Review: SLP Now for Middle & High School SLPs
I recently discovered that my SLP Now subscription is just as valuable with my middle school caseload. Non-fiction units provide engaging articles and activities for a variety of language goals. Video activities offer a multimedia approach to therapy. Skill-based lessons, such as inferences and narratives, provide systematic teaching and practice. Vocational skill units are perfect for preparing students for post-secondary life. SLP Now is a must-have resource for SLPs working with older students!
Using Menus for Mixed Groups in Speech-Language Therapy
Looking for a fun and engaging project for your speech-language therapy sessions? Create menus with your students! This multi-session activity allows for creativity, language practice, and a finished product to take home. Take your time, pre-write sections, encourage silliness, and let students practice with each other. Target articulation, categories, critical thinking, describing, grammar, life skills, math, perspective-taking, problem-solving, vocabulary, and more. Get the free menu template and start this exciting project today!
SLP Tips for Taking Less Work Home
Avoid the burnout of taking work home as an SLP by making strategic changes. Adjust your schedule to have one day dedicated to paperwork and other tasks. Simplify activity planning with no-prep/low-prep materials. Streamline Medicaid billing with tools like SLP Toolkit. Take a day to focus solely on progress reports. Create templates for IEPs and reports. Learn to say "no" and delegate tasks. Don't hesitate to ask for help. Consider changing your work environment if necessary. Prioritize self-care and find a setting that respects your time and workload.
Review: Spark Sequencing Cards for SLPs
Spark Sequencing Cards are versatile tools for targeting a range of language goals. They can be used for storytelling, predicting, problem-solving, verbs, pronouns, sentence structure, inferencing, and reasoning. The cards come with a user guide, 8 sets of sequencing cards, relevant questions, dividers, and color-coded sets. They are suitable for SLPs, special education and general education teachers, and parents. The durable material, included questions, large color pictures, and multiple sets make them engaging and practical for therapy sessions.
Favorite Valentine's Day Apps for Speech-Language Therapy
These are some of my favorite Valentine's Day apps for speech-language therapy. They help practice targets such as vocabulary, following directions, verbs, articulation, prepositions, and more! These apps provide engaging and educational activities for therapy sessions.
Review: Articulation Station Hive for SLPs
Articulation Station Hive is a comprehensive app for articulation needs, offering various levels and activities. However, the pricing model as a subscription service may not be ideal for SLPs reliant on school funds. The app's features, such as expanded levels and updated word lists, are impressive. The data collection page with graphed progress is a valuable tool, allowing for easy tracking and planning for future sessions. Despite the pricing structure, the app's enhancements make it a worthwhile consideration for articulation therapy.
Review: Speedy Speech® for School SLPs
Speedy Speech® is an evidence-based program that focuses on short, intensive 1:1 drill-based sessions to improve speech-sound production. The program includes workbooks for various phonemes, providing flexibility to target specific speech sounds. It offers a comprehensive package, including a program guide, auditory discrimination pair sets, drill pages, conversational prompts, data collection forms, and more. The program also provides guidance on writing service times in IEPs and implementing it for RTI. With minimal academic disruption and a focus on quick progress, Speedy Speech® offers an efficient and effective approach to speech therapy.
Gift Ideas for SLPs
Looking for the perfect gift for the SLP in your life? Check out these tried-and-true subscriptions like SLP Now and SLP Toolkit, which make lesson planning and caseload management a breeze. Consider gifting an Amazon Prime membership for quick material delivery or Audible/Kindle Unlimited for SLPs on the go. Don't forget to explore curated lists for therapy items based on their area of expertise and consider stocking stuffers like reward systems, oral mech supplies, and miscellaneous goodies. Your favorite SLP will appreciate these thoughtful and practical gifts!
