Another year has come and is quickly going...

First app review...
First series and a huge hit with an uber talented guest blogger...

IG is my favorite social media

I even joined FB, but have no idea how to use it.  I am a member of one group {can view the posts and respond via e-mail, that works} and I don't even know how to add or find followers, post...  It just doesn't fit into my life right now.

Professionally, I experienced a major change.  After having my primary placement at one elementary school for 14 years, I moved to an entirely new school...new staff, new students, and did I ever mention my children also attend this school.  It was an emotional roller coaster from the time I learned my school was to close until I finally settled in at the new placement {in about late October}...after a swift attitude adjustment!

Personally, 2014 was just grand!  I am so lucky to have a wonderfully supportive husband, 3 perfect children, a close family, and super friends.  Spending time with these people doing things I enjoy made for a great 2014.  Rounding it out at the most magical place on Earth, well, I just might be the luckiest girl around.

I am truly fortunate on so many levels!  Thanks for stopping by.  I'd love to hear your 2014 story.

You can read my year in review post from 2013 here.

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Sparklle SLP

Well I am so pleased to be joining Old School Speech as she hosts a favorite posts linky.  Remember my reason for starting this little blog?  To keep myself organized and have a spot to house all the ideas I come across.  Mary has come up with a way to store, if you will, favorite posts from the month for future reference.  Grand idea to give a boost to the old memory.

Here goes my short list of favorite posts from December.

I just LOVE Mia.  Her materials are out of this world awesome, her blog posts are inspiring, not to mention she is a delightful, caring, creative individual!

Her recent post about pushing in is another must read from Mia!

Self-reflection forms by thedabblingspeechie is also a post to read and then head straight to her TPT store to download the forms.

Writing Heals by Annie of Doyle Speech Works is another top this month. Annie is by far the most inspiring writer and you can always count on her to bring a heartfelt informative message.  I was just grumbling about having to work on writing with a student that moved in with written language goals.  Annie reminded me of the importance and I thank her.

And well, you can never go wrong with a post over at Speechie Freebies.

Finally, if you happen to see my list of Blogs that Sparklle {it does need quite a few additions}, I am a HUGE fan of I Heart Organizing.  I read every post and usually try and mimic anything I can from her creative, organized little blog.  She shares the creative organization of many others and this post from All Things Thrifty is no exception.  While I will not be seeing students over the holidays, I do have 3 of my own littles at home who might enjoy a little milk with sprinkles around the glass or a New Year's party kit.  But speechies, pay special attention to the Year in Review printable.  What a great language activity for the first week back.  I had started crafting my own, but finding this will save time my friends!

Another month of inspiring posts here in blogland.  I'm again grateful for this little endeavor for allowing me to gain more than I could have expected.  Merry Christmas to all!

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Sparklle SLP

I have been so wild about books and thanks to Scarlett over at Speech is Sweet, I can continue to share this obsession.  Using books in therapy is absolutely positively perfect for targeting a wide variety of target skills.  Did I mention my students are completely attentive during the read aloud?  It's like having them at hello!  The books I choose are mostly quick reads, taking about 5-7 minutes of therapy time.  I use books with K-2 and depending on the selection 3rd grade also.

Today, I'm linking up to share my newest book companion for A Pirate's Night Before Christmas by Philip Yates.  My students enjoyed the other pirate books I read earlier this year, so I knew this would be a hit.

You can target a variety of regular and irregular verbs in this story.  Quite a few students are working at the carryover level, so retelling with a story map or a picture walk targets loads of past tense verbs.  There is plenty Tier 1 vocabulary like pirate, pirate ship, and pirate map as well as Tier 2 vocabulary like gleamed and aboard for defining and describing.  I have tons of students working on pronouns, so I use books to talk about what "he/she/they" is/are doing, what "he/she/they" has/have, and what belongs to "him/her/them."  My articulation students have become masters at listening for target sounds in books and writing words on one of my open ended articulation sheets.  You can find a pirate treasure FREEBIE here.  There is also a different version included within the book companion.  There is also a pirate glossary at the end of the story.  Talking like a pirate is beyond fabulous.  Working on social language, vocabulary, and articulation while talking like a pirate would create a memorable day in speech.  Comparing and contrasting reindeer and seahorses {the pirate method of leading the sleigh} or the original Twas the Night Before Christmas and A Pirate's Night Before Christmas would be an entire session of analyzing and pulling out details.

