screening tests are designed to give you a comparison between what a child is currently doing and what they should be doing. They are not meant to diagnose any kind of disorder. Both screeners provide detailed information that will help you decide if you should be concerned and if you should seek further help.

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Gain access to hundreds of resources like these when you sign up for a Digital SLP subscription!

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If you are blind, you can communicate in a variety of ways with iOS features. For vision loss, you can use VoiceOver, an advanced screen reader, to get the most from your iOS device. And Siri® and Dictation help you type, launch apps, and read your calendar. Last but not least is Zoom, a built-in magnifier that works wherever you are in iOS, from Mail and Safari® to the Home and Lock Screens; Large Text, where you can increase the font size in your iOS apps up to 56 points; and Invert Colors, where a higher contrast can help you better see what's on your display.

FaceTime®

FaceTime® video calls let you communicate in more ways than one. Catch every gesture and facial expression - from raised eyebrow to ear-to-ear smile. Thanks to its high-quality video and fast frame rate, FaceTime® is ideal for people who communicate using sign language. And because Mac®, iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch® all come equipped with FaceTime®, you can talk to iOS and OS X® users across the street or across the globe as if you're face to face.

VoiceOver

VoiceOver is a revolutionary screen reader that lets you know what's happening on your Multi-Touch™ screen - and helps you navigate it - even if you can't see it. Touch the screen to hear what's under your finger, then use gestures to control your device. VoiceOver works with the apps that come with your iPhone®, iPad®, or iPod touch®.

Siri®

Siri®, an intelligent assistant by Apple®, helps you do the things you do every day. All you have to do is ask. Say something like "Tell Jay I'm running late" or "Remind me to make reservations for Saturday." Siri® can send messages, place phone calls, schedule meetings, and even turn on and off VoiceOver, Guided Access® and Invert Colors. And because Siri® is integrated with VoiceOver, you can ask where the nearest sushi restaurant is and hear the answer read out loud.

Speak Selection

If you have a hard time reading the text on your iOS device, use Speak Selection to read your email, iMessages®, web pages, and books to you. Highlight text in any application, tap Speak, and Speak Selection reads the selected text aloud. You can adjust the voice's dialect and speaking rate, and have words highlighted as they're being read.

Dictation

Dictation lets you talk where you would type. Tap the microphone button on the keyboard, say what you want to write, and your iOS device converts your words (and numbers and characters) into text. So it's easy to type an email, note, or URL - without typing at all.

Zoom

Zoom is a built-in magnifier that works wherever you are in iOS, from Mail and Safari® to the Home and Lock screens. And it works with all apps from the App Store®. A simple double-tap with three fingers instantly zooms in 200 percent, and you can adjust the magnification between 100 and 500 percent. While you're zoomed in, you can still use all of the familiar gestures to navigate your device. And Zoom works with VoiceOver, so you can better see - and hear - what's happening on your screen.

Font Adjustments

When you activate Larger Dynamic Type, the text inside Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Messages, Notes, and even some third party apps, is converted to a larger, easier-to-read size. And you can choose bold text to make the text heavier across a range of built-in applications.

Invert Colors and Grayscale

If a higher contrast helps you better see what's on your display, iOS lets you invert the colors onscreen. Once you set your colors, the settings apply systemwide, even to video, so you get the same view no matter what you're seeing.

Braille Displays for iOS

iPad®, iPhone® (3GS or later), and iPod touch® (3rd generation or later) support more than 40 Bluetooth wireless braille displays right out of the box. Simply pair one and start using it to navigate your iOS device with VoiceOver - no additional software needed. In addition, iPad®, iPhone®, and iPod touch® include braille tables for more than 25 languages. For more information on Braille Displays, please click here.

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If you are blind, you can communicate in a variety of ways with iOS features. For vision loss, you can use VoiceOver, an advanced screen reader, to get the most from your iOS device. And Siri® and Dictation help you type, launch apps, and read your calendar.

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PECS graduated OpacityTemplate by Speech Sprouts.pptx

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There is evidence to support music therapy, but you don't have to be a music therapist to get the benefits of singing to and with your child. Your child doesn't care if you are a professional singer, or if you are singing the right words, or making it up as you go.

Singing can help speech and language development

Everyone knows that young children enjoy music, but did you know that singing can help stimulate speech and help in the development of speech and language? If your child is a late talker, with or without a diagnosis of autism or apraxia, sing to them until they can sing with you.

There is evidence to support music therapy, but you don't have to be a music therapist to get the benefits of singing to and with your child. Your child doesn't care if you are a professional singer, or if you are singing the right words, or making it up as you go.

