Category: Giveaway

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New Giveaway: Speech Therapy for Apraxia – Words

A little while ago I reviewed “Speech Therapy for Apraxia-WORDS” by Blue Whale Apps. You can Find this post HERE. Similarly to Speech Therapy for Apraxia, the Words version is designed for working on motor planning with children and adults presenting with developmental or acquired apraxia of speech. However, this app focuses on the child producing monosyllabic words vs. individual syllables.

There are 9 different word groups to chose from and the words are categorized according to place of articulation of the phonemes and pattern of articulation within the word.  Similar to the Speech Therapy for Apraxia app,  the goal of WORDS is to gradually increase the levels  of difficulty to improve motor planning for speech.

To recap from the previous post what I like about this app:

  • The word groups are arranged in a hierarchical order of complexitywhich is hugely important.
  • Great for drills of CVC  monosyllabic words with very involved children.
  • Great for introducing new words into the child’s repertoire.
  • Pictures are provided (great for teaching vocabulary)
  • Audio models are provided, which is great for all clients but particularly for very young children.
  • This app is perfect for drills so you can use it in the initial stages of working with children with a variety of speech sound deficits including articulation and phonological disorders.
  • Parents can use this app to practice at home what was taught in therapy.

Please note that the app works on iPad, Android devices and the Nook

The app developer was kind enough to provide me with 3 copies of this app AGAIN to give away to a few lucky contestants so enter my Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to check out this awesome app for yourself for free.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Trivia Night Answers and Winners

Thank you all who participated in yesterday’s Trivia Night!

Below you’ll find answers to round’s questions as well as the names of winners for each round.

Round 1: Early Child Development

1. Name at least 3 characteristics of child directed speech

These include: motherese, repetition, modeling speech, simple syntax, slowing rate, using a higher pitch as well as using an exaggerated intonation pattern.

2. What is the critical period hypothesis? It is a time period during which language acquisition takes place

3. Name at least 3 functions of communicative behavior during infancy

These include: obtaining attention, seeking approval, seeking assistance, seeking attachment just to name a few

4. Name 2 types of echolalia: Immediate and Delayed

5.  What is jargon and up until what age is it appropriate in children?  Jargon is not true speech but rather pre-linguistic “nonsensical” vocalizations which involve adult-like stress and intonation patterns.  Jargon usually begins to occur around 10-11 months of age in children and can typically last up until about 18 months of age give or take depending on the individual development rate of the child in question. 

Round 2: Internationally Adopted Children 

1. As related to internationally adopted (IA) children, what does the acronym CLM stand for and what does it mean?

CLM stands for Cognitive Language Mastery. It is the language needed for formal academic learning. This includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing about subject area content material including analyzing, synthesizing, judging and evaluating presented information. This level of language learning is essential for a child to succeed in school. CLM typically takes years and years to master, especially because, IA children did not have the same foundation of knowledge and stimulation as bilingual children in their birth countries.

2. ”The pattern of language acquisition in internationally adopted children is often referred to as a second first language acquisition” (Scott et al., 2011). Why? Because the first language (which is typically delayed and limited to begin with due to adverse effects of institutionalization) becomes completely obsolete as English is learned. So they end up learning L2 literally from scratch. 

3. Why CAN’T we treat Internationally Adopted children as bilingual speakers? Because they are typically adopted by parents who do not speak their birth language as a result of which they experience rapid birth language attrition and forget their birth language very rapidly.  

4. IA children may present with “normal” language abilities but still display significant difficulties in this area of functioning cognitive-academic and or social pragmatic communication (acceptable responses). 

5.  Finish the following sentence: “Any child with a known history of speech and language delays in the sending country should be considered to have true delays or disorders and should receive speech and language services after adoption.” (Glennen, 2009, p.52)

Round 3: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

1. FASD is an umbrella term for the range of effects that can occur due to maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy which may create physical, cognitive, behavioral, as well as learning/language deficits. It is NOT a clinical diagnosis. Please list at least 3 CURRENT terms under the FASD umbrella (see http://depts.washington.edu/fasdpn/htmls/fasd-fas.htm for details)

  • —Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) 
  • —Partial FAS 
  • ———Static Encephalopathy (alcohol exposed)
  • Neurobehavioral Disorder (alcohol exposed)

2. Name at least 3 characteristics of infants/toddlers with alcohol related deficits

  • — —May show failure to thrive
  • Increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli 
  • —Delayed speech/language milestones
  • Decreased muscle tone and poor muscle coordination 
  • —Poor self regulation

