Be My Guest, Be My Guest, Let's Put Those Ideas To The Test!

Ok so that's not how the "Beauty And The Beast" song goes, but it seemed to fit. 

I'd like to admit something.  This February I feel like my head is just floating above the water.  I'm longing for spring break when I'll be in Chicago cuddling with my little niece.  Until then I'm asking for some help from you all.  I would love to have a weekly guest post.  It could be lesson plan style, it could be ideas just for fluency, language or articulation etc.  Create a post and email it to me (with pictures preferably) and I will post them for all to see.  I've heard from a lot of people saying they wish they could put together a blog, but it's so time consuming.  Yes, it is time consuming, but I want everyone to get their wonderful, creative ideas out there.  This can be your place! 
So, email me your ideas written out exactly how you would like the post to be read (I will just copy and paste), pictures of your ideas (without your students in them please...I don't need a lawsuit!), and a short bio about yourself.  Please don't feel like they need to be long, elaborate posts, just a simple idea with an explanation and a picture would be super!

Thanks and I look forward to getting your ideas!

thespeechladyliz@gmail.com

Harold And The Purple Crayon

The theme this week for Pre-K and the PPCD (pre-school for children with multiple disabilities) is imagination.  Yikes! A lot of these kids have to be shown how to appropriately play with toys, so teaching them this abstract topic of imagination….I had my work cut out for me.  I decided it’s not so much about the imagination concept for these kids, but more of a vocabulary building exercise.  I love the book the teachers picked out and was excited to adapt it for these kids.  

AAC

I’m saving, saving, saving for an IPad, but until then I use this Go Talk during story time.

Here is the insert for the Go Talk.  

Sequencing

If I didn’t borrow this book from the library, I would have velcroed these vocabulary words to the pages in the book.  You can use these cards for either vocabulary building and/or sequencing at the end of the story. 

Purple Scavenger Hunt

Look around the room and have the student try to spot things that are purple.  I use these pre-scripted cards for some of my kids to help with creating those complete sentences. 

I found this cute song from this website and made cards to go with it. 

Following Directions

This is a short following directions activity.  You could use simple directions i.e. "Color a crayon yellow." or more complex, "Color the middle crayon red." Get your coloring page here.

Another fun activity would be to get a purple crayon and have your children draw something in front of the group.  The other children have to guess what it is.  If the children have higher language skills, the child drawing could give clues as to what they drew and see if their friends can guess.  

Enjoy!

Stop! It's Data Time!

Thanks to everyone who sent in their data sheets.  Here are several ideas that may work for you and your setting. 

*I didn't want to overwhelm you all with a ton of data collection forms so I will continue to have additional data collection posts.  Keep emailing me those data sheets! 
___________________________________________
Get the data sheet here.

"1) First print this form on one sheet of paper (front and back) There
are 36 slots on it which makes it big enough to hold one 9 weeks worth
of data, so at the end of the year you should only have 4 for each
student
2) The box that says "data" is big enough to hold a 1 x 2 5/8 inch
laser mailing label (Avery 5160)

3) During the day I keep my data on the laser mailing labels I put the
child's initials in the left corner and a note about the activity I
used across the top then I keep data on the label and at the end of
the day transfer the labels to their data logs in my speech notebook."

Thank you Amber Vaughan!
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Data Tracking Explanation
Data Collection Form
Attendance Form

Thank you Erica Sklad!
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"After 28 years, this is the process that has worked the best for me:
I use sticky/address labels.  I will have 1 sheet for each group, date the label and write what objective each student is working on that session.  I just tally for right/incorrect responses, and then get a %age. (Picture #1) When the whole sheet has been used, I'll peel the label and put it in my notebook.  In my notebook I have a shipping label with the student's name and the objectives on a piece of card stock. (Picture 2) I keep all of the labels on the card stock; that way, I can put each student's data in their own folder."

Thank you Mary Cooper!

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Some really great ideas! I think I really like the idea of using labels to take data during the day. 

In the district I work in we have a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that we use for every kid.  Since I don't have my computer attached to me at all times (wish I could), I use this sheet and then transfer the data over at the end of each week or month (depending on how productive I am).  I tape the data sheets into a spiral notebook and that way I have every thought that goes across my brain in one place.  I also print out the goal page from the child's IEP and if I need to reference it then I can. 
I don't know about all of you, but somehow I've memorized my 50+ caseload and all their goals.  That's approximately 250 goals....no wonder I can't remember where I put my keys half the time. :)