Author: Wee Speech PC

How to Move Beyond Requesting with AAC Users

Wee Speech PC January 9, 2022 No Comments

Your child may be using augmentative or alternative methods (AAC) to communicate. When introduced to AAC, users may initially use it primarily to request. However, once they’ve reached success with requesting, how do we begin to move beyond that? Better yet, what other ways are there to communicate? Communication goes beyond just requesting items. Communication can also be used to ask and answer questions, to comment, to express our opinions, to protest and to retell individual experiences. How do we model these functions? One way is through aided language input, defined as a communication partner highlighting symbols on an AAC system as they interact verbally with the individual using AAC with a goal to teach language (Goosens, Crain,

Teaching Self Advocacy

Wee Speech PC December 26, 2021 No Comments

Self-advocacy can play a significant role in a child’s success in the classroom. It is important to evaluate a child’s ability to self-advocate for their needs or when they need help. Children may not self-advocate for themselves if they have reduced awareness for their skill level, feel anxious when needing help, or if they are unable to find the words to use to request assistance. Self-advocacy also requires executive functions such as planning, inhibition, and organizing. Teaching self-advocacy using graphic organizers, visual supports, and rating scales can help children become more confident in their self-advocacy skills. See the article from the American Speech and Hearing Association regarding self-advocacy for more information: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/leader.FTR1.26082021.32/full/

Goal Area: Carry Over Articulation

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Materials needed: Pretend play with dolls/figures 5-7 year olds Activity directions: Stack the Deck: Pick out and label with your child, vocabulary that has target sound/sounds (e.g. for /s/ Barbie dress, house, necklace, skirt, shoes, slippers, sandals, purse) group those together and then talk about the setting for your play that has to have the target sound in it like a “palace” in “Spain” then talk about actions such as “dressing”, “dancing”, “swimming” Model: Name your character (e.g. Cecily, Sergeant Steve) and act out different scenes incorporating the brainstormed vocabulary while encouraging your child to play along with their own character Retell: Have your child retell the pretend story you played using his or her target sounds Helpful tips (if

Goal Area: Expressive Language

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Salient Features Materials needed: no materials to prep, play this game within your house or even places in the neighborhood Activity directions: Take turns picking out one item in the room to describe; don’t tell the other player the name of the item! Using the parameters of the game ‘I Spy’ use salient features to describe an item Features one can use include: an object’s function, its physical description (color, size, texture,) the letter the item starts with or its location Guess the child’s item he/she is describing! Helpful tips: You can verbally prompt your child if she/he is having difficulty initially; ask question such as, “What would I use this thing for?” or “What’s it made of?” while trying

Goal Area: Articulation

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Materials needed: string, beads, target words Activity directions: Create a bracelet or necklace while practicing speech sounds. The child earns one bead to place on the string for each target word produced. Helpful tips (if applicable): Be sure to ask your child’s therapist for appropriate targets to practice. Disclosure statement: These activities have been designed for children who are currently receiving services and should not act as a substitute to weekly speech and language therapy. Please contact Wee Speech, P.C. for more information about this or other activities that may benefit your child at 847-329-8226 or office@weespeech.com.

Goal Area: Articulation

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Materials needed: flashlight, target words/pictures, tape Activity directions: Tape the target words/pictures to a wall Turn off the lights Use a flashlight to find the target words Practice saying the target words as they are found with the flashlight Helpful tips (if applicable): Be sure to ask your child’s therapist for appropriate targets to practice. Disclosure statement: These activities have been designed for children who are currently receiving services and should not act as a substitute to weekly speech and language therapy. Please contact Wee Speech, P.C. for more information about this or other activities that may benefit your child at 847-329-8226 or office@weespeech.com.

Goal Area: Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Materials needed: Laundry basket and clothing Activity directions: Have your child help with sorting the laundry. You can set up multiple laundry baskets to sort between various members of your family. While sorting the laundry, model phrases such as “mommy’s sock”/ “daddy’s sock.” You can also work on sizes and have your child label “big pants” or “little pants.” This activity can also be used receptively. For example, you can have your child find all of the socks and put them into a basket. In addition, you can work on early prepositions, such as “in,” “out,” and “on.” Helpful tips (if applicable): If your child has difficulty identifying various clothing items, hold up the clothing item you want the child

Goal Area: Expressive Language

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Goal area: Length of Utterance, Following Simple Directions, Vocabulary, Pretend Play Materials needed: Home items (3 clothing items, 3 fruits, 3 drinks, 3 toys, etc.) Activity directions: Gather the items Put items in a box Describe what you do with the items Label the category of the related items, present two related and one unrelated object and decide which item doesn’t belong and why Disclosure statement: These activities have been designed for children who are currently receiving services and should not act as a substitute to weekly speech and language therapy. Please contact Wee Speech, P.C. for more information about this or other activities that may benefit your child at 847-329-8226 or office@weespeech.com.

Goal Area: Expressive Language

Wee Speech PC December 25, 2021 No Comments

Verbal Description Materials needed: 10 household items (e.g. soap, mirror, towel, fork, cup, remote, etc.) Activity directions:1. Gather items in a box2. Label/touch the items3. Describe where you find the items in the house (targeting location)4. Describe what you do with the items (targeting object function) Disclosure statement: These activities have been designed for children who are currently receiving services and should not act as a substitute to weekly speech and language therapy. Please contact Wee Speech, P.C. for more information about this or other activities that may benefit your child at 847-329-8226 or office@weespeech.com.

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About Us

Wee Speech is a Pediatric Speech Clinic serving North Chicagoland.

Address :

8707 Skokie Blvd, Ste 402 Skokie, IL 60077

office@weespeech.com

Phone :

(847) 329-8226

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