Word and Category Game (1)
Pick a category (furniture, pets, etc.) and give clues, such as (you sit on it, it has three pillows, it's across from the TV (sofa) or - it eats crunchy food, it has a small house, it likes to run around and around on an exercise wheel (gerbil). What is it? For bunches of ideas for learning at home, consider The Ultimate Book of Homeschooling Ideas: 500+ Fun and Creative Learning Activities for Kids Ages 3-12, a wonderful source of family activites for homeschoolers or public school kids. Word and Category Game (2)
Another travel version of this is the family or group decides the boundaries, such as that it has to be something you can see outside (or inside) the car and the person who is "it" says, "I'm thinking of something that's yellow (or another color)...", and then the group proceeds to take turns asking questions, such as "Is it large? Is it the sun? Is it that highway sign"?, etc. This continues until it is guessed and then another person takes a turn. Word and Category Game (3)
Pick an item from an agreed upon category and others guess what it is by describing it, such as "Is it squishy"?, etc. Only yes or no can be answered.
I Say - You Say
When teaching irregular plurals, I show a picture of an object, such as "mouse" and say, "I say mouse. You say mice", while showing a picture of more than one mouse. After awhile the child understands the pattern, and then I say "I say goose. You say -----", and the child will fill in the missing word. When we are finished with all the pictures, I lay them on the table in pairs, and the child reviews them, saying mouse and mice, goose and geese, etc. while pointing to the correct pictures in the pair. Idea for Additional Practice
After working on their speech/language lesson, give your child an assignment to do in another environment, such as when they run an errand for you, or while doing their chores with a sibling, etc. This assignment can include finding objects around them that contain their target, talking about a certain topic while using good speech, counting to 100, etc. Each child acts as the "teacher" for the other, making sure they are using the correct sounds. This adds on a little more practice time on targets that are being worked on, and encourages using good communication skills in other environments. Coffee Can Echo
I take a large coffee can, cover it with shiny, fancy paper, and cut a slit in the plastic cover. I use this can often when the child is doing routine drills, practicing responses while looking at picture/word cards. After the child says the word, he puts it into the can, and then speaks into the can, saying the word one more time. This produces a delightfully spooky, amplified, echo-y sound that is fun for the child to hear, while encouraging additional practice of the target. I tell them that the can is filling up with wonderful sounds, getting heavier all the time. When the child is finished, we take the top off the can, releasing all these correct responses into the air, as we say the correct target response over and over again, with the sounds flying through the air and filling the room, after escaping from the can! Twirling Words
Put three words or pictures containing the target sound on a piece of paper measuring about 6" x 2". Add different words or pictures to many slips of paper this size. Put the children's chairs facing each other in a clear area about 2 feet apart. Have the children pretend to put glue on their chairs and then sit down, reminding them that they cannot leave their chairs. Choose one person to be first and toss a slip of paper up in the air above her/his head. The child's job is to catch the twirling piece of paper without leaving the chair. If it falls to the floor, it is left there to be picked up later for a "second chance". If the child catches the paper, h/she reads the words and puts them into a sentence, using good speech. It is then the second person's turn. This is a noisy, active game that always provides alot of fun and laughter while the children practice their target sounds in a natural spontaneous setting. If you like, you can count who has the most at the end. The Mailbox
Attach a small toy-size mailbox with a flag, on the wall with wide sticky Velcro. (A sturdy cardboard box with an opening flap and a cardboard flag will work too). Choose a certain day as “mail day”. If your child notices the flag is up, it means that the box can be checked for mail. The “mail” could include:
• A story containing lots of their target sound, to read aloud.
• A message, instructing them to “ask questions” about the story to another. The other child will need to answer in complete sentences.
• A list of “answers” that are read one at a time to another child. That child must invent a question that will fit the question. Ex: because I felt sick – Why did you stay home from school today?
• A message to look for hidden pictures in the room that contain their target sound or language concepts.
• A letter written by me, filled with their target sound for reading aloud.
This activity is always exciting for the children and adds a lot of fun to our day.
