As I've stated in previous posts, there are many new web sites popping up, where you can download lessons for free, and for a nominal cost. My latest endeavor is to sell my products on a new website called "Teachers Notebook". Check it out!
Also, here is a link to all of my freebies:
"freebies"
When you look through these websites, not only should you look at the price of the downloads, which range from about $.99-$10.00, but check out the number of pages and how useful the product is to you. Will it last for 1 session, 1 week, 1 month, or can you use it throughout the entire school year? Take it from me, there are MANY hours that go into creating a product. I spent about 50 hours creating one of my products that I ended up selling for $4.00. Quite the deal, if you ask me! So, before you decide that $3.50 is too much money to pay for an originally created product, think again.
Creative Speech Teach
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
So what did YOU do this weekend?
As many of you know, I have started putting my money where my mouth is. After 30 years in the field of Speech & Language, I finally started selling my original lessons and ideas. Well this weekend, I put the finishing touches on my latest product. It's called 4 Seasons Semantic Game Boards. As an incentive for people to buy my product, I am offering the first 10 people who buy it, to receive a fully laminated set, as well as a custom spinner, all put into a binder and mailed directly to you. "You have to spend money to make money." That's what my husband always tells me. Hopefully, he's right. You can follow the link to the TpT store right from this page. Enjoy! teacherspayteachers.com/store/melissa-roeder
32 Pages of game boards, answer keys and worksheets!
Game boards can be used with small groups, in centers, or for homework. |
Worksheets and Venn diagrams allow students to follow-up on the skills they worked on. Click here to download. |
Friday, February 1, 2013
TGIF
TGIF! Have you ever noticed how wound up the kids get on Fridays? "What are we doing today?", "Can we play a game?" TGIF! Have you ever noticed how wound up the kids get on Fridays? "What are we doing today?", "Can we play a game?"
In my school, we work on a 6 day cycle. So, the rule is, whenever your speech day falls on a Friday, we will play a game. Little do they know- we are not really playing a game. We are using a game format as a vehicle through which we are reinforcing whatever language skills and concepts are being taught at that time.
I learned my lesson a long time ago, at the beginning of my career, when I sent my students home with a final project we had been working on for an entire week. There were about 9 language goals that I incorporated into this lesson. It was highly motivating, multi-sensory and required the students to integrate many of their newly acquired skills.
However, when the children brought home their final project to share with their parents, it simply looked like arts and crafts. I'd love to say that I only received 1 complaint letter from a parent- but I'd be lying.
The important lesson I learned from that experience, and one I'd like to share with all of my SLP peeps, is that we always need to communicate the language goals with the parents, either preceding the lesson, or when the child brings it home. The note should state the exact skills their child learned and which specific language concepts they were required to use, in order to successfully complete the project. It might take a bit of time to write something up, but I would much rather do that, than spend the time on the phone, explaining myself to the parents.
This cool reinforcement activity is by Colleen Gallagher at Teachingheart.net . It's called Roll a Penguin. The kids LOVED it!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Love my Dollar Store
Who doesn't love the dollar store? I was giving an inservice class recently, with a colleague of mine. We decided that we would go to the dollar store, purchase a ton of items, and use them throughout our class. One afternoon my phone rang.
"I hit the mother-load", she shouted. She found the most amazing store. A TRUE dollar store. It seems like there are more five dollar stores out there. Have any of you found a great dollar store near you? Want to share?
Not bad!
For this lesson, I gave the puzzle pieces out as reinforcement for correct answers. We used the Problem Solving worksheets from Therasimplicity.com (another awesome website). Each child had to state whether or not they thought there was a problem in the picture. If there was a problem, they had to state the problem, then give 1 possible cause for the problem. The next student had to state another possible cause. Then, they were asked to explain why it was a problem and tell what they could have done to avoid the problem in the first place. After each student received at least 1 puzzle piece, they were able to put it on the table.
"I hit the mother-load", she shouted. She found the most amazing store. A TRUE dollar store. It seems like there are more five dollar stores out there. Have any of you found a great dollar store near you? Want to share?
Some of the best things I have found at the $$ store are 24 piece puzzles. I found great Dora The Explorer and Angry Birds puzzles. I use them as reinforcement for many of my lessons. I created a pre-made template, the size of the finished puzzle, and I place it on the table. Each student is given two sets of pieces. The first set consists of the corners and straight sides. The second set has the inside pieces. I've noticed that so many children have no idea how to put a puzzle together. This is a good opportunity to teach them some strategies. After each child takes a turn answering whatever questions you have planned for them, they get a chance to put a puzzle piece down on the table. After they complete the entire frame, then you can hand out the inside pieces. It is motivating, and easy to implement with any group. Enjoy!
