Smart Apps For Special Needs: Great tips to help kids that are frustrated while ...

Smart Apps For Special Needs: Great tips to help kids that are frustrated while ...: I have two very different kids. Both do well academically, however, I had my doubts about my daughter when she was first learning to read. W...

Best gifts for speech & ot development.

Blog: Smart Apps For Special Needs
Post: Let's Go Shopping: SLP and OT recommended gifts for kids
Link: http://www.smartappsforspecialneeds.com/2014/11/lets-go-shopping-slp-and-ot-recommended.html

--
Powered by Blogger
http://www.blogger.com/

Research in Brief | November 2014

Hand Gestures Boost Spoken and Signed Language Learning

The ASHA Leader, November 2014, Vol. 19, 14. doi:10.1044/leader.RIB1.19112014.14


Spontaneous gestures can help children learn language—whether spoken or signed—according to a report published Sept. 19 in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.


Author Susan Goldin-Meadow—the Beardsley Ruml Distinguished Service Professor in the University of Chicago Department of Psychology—examined how gesturing contributes to language-learning in hearing and in deaf children. “Children who can hear use gesture along with speech to communicate as they acquire spoken language,” she says. “Those gesture-plus-word combinations precede and predict the acquisition of word combinations that convey the same notions. The findings make it clear that children have an understanding of these notions before they are able to express them in speech.”


The findings also suggest gesture plays a role in learning for signers even though it is in the same communication modality as sign. Therefore, gesture doesn’t aid learners simply by providing a second modality—rather, gesture adds imagery to the categorical distinctions that form the core of both spoken and sign languages.


Goldin-Meadow also studied children who learned sign language from their parents. She found that they, too, use gestures as they use American Sign Language. These gestures predict learning, just like the gestures that accompany speech.


Finally, Goldin-Meadow looked at children whose hearing losses prevented them from learning spoken language, and whose hearing parents had not presented them with conventional sign language. These children use homemade gesture systems—called “homesign”—to communicate. Homesign shares properties with natural languages but is not a full-blown language. Nevertheless, Goldin-Meadow writes, homesign can be the “first step toward an established sign language.”

© 2014 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Retrieved 11/25/2014

Do you like to play with Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head? Visit this site for ideas of how to play all while building your child's expressive and receptive language skills.


http://thespeechroomnews.com/2014/09/10-slp-ways-to-play-potato-heads.html

Blog: Smart Apps For Special Needs
Post: Be sensitive to special needs on Halloween
Link: http://www.smartappsforspecialneeds.com/2014/10/be-sensitive-to-special-needs-on.html
Retrieved 10/25/2014

I use this website for ideas to assist with a variety of lessons and to assist with day to day events (using social stories to assist with handling situations, picture schedules, etc....). Many are helpful for all children regardless of diagnosis.

Free Downloads

Since Facebook isn't showing our Daily Autism Freebie posts to many of our followers (because they want Facebook pages to pay for sponsored posts), I'm listing some of our most popular freebies from the month here. You can go directly to http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/ each day to get the freebies without Facebook!

Brushing Teeth Routine Picture Schedule - http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/2014/09/brushing-teeth-routine.html

Street Safety Printable Cards and Songs - http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/2014/09/street-safety-printable-cards-and-songs.html

Time-Saving Cheat Sheet for Picture Schedules - http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/2014/09/time-saving-cheat-sheet-for-picture.html

Autism Classroom Layout Map - http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/2014/09/autism-classroom-layout-map.html

"Getting to Know You" Social Skill Freebie - http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/2014/09/getting-to-know-you-social-skill-freebie.html

"Fire Safety Song" With Printable Cards - http://daily-autism-freebie.blogspot.com/2014/09/fire-safety-song-with-printable-cards.html


You can find a list of the articles and resources in this newsletter issue here: http://positivelyautism.weebly.com/blog/september-2014-newsletter-occupational-therapy

Remember to follow us on Facebook or Twitter for new free stuff posted each day!

Thanks,

Nicole Caldwell, M.Ed.
Founder, Positively Autism
________________________________________

Welcome to my BLOG! I am so excited about the new school year. Periodically I will post information relating to speech/language development and resources. If you'd like to contact me, email is best because I travel between buildings (kurtam@middletownk12.org). I am still learning how to Blog, use hyperlinks, post and speak the technology lingo. The information below will not direct you to the article if you click on it but if you copy it and put it in a new address bar it will direct you to the article.


