Marisha

Best Articles for Syntax Goals

March 4, 2019 by Marisha 2 Comments

I love sharing tips and tricks to help SLPs implement literacy-based therapy, but it’s not always easy to find the perfect reading resource for you mixed group! This series of blog posts will help you find fun, engaging articles that also make it easy to target your students’ goals. (I know I am always on the hunt for amazing reading resources to use in therapy!)

First up is…SYNTAX!

Where do we even start? There are so many syntactic structures that we could target in therapy (or maybe you have no idea where to even start!). The latter was definitely true for me! This article by Zipoli (2017) is incredibly helpful and identifies four types of sentence structures that may be particularly difficult for our students!

Passive Voice

Baking Bread Now and Then – This nonfiction passage about bread is written at a 3rd grade reading level. The author uses the passive voice while describing how bread used to be made (e.g., “The grain was ground by hand on a millstone.”)

A Club for Explorers – This nonfiction passage about the Explorers Club is written at a 7th grade reading level. The author uses the passive voice when describing their club’s adventures (e.g., “James Cameron was given an award for his trip…”).

Relative and Adverbial Clauses

Making the Team – This fiction passage is written at a 4th grade reading level. This is a story about Andreas and his friend, Tyrell, who try out for the basketball team and describe the experience. The author uses several relative clauses (e.g., “…who made the team tomorrow before school,” “…that he could see when Andreas was upset”).

Schools of Skate – This nonfiction passage about skateboarding is written at a 4th grade reading level. The author uses several adverbial clauses (e.g., “…because students had less time”).

Inspiring Olympic Athletes – This nonfiction passage about the 1980 Winter Olympics is written at a 3rd grade reading level. The author uses several relative and adverbial clauses (e.g., “After upsetting the Soviet team,” “who were cheering for them”).

Sentences with 3+ Clauses

The Farmer, the Snake, and the Eggs and Bacon – This fiction passage is written at a 4th grade reading level. The author uses several sentences with three clauses while he describes how a farmer makes breakfast.

Civil Rights on a City Bus – This nonfiction article about Rosa Parks is written at a 5th grade reading level. The author uses several sentences with 3+ clauses (e.g., “She also became a hero and an inspiration to people all over the nation who were fighting for racial equality, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a young minister who would soon become a major civil rights leader.”)

George Washington – This nonfiction article about George Washington is written at a 3rd to 4th grade reading level. The author uses several sentences with multiple clauses (e.g., “Before becoming President, Washington led the Continental Army to victory, winning American independence from Britain during the Revolutionary War.”)

Looking for more resources? Check out the SLP Now Membership! You can search for materials to help you teach these skills, as well as articles that include targets for all of your students’ goals. Try it today (for free)!

Best Books for Vocabulary

February 25, 2019 by Marisha Leave a Comment

I love sharing tips and tricks to help SLPs implement literacy-based therapy, but it’s not always easy to find the perfect book for your mixed group! This series of blog posts will help you find fun, engaging books that also make it easy to target your students’ goals. (I know I am always on the hunt for amazing books to use in therapy!)

Next up is…VOCABULARY!

If you work with older students, then stay tuned for a series of blog posts that highlight engaging texts that can be used to target more complex syntax goals!

Here are the skills we’ll be covering:

• Basic Concepts
• Categories
• Compare and Contrast
• Idioms
• Multiple Meaning Words

Basic Concepts

The Mitten – This is a story about a boy who loses his mitten. Woodland animals discover the mitten and crawl in. A great opportunity for repeated practice of the concept IN.

Duck on a Bike – This is a story about a duck who decides to ride his bike. His animal friends eventually join in on the fun. A great opportunity for repeated practice of the concept ON.

Little Elliot, Big City – This is a story about a little elephant in a big city. A great opportunity for repeated practice of the concepts BIG and LITTLE.

Compare and Contrast

Little Elliot, Big City – This story about Elliot the elephant is filled with contrasts. Elliot is so small, and everything around him is so big. The story is filled with pictures and descriptions of furniture and desserts that students can easily compare and contrast. The main characters (an elephant and a mouse) can also be compared/contrasted.

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear – This is a story about a mouse who tries to pick a strawberry without being discovered by the hungry bear. He attempts to hide the strawberry from the bear. Students can compare/contrast the mouse, the strawberry, and the bear, as well as the mouse’s different hiding strategies.

The Rainbow Fish – This is a story about a beautiful fish who learns to share his beauty with his friends. Students have the opportunity to compare/contrast the fish and other ocean scenery.

Figurative Language

Butterflies in My Stomach – This story about a boy’s first day at school is filled with idioms.

Reach for the Stars – This story is filled with idioms related to perseverance and success.

Crazy Like a Fox – This story is filled with similes about Rufus the fox.

