Farm Animals Come to Speech - 25+ Links

While labeling farm animals is not a functional
communication skill for those students with no or
limited expressive language, the language taught
while playing with the barn and animals can
be functional across all environments. Use core
vocabulary words and phrases such as go, in,
out, eat, walk, run, go in, you get, and want drink. 

The farm animal theme has always been one of my favorites to use in therapy. Below you will find 25+ links to therapy activity ideas covering a wide range of speech and language goals. 

I like 5 Language Goals to Target with a Farm Set from Teach Talking.com

The post by Dabbling Speechie, Farm Themed Speech Therapy Toys and Materials, is full of good ideas. 

Read Talk with Derby's How to Use Farm Toys for Speech  

Look at WhitneySLP's room transformation on Down on the Speech Farm.

Allison Fors tells how she uses a toy farm in speech therapy at WHY YOU SHOULD BE USING A TOY FARM IN SPEECH THERAPY and click on this link to see her FREE Interactive Book.

Play the Animal Fun Game at Fisher-Price.com. Use a switch and switch interface to access this game and 11 other infant games. 

Play Peg + Cat's Chicken Coop at PBS.org while working on spatial concepts. This would be a great game played on a whiteboard. Don't let the students move the chickens. To increase language opportunities, have your students to tell YOU where to put the chickens.  Note there are 100 chickens to move. Instead of trying to move all of the chickens, set a timer - How many chickens did you move in five minutes? ten minutes?

Look at 5 Fabulous Farm Books for Speech Therapy from the My Speech Tools blog. She describes these read alouds, gives suggestions for language and literacy activities as well as vocabulary suggestions. 

Books for Teaching About Farms and Farm Animals for grades PreK, 1, and 2 can be found at Scholastic.com.

These apps were found at the Apple Store. The lite version
is free and the full version is $1.99. The full version is also
available at Amazon and Google Play. This app would go
well with the "Who's behind the barn door?" activity.
 You may want to consider watching the FREE
four-minute video of the Peekaboo Barn app on YouTube.
MORE - Farm Pic for Peekaboo Barn App (TpT) Free

It's easy to make 1234 More Storytimes's Flannel Friday: Who's Behind the Barn Door?  Use flannel or paper. For a no-prep activity, use your plastic farm animals and a barn. AND, a post at Buggy and Buddy has a similar FREE printable. Teach core vocabulary who, what, open, and behind.

Facilitate language using sensory bins. At Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls, see a farm sensory bin with a corn silo that really loads a tractor.  Another creative blogger planted grass in her sensory table. Visit The Thoughtful Spot Day Care to see her farm complete with grass! 

The Farmyard Jamboree, by Margaret Read MacDonald, is inspired by a Chilean folk tale and introduces members of a family along with a new farmyard animal and an animal baby on every page. This video, by Barefoot Books, would be a great follow-up activity. 

Teach core vocabulary words "who" and "not" while singing Who Took The Cookie? (Farm Animals Version) from Super Simple Songs.

Kizclub.com has story props for Old Macdonald Had a Farm, The Very Busy Spider, The Farmer in the Dell, The Cow Who Clucked, Cows in the Kitchen, Where is the Green Sheep, and Rosie's Walk. 


Sing Old MacDonald had a Farm and model the core words here and there. Use the story props from Kizclub or your own farm animal props. So much language can be modeled while playing with the FREE app Old MacDonald Had a Farm HD from Duck Duck Moose LLC (Apple Store).

Play a stop and go game while pretending to be farm animals (fly, swim, crawl, walk, moo, etc.). One example of this type of game can be found at PreKinders (see Horse Stop and Go). FREE masks can be printed at Life Over C's (you must subscribe to the newsletter to print the masks).  

There are many good ideas for farm theme activities on Make Learning Fun.com

Look at my post, Target Language Skills with Mr. Gumpy. I've used John Burningham's predictable book, Mr. Gumpy's Outing, in therapy many times. It's a simple book about children and farm animals who take a ride in Mr. Gumpy's boat.

There are many, many farm-themed activities at Teachers Pay Teachers. Here are a few of the FREE activities. 

• Play Dough Mats - Early Language Concepts On The Farm

• Spatial Concepts On The Farm: Freebie

• The /r/ Farm!

• Articulation Feeding Mats for Farm Animals: Initial /f/ Toy Companion FREEBIE

• Preschool Vocab Mini-Box Freebie!

