Speech Rocks! A Memory Book for Therapy Students

When I was brainstorming ideas for the end of the year, I wanted to create something for my kids and came up with an idea for speechie memory books!  You see tons of these for classrooms, but none specifically for speech...until now!

 I went with the very cool rockstar theme for this...mostly because I am always telling my kids they are rockstars :)

 The pages are split into halves for each page of the book you will make.  There are 5 full pages with two activities on each.  Students will either draw or write their answers on each, then you will cut down the middle line of each page to staple the half pages together to make a book.

They get to write about what they like, learned, and how they met goals.  I wanted to include pages which can help them reflect on the year and what they liked or didn't.  I think this will help me to learn what I can do better too.  

 Oh AND there is a color version!  You can use whichever is easiest for you (I know most of us are running low on color ink now :)).

You can find this download in my TPT Store!  I hope you like it :)

You can enter to win a copy via Rafflecopter below...good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Things I love: Blurt!

A couple of days ago I posted a question to my Facebook page about your favorite therapy games...and I got a TON of great responses.  I have ordered quite a few and am excited to get them!  But I did notice that one of MY favorites wasn't mentioned much...and so of course I feel inclined to share with you guys a super awesome language game that I love...BLURT!

 Blurt! is a board game that is for ages 7 and up, and you can play with 3 to 12 players (if you use teams, 6 if playing individually).  The general premise of the game is to identify words by definition...hello vocabulary and word recall!

All players take turns rolling the dice, and the dealer reads a clue that corresponds with the number rolled.  The first person to answer with the correct word first, gets to move the number on the dice.

 The clue cards have two sides.  I usually always use the green, blue, purple side for my kids (it's easier).

But there are more challenging words on the other side!

This game is fabulous for building vocabulary skills and word retrieval, but I also use if for artic and fluency carryover.  They can take turns being the clue giver, and for some I read all the clues.  It just depends on your group and what you need to target.  My kids love it!  They get so into it!

Check it out over at Amazon...

Do you even use Blurt!?  I would love to hear what you think about it!

P.S. Make sure to follow me on Facebook so you can keep up with these great threads!  I got some awesome suggestions!  You can 'like' me to get all the updates by clicking HERE :)

Sort This Out Pack {App Review}

Recently I was asked about reviewing an app by UK based company, Therapy Box.  I got the opportunity to use Sort This Out Pack (STOP) and I am gonna share it with you today!

 Sort This Out Pack is designed to target categorization of 22 different categories and 12 items for each.  It is based on a train theme, so many of the little guys are really into it!  From the main screen, you can either choose your Settings or start the game by pressing Play.

 In the Settings menu, you have several options, which is how you set the app up for play.

 When you are in the Plan Your Journey section, you can change choose the categories that will be targeted by tapping and scrolling through the options.

 You can also change the train station names...I never did this, but you could get creative with it!

Under Set Categories, all of the available categories are displayed, you can Add or Delete categories from here.

 I really love that you can add your own categories!  You can take a picture or access your photos on your iPad (depending on your model).

 I decided to create a category for emotions for some of my little ones who are also working on social skills goals.  You can add your picture and record the word.

 Then add pictures to the category label!  It took me about 5 minutes to create this one, with pictures and audio for each one!

 Once you create a custom category, it joins the others in the Categories menu!

 Other Settings in the app include:

• Errorless Learning on/off
• Music on/off
• Item Audio on/off
• Audio Support on/off
• Show Category Category Icon on/off
• Display Settings:  Image Only, Text Only, and Image & Text Only

The How To Play option gives you a written and picture guide to using the app.

 Once all your settings are done, you are ready to play!  For each station, there is a scene where a dump truck comes and unloads 8 cargo boxes. The cargo boxes contain the items to be sorted.

Then the train pulls up!  The animations in this app are really cute and my kiddos loved it!  There will be two train cars with the categories that the student will be sorting items to.  For non readers, they can touch the picture icons to hear the word (if you have chosen this in your options).  You always have the option to Exit or Skip at the top of the screen.  The conductor will also repeat the instructions if you tap on him again in the upper right corner.

Once all items are sorted correctly, there are fireworks and audio reinforcement, then the train leaves and the student is taken to the next station (a different scene).

In the Results section, you can see which stations have been completed.  There is no real data collection in the app for accuracy.

