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Addressing Critical Thinking Skills via Picture Books in Therapy

Critical thinking are a set of skills children need to make good independent decisions.  Critical thinking abilities involve children analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information in order to recognize patterns, distinguish right from wrong, offer opinions, anticipate reactions to their actions, compare scenarios to choose favorable outcomes, as well as consider a variety of solutions to the same problem.

Even for typically developing children critical thinking can at times be a bit of a challenge and needs to be nurtured and encouraged through a variety of ways. However, for language impaired children, critical thinking skills hierarchy needs to be explicitly addressed in therapy sessions in order to improve these children’s independent decision-making abilities.

Teaching critical thinking skills to language impaired students is no easy feat especially considering the “seriousness” of the subject matter.  One fun way I like to address critical thinking skills is through picture books utilizing the framework outlined in Bloom’s Taxonomy: Cognitive  Domain which encompasses the following categories: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Prior to story reading ask the children to flip through the pictures and ask them questions regarding what the story might be about and what could be some potential story problems based on provided pictures.

During story reading actively question the child to ensure that they are not just passive story listeners (e.g., “Why do you think…?). Begin with basic story recall of characters, events, and outcomes (knowledge). Here asking simple -wh- questions will do the trick. Then move on to checking on what the child has done with the knowledge by asking him/her to identify main ideas of the stories as well as associate, compare, contrast and classify information (comprehension).

As you are reading the story as students to compare and contrast different characters as well as different story situations.  Children can also critically compare different (satirical) story versions of popular tales like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.

Involve children in active story discussion and analysis by asking questions the answers to which are not directly found in the story (e.g., Who else do you know who also…?; Why do you think the ___did that?) Ask the student to identify each characters motives.  When looking at a particular problem in the story ask the student how they would solve a similar real-life problem (application).

Have them weigh in pros and cons of the characters choices. Make a ridiculous statement about a story or character and have the students argue with you and explain constructively why they disagree with it. It will teach them how to find weaknesses in someone else’s reasoning. Ask the children to synthesize the presented story by generalizing it to relate to another story or an episode from their daily life.

Consider covering up story ending to have the students create their own creative alternate story conclusions. Do a shared story reading in group therapy sessions and then have a debate (e.g, Who is your favorite character and why?) in which each child has to provide appropriate rationale in order to successfully defend their point of view.

Teaching children critical thinking skills is an integral part of therapy since children need to use their language skills effectively in order to make informed decisions and function appropriately in social and academic settings.

Looking for suggestions on the hierarchy of addressing analogical problem skills then grab this one page FREEBIE I created entitled “Teaching Hierarchy of Problem Solving Skills to Children with Learning Disabilities” from my online store HERE.

So how are you teaching critical thinking skills in therapy?

Helpful Resources:

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Birthday Giveaway Day Sixteen: Halloween Safety Packet

halloween safetyIt’s DAY 16 of my Birthday Month Giveaways and I am raffling off a giveaway by Happily SLP entitled: “Halloween Safety & Problem Solving: Elementary, Middle School and High School

This packet contains problem solving as well as social safety situations pertinent to trick-o-treating on Halloween. Scenarios include: emergencies, expressing feelings, perspective taking and flexible thinking.

Packet Contents:

  • Halloween Social Scenario Cards for Elementary Students
  • Halloween Blank Character Cards
  • Thinking Through Problems Chart
  • Social Scenario and Problem Solving Cards for Middle and High School Students
  • Blank Spider Web Cards
  • Colored Halloween Dominoes
  • Black & White Halloween Dominoes

This packet is great for students of different ages and has much needed materials for both middle school and high school students which are accompanied by age-level scenarios and graphics.