Diana Quinn

© 2019

What to Tell Parents (and Teachers) about Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Before Asking Them to Use It

So many of us work with students/clients using speech-generating devices or low tech options such as core vocabulary boards. We want our students to use their AAC beyond the therapy setting but, do parents and teachers know where to begin?

It takes about 45 minutes, in a small group setting, to get parents and teachers excited about using the AAC. There will need to be follow-up, but covering the information below will help parents and teachers understand why certain vocabulary is used and how to begin. 

Before you begin training parents and teachers, you need to be comfortable with what you are telling them. There is so much more to AAC than setting up the device. All of these links are NOT for you to pass on to parents and teachers. These links are for you (SLPs) to use as you prepare training materials. 

1. Parents and teachers need to know we didn't randomly choose the words on the AAC system. Make sure you tell them a little about the research! The most popular dynamic display applications use research to determine their vocabulary setups. If using a dynamic display, try one of that company's recommended setups. If you are creating your own board, using a static display, or creating a communication book, look at these research-based lists before choosing your words. 

• AssistiveWare’s Ordered Core Words is based on the frequency of use, developmental order of acquisition, and flexibility of use for effective communication. You will need to be registered at the FREE AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom download this list. 

• The Dynamic Learning Maps™ (DLM) Core Vocabulary, from the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC Chapel Hill, is a list of core vocabulary words needed to communicate in both social and academic contexts. 

• Core Vocabulary – 300 Word Starter List from Language Functions and Early Generative Language Production by Gail M. Van Tatenhove, PA, MS, CCC-SLP

2. Introduce core and fringe vocabulary. Show them where the core vocabulary and fringe vocabulary are located on the student's AAC system. Create a PowerPoint, outline, or other documents to guide you through your explanations. Find good resources at these sites. 

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Vocabulary Types - A Handy Handout from Super Duper Publications

• Project Core's Professional Development Modules are part of A Stepping-Up Technology Implementation Grant directed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at UNC Chapel Hill. 

• Core and Fringe Vocabulary: What It Is and How to Use It from the Autism Helper 

• Core and Fringe Vocabulary in AAC at Glenda's Assistive Technology Information and more...  

• If you haven't seen this, watch Gail Van Tatenhove's  The Power of Core Vocabulary: Life Saving!

Too Busy? Too Small? How many children, with
limited expressive language skills,
easily use tablets or their parent’s phones?

3. Parents and teachers need to understand that communication is more than requesting. Their student/child needs a robust vocabulary to communicate for a variety of functions.  Experts tell us not to underestimate the amount of vocabulary needed and to begin with the number of cells the student can see and touch. More cells, on a single screen, require less navigation and will allow for more modeling opportunities. 

• This article, Choosing a Grid Size, supports using a larger grid size and is a must-read for SLPs. 
• Read Pat Mervine's blog post, Colorful Language,  talking about the ability to use multiple parts of speech and multiple functions of language on AAC systems. AND, check out her poster, Sure, I can request, but can I…?, illustrating the many functions of language.  

4. Tell parents and teachers about aided language input. Use the term you are most comfortable using. Parents and teachers like the term "modeling." They need to know that if they are using aided language input, they are teaching language on the AAC device the way typically developing children learn language. 

Parents and teachers also need to know that aided language input takes practice. It's not easy at first. I suggest to parents and teachers that they plan ahead and choose a few activities to model daily during the first week or so. Know the words they will model prior to the activity. Gradually increase the number of activities where modeling occurs until the modeling occurs naturally throughout the day. 

• AAC: Putting Aided Language Input into Practice from Saltillo has a good definition of Aided Language Input, suggestions for implementation, and a nice comparison of typical language and the language of those who use AAC. 
• Aided Language Input Explained, from Chris Bugaj, is a good example to show parents. 

Diana

© 2019

“Choosing a grid size.” https://www.assistiveware.com/learn-aac/choosing-a-grid-size. Accessed 18 Apr. 2019.

Paine, Steve. “Baby Sees The iPad Magic .” Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/umpcportal/4581962986/. Accessed 18 Apr. 2019.

The Picture Communication Symbols ©1981–2019 by Tobii Dynavox. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission.  Boardmaker® is a trademark of Tobii Dynavox.

Gotta Go Buffalo - A Book About Saying Goodbye

I just purchased this book for my grandson and know I will enjoy reading it to him.  However, I couldn't stop thinking about how I could use it in therapy. Gotta Go, Buffalo, by Kevin and Haily Meyers, is a great book to read at the end of the school year. Practice greetings and learn about rhyming. Pair it with an animal or transportation theme. 

 If you want to know more before you buy, see the complete book at Storytime with Mama Emi. 