Multiple Meaning Words

Dear Deer – This story about Aunt Ant who just moved to the zoo is filled with homophones.

A Chocolate Moose for Dinner – This is a story about a girl who tries to understand her mother’s use of multiple meaning words.

The King Who Rained – This is a story about a girl who tries to understand her father’s use of multiple meaning words.

Looking for more book ideas? Check out the SLP Now Membership! You can search for books that include targets for all of your students’ goals. Try it today (for free)!

Best Books for Later Language

February 18, 2019 by Marisha 2 Comments

Next up is…LATER LANGUAGE!

If you work with older students, then stay tuned for a series of blog posts that highlight engaging texts that can be used to target more complex syntax goals!

Here are the later language skills we’ll be covering:

• Facts and Opinions
• Inferences
• Main Idea/Summarizing

Facts and Opinions

Nerdy Birdy – This is a story about a “nerdy birdy” who navigates the opinions of other birds. A great context for discussing facts versus opinions!

Family Huddle – This book includes engaging dialogue and descriptions about the Mannings (a famous football family). Football fans particularly enjoy this story, and it’s a great context for identifying facts versus opinions!

If You Decide to Go to the Moon – This story is written in second person and tells the reader what they need to do when traveling to the moon. Students can identify facts and opinions as the author walks them through their trip. For example: “To go to the moon, you will travel about 240,000 miles. It is a long trip, but rocket ships go fast.”

Inferences

Doctor De Soto – This is a story about a mouse who is a dentist. A fox stops by the office with a toothache. Students have the opportunity to make inferences about what the mouse and the fox are thinking/feeling throughout the story.

This Is Not My Hat – This is a story about a tiny fish who steals a hat from a big fish. This book is filled with opportunities to infer what the characters are thinking, feeling, and doing. Students also infer what happens at the end of the story. What happened to the little fish?

I Want My Hat Back – This is a story about a bear who lost his hat. The bear realizes who stole his hat, and students infer what happens to the culprit.

Main Idea/Summarizing

Vote! – This is an engaging and informative introduction to voting. Filled with visual supports, this text is ideal for older students who would benefit from a scaffolded review of this topic.

I Am Martin Luther King, Jr. – This inspiring biography includes great visuals that make it possible for students at all levels to learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Why Should I Recycle? – This book illustrates why and how students can recycle. It’s filled with illustrations/visual supports to make the content accessible to all learners.

Looking for more book ideas? Check out the SLP Now Membership! You can search for books that include targets for all of your students’ goals. Try it today (for free)!

Best Books for Early Language

February 11, 2019 by Marisha Leave a Comment

I love sharing tips and tricks to help SLPs implement literacy-based therapy, but it’s not always easy to find the perfect book for you mixed group! This series of blog posts will help you find fun, engaging books that also make it easy to target your students’ goals. (I know I am always on the hunt for amazing books to use in therapy!)

Next up is…EARLY LANGUAGE!

If you work with older students, then stay tuned for a series of blog posts that highlight engaging texts that can be used to target more complex syntax goals!

Following Directions

These interactive books are a fun, engaging way to target following directions.

Press Here – Students have the opportunity to press dots, shake pages, tilt the book, and more to change what happens to the dots on the page.

Mix It Up – Students have the opportunity to tap, touch, and mix paint splatters to create some beautiful combinations!

Let’s Play – This book includes more detailed instructions (e.g., “Touch the bottom right corner.”) that students can follow to interact with a yellow dot!

Narratives/Story Grammar

These story maps fit really nicely into a story grammar framework, with a clear initiating event, an internal response, a plan, actions/attempts, and a resolution.

Little Elliot, Big City – This is a story about an elephant who is too small to buy himself a cupcake, his favorite dessert. He becomes friends with a mouse who helps him purchase a cupcake and ends up finding something much sweeter than a cupcake!

Turkey Trouble – This is a story about a turkey who doesn’t want to be eaten on Thanksgiving. He cleverly disguises himself as different animals to avoid being eaten.

Giraffes Can’t Dance – This is a story about a giraffe who gets made fun of by other animals in the jungle because he can’t dance. An unlikely friend helps Gerald the giraffe learn how to dance.

WH Questions

Where’s Spot? – This is a story about a mother dog who is looking for her puppy, Spot. This “lift the flap” is a perfect tool to practice who/where questions. Who is under the bed? Where is the crocodile?

The Old Lady Swallowed… – The infamous Old Lady Who Swallowed… series is perfect for structured practice of what questions. Each page gives students the opportunity to answer, “What did the old lady swallow?”

Pass It On – This is a sweet story about a cow who gets stuck in a fence. One of his friends finds him and decides to ask the other animals for help. The message morphs as the animals pass it along. The book has a repetitive structure that gives students the opportunity to practice answering who/what/where questions.

