Review: Boom Learning for SLPs
SLPs are constantly on the lookout for tools that make therapy more engaging and efficient. With the rise of digital learning, platforms like Boom Learning have become more prominent (and more useful!) in therapy sessions, whether in-person or remote.
What is Boom Learning?
Boom Learning is an online platform designed for educators, therapists, and students. It allows users to create, share, and use interactive digital flashcards known as Boom Cards. These self-checking, engaging activities are tailored for different subjects, including speech and language therapy. They function like interactive flashcards but with a twist because students can tap, drag, and receive immediate feedback on their responses. The interactivity makes speech practice feel more like a game.
Types of Activities Available for SLPs
Boom Learning offers TONS of resources, covering various speech and language goals:
Speech-sound decks: Target specific phonemes or phonological processes through drill-based exercises.
Language tasks: Focus on vocabulary, syntax, and comprehension using moveable objects, self-checking assignments, or interactive book companions.
Fluency practice: Practice strategies for fluency and self-advocacy using flash cards and visuals.
Social communication: Teach pragmatic language skills and self-advocacy using picture scenes and more!
Can’t find what you need? That’s okay! You can create your own Boom Cards, making it easy to tailor activities to individual student needs.
Data Collection and Progress Monitoring
One of Boom Learning’s standout features is its automatic data collection, making it useful for tracking student progress over time. Depending on the Boom Card deck, student responses are recorded and stored within the platform, eliminating the need for manual tracking. This feature allows SLPs to quickly assess which targets a student is mastering and where they may need additional support.
Beyond session-based tracking, Boom Learning also provides detailed reports that can be used for IEP documentation and progress monitoring. SLPs can review data offering a clear picture of skill development. This data can be shared with parents, teachers, and other service providers to reinforce therapy goals outside of structured sessions. Additionally, Boom Learning’s tracking capabilities make it easy to monitor home practice. SLPs can assign decks as digital homework and check back later to see student performance, ensuring continuity of learning between sessions.
Boom Learning in Teletherapy AND In-Person Therapy
For remote SLPs, Boom Learning is a lifesaver (I literally use it every single day). Taking advantage of screen-sharing and remote access capabilities allows therapists to interact with students in real-time, making virtual sessions feel more hands-on. The click-and-drag interactions keep students actively involved, reducing the tendency to zone out during online sessions.
For in-person SLPs, Boom Learning doesn’t have to replace hands-on activities, rather, it can enhance them. Instead of traditional flashcards, articulation decks can be paired with manipulatives, movement-based activities, or even sensory bins to create a multi-sensory learning experience. For example, students can tap a Boom Card to name a target word, then use a small toy to act it out or build it with playdough. This hybrid approach keeps therapy dynamic, engaging, and accessible for different learning styles.
Group therapy? No problem! Boom Cards can be projected onto a smartboard or tablet for small-group interaction, allowing multiple students to participate at once.
How to Get Started with Boom Learning
Getting started with Boom Learning is incredibly easy, even for SLPs who aren’t tech-savvy. Simply create a free account to explore the platform and test out different features. While premium features unlock a wider range of content (such as detailed data tracking and unlimited deck access), you can find hundreds of FREE games for your students by searching the Boom Learning library.
To begin:
Sign up at Boom Learning.
Browse the library to find pre-made decks for any goal you’re targeting.
Start using decks immediately, with no printing, cutting, or laminating required!
Create custom decks if you want to personalize content for specific student needs.
Assign Boom Cards for home practice and monitor student progress remotely.
So, in conclusion…
Boom Learning is a game-changer for SLPs looking to keep therapy fun, engaging, and effective. Whether you're working in-person or online, it makes sessions smoother and progress tracking a breeze. Ready to give it a try? Check it out here.