Overall, here's what I love:

• The train theme is really cute!  I love the graphics & animations, I think it is just enough so that it is not distracting, but more motivating for my students.
• Categorization is a goal I always need materials for, so this is a relevant therapy tool.
• The Customization that is available in this app is awesome...I love that I can add my own pictures and categories!

What I would like to see in an update:

• A multiplayer option...I am usually working with multiple students, so having the ability to switch players would be great.
• Data collection...a simple correct/incorrect button to track accuracy and progress over time would be great!  The current Results data (based on completion) is not really valuable for me.

Sort This Out Pack is currently available in iTunes for $13.99  

Syllables Splash! {App Review}

This new Smarty Ears app couldn't have better timing...we have been under the sea for over a week now in therapy and having a great time!  When they offered to let me review Syllables Splash, I jumped on it!

I love the graphics in this app, very cute and engaging.  All of my students have been really liking it!  Just like other Smarty Ears apps, you have the Quick Play option to use when you don't need to save data, as well as the Select Player option.  You can always access Report Cards and Support from the main screen.

 When you select your players, you have the option to change the settings.  I like how you can customize based on your students needs, as with most Smarty Ears apps.  Options include:

• Eliminating incorrect answers or using a buzzer.
• Number of foils included in each item, from one to three.
• Increasing the difficulty level as the game progresses.
• Number of syllables to include for target words, from one to four.
• Animation, you can turn on or off.  This one is really important because, while some of the graphics and movements can be really motivating for some, others will be super distracted by them.   

You can choose your options and select up to four players to play at the same time.

When you are ready to play, a picture will appear and a the voice will say the target.  Across the bottom of the screen are the answer choices for how many syllables the target has.  If they need to hear the word again, they can always tap the picture and the voice will repeat the word.  Your active player will be in the top bubble on the left side.  

 You also have the choice of seeing the printed word by pressing the arrows to flip the picture at the top.  Simply press it again to return to the picture.

 If your student has made an incorrect choice and your animation option is on, a shark will come by and eliminate that answer choice.  My kids got a kick out of that!  Also, throughout gameplay, if the animations are on, there will be fish swimming by and seaweed swaying.

Another feature is the Help button, just to the right of the picture.  When you press it, a sea turtle appears to clap out the syllables in the word.  I think this is awesome, since that is a strategy that most kids use to count syllables.

 When you access your Report Card, you can see the date, options chosen, and percentage correct.  You can choose to Share via email or download back to Therapy Report Center, if you use it.

Here is what I love:

• Engaging...the graphics are wonderful and all of my students have really liked it.
• Customization options to control the level of support your students need.
• Cues to determining correct syllables utilizing the turtle who claps syllables out, which is a strategy my students are familiar with.
• Data collection, with the option to share
• A variety of vocabulary targeted, paired with real photos
• Works perfectly for addressing what is was created for.

I have found nothing in this app that I would change!  Another winner!  It is currently available in iTunes for $5.99

I was given one copy of this app to review, no other compensation was provided.  All opinions are mine.

Using Craftivities in Speech...And Sea Turtles!

Last week I got a comment on my Bug Jar Craft, or more of a request for an explanation...how do I make this work and get in the repetitions I need to ensure my students make adequate progress?  Which got me thinking about how well trained my students are with this and how I am sure it can seem like there is so much going on that no is actually doing speech...but we are!  So I will explain exactly how it works, using this weeks craft...sea turtles!

First, I always have all of the supplies ready to go.  This turtle is a pattern I found and I just copied it to green construction paper.  I always have a stash of random construction paper shapes, so I grabbed all the squares and put them in a baggy.  I keep these in a basket right next to my table for easy access.  I also have a red caddy with scissors, glue, and pencils that students can grab what they need at the table.

I usually either use the Artic Buckets or Jumbo Artic pages already printed from my data binders to use as stimulus.  We also sometimes have brainstorming sessions about words that go with the theme...but not always.  I find myself doing that with students who also have language goals and need the vocabulary exposure.  I always have instructions ready to go.  My kids know the drill...they come in, listen to instructions about the activity and get started.  While they are working on the activity, I do round robin drilling.  I go around the table and each students says 5 words/phrases/sentences.  They know that when it is their turn with me, all materials are down and they are focused on me and what they are saying.  For this activity, they wrote their speech words on the squares and then glued them on the turtle's shell.

Another important thing is that I always have an example for them to look at.  This way, they are not asking me questions when I am working with other students.  Once they get all their words on the activity, then they are allowed to color, cut, or decorate their project.  If they happen to finish early, they grab whisper phones and practice their words.