Looking for more book ideas? Check out the SLP Now Membership! You can search for books that include targets for all of your students’ goals. Try it today (for free)!

Best Books for Grammar

February 5, 2019 by Marisha 2 Comments

First up is…GRAMMAR!

If you’re wondering how to target grammar goals using books, then check out our grammar series.

If you work with older students, then stay tuned for a series of blog posts that highlight engaging texts that can be used to target more complex syntax goals!

Here are the grammar targets we’ll be covering:

• Pronouns
• Auxiliary Verbs
• Past Tense Verbs
• Plural Nouns
• Negatives
• Post Noun Elaboration
• Compound Sentences
• Complex Sentences

Pronouns

I Like Myself – This story about a young girl is filled with “I” statements. A perfect opportunity to model this pronoun!

My Friend is Sad – This story about Gerald and Piggie is filled with “you” and “I” statements. A perfect opportunity to model/contrast these pronouns!

The Biggest Apple Ever – This story about the collaborative effort of two mice is filled with “we” statements.

Auxiliary Verbs

We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt – This story about three friends who go on an adventure is perfect for students working on auxiliary verbs. The repetitive structure of the book includes multiple opportunities to model and practice this target.

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee – Mr. Magee and his dog experience an eventful camping trip. They complete several actions along the way, providing students with several opportunities to practice using auxiliary verbs (e.g., He is driving. He is roasting marshmallows. They are sleeping.).

Animal Strike at the Zoo – This is a story about zoo animals who decide to strike. Students have the opportunity to describe the animals’ actions using auxiliary verbs.

Past Tense Verbs

There Was an Old Lady Who… – These stories make repetitive use of past tense verbs, ideal for initial modeling and scaffolded practice.

Little Elliot, Big City – This story about a little elephant in a big city includes simple sentences with a variety of regular and irregular past tense verbs.

Chrysanthemum – Chrysanthemum is a mouse who loves her name until the kids at school make fun of it. This story chronicles her self acceptance and is filled with repeated use of regular (e.g., loved, looked, walked) and irregular (e.g., said, grew, woke) past tense verbs.

Plural Nouns

In The Tall, Tall Grass – This book describes the actions of bugs. The book includes simple two-word sentences (e.g., Caterpillars lunch. Hummingbirds sip.), ideal for targeted modeling and scaffolded practice of plural nouns.

Giraffes Can’t Dance – The story about a giraffe who learns to dance includes a number of regular plural nouns.

Dragons Love Tacos – This story about a dragon taco party includes repeated use of plural nouns.

Negatives

Where’s Spot? – This is a story about a mother dog who is looking for her puppy. She looks for him in several places. Students have the opportunity to “lift the flap” when searching for Spot and practice using negation (e.g., He is NOT inside the clock.).

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type – This story about unsatisfied farm animals includes repeated use of (“no” + noun).

How Do Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad? – This story about an angry dinosaur includes opportunities for students to practice answering questions. For example, “Does he roar and slam the door?” The SLP can model and/or students can respond with negation (e.g.,, “He does not!” or “He doesn’t roar and slam the door.”)

Post Noun Elaboration

Animal Strike at the Zoo – The story about animals going on strike at the zoo includes several examples of post noun elaboration as the author describes the animals.

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee – This story about Dee and Mr. Magee’s camping trip includes several examples of post noun elaboration as the author describes the adventure.

Happy Like Soccer – This story about a young girl who loves soccer includes several examples of post noun elaboration as the author describes her game day.

Compound Sentences

Big Frank’s Fire Truck – The story about a fireman’s day includes several compound sentences.

Room on the Broom – This story about a witch and her broom includes several compound sentences.

Little Red Riding Hood – The story about Little Red Riding Hood includes several compound sentences.

Complex Sentences

The Little Red Hen – This story about the Little Red Hen includes several complex sentences (e.g., using the conjunction “after”).

How I Became a Pirate – This story about how a young boy became a pirate includes several complex sentences (e.g., using the conjunction “because”).

Family Huddle – This story about the Manning brothers includes several complex sentences.

Looking for more book ideas? Check out the SLP Now Membership! You can search for books that include targets for all of your students’ goals. Try it today (for free)!

6 Time-Saving Hacks for SLPs

January 28, 2019 by Marisha 2 Comments

When I was managing my caseload of 100+ students, I desperately needed a way to “work smarter” as an SLP. I used these hacks to manage my caseload as sanely as possible, and I hope they help you, too!

1. Language Sample

This is one of my favorite hacks ever! Such a great time-saver, and it helps me feel super prepared for my evaluation meetings.

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2. No-Print Books

These are my favorite! I can access them in the SLP Now app. I just have to click, and (voila!) I have a whole session worth of visual supports!

Best part? You can download five no-print books for free when you sign up for a trial!