You can find this product in Happily SLP  TPT store by clicking  HERE or you can enter my one day giveaway for a chance to win.
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Birthday Month Extravaganza: Week Three Giveaway Lineup

Birthday Graphic

My birthday month continues with the WEEK THREE post and giveaway lineup. Take a look at the below schedule and decide whether you want to enter a few giveaways or all of them, it’s really up to you!   Each giveaway will last only one day so you better keep up because if you blink you’ll miss it!

week 3 schedule

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Birthday Giveaway Day Fourteen: Vocabulary (Tier 2) Building for Older Students

ap1I am wrapping up the second week of my birthday giveaways by raffling off Vocabulary Building for Older Students Packet by Rose of Speech Snacks. This apple-themed product focuses on developing rich vocabulary through the use of specific strategies and is inspired by the book ”Bringing Words to Life” Isabelle L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan.

Packet Contents:

  • Vocabulary strategy cards
  • Apple-themed reading passages with tier -2 words and vocabulary-building strategy cards  
  • Comprehension questions related to each story 
  • Reinforcement game

You can find this product in Speech Snacks’ TPT store by clicking HERE or you can enter my one day giveaway for a chance to win.

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Birthday Giveaway Day Thirteen: Corduroy Book Companion

corduroyIt’s DAY 13 of my Birthday Month Giveaways and I am raffling off a giveaway by Gold Country SLP , which is a  Corduroy Book Companion

This delightful 49 page packet is based on the book Corduroy by Don Freeman and designed to accompany it by targeting receptive and expressive language skills based on the content of the book.
Product Contents:

  • Vocabulary cards
  • Definition cards
  • Story Sequencing cards
  • Sequencing words cards (first, next, then, etc.)
  • Comprehension Question cards
  • Social Skill/Pragmatic Questions & Scenarios
  • Story Props for retelling
  • Game board
  • Yes/no questions with icons designed to enable a point-to response
  • Story maps for different levels of function
  • Grammar activities targeting pronouns: has/have

You can find this product in Gold Country SLP TPT store by clicking HERE or you can enter my giveaway for a chance to win.
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Birthday Giveaway Day Twelve: Columbus Day Explorer Freebie

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What better way to celebrate a birthday than to get presents?  Well here’s a fun little present Maria of  Communication Station: Speech Therapy has cooked up just in time for Columbus Day.  For those of you who follow her new and improved blog, Communication Station: Speech Therapy  you know how much she loves to use thematic units to support communication development.

She’s done examples of how she creates thematic therapy units for younger children but haven’t shared anything for older students until today.

This packet is perfect for students in the upper elementary grades, middle school, and depending on cognitive level and communication goals, possibly some high school students as well.

It includes background knowledge/post learning worksheet where students have the opportunity to share what they already know, want to learn, and have learned after either doing their own research or reading the short story enclosed in the packet.

Along with the short story there is a comprehension questions worksheet that students can independently complete or complete as a group.

Next is a vocabulary synonyms match-up sheet that can be used to pre-teach vocabulary (note: vocabulary words highlighted in red in the short story), teach while reading using context clues, or post teach/review.  Again this sheet can be completed independently on in a group.

Following this sheet, there is a writing prompt in which your students will be given the opportunity to use some creative thinking and reasoning skills to write a narrative about exploration.  In addition, there is a guided questions sheet for younger students or students who have difficulty organizing their thoughts.

Finally, enclosed in this packet are 10 true/false cards.  Each statement is about explorers and their role in history.  Weather the facts are true or false they are followed by additional information your students can learn regarding each topic.

You can grab your free copy of this packet here!  Be advised of Communication Station terms of use: the packet is for personal use only, redistribution of it is strictly prohibited.  Feel free to direct your friends to her site for their free copy as well.

Enjoy and happy talking and exploring!

Maria Del Duca, M.S. CCC-SLP, is a pediatric speech-language pathologist in southern, Arizona.  She owns a private practice, Communication Station: Speech Therapy, PLLC, and has a speech and language blog under the same name.  Maria writes a monthly column on all topics related to child development, titled Kid Confidential, on the American Speech-Language and Hearing Associations blog, ASHAspere.  She has experience in various settings such as private practice, hospital and school environments and has practiced speech pathology in NJ, MD, KS and now AZ.  Maria has a passion for early childhood, autism spectrum disorders, rare syndromes, and childhood Apraxia of speech.  For more information, visit her blog or find her on Facebook.