Pair the book with Time to Go!: An End-of-the-Day Chant, a fabulous PowerPoint Freebie from PB and J at Teachers Pay Teachers. 

Make a Hello/Goodbye Elephant and more - visit Sunflower Storytime.




Make a classroom or take home book. Make your own or use one of the following.

•  KinderLit's ready-to-print Free Goodbye Rhyming Book at Teachers Pay Teachers. 
• The Good-bye Classroom Book made for you and your students to complete. Free at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Practice saying hi and goodbye to a variety of animals. This is a great whole classroom activity. Quickly give each child an animal. Tell the children to say hi to the animals. Set a timer for just a few minutes. With your animal, demonstrate actions and/or position words (go up, go under the chair, fly, walk, etc.) and ask your students to imitate. When the timer goes off, the children say goodbye and pass their animal to the child on the left so that everyone gets a new animal. Say hi, set a timer, and repeat the activities with the new animals. 

Roll in vehicles, each containing an animal. Greet the animals as they come in and say goodbye as they leave the area. 

Check out these sites containing Goodbye and Hello songs and rhymes. 

Hello and Goodbye Lyrics from Dr. Jean 

Good Bye Friends a goodbye song from Maple Leaf Learning and The Singing Walrus  

STORY TIME STARTER: HELLO and GOODBYE from the Mansfield Richland County Public Library in Ohio.  

The Goodbye Song for Kids from Kindergarten and Preschool Songs by ELF Learning

Goodbye, See You Soon from Super Simple Songs.

Diana

© 2019

Video Modeling - Timesaving Resources

One of my first attempts at video modeling. "Legos do NOT go in the microwave."
Middle school students were learning about kitchen safety and
using the core vocabulary phrase "not go in."

I have a colleague who makes video models that work wonderfully with her most difficult students. I know she must spend an incredible amount of her family time preparing these videos. As I watched her in therapy, I thought of all the possible ways I could use video modeling but wondered where I would find the time. 

Recently, a parent told me how well a particular online video modeling program helped her child with speech production and sadly discontinued it due to the cost. Are there any FREE or low-cost resources? I did a little digging and this is what I found. 

iMovie

• Get the basics at Chris Reeve's Autism Classroom News and Resources where you will find Video Modeling: What Is It and Why Use It? and Video Modeling: Tips and Tricks. 

• Speech Techie wrote about video modeling and the iMovie app in two blog posts,  Research Tuesday- Video Modeling and iMovie (Part 1) and Video Modeling and iMovie (Part 2).

• I liked Seeing is Believing: Using Video Modeling for Effective Therapy by Tom Buggey, Ph.D.  He mentioned confidentially issues to consider as well as demonstrating Point-Of-View Modeling. 

If you want ready-made video models, here are a few no-cost resources. 

Lindsey at Speechy Things wrote Using First Person Video Modeling as a Tool to Teach Children on the Autism Spectrum How to Play with Toys. Her post and the accompanying video links are fabulous.  

There are many other videos modeling play on YouTube. Start with Playing with Trains, Let's Play Ball, and  Playing Memory. 

Find a huge number of videos at That Speech Lady. She models using LAMP Words For Life™ in several videos. Watch AAC: LAMP WFL EAT! You will also find numerous videos modeling the production of phonemes and language concepts. 

Yak Back Pack's YouTube channel has quite a few videos you can use to model phoneme production. 

Search YouTube for modeling of specific phonemes. I couldn't resist this video of an orange demonstrating the production of /l/. 

Greeting and My Turn by autismvideomodeling are two of the many videos modeling social skills found on YouTube. Browse Watch Me Learn, Meredith Harrah, and villaspeech to find a video or search YouTube for specific skills. 

More . . . 

The FREE app, Story Creator, allows the addition of short video clips on each page. Great for modeling sequenced activities.

Look at this list of Social Stories & Video Modeling Apps. It includes some FREE and low-cost apps. 

No Ads!!!

If you find a video you like but want to show only a portion (and get rid of the ads), use SafeShare.tv. I really like Deborah Brooks' YouTube post, Color in Speech Book 6.  However, I only want to use the portion pertaining to /b/. I used SafeShare.tv to shorten the video and eliminate the ads. Check out the shortened video here. 

Diana

© 2019

“Film Strip - Free Clip Art.” http://sweetclipart.com/film-strip-956. Accessed 21 Apr. 2019.