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3. Sheet Protectors + Dry Erase Markers

These are another great time-saver! I print one copy of the materials I need. I slip them in a sheet protector and can reuse them across sessions. It’s also a great engagement booster because kids love being able to use the dry erase marker!

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4. Sticky Tack

This is perfect for busy SLPs on a budget. Instead of buying expensive Velcro, I use sticky tack. Instead of having to place the hook and the loop sides for Velcro, I just place the sticky tack on my interactive pieces. I can then stick the interactive pieces anywhere! On other visuals, on the wall, on the board–wherever they need to go! They hold up really well!

I usually only go through one pack a year, so it’s very budget friendly, too!

5. Digital Data

I’ve tried so many data systems, and this is the one that stuck! I love how it streamlines everything! Planning is so much easier. It’s easy to enter data for even the most challenging groups. I know exactly how my students are doing (thanks to beautiful “automagically” generated graphs).

6. Medicaid Billing

This is the last one on the list, but it has saved me so much time! I used to spend hours a week just dreading the billing process. Now it only takes me five minutes a week, and I’ve convinced myself to kind of enjoy the process!

Drowning in IEPs? Find six more hacks here!

8 Ways to Reduce Stress at Work

January 21, 2019 by Marisha Leave a Comment

Last week, we talked about lies that we’re telling ourselves. These lies tend to pop up when we’re feeling particularly overwhelmed with our workload. Addressing the lies is a huge first step, but they’re not always easy to tackle. There are some other things that we can do in the meantime to reduce the overwhelm.

So let’s have at it, shall we?

1. Eat the frog first. It’s not as bad as you think it is.

That thing you’re dreading most? Do it first.

Dreading billing?

Set aside 5 minutes first thing in the morning to tackle it.

Dreading that report?

Come in a little early and tackle it before you start anything else. (Don’t even think about checking your email before you dive into the report! That’s a time suck!)

Dreading a particular group?

Try to schedule them when you’re feeling freshest. Don’t try to schedule them at the end of the day on Friday!

The worst part about doing these things is thinking about doing them. If you can get them done first thing, then you won’t have to dread them! And you’ll start your day feeling super accomplished!

2. Set goals.

What do you want to accomplish? Remind yourself of your goals every day and do one small thing towards your biggest goal.

Want some more ideas? Check out this blog post!

3. Schedule blocks.

It’s easy to let your schedule get out of control. Be intentional with how you’re spending your time at work. I started to be more productive when…

• I scheduled time to do paperwork and bill. I always schedule this first thing because it’s not exactly my favorite part of the job, and I got really good at procrastinating. Once I had a set paperwork time, I was a lot more productive!

• I scheduled time to prepare for my therapy sessions. This meant I was ready to tackle each session. No more scrambling at the last minute!

• I schedule time to check email. I only opened my email program during set times of the day and turned off notifications. This made it a lot easier to stick to my plan, and I had more control over my day! Email is one of the biggest time sucks.

• I scheduled time to make copies. This saved me tons of time because I didn’t have to make multiple trips, and I scheduled a time when I knew there wouldn’t be a massive line.

4. Plan ahead!

Map out the big due dates (e.g., IEPs, evaluations, billing, progress reports) and work backwards. Protect yourself from crazy overwhelming weeks!

5. Don’t do it all yourself.

It’s okay to ask for help! We talked more about this last week!

6. Gratitude.

I do this on my way home from work. I take a few minutes to think about the things that went well during the day. Did a student make progress on a goal? Did I collaborate well with a teacher? Did I conquer a pile of paperwork? It’s a great way to debrief and wrap up work on a good note!

7. Connect with positive SLPs.

“You are the average of the five people who you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

As SLPs, we might not want to take this too literally! 🙂 I was spending the majority of my time with three-year-olds, so I’m not sure what that says about me!

I think the principle is really powerful, though. Who do you talk to about your work? Do you talk to people who always complain? Do you talk to people who inspire you? Be intentional about who you talk to about work. If you don’t have SLPs to talk to “in real life,” then follow some inspiring SLPs on Instagram or Facebook and schedule some time to soak in their positivity!

8. Try something new.

If you’re lacking inspiration or not enjoying your work, then try something new. Take a course. Attend a seminar. Read a good book. Observe another SLP in your district. Create some new materials. Reorganize a part of your speech room. Really, whatever floats your boat!

If all else fails, you can look at cute animals! 🙂

via GIPHY

What do you do to reduce stress at work?

5 Lies that SLPs Tell Themselves

January 14, 2019 by Marisha Leave a Comment

I always start a new school year with the best intentions. I set big, lofty goals and am ready to conquer #allthethings!

But then reality hits…

My caseload numbers increase.
Meetings start to fill up my calendar.
And the overwhelm starts to strike with a vengeance.

