Speech in the Schools : technology, classroom activities

iNow iPad2

Valerie Lill — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:41:00 GMT

Last blog I covered the third in a series of new therapy approaches/programs/etc that I've used this year. This is the fourth and final blog in that series. Less than two weeks ago, I became one of the ever-growing number of SLPs who are using iPads in...(read more)

Talking About Talkies®

Valerie Lill — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:02:00 GMT

With only a month left to go in this school year, I thought I better get back to a blog I wrote way back at the beginning of the school year. I had talked about four new approaches/therapy models/interventions that I'd be using this year — so far I've...(read more)

Reflections on PSHA, Part 1

Valerie Lill — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Last time, I blogged about being a member of a state speech-language-hearing association. In that blog I mentioned my state association's upcoming annual convention. Today's post is about some of my experiences at the PSHA Convention . I'll write about...(read more)

Book It, Part 25: You Did It!

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Every kid can benefit from the kind of positive reinforcement offered by the phrase, "You did it!" especially if it is offered in an exuberant voice. I say this because lately with a number of my younger and developmentally younger students I have been...(read more)

Book It, Pt. 24: A Quick Trip to Ireland and the Land of Illusions

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:30:00 GMT

I have spent a fair amount of time here complaining about winter , so it's a good time to let you know that I LOVE St. Patrick's Day, mostly because to me it is the beginning of spring. Also, I am Darn Well Irish (the MacSweeneys, one of them being my...(read more)

Book It, Pt. 23: Have You Had Any Snow Days?

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:45:00 GMT

In my previous post, I mentioned the quiet winter we have had in the northeast, and how I don't mind it at all! However, it's always nice to have a "snow day" school cancellation to let you catch up on work (or relaxation). Snow Day , by Patricia Lakin...(read more)

The Pinning SLP: Discovering Pinterest

Valerie Lill — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

I find it amazing how the Internet has changed the world of speech-language pathology since I started working in the field. When I first started in the schools, I wrote my Individualized Education Plans by hand. (For anyone who has seen my handwriting,...(read more)

Book It, Pt. 22: Although I Don’t Like Snow...

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Kids do! I was skimming the shelves at Barnes & Noble one day when I saw the cute little picture book " When it Starts to Snow ," by Phillis Gershator and Martin Matje. The title instantly made me think, "temporal structure!" Through adorable illustrations...(read more)

Fairy Tales in Speech Therapy!

Alexandra Streeter — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:52:00 GMT

I've always loved reading classic fairy tales with my students. Not only are they great for their narrative structure, but they also play a big role in our culture. Well, I really lucked out, because look what our librarian's daughter painted on the wall...(read more)

Book It, Pt. 21: The Alphabet Comes to the Rescue

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Books continue to be my heroes in my school position, sometimes showing up to save me from ennui when I least expect it. I was recently doing a pull-over sort of session in the literacy center (the kindergarten class is nearby and my room is, well, not),...(read more)

Book It, Pt. 20: A Fun Look at "Non"-Fiction

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:25:00 GMT

As kids progress through the grades, the reading material and overall content within the classroom shifts from being narrative or story-based to being more expository. Kids are expected to deal with real-life content and facts and (hopefully) go beyond...(read more)

An Online Discovery!

Alexandra Streeter — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:53:00 GMT

Thanksgiving is now over, and we'll soon be heading toward winter holidays! Today I want to share a subscription website that I am thankful for having rediscovered. I had access to it a few years ago, but it has really improved and I now have more students...(read more)

Book it, Part 13: Finding Books on Curriculum Topics

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:20:00 GMT

One of the best ways an SLP in a public school setting can align with classroom contexts is to use picture books related to key curriculum topics. In doing so, we can do interactive read-alouds and emphasize categories, sentence and grammatical structures,...(read more)

New School Year, New Ideas

Valerie Lill — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:00:00 GMT

It certainly has been a busy (and a bit unusual) start to the school year! If the weather around here lately is any indication of what the winter and the rest of the school year is going to be like, we're in trouble! Since I've gone back to school , we've...(read more)

Book It, Part 10: Books that are Apps!

Sean Sweeney — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:25:00 GMT

With the immense popularity of mobile devices and apps, many developers are creating apps that are actually picture books! Some are GREAT, some are good, and some are neither. I see these new apps as falling into two categories: "new" books that have...(read more)