I used the Angry Birds puzzle today. Each child was working on the /r/ sound in phrases. There were 2 words per phrase. They had to say 5 phrases correctly, before they were able to place a piece of the puzzle on the table. So, since it was a 24 piece puzzle and each child got 12 puzzle pieces, they had the opportunity to practice their /r/ sound 120 times!!
Not bad!
For this lesson, I gave the puzzle pieces out as reinforcement for correct answers. We used the Problem Solving worksheets from Therasimplicity.com (another awesome website). Each child had to state whether or not they thought there was a problem in the picture. If there was a problem, they had to state the problem, then give 1 possible cause for the problem. The next student had to state another possible cause. Then, they were asked to explain why it was a problem and tell what they could have done to avoid the problem in the first place. After each student received at least 1 puzzle piece, they were able to put it on the table.
So meaningful~ so motivating~ so much fun.
CCSS
Common Core WHAT?
Common Core State Standards, Common Core State Standards- if you haven't heard of them, I'd be very surprised. Where do we fit it in? As SLPs, I know that we already have to generate dozens and dozens of IEP goals for our students. Now, we need to think about CCSS? It seemed overwhelming at first, but if you read them carefully, you'll notice that we are already working on many of them already. We just have to readjust our thinking. I always think that if we take a little time and match up the standards with our existing goals, it won't be as overwhelming as originally thought. There are a ton of websites out there that can help us become more familiar and comfortable with the new CCSS. Check out TpT and type "common core" into the search box.
Have you downloaded the CCSS app? It's a great reference for students, parents, and teachers to easily read and understand the Common Core standards. These apps includes Language Arts and Math standards K-12.
In my school, we are all responsible for setting up a bulletin board. My wonderful colleague came up with this idea. Not only is it good for a permanent board, but it helps remind us of how nicely our speech-language goals mesh with the CCSS.
I present to you:
Common Core State Standards, Common Core State Standards- if you haven't heard of them, I'd be very surprised. Where do we fit it in? As SLPs, I know that we already have to generate dozens and dozens of IEP goals for our students. Now, we need to think about CCSS? It seemed overwhelming at first, but if you read them carefully, you'll notice that we are already working on many of them already. We just have to readjust our thinking. I always think that if we take a little time and match up the standards with our existing goals, it won't be as overwhelming as originally thought. There are a ton of websites out there that can help us become more familiar and comfortable with the new CCSS. Check out TpT and type "common core" into the search box.
Have you downloaded the CCSS app? It's a great reference for students, parents, and teachers to easily read and understand the Common Core standards. These apps includes Language Arts and Math standards K-12.
In my school, we are all responsible for setting up a bulletin board. My wonderful colleague came up with this idea. Not only is it good for a permanent board, but it helps remind us of how nicely our speech-language goals mesh with the CCSS.
I present to you:
Speech and Language Shares a Clear, Common Vision with the Common Core
Monday, January 28, 2013
TpT
If you haven't already heard of Teachers Pay Teachers, you don't know what you are missing! It is a website by teachers, for teachers. You can download dozens of free material, as well as purchasing many great lessons for a very inexpensive price. There are so many amazingly creative teachers out there. There is also a nice representation of Speech-Language Pathologists on this site. Please check out TpT and support your colleagues.
Here's a sample of one of just one my TpT products:
I have always loved cooking with my students and giving them a great language experience. There are so many skills to be taught when you cook with your students.
One of the things I always like to do with my products is to add some of the possible Common Core standards, as well as some IEP goals that you can use with each lesson.
There are lists of nouns, verbs and adjectives that your students can sort and match to the photographs that are included.
The students will have to follow oral directions using the pictures from the
cooking activity.
Unscrambling sentences is such an important skill when teaching how to
formulate sentences.
For your older students, I've included 2 Venn diagrams.
Can they use the terms similar, dissimilar, and unlike?
The Beauty of Beanies
I am so glad I never threw out my daughter's old Beanie Babies! I keep a big garbage bag filled these adorable stuffed animals under my computer table. You'd really be amazed how many language concepts you can teach while using these:
- vocabulary ( receptive & expressive)
- sort by color
- sort by body parts (4 legs, 2 legs, wings, a beak, etc)
- categorize & classify
- compare and contrast
- verbs (kangaroo hops, turtle crawls, bear lumbers, bird swoops, etc.)
- following oral directions
- temporal concepts
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