SLPs Hopping Back Into School: Who Works in Your School?

Hey everyone! Welcome to the "SLPs Hopping Back Into School" Blog Hop!  I've teamed up with some of your favorite SLP bloggers to bring you some new materials and a chance to win some awesome prizes!!

The rules are simple...Hop through the different blogs and download a back to school themed freebie!  While you're there, pick up a letter (see the bottom of this post for mine).  Unscramble the words and enter them into the Rafflecopter on the last blog post!

The prizes are AWESOME and I wish I could enter! Here's what you could win:

Now, here's my freebie:

"Whoo Works in Your School?" helps you work on WH- questions and to target vocabulary, specifically occupations within a school!  Here's a peek:

There are 12 question cards in total and you can download HERE.


Back to the hop!  Here's your clue:

Ready for more hopping?

Thanks for stopping by and happy hopping!

Thanks so much to our sponsors:

What I learned in professional development...

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com for your convenience.

[Source: WikiCommons]

Monday and Tuesday, I participated in two professional days to start the year off.  The underlying message of both days could probably be summed up in two terms:  "time on learning" and "rigorous instruction."

Time on Learning:
Essentially, my principal suggested that we have a lot of down-time in our school.  Because I work in a low income district, the students get universal breakfast.  That means that all students enter the school and have breakfast before they begin their day.  Many times, this eats into instructional time.  We discussed ways to reduce down time and to increase direct instruction.  I won't go into a lot of detail on this because I think these strategies would very much be building specific.  However, I've been thinking that I might start coming up with a quick activity to do with my kids during transitions from their classrooms to my room to increase their time on learning.

Rigorous Instruction:
I'm going to preface this one by saying that I missed the first half of the session to attend a Medicaid billing session....However, what I gathered is that rigorous instruction occurs when students are actively engaged in a lesson, they are using higher order thinking and problem solving, and they are encouraged to be persistent in their efforts.

In the talks on rigorous instruction, we heard a lot about vocabulary, and the data from our school's performance on the ELA section of state-wide assessments.  After hearing all of this, I have to say, my selection for my professional summer reading book, Bringing Words to Life, was the right choice!  If you're not familiar, this book is about robust (aka rigorous) vocabulary instruction.  Many examples of rigorous instruction that were given to us reminded me of things that I had read in the book (and my principal hadn't even heard of the book!).

     

We also got to see some examples of test items that were difficult for our students as compared to other students in the state.  Many were related to vocabulary (especially synonyms/antonyms) and inferencing - two things SLPs work on quite a bit!  I'm really excited to use some of the strategies I learned in this book and to use my new EET this year!  I'm hoping both will make a difference in the students I service!

Are you implementing anything new this year?  I'd love to hear about it!

New School Year, New Planner!

Disclaimer:  This post contains an affiliate link to Amazon.com for your convenience.

A little while ago on the blog's Facebook page, I mentioned that I was in the market for a new plan book and asked your suggestions.  I was a little amazed at how different we all are in our wants/needs with respect to a planner!  A few of you told me that you make your own planners.  Hmmm....Since I've never found a planner that I love, and since I'm fairly comfortable with creating things...I decided to go ahead and make one!

I started by figuring out which aspects of a standard planner I use and thinking about how I modified my planner.  When all was said and done, I ended up with a 55 page file!  I shared with a couple of friends and they suggested that I put it out there on TPT for those of you who may be interested.  Here's a rundown of my final version.

I wanted to make a few different options for covers...

Inside, I started with monthly calendar pages.  There are calendar pages for August 2013 through July 2014 plus one blank month in case your school year runs differently than mine!

Next, I wanted a way to visualize my groups for the day and add notes (If you're looking for a simple way to view your weekly schedule, check out one of my posts from last year).  I ended up with 2 pages/day...one for morning, one for afternoon.  I figured I could add my groups and laminate (or use those Dry Erase Pockets) then add in my planned activity with a dry erase marker.

I also wanted to include information on my students, especially their goal and objectives!  I added these student goal and data collection sheets:

You can find out more about the data collection sheets, and download them for free, HERE. What else do I need to keep track of?  How about contact information for parents, a contact log, a to do list, and notes section!  