3. Since behavioral problems become more pronounced during the school years, many researchers found that the primary deficit of school aged children with FASD is in the area of (acceptable responses below)

  • —Daily Functioning Skills
  • —Self-regulation difficulties
  • —Problem Solving Issues
  • —Social/emotional problems

4. Finish the following sentence: adolescents with FASD have significant —DIFFICULTY LEARNING FROM Experience 

5. Why is early detection of alcohol related deficits important? Because it can lead to 

  • —Early and Appropriate Service Delivery
  • —Improved Adaptability
  • —Improved Functioning
  • Improved Outcomes

AND NOW THE WINNERS:

Round 1: Kristin Yanchuleff Simmons      
Round 2: Christina Pillar Cook 
Round 3: Kristin Yanchuleff Simmons 
 
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SLP Trivia Night: Round Three

1. FASD is an umbrella term for the range of effects that can occur due to maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy which may create physical, cognitive, behavioral, as well as learning/language deficits. It is NOT a clinical diagnosis. Please list at least 3 CURRENT terms under the FASD umbrella.

2. Name at least 3 characteristics of infants/toddlers with alcohol related deficits.

3. Since behavioral problems become more pronounced during the school years, many researchers found that the primary deficit of school aged children with FASD is in the area of ____________

4. Finish the following sentence: adolescents with FASD have significant —DIFFICULTY LEARNING FROM _______

5. Why is early detection of alcohol related deficits important?

Place your responses under this blog post and number each response for clarity.

The first person to get all answers correct will have their choice of product from my online store.

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SLP Trivia Night: Round Two

1. As related to internationally adopted (IA) children, what does the acronym CLM stand for and what does it mean?

2. “The pattern of language acquisition in internationally adopted children is often referred to as a second first language acquisition” (Scott et al., 2011). Why?

3. Why CAN’T we treat Internationally Adopted children as bilingual speakers?

4. IA children may present with “normal” language abilities but still display significant difficulties in this area of functioning ___________.

5.  Finish the following sentence: “Any child with a known history of speech and language delays in the sending country should _____________________”.

Place your responses under this blog post and number each response for clarity.

The first person to get all answers correct will have their choice of product from my online store.

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SLP Trivia Night: Round One

1. Name at least 3 characteristics of child directed speech

2. What is the critical period hypothesis?

3. Name at least 3 functions of communicative behavior during infancy

4. Name 2 types of echolalia

5.  What is jargon and up until what age is it appropriate in children?

Place your responses under this blog post and number each response for clarity.

The first person to get all answers correct will have their choice of product from my online store.

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Tuesday July 30th is Trivia Night!

This Tuesday is my turn to host SLP Trivia Night. Created by Kristine of Simply Speech (graphic by Carrie of  Carrie’s Speech Corner),  Trivia Night involves different SLP Bloggers hosting a night of trivia SLP related questions on their respective Facebook pages.  Jen of Speech Universe did it on July 16, Jocelyn of Ms. Jocelyn Speech did it on July 23rd and now it’s my turn.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, July 30th) I will be hosting this event on my Facebook Page at 9:00 p.m EST.  I am going to have three different rounds at

1. 9:00 pm: First round is on Early Child Development

2. 9:15 pm: Second round is on Internationally Adopted (IA)  Children

3. 9:30 pm: Third round is on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

Each round will consist of 5 questions on each of the above topics. Each set of questions will be posted on my blog with a link provided on my Facebook Page.

Contestants will be asked to answer ALL 5 questions under the blog entry for a chance to win.

In each round the first person to get all 5 questions correct will have their choice of products from my online store.  I hope to see you all there for SLP Trivia Night!

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Product Review: Interactive WH question Megabundle by Speech2u

coverToday I am excited to review a cool WH question 97 page Mega Bundle  by Kelly of Speech2u.

Kelly created this activity to help children with significant language impairments (e.g., ASD, intellectual disability, etc) answer who, what and where questions given fun visuals.

Her intent was to allow the SLPs to control the levels of difficulty by adjusting the # of choices or selecting similar choices to reduce the task complexity.

Bundle content:

48 WHERE cards

where mat
32 WHO cards

36 WHAT cards

126 QUESTION cards

who magic xharacters
Teaching slides/graphic organizers for each question type

locations

Question sorting Mat

wh mats

Game and Activity ideas for each set of cards

9 homework sheets with generalization questions

who questions list
Sample Goal Hierarchies

smaple goals

If using Sorting Mats Kelly recommends printing, laminating and cutting out PEOPLE, OBJECT and LOCATION cards. Then having the students sort the cards based on the type of question they need to answer.  Some of her game recommendations include personalization: such as cutting out Logos from popular stores/restaurants from ads (ex. Walmart, Target) and asking questions like “Where do we go to get ______, or What is your favorite ______? etc. Other game suggestions include adding pictures of familiar buildings or places: favorite parks, museums, relatives houses and asking questions like:  “Where did you go on ____?” Or “Where did ____ last week?”

