What is Sparklle Anyway?
No, it's not a typo, the double “L” is most certainly there for a reason! As suggested in the expanded form of the acronym, SPARKLLE, SPeaking About Remarkable Kids Learning Language Everyday, is a meaningful approach to developing the speech and language skills of preschool children, with a focus on phonology. As developed by the authors of this blog, Sparklle was created to provide speech and language therapy to unintelligible preschool students in a group setting within a public school. The program uses a cycles approach (Barbara Hodson’s Cycles for Phonology read more here and here) for remediating phonological processing disorders, incorporated into an interactive opening, fine and gross motor center activities, snack, and a closing with a parent component, along with weekly carryover home-practice activities. Our program was designed to include six children and two speech-language pathologists for 75-minute sessions. Through blog posts, we intend to share research, routines, strategies and tips, lesson plans, adaptations, and some free materials. Who knows where our journey into the blogosphere will take us!
Since starting this blog and currently working with elementary aged students primarily, SPeaking About Remarkable Kids Learning Language Everyday has expanded to mean just as it reads, rather than centered around our phonological approach to developing preschoolers. While we continue to be passionate about our program, current placement sets the stage for blog content with the hopes that over time and/or change of servicing population will again bring us back to our roots to share more about our approach.
