1. Rhyme Scavenger Hunt: Help kids identify and come up with words that rhyme, have a “rhyme” scavenger hunt. Start by creating a list of words that rhyme and that you will be using for this activity. Post/hide the words throughout your classroom. On a words document create a list of those words and have students check them off as they find the matching rhyming word. Lastly have students say the rhyming words out loud. For students with exceptionalities, you can also add pictures to the words as a visual help and help them say the words out loud.

2. Clapping Through Syllables: Have students use their bodies to emphasize how may syllables a word has. You can make note cards with the word on them, show it to the students and have them clap the word back to you as they read it. You can change the actions to jumping, stomping, and dancing. For students with exceptionalities, you can also add pictures to the words as a visual help.

"I Spy" using first sounds

Practice beginning sounds with this simple “I spy” game at home, on a walk, or at the grocery store. Choose words with distinctive, easy-to-hear beginning sounds. For example, if you’re in the bathroom you can say, “I spy something red that starts with the “s” ssss sound (soap).” For students with exceptionalities try using words they are familiar with and when introducing new sounds point at a couple different objects/items and give them a choice. Once they know and understand the sound then add a challenge by simply saying the sounds without giving a choice of objects. Use pictures if necessary.

Reading Rockets: Launching Young Readers

1. Dictate a word using say, touch, and spell. Students say each sound in the word and place a manipulative (e.g., a tile with a letter or letter pattern on it, such as sh, ch, ck) to represent each sound in the word.
   For example, when the teacher says fin, students move the letter tiles for f, i, and n, to spell the word, while at the same time saying and stretching the sounds orally. If the teacher then says fish, students replace the tile with n on it with one that has an sh. For students with exceptionalities teachers can write the words on a smart board or whiteboard, to give a visual. Also try introducing simple words and work up to harder words.

2. Assign a gesture to /sh/ and /ch/. Dictate words. Ask students to individually make the gesture associated with /sh/ or /ch/ when they hear those sounds in a word. You can make picture cards of the gestures to help support students with exceptionalities. Try and stick to gestures that do not limit physical abilities of students with exceptionalities.

   
   

1. Talk, talk, talk. Talk to your child as much as possible as you’re going about your day. Point out and name things in their environment — whether you’re at the park or the grocery store. All of this will build vocabulary and help create connections between sounds, words, and objects. This activity is inclusive of students with exceptionalities, but for further support point or show physical object/items you are talking about.

 Literacy Programs PreK-12 | Scholastic Education Solutions

1. Vocabulary Building Activities

   Expand your preschooler’s vocabulary with fun and interactive games. Try a “Word Scavenger Hunt” where children search for items around the house based on given descriptions. Another idea is “Picture-Word Matching,” where kids match pictures to corresponding words, visually reinforcing vocabulary. This activity is inclusive of students with exceptionalities as it already uses pictures for visual support. I would recommend to working with words they already know and then add challenging words.

2. Listening and Following Directions

   Developing listening skills is essential for language comprehension. Play games like “Simon Says” or go on a “Listening Walk” where children listen for specific sounds or instructions. By following directions and paying attention to auditory cues, preschoolers can strengthen their language abilities. This activity is inclusive of students with exceptionalities I would stick to commands that within the student's physical ability.

Cooking: Get them in the kitchen! Recipes have really useful language and include new vocabulary, so they work wonders for language development. Before you start, pick out the keywords from the recipe and chat about it with your children like ‘half,’ ‘whisk,’ or ‘weigh.’  It doesn’t need to be baking, you could try making jam on toast, whizzing up a smoothie, or even homemade play-doh! Please be mindful of student's physical ability if you are working with heat or sharp objects make sure to model first and supervise throughout activity. This is especially crucial for students with exceptionalities that may require more supervision and support during these hands-on activities.

Parent's Academy | Speech Therapy Tips for Parents | Speech Blubs

1. Start with reading fluency posters.

   Introduce the basics of reading fluency with posters to hang in the classroom. You can reference the posters during instruction, and when you’re working on a specific aspect of fluency, take one down and use it as a small-group reference. For students with exceptionalities, you can make an extra copy of your fluency posters and have them hold a poster as you reference the poster.

2. Model fluency with read-alouds. Reading aloud to kids is important for so many reasons, but one of the best is that it teaches kids what fluent reading sounds like. Model expression, how to read punctuation, phrasing, and pace with your read-alouds. Read-alouds apply for all students—even middle and high schoolers benefit when hearing how text like Shakespeare and Poe are read aloud. For students with exceptionalities, you may consider doing the model read-aloud either one-to-one or in small group.

Help your child choose books that he can comfortably read. The “five-finger test” is a useful guideline for beginning readers. As your child reads, count the number of words he cannot read per page. In general, there should be five words or fewer that give him trouble on each page. If a book contains several pages on which you count more than five words that he can’t read, consider reading that book to your child until he develops more reading skill. For students with exceptionalities consider starting off with the simple books and working your way into the challenging books. You can also suggest using books that are written in native languages spoken at home.

https://youtu.be/_jLZPhXsAnA

1. "I predict …”

   When you sit down for a read aloud, look at the book’s cover together. Ask, “What do you think this book might be about? Why? Can you make some predictions?” Guide your students with or without exceptionalities through the pages, discuss the pictures, and brainstorm what might happen in the story. Talk about any personal experiences your child may have that relate to the story.

2. Five-fingers retell

   After reading a story together, have your child tell you five things about the story, using her fingers to talk about each one:

   1. Characters: who was in the story?

   2. Setting: where did the story take place?

   3. Events: what happened in the story?

   4. End: how did the story end?

   5. Favorite character or part of the story?

      For students with exceptionalities consider using props like felt characters or puppets to retell the key concepts of the story. Consider providing more details and having them fill in the blanks.

Talk about everyday experiences: Show your child pictures and tell them stories. Even a walk around the neighborhood or a trip to the grocery store can be a rich learning experience for young children. A child may see an urban bunny for the first time on a walk and then be able to connect it to stories about rabbits. These personal connections help children connect what they read with what they know — a powerful way to build comprehension skills. This activity is inclusive of students with exceptionalities, I would recommend always having the item/object in sight as you talk about it so that the students have a visual and are able to make a connection.

https://youtu.be/L7E97XyFQI8