I love how many activities games and suggestions Kelly offers in this bundle.  In contrast to other ‘wh’ question sets available on the market from popular SLP vendor companies, hers just happens to be very visually appealing in terms of graphics, as well as offers a number of extra features for teaching concrete ‘wh’ questions.  You can find this bundle in Kelly’s TPT store HERE  or you can head over to her BLOG and enter to win a free copy in a Rafflecopter Giveaway!

Kelly is also currently reviewing my Speech Language Assessment of Older Internationally Adopted Children packet on her BLOG . So I will also be giving away a copy of it in a Rafflecopter Giveaway below.

SO DON’T FORGET TO READ BOTH REVIEWS AND ENTER BOTH GIVEAWAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR CHANCES TO WIN BOTH Prizes!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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App Review and Giveaway: Speech Therapy for Apraxia – Words

A little while ago I reviewed “Speech Therapy for Apraxia” by Blue Whale Apps. You can Find this post HERE. I liked that app so much so I asked the developer to take a look at the next level of this app “Speech Therapy for Apraxia – Words”.

Similarly to Speech Therapy for Apraxia, Speech Therapy for Apraxia-Words is designed for working on motor planning with children and adults presenting with developmental or acquired apraxia of speech. Continue reading App Review and Giveaway: Speech Therapy for Apraxia – Words

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App Review and Giveaway: Speech Therapy for Apraxia – NACD Home Speech Therapist

Recently I got the opportunity to take a look at the “Speech Therapy for Apraxia – NACD Home Speech Therapist” by Blue Whale Apps.

According to the developer the app is applicable to

• SLPs with individuals with apraxia (both children and adults)
• Parents working with children with apraxia
• Traditional articulation practice (drills)

Developed by the National Association for Child Development (NACD) by an SLP, the Apraxia app provides choices of different phonemes to target and gradually increases the levels  of difficulty to improve motor planning for speech. Continue reading App Review and Giveaway: Speech Therapy for Apraxia – NACD Home Speech Therapist

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And now on the Importance of Context Clues!

I am a huge fan of teaching children context clues to navigate text. Context clues are hints of information that help us figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words. Context clues are the words and sentences that surround a word and help explain the word’s meaning. Context clues are hugely important because their comprehension and effective usage leads to academic success. They can increase the child’s vocabulary, reading comprehension, and  make children better readers.

I am always looking for more materials to teach children how to interpret context clues which is why I was very excited when i got the opportunity to review Carrie’s of Carrie’s Speech Corner: “Out of This World! Context Clues“. This alien themed 21 page packet was created by Carrie to help students learn to use context clues by figuring out the meaning of nonsense words.

The premise is super cute and engaging. Student get to be the astronaut exploring a new planet who encounters aliens who speak a language similar to English, but with some very different words.  So her first set entitled “Context Clues Multiple Choice Cards” has  20  stories in color (which are also repeated in black and white) which have nonsense-words from the “alien language.” Based on the context of the story students need to figure out the meaning of the alien word.

The second activity is called “Out of this World Dictionary” in which students get to create a dictionary using the alien words they’ve  learned from the short stories. an answer key is provided of course.

The third activity involves matching English words to alien words by drawing a line, while the fourth activity is focused on making silly sentences with the alien words. There are two levels to this activity the first involving only one word while the second 2 words.

After  that is “Category Sort” in which students fill in the allotted boxes with the alien words that best fit into the categories (such as sports, colors, school subjects, etc.)

Finally, the last activity is super fun. Students get to figure out their alien name by using a cipher.

I love the fact that this packet is heavily focused on problem solving and critical thinking skills because so many of our students can benefit from an extra dose of that. Depending on the students abilities and cognitive levels the packet might be applicable with a wide variety of age levels ranging from early elementary through middle school.  You can find this packet in Carrie’s TPT Store HERE for a mere $2.50.

But that’s not all Carrie is doing a review of my Language Difference vs. Language Disorder Packet on her blog  so we decided to do a giveaway of our respective products.  She is doing a giveaway of my product I am doing a giveaway of hers, so enter my Rafflecopter giveaway below to win and don’t forget to head to Carrie’s Blog for an opportunity to maximize your chances to win both.

a Rafflecopter giveaway