As the day goes on you can invent songs by putting words together to fit just about any situation you are in with your child. Sing to them while they are falling asleep, playing with toys, taking a bath, going to the doctor, being pushed on a swing, helping you make lunch or driving in the car.

Slow down the singing

There are numerous musicians who specialize in children's music and there are also soundtracks to a child's favorite movies which your child may enjoy. There are also musicians who slow down the most popular children's songs to help children with apraxia and other speech impairments sing along. If you have a child like mine that didn't want to listen to slowed down versions of the classics, let them listen to what they enjoy but there are still ways to trick them into liking slowed down music. When I sang to him, I would intentionally use a reduced tempo and combine that with a sing-song voice, and even with props and actions aside, a huge smile and lots of expressions to keep it fun. It's important as well to clearly articulate each word. Over emphasize if you have to! For example, for Baby Shark, the refrain would be "Baaaaybeeee SHARK! doo...doo...doo...doo...doo ...doo...doo" instead of "Baby SHARK! doodoodoodoodoodoo"
Baby Shark
Pause before the last word of a classic song

When singing a classic children's song take a breath to pause before singing that last word. Even better is when the last word is repeated which helps with motor planning such as is The Wheels On the Bus. "The wheels on the bus go round and ____ (round). Round and ____ (round). Round and ____ (round). The wheels on the bus go round and ____ (round). All day long." If your child doesn't fill in the word, just finish the word yourself, don't pause too long because again you want to keep it fun to keep their attention. If they do attempt to join in laugh, clap and sing along with them. I always found props to help so for that song you can use a toy school bus or a picture of a school bus while singing. And this brings me to what I found to help the most with speech and that is when a song like The Wheels On the Bus was paired with actions.
Wheels On the Bus
Incorporate actions

Incorporate actions whenever possible and have fun with it. Remember, children learn through play. Making a song interactive with actions, puppets, and other props make it more fun. So, when singing 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed have five stuffed animals or finger puppets that you and your child can jump with when singing about the monkeys jumping, drop one of the stuffed animals when you sing, "one fell off" and then tap your head when you say " and bonked his head" Act like you are holding a phone when you sing, "Momma called the doctor" and jokingly scold by waving your pointer finger back and forth when singing what the doctor said, "NO more monkeys jumping on the bed!" You can again sing it with a pause "NO more monkeys jumping on the ____ (bed)."
Five Little Monkeys
There are so many interactive songs (songs with actions) where you can also use puppets, toys, or finger play while you sing along and have fun. My boys also enjoyed watching videos like these from Kidsongs when they were younger. Their site also has lyrics to popular children's songs. About links to outside sites. Cherab Foundation has been volunteer based for 20 years and has no affiliations. Just sharing free information.

Some More Examples

The following are a few more examples of classic children's songs with actions, please comment below and let me know if I'm missing your favorites! You can incorporate puppets, toys and other props to make it even more interactive. See which methods your child enjoys and you'll know it's a huge success when your late talker child attempts to participate!
Row Row Row Your Boat Where is Thumbkin The Itsy Bitsy Spider
If You're Happy and You Know It
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Listen to my son Tanner (pictured below with his brother Dakota) at 4 years old singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

See and listen to more of Tanner and other children with apraxia at The Talking Page

Tanner (left) is 4 years, 1 month old 7/20/00. That's Tanner's brother, Dakota on the right. See and listen to more of Tanner and other children with apraxia at The Talking Page

LISA GENG
Author and President of The Cherab Foundation
Lisa Geng got her start as a designer, patented inventor, and creator in the fashion, toy, and film industries, but after the early diagnosis of her young children with diagnosis including severe apraxia, hypotonia, sensory processing disorder, ADHD, CAPD, she entered the world of nonprofit, pilot studies, and advocacy. As the mother of two "late talkers," she is the founder and president of the nonprofit CHERAB Foundation, co-author of the acclaimed book, The Late Talker, (St Martin's Press 2003), and holds two patents and patents pending on IQed nutritional composition. Lisa has been serving as a parent advocate on an AAN Immunization Panel since 2015 and is a member of CUE through Cochrane US. Lisa is currently working on a second book, The Late Talker Grows Up and serves as a Late Talkers, Silent Voices executive producer. She lives on the Treasure Coast of Florida.

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There is evidence to support music therapy, but you don't have to be a music therapist to get the benefits of singing to and with your child. Your child doesn't care if you are a professional singer, or if you are singing the right words, or making it up as you go.