Below is a brief presentation with regards to the role of a school speech/language specialist.

www.asha.org%2fuploadedFiles%2fslp%2fschools%2fprof-consult%2fslprole.pdf



In order to receive school-based speech/language services there must be a documented negative educational impact. The Parental Rights in Special Education booklet is a user friendly document that makes reading and understanding the New Jersey Special Education Code 6A:14 a little easier. You can read it on-line at http://www.nj.gov/education/specialed/form/prise/prise.pdf.

These handouts were written by Speech/Language Pathologists and Educators and provide strategies and activities to assist with the development of a variety of skills.

http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/398_Whynottalk.pdf

http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/374%20Helpful%20Classroom.pdf

http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/331_Auditory_Memory.pdf

http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/130%20CAPD.pdf

http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/85_Listening_Disabilities.pdf

http://www.superduperinc.com/handouts/pdf/369%20Learning%20Styles.pdf

Looking forward to a speech-filled 2014-2015 school year.
Mary-Margaret Kurta M.A., SLS/CCC-SLP
Middletown Township Public Schools

Stuttering

Visit www.stutteringhelp.org........watch the videos titled.......7 Tips for Talking with the Child Who Stutters.....8 Tips for Teachers......Famous People Who Stutter.....etc....

Retrieved 6/12/2014
How Parents Can Help Facilitate Articulation Skills
by Harriett Hoeprich, Speech/Language Specialist

Be a practice partner.
Ask your child's speech/language therapist to let you know when it would be helpful for you to practice at home. Then practice your child's successful words, using word cards or objects, at home. Use games and other fun activities, and make your sessions short and frequent. (5-15 minutes a day)

Don't directly correct sounds that your child has not worked on yet.
Direct correction has been shown to be largely ineffective and disruptive. This is especially true when the child has not had the opportunity to have the new skill presented in a more isolated way than connected speech. At some point, your therapist will let you know if your child is at the stage where gentle reminders may be effective during connected speech for the targeted sound. This is usually after mastery has been achieved at the single word level, however.

Use revision every day to address the articulation needs as a whole.
Parents don't realize how powerful this can be, particularly if the revision is used consistently and simply. Revision is the technique where you repeat what the child has said, but use the correct pronunciation. You may want to give the sound a little extra emphasis. (Example--Child: Look at bu! Adult: Look at that bug! Go, bug, go!)

Don't directly imitate your child's errors. Model good speech.
Some of the cute things our children say are very precious to us. But don't inadvertently reinforce the incorrect productions by laughing or drawing attention. Certainly don't imitate the incorrect production. Repeat the utterance using the correct pronunciation. And make a tape or video recording to save your memories of some of the adorable things your child says at this age! Model good speech.

Address health issues that may contribute to the problem.
Fight ear infections. Address other physical difficulties that may contribute, such as mouth breathing or voice difficulties.

Read to your child.
It's amazing how much this accomplishes. Use reading as a way to surround your child with the targeted sound. (See "Ideas for Books to Enhance Articulation Skills".)

Play with your child.
Spend time talking with your child in play, while you model the correct productions very simply, using revision.

Talk to your child.
Talk to your child as you go through your daily routine. This is a chance to model many correct productions, use revision, and stimulate language development, too.

Below are some fun ideas of games and activities you can use to practice your child's sounds. Many of these games involve the use of simple picture cards which can be made out of index cards and catalogs.


Use the picture cards to play Concentration (Memory) or Go Fish.
Play a board game like Candyland, but have your child say a word before he takes a turn each time. Don't forget to take a word yourself! Then it's one more model your child gets to hear. When your child is ready for this step, let your child "catch" you making the sound "the old way" and let him show you how it should be said with the "new sound".
If your child isn't quite ready to enjoy traditional board games like Candyland, use something like Hi-Ho Cherrio, which is a simpler type of game. Use the picture cards in the same manner, however.
Play more active types of games, such as Nerf Golf, Bean Bag Toss, Ring Toss, and Bowling by simplifying the game to include less movement. This works really well with the minimal pairs. Put out two bowling pins with a picture card of the pair against each one (pin-bin, for example). Then try several approaches: Have your child tell you which one he knocked over, or which one he will knock over. Then gently tell him: "You said you were going to knock over the picture of 'pin'. You knocked over 'bin'."
Hide the picture cards and let your child "find" them. You can also hide the pictures in other containers, such as plastic eggs.