Since the night before Christmas is quickly approaching, I am offering this book companion at 50% off in my TPT store until December 24, 2014.

Here is the post from last year where you can find my book companion for Merry Christmas Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt.  I completed updated it, so if you already purchased it, please re-download.  Here are some snapshots of my students in action this past week.

Drawing and describing a Christmasaurus!

Asking questions for mama!

Reinforcement matching activity!

Speech tree for /s/ in production!

Speech tree for /l/ in production!

I am already planning a book companion for the original I love you Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt as my students got such a kick out of  the name "Stinky Face" and I neglected to offer them prior knowledge.  I sure will follow up with this background.  I'm thinking a Valentine's day companion!

Make sure to head back over to Speech is Sweet to find more books for speech therapy!

I am not affiliated with the books aforementioned in this post.  The books are required for use.

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Sparklle SLP

I've decided {as with most of my decisions} to jump in with both feet and not look back.  Check out my SLPs Pushing In Series here to find out where I started.  Today, I am sharing where I am today.

Yes, I did receive some weird looks as I moved myself into classrooms to observe, chat with a small group of students, offer a strategy, scaffold, or provide a visual cue/prompt.  I reassured the teachers I was NOT observing them, merely I was immersing myself into the curriculum with the hope of gaining new knowledge about my students and hopefully earning a welcome for future returns.  I may just shout from the rooftops, I loved every minute of pushing into classrooms!  In small, controlled doses.  I'm calling it periodic push-in.  I'm not giving up my day job of pull-out speech language therapy.  Therapy is a necessary component for students identified with speech-language impairments.  In my opinion, therapy cannot take place solely in a large classroom setting or even in a small group within a large classroom setting, as I refer to as pull-away services.  Inclusion or push-in services is part of a continuum of service delivery options from which to choose.  A continuum is NECESSARY and so is individual and/or small group speech therapy services in the speech room!

If you want to give periodic push-in a try, I created a freebie for data collection.  You can find it in this post.  So far, most of my push-in times have been unplanned.  Students forgot to come to my room, so I went to their room and found a great activity going on, so I stayed.  A meeting was scheduled during a regular group time, so I pushed into music during my lunch.  Schedule changes created a domino effect, so I went with it...into the classroom.  Testing was going on here, so I went there.  You get the idea!

To offer a little more persuasion in hopes that you might too try periodic push-in, I've decided to take this whole week before winter break to only push into classrooms.  I am completely optimistic that this will be a grand week!  I started by developing a plan to push into classrooms by following my regular pull-out schedule.  Instead of having my students come to me, I will go to them.  This would work even better if my groups of students were only developed with students from one classroom, but that isn't always the case.  I sent out a staff e-mail {scary} and informed them of my decision to push-in, asking each teacher not to change anything.  If an activity throughout the week offered communicative opportunities, then I would be happy to push-in at the time instead.  I promised to bring my flexible brain!

So, I took my regular schedule and shrunk all the names leaving room to write in any invites.  I'm happy to report I have three so far!  I'll be involved in a "buddy" activity in kindergarten, watching some of my students present in a play in 2nd grade, and offering some help with independent studies in 4th grade.  I'm definitely ending the week with productions by our drama club, in which I volunteer to assist weekly as an after school activity.  In between those invites, hearing screening follow-ups, and scattered meetings, I hope to see all 80 of my students this week.

I promise to report successes and failures!  Happy last week before break speechies!

I'm also linking up {late} with Old School Speech's Week in Review since this is what I have planned for my week.  Despite taking tons of pictures last week of all my craftivities in speech, I neglected to include any in a post.  Best laid plans...