And that’s when I start to doubt myself…

Who am I to think that I could accomplish the goals I set? Isn’t it impossible?

These types of questions always used to put me in a negative spiral, and I ended up making these questions a reality.

When I thought I couldn’t keep up with Medicaid billing, I found myself with a massive backlog of notes to submit.
When I thought I couldn’t help a student, I left it up to the rest of the team to figure it out.
When I thought I was too overwhelmed to tackle the day, I called in sick and came back to an even bigger mess the next day.

Those are not fun things to admit…

The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way!

I finally realized that my goals were actually attainable. I just had to get out of my own way and stop telling myself lies.

After having conversations with hundreds of SLPs, I realized that I wasn’t the only one doing this. Here are some of the most common lies that I heard…

1. “I’ll never catch up on Medicaid billing.”

I know we all love to hate on Medicaid, but it really doesn’t have to be that bad!

I was spending hours a week dreading Medicaid billing. Hours. I’d procrastinate like the best of them. You know the funny part? Once I got a system down, it only took me 5 minutes a week. (Note: I was billing for every student on my caseload.) I spent hours dreading something that only had to take me 5 minutes!

Even if your district has the worst system in the world, it’s totally doable to finish your weekly billing in less than 30 minutes. Find ways to make it more enjoyable. Here are some things that I’ve tried:

• Get yourself your favorite drink and tackle it all in one go.
• Eat a Skittle every time you submit a note.
• Time yourself to see if you can bill faster next week.
• Reward yourself with a pedicure when you catch up with billing.

Is it too overwhelming to tackle a day/week of billing at a time?

Tell yourself you’ll just bill for 5 minutes (or whatever amount of time seems approachable). Make it 30 seconds if you have to! You’ll probably be able to do more than 5 minutes once you get started. Getting started is the worst part!

Just changing your inner dialogue about Medicaid will make it that much less painful. Then it’s just a matter of setting aside a few minutes a week, and you’ll be conquering your billing in no time at all!

2. “I’m too busy to…”

I’m too busy to bill.
I’m too busy to plan therapy.
I’m too busy to take a course.
I’m too busy to… [insert your answer here].

That’s a lie, too, friends!

When we say we’re “too busy,” we really mean that it’s not important enough to make it on our list of priorities.

We all have the same number of hours in the day. We all get to choose how we spend that time. What do you want to want to spend your time on? If you don’t want to do something, that’s totally okay! Own it! Just don’t tell yourself it’s because you’re too busy!

3. “My caseload is too…”

This one comes up a lot, too!

My caseload is too big/small.
My caseload is too diverse.
My caseload is too mild/severe.

Is that really why you can’t bill Medicaid? Or keep up with progress reports? Or plan for therapy? Really?

Each one of these “lies” has a different truth behind it, but I’d challenge you to evaluate this thought, too! What’s the truth behind it?

4. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Oh, girl! This one has a special place in my heart. It’s one that I’ve really struggled with, and I spent a lot of time talking about it on the blog earlier this year.

We do have an incredibly broad scope of practice, but I’d challenge you to reword this lie. How does this feel?

I don’t know what I’m doing YET.

We’re always going to encounter challenging cases, but we have the resources we need to figure it out.

Try telling yourself this when you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed:

I don’t know what I’m doing YET, but I will figure it out.

5. “I can’t get help because…”

I’ve spent a lot of time problem solving with SLPs. We’ll be working together to come up with a solution, and then I’ll hear this line…

I can’t get help because I’m too busy. (Double whammy!)
I can’t get help because I’m in a small/large district. (I’ve heard both!)
I can’t get help because of confidentiality. (Say what?)
I can’t get help because I don’t know anyone. (Really?)

I’ve told these lies, too, but–looking back–they make zero sense.

Asking for help has been one of my “go-to” strategies.

• If I’m stuck on a case, I can reach out to the SLPs in my district. If that doesn’t work, I’ll reach out to other SLPs that I trust. I’ve emailed former professors and even some “famous” people. They’ve all been more than willing to help, and it only took a few minutes to reach out. Much better than pining over a problem for days or weeks!
• If I’m feeling overwhelmed about my workload, then I try to think of creative ways to take some work off my plate. Some of these solutions take some time (e.g., setting up digital data), but it’s totally worth it if it’ll end up saving me time in the long run.
• I’ve also asked school volunteers, friends, and family for help with materials prep. It’s not a confidentiality issue if you’re just having them cut/laminate materials for you! Once I put it out there, I started getting emails from parents to see if they could help. (I was in a Title I school with 99% of students on free/reduced lunch.) They loved it because they weren’t able to volunteer during the school day, but they really wanted to give back! I also think they secretly (or not-so-secretly) loved the opportunity to get a little crafty!

What lie are you telling yourself?

Identifying the lie is the first step. Being aware gives us a starting point, but we want to take things one step forward!