Ideas For Books To Enhance Articulation Skills
by Harriett Hoeprich, Speech/Language Specialist 1995

The following are only a brief beginning list of possible books to enhance articulation skills. One reason that reading can be a helpful way of enhancing articulation is by "bombarding" the child with many opportunities to hear the correct pronunciation of the targeted sound. When you know your child has worked on a certain sound in therapy, it can also be another way to practice new skills. When you talk about the book with your child, the sound should come up naturally because of the topic or words in the book. You can use a "closure" technique to elicit certain words, if you feel fairly confident that your child can produce the sound. (For example: "Caps for sale! Fifty cents a ____." letting your child fill in the blank.) Or you could have the child "read" part of the book with you, if it's a story he is very familiar with. Very repetitive stories are also helpful in eliciting phrases--such as "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, what do you hear?"

Remember to use a very natural, low-key approach. Drilling under pressure will probably result in the child disliking the activity and possibly the whole idea of reading and speaking, which is certainly not your goal! Remember that even if your child is "only" listening, she is still gaining the auditory bombardment of the sound and opportunities to hear the correct pronunciation in a controlled setting, not to mention all the other benefits of spending time with you and reading.

K SOUND
THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle
CROSS COUNTRY CAT by Mary Calhoun
CAPS FOR SALE by Esphyr Slobodkina
CATS AND CANARY by Michael Foreman
CAN I KEEP HIM by Steven Kellogg
CORDUROY by Don Freeman
MILLIONS OF CATS by Wanda Gag

D SOUND
A DARK, DARK TALE by Ruth Brown
HAVE YOU SEEN MY DUCKLING? by Nancy Tafuri
MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS by Robert McCloskey

P SOUND
EACH PEACH, PEAR, PLUM by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON by Crockett Johnson
PAT THE BUNNY by Dorothy Kunhardt
THE PIG'S WEDDING by Helen Heine
POPPY THE PANDA by Dick Gackenbach

F SOUND
FAMILY by Helen Oxenbury
FEELINGS by Aliki
FINDERS KEEPERS by Will and Nicholas Mordvinoff
A FARMER'S ALPHABET by Mary Axariun
THE FOOT BOOK by Dr. Seuss
THE FOOLISH FROG by Pete and Charles Seeger
FIVE LITTLE FOXES AND THE SNOW by Tony Johnston
ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH by Dr. Seuss
FIX-IT by David McPhail
GONE FISHING by Earlene Long
THE LITTLE FUR FAMILY by Margaret Wise Brown

M SOUND
MOON MAN by Tomi Ungerer
MAMA DON'T ALLOW by Thatchur Hurd
MADELINE by Ludwig Bemelmans
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB by Mary Josepha Hale
MAX'S FIRST WORD by Rosemary Wells
MITCHELL IS MOVING by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

G SOUND
GOOD MORNING, CHICK by Mirra Ginsburg
GOOD-BYE HOUSE by Frank Asch
GONE FISHING by Earlene Long
GOODNIGHT MOON by Margaret Wise Brown
I GO WITH MY FAMILY TO GRANDMA'S by Riki Levinson

H SOUND
THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS by many different authors
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOON by Frank Asch
HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON by Crockett Johnson
HIPPOS GO BERSERK by Sandra Boynton
HOLES AND PEEKS by Ann Jonas
HOW DO I PUT IT ON? by Shrego Watanabe
HUSH LITTLE BABY by Jeanette Winter

B SOUND
I AM A BUNNY by Ole Risom
HUSH LITTLE BABY by Jeanette Winter
PAT THE BUNNY by Dorothy Kunhardt
THE RUNAWAY BUNNY by Margaret Wise Brown

L SOUND
I KNOW AN OLD LADY by Nadine Bernard Wescott
I LOVE MY BABY SISTER by Elaine Edelman
A LION FOR LEWIS by Rosemary Wells
THE LITTLE DUCK by Judy Dunn
THE LITTLE PUPPY, THE LITTLE LAMB, THE LITTLE KITTEN, ETC... by Judy Dunn
THE LADY AND THE SPIDER by Faith McNulty
THE LITTLE FUR FAMILY by Margaret Wise Brown
LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE by Bernard Waber

SH SOUND
HUSH LITTLE BABY by Jeanette Winter
ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH by Dr. Seuss
SHEEP IN A JEEP by Nancy Shaw
SHEEP IN A SHOP by Nancy Shaw
SHHHH! by Suzy Kline
SHHHHH...BANG by Margaret Wise Brown
SHINE, SUN! by Carol Greene