This part might not make a ton of sense to anyone but me.  You see, I always insisted on buying a planner that had both a month view and a week view.  In the week view section, I would ignore the dates and draw boxes for each type of group (e.g., Preschool Inclusion, Kindergarten Artic, Preschool Language Pull-Out, etc.).  Then, I would add my planned activities to those boxes.  So rather than buy a planner with month/week views, I created these boxes for my planning:

And here's an example of the completed planner pages:

This planner ended up including everything I need in one spot!  However, I started thinking I might end up with a 6-inch binder!  So, I added extra covers if you'd like to keep the data sheets separate from your planning pages.  They coordinate with the plan book covers, but say "Data Book."  

Update:  (7/30/13, 8PM EST)

You asked, I listened!  I just went and updated the planner to include 15 more pages!  It's now at a whopping 70 pages!  Here's what I added per your suggestions:

A list for screenings and evaluations:

 Monthly Sheets for IEPs and Meetings.  (I left the last two columns blank so you can add your own headings...PW completed, Parent contacted, etc.):

Student attendance sheets.  Personally, I would circle the dates the child received therapy, put an X through
holidays and vacations and days absent.  You can use the notes section on the side to more clearly document (e.g. field trip, assembly, etc.)

If you're interested in finding out more about my planner, you can find it in my TPT store!  I will be giving away three copies of the planner.  You can enter to win using the Rafflecopter below!

PS, Let me know if I missed anything!  Also, if you purchase this item now, you'll be able to download all future updates. That means that next year, when I update the calendars, you won't need to pay for the item again.  Just update, print, and go!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Show Me the Data! Linky

Summer seems to be the time for linkies!  I think our creative juices flow a little more (when we can get the motivation).  I'm loving all the different fun and creative ideas, all in one place!  Today I'm joining up with Jenn from Crazy Speech World for her "Show Me the Data!" Linky.  

Data collection...a necessary evil in our jobs.  I try new methods each year and still haven't found that perfect one.  I started working on some forms the other day and came up with one for student goal information and data collection.  Here's what it looks like:

There are spaces to add the student's name, DOB, teacher, frequency of service, IEP due date, LTG, objectives, and data.  There's another page you can print on the back with more boxes for data collection.  There's a space to keep notes or write anecdotal information on the top.  I think I might print page 2 back to back and continue my data collection on these, then add a new page 1 when IEPs are reviewed.

How do I plan on using them?  Check out this example:

In an ideal world, you'd get data for each objective during each session, but in the school's that's rarely going to happen!  I haven't decided if I want to keep a column for each session or just fill in the blank boxes as I go.  I may end up filling in the blank boxes so I can easily see which objectives need data.

So that's what I'm going to try this year for data collection.  What do you think?  If you'd like to download a copy of these sheets, you can do so HERE.

Thank you Jenn for hosting this linky!  Don't forget to head over to Crazy Speech World to find out more data collection tips and tricks!

Book of the Week: "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?"

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com for your convenience.

I recently wrote a guest post for Brea over at Let's Talk Speech-Language Pathology on this book.  It just happens to be the book I used in my speech room last week!

You may be planning your lessons based on the common fall themes:  “back to school,” “apples,” “Johnny Appleseed,” “pumpkins,” etc.  If you haven’t already heard of this book -

 - you may want to consider adding it to your fall repertoire.  “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud offers a wonderful way to establish your behavioral expectations with your students.  The concept is simple – each and every person carries an invisible bucket.  In that bucket we hold our good thoughts and feelings about ourselves (represented by colorful hearts and stars).  When we are happy, our buckets are full.  When we are sad, our buckets are empty.  When you are nice to someone else, you not only fill their bucket, but your own as well.  Conversely, when you are not nice, you dip from the other person’s bucket - and your own...

To continue reading about how I use this book in therapy, head on over to Let's Talk Speech-Language Pathology!

PS, Since writing the post, I decided to try a behavioral incentive similar to "Caught Ya Being Good" by Wolfelicious (as seen on Pinterest).  When I catch a student doing something extra good, putting forth extra effort, etc., I plan on writing their name on a cut-out heart and adding it to my bucket.  Once a month, I will draw a name from the bucket for a prize from my prize box!

                   

Back to School Week: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com for your convenience.

