Introducing: Alexandra Streeter, MA, CCC-SLP

If all children thugouhort Australia learnt Esperanto during their 7 years in primary school they would all be bilingual by the time they are 12 years of age. With the use of internet in classrooms the children also will have the chance of sharing cultures directly with children from almost any other country of choice for the last 2 or 3 years of primary schooling. Having succeeded at one language these children will be well equipped to succeed at a more difficult Asian language in high school. Also present primary LOTE teachers will be available to teach them.The reason that primary children can so easily learn Esperanto is because their class teachers can be resourced sufficiently for them to teach the language even without prior knowledge of it. The only language that is easy enough for this to be done is Esperanto.After 5 to 7 years of teaching it, teachers will also know it and be able to use it in any way they wish in their own lives, for commercial enterprise, travel, corresponding internationally or just gaining a deeper understanding of other people around the world.  Dianne Lukes,President of the Australian Esperanto Assocciation.

Thanks for introducing this topic and blog, Alexandra.  It is wonderful to hear that other SLPs are moving away from 'one size fits all'  .   When trying to habituate a skill which must be automatized in terms of motor patterns, repetition is necessary, and so the time on task/number of repetitions does matter.  That is not necessarily the case with learning which is more 'cognitive' --in my opinion, that is why our profession has shifted away from 'therapy' and toward 'specialized teaching'.  But to change speech production patterns, we need to do drill, whether it is thematic or not.  

I would like to say that the statement about older SLPs doing non-themed based therapy lessons is an over-generalization.  I am very "seasoned" and work hard to provide many stimulating theme-based lessons as well as curriculum based therapy.  I use perkilou and Becky Wanca's ideas as well as many that have come from my "seasoned brain."  Please don't support such generalized statements about older therapists.  I create a theme-based room every year as well.  We are not all old and uncreative dinosaurs.  Believe it or not, I even use quite a bit of technology and actually enjoy it.  Imagine that!  I am planning getting an IPod touch or IPad to make my life easier as well.

Seasoned but creative SLP

For those of you who use themes, do you have a monthly theme in your room? Weekly? Or do you use curriculum themes?

Lisa, what book did you order? Sounds interesting!

This past year while serving preschoolers & kindergarteners, I used a combination of both - curriculum themes & drills especially for students who had articulation &/or phonological processes disorders while encorporating literacy and language activities.  I went into the classrooms and spent at least two hours per week and provided branched activities for the entire class based on the curriculum being covered demonstrating process oriented strategies - descibing what one sees, exploring how and where sounds are made,using signing, visualizing & sky writing words & expanding narrative skills.  It was a growing year for me - to be eclectic & flexible while being a part of the classroom teaching team.

I do both-drill and thematic. I also work with the child with peers during free-play at their school where there isn't really a theme-just centers. I work with pre-k exclusively.  I find myself using drill to teach a skill until I get some understanding from the child about the skill (60+ percentage rate).  Then I add in books, games and peers for carryover.  

Some students do best for me if we drill while playing a game (every time it is their turn I drill sets of the skill 5-10, depending on the child).

I have had children where we do themes only-because anything that remotely resembles "work" causes them to shut down.

I ordered a book-based language/artic book this year based on familiar children's books and I am hoping to use it this year (if my order ever comes in  :)

I think it is important to choose what work best for the child.

I had to comment on this topic! A few years ago I saw Ellen Estomin speak at PSHA. She discussed the concept of "hallway drills" for articulation therapy, and it completely changed the way I did artic therapy for my single-sound (e.g., lisp, /r/, /th/) error artic kids, fluency students, a handful of language students and  at the upper elementary level! (gr 3-5)  For the student strictly working on simple artic errors, I saw them for 30 minutes total/cycle - one 10-minute 1:1 hallway drill and one 20-minute small group session where on we worked on carryover, which did include games (sometimes!).  I highly recommend this therapy approach - I got more accomplished in 10 minute 1:1 therapy drill sessions than I did in the "traditional" 2x/week small group for articulation! I also used the curriculum - things like spelling words, reading, vocab, social studies vocab, PSSA vocab. etc. I don't have these types of kiddos on my caseload any more with my current assignment; however, when that day comes again, I won't hesitate to use this method with grades 3-5! Sure, the therapy isn't as "fun" but it is more "fun"ctional!