35+ Simple (and FREE) Ideas for Beginning Core Word Users

This post began as a search for new core word activities. As I searched, I was amazed at some of the fabulous resources found.  Core words wasn't such a great search term.  I found many ideas by searching for core vocabulary,  core word books, sight word activities, and life skills activities. 

The PrAACtical AAC is my #1 source for core word strategies and activities. If you work with AAC users, consider subscribing to the blog. Two recent posts PrAACtically January: Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Words and PrAACtically February: Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Words have suggested children's literature selections along with the core words to teach with each book. AND, if you are just beginning to teach core words in your therapy sessions, Carole Zangari's post, Thoughts on Teaching Core Vocabulary is a must read! 

Susan Berkowitz has some very good ideas for incorporating AAC into your learners' day on her YouTube video, AAC Basics Video #9: Integrating Core Words into Interactions. 

Visit Gail Van Tatenhove's site to find Script Cards containing ideas for teaching 10 core words and many other resources. 

Core Word Books

Use core word books to model and teach core word vocabulary. Make them with PowerPoint or with your favorite story making app. OR use these resources to download FREE core word books. 

• For core word lessons and over 70 ready to download core word books, register for a free account at My TobiiDynavox Community.

• The core word starter lesson plans at PRC's Language Lab uses their 20 core starter words in FREE core word books and lesson plans. 

• Word of the Week books come with ideas for use and more. Word of the Week 1: Want and Word of the Week 41: Come, by Sister SLPs at TpT are FREE. 

• Tar Heel Reader has over 40,000 FREE books that can be read online or downloaded as a PDF or PowerPoint.  These books were made by readers of all ages. Download them as PowerPoints to change text, add core words, etc. I searched for core and found both core word books and books containing the word core. A search for AAC yielded two core word books. Search by topic, by core word, or phrase.

• Pat Mervine at Speaking of Speech just posted two core word books and added them her new category Core Language Materials. She created them in PowerPoint so that they could be modified as needed. I will be using Hungry Dog while teaching not next week! 

FREE Story Making Apps for your core word books. 

• Super Duper StoryMaker FREE 
• Story Creator - Easy Story Book Maker for Kids 
• Little Story Maker
• StoryKit 

This simple core word book was made to introduce the phrase "want different" prior to playing with a variety of windup toys. Click on the picture to enlarge. 

Use Apps and Toys to Elicit Core Words

Put it away - help, go in, put in, where go

Toca Kitchen Monsters - like, don't like, turn on, my turn, eat, make, put on 

 Toca Tea Party - eat, drink, want more drink, want more eat, you help  

My Playhome Lite - turn on, get, want, can, sit, go, in 

  

View Master - I see, my turn, what you see, I see it

The Parking Lot Game (download my free template as a PowerPoint to make your own) - go, where, what, on, fast, slow, turn


Put interesting objects in boxes. Students can request open it and use other words to talk about the items in the box. 

Use matching games to teach not that, same, or different.

Puzzles or toys with parts elicit want or want more. 

Simple board games will lead to utterances such as my turn, I go, you go, help me, and much more.  Check out Teaching core Words with Games at Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs. Scroll down to the bottom to find Adapting Commercial Games AND check out her other great ideas.  

More

These five-minute activities help students become more familiar with words on their device or board.

•  Write core words (or attach the word and symbol) on Legos and give the student the Lego each time that he finds the words. 

• Write words on ping pong balls and let students throw them in baskets as they find the words. 

• French Fry Articulation, at Speech Room News, could easily be adapted for a core word lesson - choose a fry and locate the core word on your device.  

• Let students choose words to add to Word Clouds or Wordle.

Try one of these short videos to give students a little breather during the session and give you another chance to model the core word or phrase. 

• Do you like Broccoli Ice Cream? and Do You Like Spaghetti Yogurt? from Super Simple Songs are great ways to teach like and don't like, or like and not like. 

• Students will like Pelican Talk's Doug the Dog Teaches You How to Use the Preposition "On" and Doug the Dog Teaches About the Preposition "In."

• Introduce the concept more with Baby Bean, also by Pelican Talk. 

• You may want to use some of Have Fun Teaching's 29 sight word songs. Songs include Go Song, I Song, In Song, For Song, Ask Song, and It Song. 

• Mr. Clown's Word of the Day: Sight Word "Not"

• Sesame Street: The Word is No

Make your own movie using iMovie (FREE if you have a device activated after September 2013) or a similar video editor for Android users. 

Want more? Join the Core Words Forum at Speaking of Speech to add your ideas, questions, and materials. Thanks to Pat for doing this!

Enjoy!

Diana

© 2016