Write Stories on the Computer
When your child reaches the generalization stage for the sound(s) they’re working on, invite him/her to write a story using the computer. This is a fun event. Encourage your child to be as creative or silly as s/he wishes. Go to The Story-Making Machine to create stories, print them off, or submit them to be published on the website to be shared with family, friends and relatives. Chalk Talk
My child enters the room and begins talking to me. Without explaining, I begin to write any word spoken that contains the target sound. The child usually quickly catches on to what I am doing, becomes very aware of correct sound production, and begins to use many more words containing the target sound. My paper quickly fills as I beg for him to stop working me so hard. The child then uses each word in a sentence, erasing one word at a time Poems
Create/read poems for great language development. Specific sounds can be practiced, rhythm, rhyme, vocabulary, dramatic play can be developed. Mystery Box
When working on developing descriptive words, make a mystery box. The child puts an item in the box and writes three clues about the object. The other children try to guess the object. Language Sample
Playing with Play Dough is a wonderful opportunity for me to sit back and listen to my child’s language. It’s important to remember to not always have it be teacher directed, but, rather, let the child take the lead. Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
I have had my children create a “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” activity for me. They have to create 14 multiple-choice questions, and hopefully, will stump me. Lots of vocabulary is involved. Music
The flow and rhythm of music seem to enhance many language and speech skills. Use a piano, guitar, autoharp, etc., just pound a rhythm on the tabletop, or clap in time to the music for added reinforcement. Hokey Pokey
Read the book “Hokey Pokey”, talking about right and left and various body parts. Then listen to the song, have everyone stand in a circle, and do the dance, emphasizing the concepts right and left. Put a piece of red tape on their right hand to help them. Adolescent Materials
If adolescent materials for language development are not age-appropriate, they are not very motivating. I use a lot of regular board games that they enjoy, such as Scattergories, TRI-Bond, etc. Great for building language skills. Stuttering
I have used the The Stuttering Home Page quite a bit over the past couple of years and have found it to be very helpful. Last year my child became an “email pal” with another stuttering student. Making Materials
Children enjoy helping to make materials, so we often make flashcards, etc. during our time together. This provides lots of time for language practice, and the materials are useful for other times. Social Language
Have your child invite friends for a cooking activity. This is a great time to practice social language skills with others in their environment. Labeling Clothes
For early childhood, have the children name/imitate/sign outside clothing. Talk about the four seasons and the how the clothes are different for different weather. This will encourage vocabulary development. Independent Activities
If there are times when you are not ready to sit down with your child right away, have pre-set activities/assignments for them to do without you. (Tell/write two things they did over the weekend, write down a phrase, and have them find small words, rhyme with a specified word, etc.) Concept Development
For concept development, I say, “I am thinking of something. Chicken belongs, but elephant doesn’t. Pig belongs but zebra doesn’t.”
Twirling Words
Put three words or pictures containing the target sound or two language concepts on a piece of paper measuring about 6" x 2". Add different words or pictures to many slips of paper this size. Put the children’s' chairs facing each other in a clear area about 2 feet apart. Have them pretend to put glue on their chairs and then sit down, reminding them that they cannot leave their chairs. Choose one person to be first and toss a slip of paper up in the air above her/his head. The child’s job is to catch the twirling piece of paper without leaving the chair. If it falls to the floor, it is left there to be picked up later for a "second chance". If the paper is caught, h/she reads the words, or acts out the concepts (ex: big, little) and puts them into a sentence, using good speech. It is then the second person's turn. This is a noisy, active game that always provides a lot of fun and laughter while the children practice their target sounds in a natural spontaneous setting. If you like, you can count who has the most at the end
Using the Computer to Support IEP Goals
When a child with speech/language deficits has available computer time, have him/her use
links that correlate with IEP goals. They will benefit from the additional practice in strengthening targeted deficits while having having fun. Focused, Small-Group Discussions
Whether in the classroom, or around the kitchen table at home, children learn to stay on topic, the rules for turn taking in our society, how to interact with others, and how to use a question when they have no information to add to a discussion. Drama or Role-Play
Children can take advantage of opportunities for successfully using the language they have by acting out plays or situations. In doing this, they learn to express difficult ideas in alternative ways. Sequencing and attention skills are strengthened, as well as the child's ability to interact with other individuals. Retelling
Ask the child to retell experiences, stories, etc. to encourage organizing and recalling of information. Sequencing Activities
Sequencing activities help children focus on the order of tasks or ideas and to use these organizing principles to complete tasks, to plan, or to evaluate the outcomes of their activities.
|