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Sparklle SLP

Today's topic of thinking vs. saying is one in which I have used for many years.  I can still remember a little guy verbalizing the definition on a video created for a board of education meeting highlighting some of the unique programs offered at our elementary.  He explained to the camera that sometimes there are thoughts you might have that are very different from what you might say.  Some thoughts are better kept in our thought bubble rather than enter our talking bubble.  Often times these thoughts might be perceived as rude or impulsive and they need to be filtered.  It seems to go back to the old saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

We all have thoughts.  Our thoughts combine with our feelings about a topic or discussion.  Imagine if everything you thought just spouted right out into words.  For some of my dear friends, that is exactly the case.  Many times it's their teachers or other adults nearby that give "the look" or hand out the consequence.  Rightfully so, some of the information that enters the talking bubble bypasses the social filter and creates a jaw dropping, odd looking moment.  Enter the need for thinking vs. saying explicit instruction {for the student and an explanation for the adults too}!

I'm working with an older elementary student currently that has been learning this strategy within the speech room.  Both his parent and teachers absolutely bought into it right away as the student shared the information with them {how awesome is that}!  His intervention specialist asked if I could provide a visual so she could refer to the thought bubble when an unexpected thought enters the talking bubble.  Wait a minute, could that be carryover?  {applause, applause, applause}

While I've always just drawn my thinking and talking bubbles on a dry erase board or sticky notes, with a little help from others, you can have a complete lesson and carryover materials!

Start here with great visuals for describing the thinking and talking bubbles.

Think it or Say it Worksheet {I adapted this with my own student.}

Then, click on the Dabbling Speechie's preview for a freebie activity to practice thinking vs. saying.

Another great idea from Speech Room News perfect for this holiday season when targeting thinking vs. saying.

Some of our students need explicit instruction on this topic with review, reinforcement, reminders, and follow up problem/perspective logs, thinking vs. saying is a topic many can use, social skill deficit or not!

Happy thoughts to you all and may everything that enters your talking bubble be positive!

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Sparklle SLP

I'm coming at you with multiple posts in one!  I have been taking some extra time with my family and preparing for the holidays, but it hasn't stopped my mind from firing off post topics.

For starters, I'm linking up with Scarlett over at Speech is Sweet for her Wild About Books Wednesday linky to promote a book companion.

You may know I love Instagram!  Through the IG community I have virtually met so many fabulous SLPs.  Although I've only met one in person thus far, my list of "hope to meet" is growing!  Recently, I had the privilege of winning 2 giveaways!  I received a fabulous package of goodies from the Speech Chicks and I won a book companion from School SLP!  "I'm feeling lucky," is an understatement!  Sanaz and Christine sent me colorful Sharpies {I know, awesome}, a sweet little notebook that I am using to track my time study information {that's a whole other post}, and the Candyland Game Board!  January may just be all about game time in the speech room with this new addition.

Kim, School SLP, sent me a copy of her book companion for This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers.  I had not heard of this book, but of course it went right into my Amazon cart.  After taking a look at her companion, I was already scheming for a grand plan to add it to my therapy themes.  Do I combine it with Moosletoe by Margie Palatini for a holiday theme and the ability to compare two stories about moose {there is a big push right now within our new reading series and assessments to compare stories with similar features}?  Maybe I wait to include it within an animal theme?  Either way I decide, I'm grateful for the opportunity to use this companion.

Kim combined Tier 1 and Tier 2 vocabulary, regular and irregular verbs, multiple meaning words, compare and contrast vocabulary pictures, articulation word cards for /s, z, l, r/ sounds, story comprehension question cards, a game board, roll and cover/color pages, worksheets for writing character feelings, and of course game cards for some reinforcement!  The graphics are super cute!  I'd better get prepping as I wait for my book to arrive.

So, following SLPs can make you a winner too!  My students and I are benefiting greatly from these fabulous SLPs.  SLPs who follow SLPs are pretty fortunate!  If you are in need of some SLPs to follow, head on over to TPT and grab the Gifts of Gab created by Activity Tailor and Speech Room News.  You will find 60 freebies and 60 links to paid products created by talented SLPs!  I am ever so grateful that I had the opportunity to participate in this promotional product.  Although my techie linking skills are amateur, I keep learning something new each day on this adventure.

Don't forget to follow a few SLPs!

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Sparklle SLP