|
SPEECH THERAPY ACTIVITIES
March 2001
Volume III, Issue 7
Publication information: Copyright "Speech Therapy Activities" 1999 - 2006. All Rights reserved. Copies may be distributed without alteration electronically free of charge. This newsletter may be reproduced without alteration, for non-commercial purposes without prior permission. "Speech Therapy Activities" does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Non-Verbal and AAC, When, Why, and How
Letting Kids in on the Technology Adventure
Near Christmas, a first-grade boy excitedly came into the classroom and placed a gift mug filled with toy soldiers on his teacher's desk. She asked what it was for, and he replied, "The best part of waking up is soldiers in your cup." from Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul
Non-Verbal and AAC, When, Why, and How
Many parents and professionals are concerned about using augmentative/alternative forms of communication (AAC) with young children because they are worried that the child will not talk if given the alternate form to use. Research is showing the opposite is true; using sign, pictures, or written words can help the child to become verbal. Children will "naturally" use the most effective and efficient way possible to get their communicative needs met, which is verbal. When we speak words "fly out" of our mouths and disappear. By providing a visual representation of the word, children with language concerns have something to "hold on to". Once they can hold on to the word and say it, they will not have the need for AAC.If we are teaching the child to speak, we speak to them. When we want a child to use sign language, we sign to them. If we are expecting the child to use a picture symbol to communicate, then we should, naturally use picture symbols to communicate to them. If we want the child to chose a color reward sticker, using picture symbols, then we should use the picture symbol phrase "What color?" paired with the verbal words when asking. Here are some ideas to help get you started:
Use puzzles that are category based (food, animals, ABCs, etc). Make a communication board with picture symbols that represent each piece. Make another board for yourself with picture symbols that represent your questions ("Which puzzle?" "Need help?" "What piece?"). Use your board to ask and use their board for the response.
When reciting nursery rhymes and fingerplays using picture symbols, leave off the ending picture symbol and let the children fill in the blanks.
Use classic stories (3 Little Pigs) or repetitive stories (Brown Bear, Brown Bear) and leave out key words. Let the children fill in the missing words.
Sit down and color in a coloring book! Ask the child to pass you the color crayons that you can't reach. Be sure and use picture symbols when asking.
More colors….Cut large squares or circles out of different colors of colored cellophane wrap. Ask (using picture symbols) "What color?". Whatever color the child chooses let him/her look through the color to see the world differently.
Letting Kids in on the Technology Adventure
If you don't have a digital camera yet, seriously consider getting one. Children can learn just about any language content, use, or form using photographs of themselves. It increases their interest and motivation. If you don't have a digital camera, you can certainly use a Polaroid or even a disposable camera, but once you see the remarkable progress your students make, you may save yourself a lot of money on photo processing. The children learn from being active participates in the process of making the pictures. If you have access to a computer then you don't have to print up anything, just use the monitor. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Wh-questions. Take pictures of classmates, teachers and staff, family, friends. Ask "who" questions. Take pictures of the child doing things, then when looking back over the pictures, as "what are you doing?" and you can also ask "where" questions.
Sequencing. Great activity for the playground, art, music and other special events. Take 3 to 4 pictures and let the child sequence and talk about them. A good example is using the slide. Take a picture of the child going up, sitting on the top, then going down, and one standing or sitting on the ground below the slide.
Prepositions. Get the children under, on top of, behind, between different objects (furniture or outside playground equipment to take photographs. You'll be amazed at how quickly they learn prepositions.
Verb tensing. Capture photographs of the child in various activities, then work on past tense when looking at the pictures together.
For a real challenge, make an interactive book together using the photos in a PowerPoint slide show. You can insert text to describe the picture and/or record sentences as a .wav file and insert them into the slide. For directions on recording and saving .wav files, go to our how to files.
|