What can you DO to turn things around and make this year easier for yourself?

We are smart, problem-solving professionals. We can find solutions for even the stickiest of problems. The best part is that you don’t have to do it alone. Asking for help is a fabulous problem solving strategy.

SLP Summit Recap: All About Grammar

January 9, 2019 by Marisha Leave a Comment

I so enjoyed co-hosting and presenting at the SLP Summit! I always enjoy the opportunity to connect with so many SLPs around the world through this online conference, and this year was no exception!

This year, I dove into evidence-based strategies for grammar intervention.

If you missed the live video, then you can find the replay in the SLP Now Academy.

Now let’s dive into some of your questions…!

1. Teaching

I have two students who continue to use the same grammar errors over and over in conversation. They are able to fix the errors when I say the sentence back to them the way they used it. Do you have anything that you have found to help in this situation?

It’s hard to tell without knowing the students, but I always look back at the framework when I feel stuck! Here are the questions I ask myself:

• Did I take a step back and teach the concept?

• Did I provide enough models before requiring a response?

• Have I used evidence-based structured practice activities (e.g., imitating contrasting sentences)?

I usually find my answer when I think through those steps!

Do you have any strategies for teaching students the meaning of different conjunctions? My students understand when to use “and,” “but,” and “or” but have difficulty with “for” and “so.”

These can be challenging to teach because they are so abstract! I provide simple definitions for the different conjunctions. I follow that up with plenty of examples that are relevant to the student (e.g., topics around their daily routine, their favorite movie characters, etc.) so they have as much background knowledge as possible—making it easier to understand and visualize the meaning of those more challenging sentences.

Here are some examples:

• and = connects (Half of the class took a test, and the other half went to recess.)

• but = however (I tripped on a rock, but I didn’t drop my art project.)

• or = otherwise (Start studying now, or you’ll fail the test.)

• for = because (I felt guilty, for I knew it was my fault my sister didn’t get to eat breakfast.)

• so = for this reason (I was sick, so I went to the doctor.)

We move through the hierarchy (starting with teaching and ending with embedded practice) to give them countless scaffolded opportunities to master the concept!

2. Focused Stimulation

When you recast a student’s sentence, do you ask them to repeat your model so they get practice verbalizing the correct sentence structure?

It depends! We want the student to have enough exposure to the concept before requiring them to repeat the sentence. The slides reference some studies that break this down a little more!

3. Structured Practice

Is the Imitating Contrasting Sentences activity available on SLP Now?

Yes! If you’re not already a member, then you can sign up for a free trial here.

Feel free to send us a message if you would like help finding a specific activity.

How would you implement the sentence mat for compound sentences with older students (high school) who have also been diagnosed as ID? Would it essentially be the same as for younger students? I love the idea, but I’m not sure how to implement it for my students.

You know your students best, so I can’t answer for your students specifically. That said, I personally have used the sentence mats with elementary and secondary students. I make sure to meet the students where they are at (e.g., by selecting appropriate sentences), but the visuals are quite versatile!

Any suggestions for irregular past tense verbs? It is so hard because drill seems to be the best way for memorizing these verb forms.

I’ve had success using the same framework (e.g., teaching, focused stimulation, structured practice, embedded practice). When it comes to drill, the “imitating contrasting sentences” strategy is one of my favorites. I select targets and cycle through those. This is my hypothesis, but I think the teaching phase helps increase students’ overall awareness, giving them the tools they need to start generalizing as they master the target list.

4. Embedded Practice

What was the app you used on the “crack the egg” example?

Cookie Doodle. Such a fun and versatile app!

Which YouTube videos do you use during your speech sessions the most?

I love Pixar Shorts and have been able to use them with a wide range of students.

For older students, I often get permission to use their favorite shows. (I couldn’t ask for a better generalization opportunity!)

Bonus!

How do you write an IEP goal to incorporate the goals when they have so many grammar goals to work on? Do you list each goal individually (e.g., past tense, pronouns, etc.), or is there a way to write a goal that incorporates several targets? My county supervisors want me to write very few goals, but I feel that when I do this, it really doesn’t make the goal measurable.

I usually keep my goals broader when it comes to grammar/syntax. I do list the targets that I’ve identified so that the IEP team is aware of the targets.

Here’s one example:

Student will produce grammatically correct sentences (e.g., appropriate use of pronouns, subject/verb agreement, and irregular past tense verbs).

Just add the criterion (e.g., in 4/5 opportunities, with 80% accuracy) and any other components that you need to add to your goal (e.g., when given ___ support, by ___ date).

You can also get more specific with the context (e.g., in conversation, when retelling a story, during classroom discussions), if needed!

Can you post the titles of the articles and where we can get them?