I hope that answers some of the questions about how this works in my room!  It is a well oiled machine at this point, but I have been doing therapy this way for a couple of years now.  If you have more questions, please feel free to ask and I will answer :)

I also hope you like our sea turtles!  They turned out really colorful and the kids had fun with them :)

Articulate It {App Review}

I have a confession...I own very few artic apps.  I could never make up my mind which to buy.  Typical.  Recently Smarty Ears asked if I was interested in reviewing Articulate It! since it just had a big update...and I was so excited!  This fills a need that I do not have on my iPad currently.  I have been using it for a while now and am ready to tell you what I think!  First...a tour...

 From the main screen, you will have 5 buttons to choose from:

• Support, which includes Barbara's video tutorial.
• Reports, where you access your students' data.
• Select Player, where you will choose a player and track performance data.
• Quick Play, when you just need to stim items but not data saved.
• Settings, where you can choose basic options in how the app operates, like transitions sounds and display settings.  You also have the option of changing these settings from within the app.

If you choose Select Player, you will be taken to the screen where all your available students are.  You can add them here, or import from Therapy Report Center (which is SO convenient!).  You can select up to 6 players to use the app at the same time.  I can't show you a screen shot, cause all of my students' names are in there :(  But it is similar to other Smarty Ears' apps.

Once you select your student OR choose the Quick Play option, you then choose what to target:  Phonemes, Phonological Processes, Manner of Articulation, or Number of Syllables.  Can we just stop here and talk about how much I love this?  Cause I do.  I have used each of these options, and find it so helpful that I can in ONE app.  

Next you choose position.  You can just one or all three, which is fantastic.

Then you approve the word list, so if there are certain words you don't want to practice or only certain ones you need (like a specific blend maybe), you can deselect the words you don't want to use.

Now your options are set and off you go to pictures!  The picture of the student who is playing will be displayed in the upper right hand corner.  Across the bottom of the picture you have the tabs for word, phrases, or sentences, which you can tap through as needed.  You also will mark accuracy via the checkmark and 'x' buttons.  You can also choose to display the students accuracy at the bottom.  There is also a button at the top left corner of the picture to have the stimulus read.  The left hand side has all your options, which include taking notes, recording & listening to student production, and changing the settings.  

 The taking notes feature is nice if you have something specific the student is doing in error or find a cue that works that you want to remember for future reference...but to be honest, I don't really use it.

However, the rotate feature is one of my favorite things ever!  I wish more apps had this because most often, students are sitting across from me instead of next to me and it just simply makes life easier :)

 Once you are finished, you can access student performance data, broken down by target.  I really like how detailed the data collection is for this app.  You can access any notes, words practiced, and recordings here as well.

You can also export data saved to email or TRC, as well as print (if you have capability).  

It is true...I have nothing of it's kind at all to compare it to...but I really like this app.  It is everything I need for articulation therapy, great for data collection, uses real photos, and has awesome options that make it very valuable for any SLP.  It is available on iPad, iPhone, AND iPod Touch.  I use it almost every single day...I absolutely recommend it if you are in the market for a quality app to address articulation/phonology goals.  It is currently in iTunes for $38.99.

 I was provided one copy of this app to review, no other compensation was provided.  Opinions are all mine.

Some Thoughts & Ocean Animals {Freebie!}

I know I have told you before, but I LOVE YOU SPEECHIE PEOPLE.  Every single time someone buys something from me, I feel this crazy sense of....wow.  I don't know how to explain it, but it feels so good and I am so thankful.  Being a single mom, having another source of income has truly impacted the quality of my son's life...we are able to do things and I am able to give him experiences that I would not have been able to if it weren't for you.  You truly have no idea how grateful I am.  I prayed for so long to find this...blogging brings so much joy to my life and I love it as much as my job.  So, from the bottom of my heart...Thank you.  I adore each and every one of you.

NOW.  It's freebie time!!  I know how much you guys have loved my open ended dice games for Super Leprechaun and Earth Day, so I have made another to go with the ocean theme!

 First is a coloring page...

Plus a Roll & Cover...

 Plus a Roll & Color...

 And a carryover sheet for artic!  I hope you guys like it and I think it works perfectly with my Ocean Animals Unit!

You can find it in my TPT Store!!!  Don't forget to tell me what you think by leaving a comment or feedback!  I hope you are following my blog to keep up with freebies :)