I don't know of very many SLPs and educators who do not like the "There Was an Old Lady" series by Lucille Colandro.  These are predictable stories are great for targeting rhyming, sequencing, cause/effect, vocabulary, etc.  The latest in the series does not disappoint.  If you don't have it yet, you can find it for $6.99 on Amazon.

"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books" features the familiar old lady who eats some bizarre things.  In this version, you can expect her to eat some school themed vocabulary including:  some books, a pen, a pencil (case), a ruler, a folder, some chalk, and a bag. 

Because of the vocabulary in this book (and skimming the pictures), you could easily use it to work on bilabial sounds (/p/, /b/, and /m/):  books, pen, pencil, and bag.  Words containing bilabials sounds are also easily found in the pictures:  bus, puppy, bird, bone, bench, butterfly, bugs, bunny, park, boy, backpack, and mouse (yes, that was the only /m/ word I found!).  I created some picture cards using Custom Boards that contain these bilabial sounds.

 

When I'm working with preschoolers, I like to use visuals and/or manipulatives with stories.  When I use the "Old Lady" books, I typically draw a large picture of the Old Lady (she tends to look different in each story) and the objects that she eats.  I attach the old lady to a container...shoe box, tissue box, milk carton.  Whatever works for the size of the lady.  Then I have the students "feed" the lady as I read the story.  Here's my Old Lady for this story:

I wish my scanner was large enough to scan her for you, but it's not.  I was able to scan the objects though. 
Here are some of them in black & white and color.  (Excuse my drawing/coloring...I'm not much of an artist!)

 

Check out Pinterest for some other cute ideas for this series.

1. I loved this idea from The First Grade Parade using the writing prompt "If I were the old lady, I would eat..."
2. Here's another great one from Eberhart's Explorers.  It's designed for "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover," but could easily be adapted to this story.
3. Head on over to Teaching Heart Blog for more printables (story telling pieces and dice game).

These are just a few ideas for the "Old Lady" books.  There are too many great ideas out there for me to post all of them!

Are you a fan of the "Old Lady" books?  Which one is your favorite?  How do you use the books in therapy?

 

That concludes Back to School Week on Carrie's Speech Corner.  Hope you found something you could use!!!

PS, Check out these other "Old Lady" Books on Amazon:

Back to School Week: App Review

As part of Back to School Week, today I will be reviewing "What Would You Do at SCHOOL If...," a Fun Deck app by Super Duper Publications.  This is essentially the app version of the Fun Deck card series.  You can input the students on your caseload, then select which ones will be playing during your session.

I haven't added kids yet, so my list is lacking!

 You can also select the questions that will be asked during your session.  You can choose to use all of the questions, or just a few.  I opted to use five questions for my trial.

When you're ready, you will be shown a colorful picture with a common school problem.  If you tap on the picture, the question will be read aloud.  The app allows for data collection as well.  Tap the red dot at the bottom for an incorrect response, the green button for a correct response.

It took me a little while to figure out how to change players, but if you swipe the top bar (where the player name is listed), the player name will change.  The app will keep data for multiple players.

Once your session is finished, you can "View Results" and instantly see data for each of the players.

There is also the option of creating a data report in email form.

 

What I like about this app:

• The questions are great for problem solving, pragmatic language, and expressive language.
• The questions and situations presented are perfect for students on the autism spectrum.  They will allow students to come up with strategies to deal with the situations depicted.
• The pictures are colorful and clear.
• The questions are based on common issues that may occur in a school setting.
• Data collection!  I love apps that allow for data collection!
• Multiple player option.  Many apps are single player, and I typically work with groups of students      rather than one on one.

Areas for improvement:

• I love the data collection idea, but, let's face it, many of our kids will respond with answers that are not quite right, but not quite wrong.  I'd love to see a middle ground (maybe an "Oh so close!" button).  
• The data from your previous session will disappear as soon as you start a new session.  I'd love to be able to "View Students" rather than just "Edit Students" and see a graph or table of their performance.

I had a hard time coming up with many negatives for this app.  Overall, it's a great app that brings more motivation and functionality (with the data collection piece) to the traditional Fun Decks.  Super Duper definitely has a hit with the Fun Deck app line.  You can purchase "What Would You Do at SCHOOL If..." in the App Store for $1.99 (price accurate as of this posting).

Tomorrow is the last day of Back to School Week.  Stop by for activities and printables for "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books"