When I first took my job, three years ago, my caseload consisted of pull-out therapy. Last year, I decided I wanted to incorporate some whole-group classroom lessons for 2 reasons.
1. Classroom lessons are a way to reach more students. As speech therapists, we have specialized training in this area and can model strategies for language development and collaborate with the classroom teacher.
2. Classroom lessons benefit my own students. Now, I’m not just the “creepy speech lady” who takes kids into her office and never comes out. Kids can see me and be taught by me. Usually, by the end of the lesson, the class is crying “Can we come to speech too?”
I decided it best to focus on the younger grades since this is where most of my caseload is. This way, I could also incorporate phonological awareness lessons. I have recruited 2 kindergarten classes once per week for 30 minute language lessons.
Last year, I loved my two classes. However, only doing classroom lessons once per week, I need all the ideas I can get! I have so much respect for teachers every Wednesday after my lesson. Trying to maintain control of 27 students AND still have fun can be a challenge. So….I was wondering, does anyone have any amazing language lessons they do with whole-group classes? I would love to get your ideas! I will be giving away my Halloween Figurative Language Activity Pack (see below) to the first 3 three people who comment. Please include a language lesson idea and your email 🙂
In other news, I know it is super early to be thinking about Halloween activities, but I wanted to get these out there. This is my NEW Halloween Figurative Language Activity Pack. It’s loaded with simile, metaphor and idiom candy cards appropriate for grades 2-5. I have three pumpkins marked “Simile, Metaphor, Idiom.” In order to receive the card, the student must:
1. Interpret the literal meaning of the candy card
and
2. Place the candy on the corresponding pumpkin
This also includes 2 reinforcement worksheets where students complete similes, describe using similes and complete metaphors!
Students who struggles with figurative language concepts often have difficulty with reading and writing. This activity supports Common Core L5.
Best of all, it’s only $2 during the month of September! (If you wait until October, it becomes $3.)
Happy “early” Halloween!
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Rachel Seymour says
September 12, 2012 at 1:32 amYou can do a speech lesson in my room anytime! I’m sure the kiddos miss you from last year. 🙂
Rachel
A-B-Seymour
Nicole Allison says
September 12, 2012 at 1:36 amThanks Rachel! I’ll keep that in mind! I’m always willing to do lessons on specific topics as well such as vocabulary strategy, following directions, and anything else you need. Just let me know! You teachers are amazing and are very highly regarded by me 🙂
Shannon Giles says
September 12, 2012 at 1:49 amI often use the Expanding Expressions program. Students love EETCHY. My whole school has finally adopted it this year…all of our gen ed and special ed teachers were trained before the school year started this year and everyone is really excited about it!
SLP Gone Wild says
September 12, 2012 at 2:22 amI love working in classrooms! My favorite thing to do is to use short picture books and working on Tier 2 vocab. I choose about 4 words from the story, write them on the white board and then read the story. Once we are finished, we go back and talk about the meaning of each word, using student generated definitions. We do synonyms, antonyms, put words in sentence, etc. It is based on the book “Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction” by Isabel Beck. My teachers love it and I have seen great success with this 🙂
This Halloween activity looks AWESOME!!!
:)Jenn (jennalcorn@yahoo.com)
Crazy Speech World
Jenna Rayburn says
September 12, 2012 at 2:25 amMy whole group K lessons have been about social skills. I let my ‘speech friends’ who are working on social goals help me act out a skit (let me tell you – it’s hard to get this to work…but SO worth it.) We practiced the skit in the speech room and then we did it for the group. Then I gave the cliffs notes version of the Social Detectives program.
I don’t get into my classes very regularly but it’s fun when I do!
Jenna
SpeechRoomNews@gmail.com
Nicole Allison says
September 12, 2012 at 11:13 amThanks so much for all the ideas! It was exactly what I was looking for…I know the kids are going to have fun! I’ll probably be asking for ideas again half-way through the school year since I blocked out a time for these every week :). I’ll keep you posted on how they go!
Shannon-let me know your email and I’ll send my Halloween pack to you! Thanks!
Shannon Giles says
September 12, 2012 at 11:15 amThanks for the giveaway!! My email address is sgiles@gpsbulldogs.org
Rebecca says
September 12, 2012 at 10:55 pmI love the idea of doing an in-class lesson for everyone. Unfortunately, my in-class lessons are all for preschoolers at this point…
Rebecca
http://www.rebeccaslp.com