TH SOUND
THE THANK YOU BOOK, by Francoise Seignobuse
THINGS I HATE by Harriett Wittels
THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD by Wally Piper
AND TO THINK THAT I SAW IT ON MULBERRY STREET by Dr. Seuss
TEETH by Michael Ricketts
THANK YOU by Edith Flack Ackley
THUNDERSTORM by Mary Szilagyi
THUMP AND PLUNK by Janice May Udry
THE THINKING BOOK by Sandol Stoddard
THE THINKING PLACE by Barbara Joosse
THIS AND THAT AND THUS AND SO by Evaline Nuss
THIDWICK, THE BIG-HEARTED MOOSE by Dr. Seuss
THREE BY THE SEA by Edward Marshall

R SOUND
ROSIE'S WALK by Pat Hutchins
ROTTEN RALPH by Jack Gantos
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD by the Brothers Grimm

S SOUND
SWIMMY by Leo Lionni
BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR by Bill Martin
SEE AND SAY by Antonio Frasconi
THE SEAL MOTHER by Mordicai Berestein
SEARCH FOR SAM by Neil Morris
SEEN ANY CATS? by Frank Modell
SEEDS by Terry Jennings

T SOUND
THE TEENY-TINY WOMAN by Paul Galdone
TEN, NINE, EIGHT by Molly Bang
TOUCH! TOUCH! by Riki Levinson
TEENY TINY by Jill Bennett
TASTING by Richard Allington
TAN TAN'S HAT by Kazuo Iwamura
TICKLE TICKLE by Helen Oxenbury
TIGER CAT by Slawomir Wolski
TIC, TAC AND TOE by Bruno Munari

FINAL CONSONANTS
LOUIS THE FISH by Arthur Yorinks
THE LITTLE DUCK by Judy Dunn
MOON MAN by Tomi Ungerer
PERFECT THE PIG by Susan Jeschke
THE CAT IN THE HAT by Dr. Seuss
ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH by Dr. Seuss
CROSS COUNTRY CAT by Mary Calhoun
CAN I KEEP HIM? by Steven Kellogg
A DARK, DARK TALE by Ruth Brown
THE FOOT BOOK by Dr. Seuss
GOODNIGHT MOON by Margaret Wise Brown
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOON by Frank Asch
OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM Several versions available
HOP ON POP by Dr. Seuss
TEETH by Michael Ricketts
TIC, TAC, AND TOE by Bruno Munari
You will probably come up with many more of your own favorites!

Harriett Hoeprich, M.S., CCC 1995

May is Better Hearing & Speech Month. Visit http://identifythesigns.org to learn the Signs of Speech & Language Disorder and Signs of Hearing Loss. Help increase awareness by spreading the news.



http://identifythesigns.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/BHSM-Google-Hangout.jpg
http://identifythesigns.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/BHSM-Press-Release.jpg
http://identifythesigns.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Podcast-Martin.jpg
http://www.asha.org/Buds/Warning-Signs-of-Noise-Induced-Hearing-Loss/

Autism

Brains With ASD Create More Information at Rest
The brains of children with autism spectrum disorders generate more information at rest - on average, 42 % more - according to a paper published December 24 in Frontiers of Neuroinformatics (bit.ly/information-at-rest). The study offers a scientific explanation for ASD's most typical characteristic:withdrawal into one's own inner world. This excess information production my help explain a child's detachment from the environment.
 "Our results suggest that autistic children are not interested in social interactions because their brains generate more information at rest, which we interpret as more introspection in line with early descriptions of the disorder," said Roberto Fernandez Galan, senior author and associate professor on neurosciences at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine.
The authors quantified information an applied it to brain activity recorded with magnetoencephalography. They collected and analyzed MEG date from nine boys with ASD (ages 7-16) and 10 age-matched, typically developing children (six males and four females, ages 6-14). The brains of participants with ASD generated an average of 42% more information at rest than those  of the children in the control group. This finding may explain their lack of interest in external stimuli, including interactions with other people. (The ASHA Leader, April 2014, page 18, retrieved April 2, 2014)

Listen to Your Buds shared the following link: http://healthyliving.msn.com/pregnancy-parenting/kids-health/baby-sleep-machines-could-damage-hearing-study-suggests Some of the "sleep machines" marketed to soothe infants seem capable of generating enough noise to potentially damage a baby's hearing, a new study suggests.