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Birthday Giveaway Day Eleven: Language Logic

school language logicOn DAY 11 of my Birthday Month Giveaways I am raffling off a giveaway by SLPrunner, which is a  ”Language Logic” activity pack for school. It targets the following skills:

  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Executive Functions
  • Sequencing
  • Negative Questions
  • Identification of Salient Details

All activities include school themes full of colorful graphics and focus on:

  • Schedule arranging
  • Guess what’s in the backpack?
  • What field trip each grade is going on?
  • Find your snack

They are great for helping children develop critical-thinking and executive function skills important for social and academic success.

You can find this product in SLPrunner, TPT store by clicking HERE  or you can enter my one day giveaway for a chance to win.
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Birthday Giveaway Day Ten: Guess What…It’s my BIRTHDAY!

Guess what? Today is my actual birthday! So what better way to celebrate it than to give away a HUGE 112 page log Birthday Themed Packet from Twin Sisters Speech and Language Therapy BlogThis fun themed unit could be used all year long.

Select Packet Contents:

  •  Birthday present themed reinforcer page.
  • Pin the Tail On The Donkey “WH” Question Game.
  • Birthday Party Memory Match Game & Vocabulary Cards.
  • Birthday Party Game Board, Die & Markers.
  • Birthday Party BINGO.
  • Birthday 8 to 12 piece puzzles.
  • Birthday Party Maze.
  • Birthday Lacing Page.
  • Blank birthday cards.
  • Balloon pencil toppers.
  • Birthday badges.
  • Birthday boy and girl certificates.
  • Birthday crowns
  • Birthday coloring pages.
  • Birthday party item color sort
  • Birthday balloon color page.
  • Birthday Party Matching
  • Number and count the cupcakes.
  • Birthday party item size sort.
  • Birthday object and color naming cards.
  • Body part identification activity.
  • Direction Following Activity.
  • Preposition pages.
  • Pronoun pages.
  • Seasons sorting activity.
  • Months sorting activity
  • Problem Solving Therapy Cards
  • Upper and lowercase letter match.
  • Trace and copy the letter and word pages.
  • Alphabetize the birthday party related words.
  • Birthday word find.
    • AND MUCH MUCH MORE

You can find this product in  Twin Sisters  TPT store by clicking HERE or you can enter my one day giveaway for a chance to win this awesome packet. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Birthday Giveaway Day Nine:If You Take a Mouse to School Book Companion and add-on

On DAY 9 of my Birthday Month Giveaways I am raffling off a giveaway by The Speech Bucket, which is a  “If you take a mouse to school” book companion AND an Add-on Activity. That’s right not one but two great activity packet’s with everyone’s favorite mischievous mouse.

If you take a mouse to school 17 page packet includes activities that target sequencing, story retell and comprehension (with and without picture support), basic language concepts, following directions, and much more (e.g., board game, bingo, writing, etc.)

Add-on Activity has adorable pictures that go with what the mouse sees when you take him to school, beach, and farm.  In short these 2 activity packets have lots of nice materials to last you at least several sessions.

You can find these products in  The Speech Bucket TPT store by clicking HERE and HERE or you can enter my one day giveaway for a chance to win.
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Birthday Giveaway Day Eight: Columbus Day Reader’s Informative Theater

Columbus Day Reader's Informative TheaterToday I am very exited to bring you DAY 8 of my Birthday Month Giveaways by raffling off a giveaway by All Y’All Needwhich is a Columbus Day Reader’s Informative Theater.

This enchanting 24 page packet contains b &w as well as color scripts and character cards (King Ferdinand, Queen Isabella, Christopher Columbus as well as boy and girl) and a graphic organizer activity (I know, I want to know, I learned).

It’s perfect for teaching children facts about Columbus day in a fun, informative and interactive way.

You can find this product in All Y’All Need TPT store by clicking HERE or you can enter my one day giveaway for a chance to win.
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