5 Under $5: Christmas Must-Have Items for Your Therapy Room
Looking to add affordable holiday-themed items to your therapy room? Check out these must-have items under $5! Foam snowflakes are great for scavenger hunts and home practice. Themed stickers make decorating activities fun while targeting various skills. Wrapping paper offers versatile crafting opportunities. Mini presents are perfect for teaching concepts and articulation games. Toy catalogs engage students in speech sound search, categorization, and perspective-taking activities. Find these budget-friendly items at Dollar Tree, Walmart, or request free catalogs. Elevate your Christmas therapy with these engaging and cost-effective tools!
Using Wrapping Paper in Speech-Language Therapy
Incorporating wrapping paper into therapy sessions is a creative and budget-friendly way to engage students during the holiday season. From crafts to games, the possibilities are endless. Use wrapping paper to target a range of goals, including categories, pronouns, verbs, MLU expansion, prepositions, requesting, turn-taking, following directions, basic concepts, and articulation. With its colorful and tactile nature, wrapping paper adds an element of excitement to therapy sessions while providing meaningful opportunities for learning and skill practice.
Websites Every SLP Should Know About
If you're an SLP looking to enhance productivity and therapy effectiveness, check out these must-know websites. SLP Now and SLP Toolkit offers comprehensive productivity features, including caseload management, lesson planning, data collection, and progress monitoring. Swivel Scheduler provides unique IEP goal scheduling, data collection, and charting capabilities. For therapy resources, SLP Now offers an extensive library of themed, skill-based resources. EdPuzzle and Jeopardy Labs offer engaging activities, while ReadWorks provides free access to age-appropriate reading material. Video Learning Squad offers social language resources, and SpeechPathology.com and The Informed SLP provide affordable CEU courses and evidence-based practice resources.
Quick and Easy Activities for SLP Data Collection
Looking to streamline your data collection process? These simple activities are perfect for "data days." Trashketball is a highly engaging game using crumpled paper and a trash can. Jeopardy Labs offers customizable game boards for mixed groups. "Would You Rather" is a student favorite for conversation, sentence structure, and social language. Board games provide drill-style goals, with digital versions available on SafeKidGames.com. Explore 100 Trial Challenges on Teachers Pay Teachers or Boom Cards for high trial counts and seasonal options.
Social Language Resources For Upper Elementary Through High School
Looking for functional and evidence-based social skills resources? Check out Video Learning Squad for video modeling activities and UCLA PEERS® Clinic for nuanced conversation topics. The Josh Speaks on YouTube offers relatable advice for navigating tough social situations. These resources are invaluable for upper elementary and middle school students in need of direct instruction.
Favorite Christmas Apps for Speech-Language Therapy
Looking for fun Christmas apps for speech-language therapy? Try Toca Hair Salon: Christmas for verbs and color vocabulary, Elf Yourself for motivation and requesting, Ugly Christmas Sweater Party for following directions and recall, More Pie! for cooking and life skills, and Merry Christmas - Activities for a variety of targets. These apps are engaging and perfect for the holiday season!
Review: HUE Document Camera for Teletherapy
Discover the versatility of the HUE HD Pro Camera for teletherapy! Use it as a webcam with crystal-clear picture and a built-in microphone. Position it over books for shared reading or illuminate paper materials for group practice. Explore its use with manipulatives, turning everyday objects into engaging activities. Plus, it functions as a whiteboard, allowing you to add text and draw on documents. With affordable options and helpful software, the HUE camera is a must-have tool for virtual SLPs!
Getting Started with (Unexpected) School-Based Teletherapy
Transitioning to teletherapy can be overwhelming, but don't worry! Start by understanding your state/district's expectations. Familiarize yourself with teletherapy through videos, podcasts, and blog posts. Choose a virtual platform approved by your district. Select a few programs/websites that work for you, such as Boom Learning, ReadWorks, Wheel of Names, Vooks, SLP Now, and YouTube. Learn how to manipulate digital products using tools like Kami. These resources will support your journey as a teletherapist and make the transition smoother. You've got this!