We mentioned several research articles throughout the presentation. The list of references can be found in the presentation slides. However, there were two articles that were particularly helpful. You can find the Connell (1982) article here, and you can find the Strong (1986) article here!

Thanks again for another amazing SLP Summit!

Leave a comment below if there were any questions that we didn’t get to!

Best of 2018

December 27, 2018 by Marisha 81 Comments

Wow! What a year, right? I still can’t believe it’s almost 2019 already!

Before we officially say “goodbye” to 2019, let’s take a quick walk down memory lane! Here’s a recap of this year’s top posts on the SLP Now blog…

Let the countdown begin!

Hint: Be sure to read until the end for a special giveaway!

#5 Getting Started with Teletherapy

I am so grateful that I was able to chat with Tracy Sippl about teletherapy. She is a fabulous resource! I know I learned a lot from writing this post with her, and I hope you will, too!

#4 Must-Have Therapy Tools

Ah! Who doesn’t love a good list? This post includes links to all of my favorite tools that have made my life easier as an SLP!

#3 How to Organize a Speech Therapy Cart

This one was posted at the end of 2016, but it got a lot of attention in 2018! If you’re an organization nerd like me, then this post is for you!

#2 How to Teach Following Directions

If you struggle to teach students how to follow directions (and then actually use the skill in the classroom), this post breaks it all down! After making all of the mistakes, I share what I learned from digging through the research and implementing those strategies in practice!

#1 Finding the Best Student Data Collection Solution for Your Caseload

The most visited post of the year… The post is all about student data!

This post got a mega makeover this year! We added a quiz and doubled down on the organization to make it super easy for you to find the best data collection option for your caseload. I spent hundreds of hours trying to find my ideal data collection system, and I so hope this roundup will save you some of the trouble!

Want to see more awesome posts? Check out last year’s top 5 posts!

Because this is our last post in 2018, we are having a GIVEAWAY…!

Enter below for a chance to win! We’d love it if you followed on Facebook and Instagram. 😀

2018 Celebration

Why Plan: The Power of Planning

December 25, 2018 by Marisha Leave a Comment

Let’s take some time to chat about therapy planning!

And yes… I know what you must be thinking (because I felt the same way): “I have a million things to do; how will I find time to plan my therapy sessions?” From the beginning of the school year until the end, we’re on a never-ending roller coaster of activity—set up our room, review student files, update materials, meetings, parent-teacher communication, and more. Did I say never-ending? Oh yes and, of course, help our students achieve their therapy goals.

And the term “lesson plan” never resonated with me. As a school-based SLP, I’m not a teacher, so why should I have a lesson plan?

So, what I found was I needed a mindset reset. And a plan.

Shifting My Planning Mindset

Since the concept of LESSON PLANNING felt so daunting, I decided to shift my attitude about it. Planning doesn’t have to be an overwhelming and time-consuming task. And it certainly doesn’t need to be a multiple-page document that takes weeks to complete or need to resemble the lesson plans a teacher creates. Planning can also look differently for every SLP.

So, what’s the big deal about planning?

Most of us wouldn’t take a road trip without considering where we want to end up, what stops we want to make along the way, and what route to take. If we don’t do a bit of planning, then we can waste time getting lost, trying to figure out where to go and when, and missing out on interesting sights.

That’s the same with our therapy sessions. Whether you spend 10 minutes a week and jot down your thoughts on a sticky note or use the SLP Now Membership to streamline your planning, the goal is to be intentional about the goals you need to achieve for each student and how you plan to get there.

Are you thinking, “Isn’t the IEP the plan?”

Just like curriculum tells a teacher WHAT needs to be learned, an IEP gives SLPs the target goals to achieve but not how to get there. Your training, experience and activity planning is what determines HOW you will help each student reach their goals.

Once I was deliberate about planning my therapy sessions, I found I actually saved MORE time and was even more productive. Here are just a few of the benefits to planning:

• Effective materials: Instead of determining on the fly what materials are best to support your student during therapy sessions, planning gives you space and time to prepare the most effective materials for your students’ goals.
• Maximize time in therapy sessions: Planning ensures every valuable minute is used effectively when you are with students.
• Fewer behavior issues: When there’s a plan to execute, there’s less “down time” and less opportunity for students to get distracted.
• Data-based decisions: Determining your therapy plan allows you to review each student’s data and make therapy decisions based on what’s best for their particular needs.
• Provide flexibility: The pre-work that is done when planning therapy sessions helps you become more innovative when you need to come up with contingency plans in a moment.
• Professional improvement: When you schedule time to plan, you give yourself the gift of reflection and can consider how to improve your SLP skills.

A Plan

That sounds pretty great, but the next question you might have is, “How do I create a plan?”

You can certainly create your own system, but why not piggyback on the expertise of other SLPs? That’s what I love about the SLP Now Membership! You can use our materials library and tools to put together amazing therapy plans in a matter of minutes. You can access these plans on any device (even your phone!), and they will save you so much time!