Visit http://www.juniorsweb.com for free activities to help further develop articulation skills. Click on 'Speech Therapy Online' on the left side of the screen, choose your sound(s) and choose a game to play (crossword, picture puzzles). There are also games that focus on language development if you need practice. Click on Match Words with Memory Games (synonyms, antonyms, rhyming and associated words). Enjoy!

Retrieved 1/4/2014 -

LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT FOR DYSLEXIA SCREENING BILL: Please take a moment and get your voice heard We have a 2-part action plan to turn this screening bill into a law! Part 1:  Please contact the NJ Senate President Stephen Sweeney and respectfully request that he post bill S2442/A3605 to the next Senate Voting Session on Jan. 9, 2014, without going through committee again. Politely remind him that this bill was just passed by the Assembly on Dec. 19th and earlier version previously approved by the Senate education committee and the full Senate back in June. Senate President Stephen Sweene EMAIL: SenSweeney@njleg.org PHONE NUMBER: 856-251-9801 Sample letter/email: Dear President Sweeney, NJ Assembly bill S2442/A3605 was just unanimously passed by the General Assembly on Dec. 19th and now needs a vote from the NJ Senate in hopes of turning this bill into a law before this legislative session ends. This bill is critical in breaking the cycle of not recognizing the well-defined dyslexia indicators early (or not at all) which usually then leads a child into years of waiting, failing and falling terribly behind. This is so unnecessary if a child is screened early when the brain still has the ability to change and rewire itself in the presence of good, evidenced-based instruction. Bill S2442/A3605 is also directly supported by the recommendations in the recently submitted NJ Reading Disabilities Task Force Report (Aug. 2012). Therefore, I respectfully request that you please promptly post S2442/A3605 to the Senate Voting Session on January 9, 2014. This bill is truly the first step in ensuring that NJ students with dyslexia or other reading disabilities have the opportunity to not only become successful readers but successful citizens. With sincerest thanks, (Your name) (Your town and district number)  Part 2:  Since we have very little time before this legislative session ends, we need to DO BOTH actions at the same time. We need to contact the Senate President (see part 1 action alert post) as well as contacting Gov. Christie. He HAS to sign this bill into law or it will die. Therefore, contact Governor Chris Christie and respectfully ask him to sign bill S2442/A3605 into law as soon as it is passed in the Senateand BEFORE the legislative session ends on January, 14 2014.  Email: use the contact form http://www.state.nj.us/governor/contact/ select: Education as topic and Special Education as subtopic Office Phone: (609) 292-6000 Address: Honorable Chris Christie Office of the Governor P.O. Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625 sample letter/email: Dear Governor Christie, NJ bill S2442/A3605 was just unanimously passed by the General Assembly on Dec. 19th. The bill is also very likely to also be passed in the Senate at the next voting session in January 2014, since an earlier version was already passed in the Senate back in June 2013. This bill is critical in breaking the cycle of not recognizing the well-defined dyslexia indicators early (or not at all) which usually then leads a child into years of waiting, failing and falling terribly behind. This is so unnecessary if a child is screened early when the brain still has the ability to change and rewire itself in the presence of good, evidenced-based instruction. Bill S2442/A3605 is also directly supported by the recommendations in the recently submitted NJ Reading Disabilities Task Force Report (Aug. 2012). Therefore, I respectfully request that you please sign bill S2442/A3605 into law as soon as you receive it and before the legislative session ends on January 14, 2014. This bill is truly the first step in ensuring that NJ students with dyslexia or other reading disabilities have the opportunity to not only become successful readers but successful citizens. With sincerest thanks, (Your name) (Your town and district number)  On another note.......  Visit learningally.org. Learning Ally is a national nonprofit with a defined approach to help support students with learning disabilities and their families.

A step-by-step approach to dyslexia

As you are probably most aware, a large number of bright, intelligent, and talented men and women, through no fault of their own, experience difficulty learning to read and write. This is known as dyslexia. Given its complexity, dyslexia can feel overwhelming and frustrating.

At this website, our goal is to give you a step-by-step approach to help you understand what dyslexia is (and what it is not), develop an action plan, begin to get help, and become your own best advocate.

We understand that it can be challenging. Therefore, we provide you with guidance, guidelines, and such tools as an extensive glossary to help you understand all of the terms, assistive software programs, and study 'tips' that focus on organization and time management.

There are also many success stories on this site that are very motivating and inspirational. Let's 

begin your journey. Success starts here. http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/dyslexics (retrieved 12/3/2013).