Want to hear more time-saving tips? Join me and register for the SLP Summit, a free online conference with lots of evidence-based strategies to help you improve your practice (plus, save time and headaches).

Using Books with Mixed Groups

December 17, 2018 by Marisha 1 Comment

Wouldn’t you love to work one-on-one with your students? Me too!

But, the reality is that we often must work with students in mixed groups. And, for the most part, each student is working on a different skill or has different goals to achieve.

Aye-yai-yai! Isn’t that a recipe for SLP overwhelm and chaos? Well, it can be. But with a mindset shift to embrace the challenge and the benefits of working in mixed groups (peer modeling is just one benefit that can make mixed groups even more effective), you can make literacy-based therapy for mixed groups very successful!

This probably won’t come as a big shock to all my long-time SLPNowers, but I think literacy-based therapy is one of the best ways to work with mixed groups. Be sure to review my 5 Rules for Literacy-Based Therapy: Mixed Groups Edition.

You can address just about any goal with books because they are filled with speech and language targets! Check out my Mixing Up Speech Therapy blog series for how to target certain skills by using books.

To get you off on the right foot for literacy-based therapy for a mixed group, here are some hints:
• Gather multipurpose tools that you can use for multiple speech and language targets. You can use one book to target multiple targets!
• Incorporate some independent work time or self-monitoring activities so that you have time to assess or work individually with other students.
• Bonus points if you can use books that students are reading in the classroom. (We can also select books to piggyback on topics being discussed in the classroom.)
• Feel free to repurpose and #worksmarter! You can use the same book with multiple groups.

So, how do you manage to give each student the support they need within a mixed group?

First, planning is super important. When you spend a little bit of time planning up front, your mixed group therapy sessions will run much more smoothly. You can find resources and activities in the SLP Now membership, on Pinterest, or on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Set expectations for the group and help your students understand that not everyone will be working on the same targets, but they all are there to get extra support on SOMETHING. Even though everyone in the group is working on something different, each student needs to respect the diversity in the room and know the expectations you have for them when you are working with another student.

OK, Marisha, this all sounds good. BUT, how does it work in practice?

Just like with any therapy session, I start out with visuals to help model the concept. We also use real-world examples. (Yes, we’ve been known to sit ON or UNDER the table!) #truth

Then, we dive in! There are plenty of opportunities to target each student’s goals as we read a book. I typically focus on one goal per child per session to make this a little more manageable. Let’s walk through a hypothetical group to see what this would look like.

We have a group of three second-graders reading Dragons Love Tacos, and we’re targeting describing, using pronouns, and answering what questions. I have the SLP Now vocabulary cards and visuals for each of these skills. I ask what questions using the describing visual (e.g., What color is the dragon? What is the dragon doing?). We’re able to target all of the students’ goals using this simple activity. Student A has the opportunity to describe items in the book, Student B has the opportunity to answer what questions, and Student C has the opportunity to create sentences using the appropriate pronoun. I use the visuals as placemats to remind the students (and myself!) what the focus is–and to scaffold when needed. Meanwhile, all three students are being bombarded with models of these structures from their peers.

The good news? That’s just one option! There are countless ways we could target all of these goals in a fun, cohesive way!

Yearning for more tips and tricks to make your life easier and your therapy sessions more productive? Register for the SLP Summit, our free online conference where more evidence-based strategies will help you improve your practice.

Marisha

Passive Voice

Relative and Adverbial Clauses

Sentences with 3+ Clauses

Basic Concepts

Categories

Compare and Contrast

Figurative Language

Multiple Meaning Words

Facts and Opinions

Inferences

Main Idea/Summarizing

Following Directions

Narratives/Story Grammar

WH Questions

Pronouns

Auxiliary Verbs

Past Tense Verbs

Plural Nouns

Negatives

Post Noun Elaboration

Compound Sentences

Complex Sentences

1. Language Sample

2. No-Print Books

3. Sheet Protectors + Dry Erase Markers

4. Sticky Tack

5. Digital Data

6. Medicaid Billing

1. Eat the frog first. It’s not as bad as you think it is.

2. Set goals.

3. Schedule blocks.

4. Plan ahead!

5. Don’t do it all yourself.

6. Gratitude.

7. Connect with positive SLPs.

8. Try something new.

1. “I’ll never catch up on Medicaid billing.”

2. “I’m too busy to…”

3. “My caseload is too…”

4. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

5. “I can’t get help because…”

1. Teaching

2. Focused Stimulation

3. Structured Practice

4. Embedded Practice

Bonus!

Because this is our last post in 2018, we are having a GIVEAWAY…!

Shifting My Planning Mindset

A Plan

Platform

Resources

Policies

social links

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