Saturday, August 18, 2012

Speedy Speech!

I LOVE speedy speech! (In the research you may see it listed as the "intensive articulation model" of therapy). With speedy speech, I have seen wonderful progress in my articulation students, the students' parents have been impressed with their child's progress, and the teachers love that I only pull a student out for 5 minutes at a time (so they don't miss much-if any-instruction time).

I remember reading that within a given school year a student misses 1 week of instruction time walking back and forth for pull-out groups (speech, resource, PT, OT, reading recovery, TitleI, etc). Wow! I worked in a school where we did speedy speech sessions at an empty desk in the hallway by each "pod" of grade-level classrooms, and in my current school I have that option in some halls, but typically just sit on the floor in the hallway(!).

Here's my top reasons for loving speedy speech (in no particular order): 
  1. it's fast, so behavior is rarely an issue
  2. it's fast, so the students stay engaged
  3. progress! progress! progress!
  4. a variety of activities are perfect for 5 minutes with very little prep time
  5. not material-heavy (the students don't get bored with the activities, so I can 're-cycle' through my materials/activities every month or so and I can do the same activity within a week) 
  6. progress! progress! progress! 
  7. the teachers love it
  8. I get to see my students 4-5 days/week, so I get to know them individually better 
  9. I get to see my students 4-5 days/week, so I am more in-tune with educationally-relevant changes and can work along side teachers/parents with problem solving (e.g., medication issues, vision/hearing concerns, home changes that impact the school day, sleep issues) 
  10. progress! progress! progress! 
  11. the students see "my face" 4-5 days/week, so using correct speech sounds is on their mind more frequently 
  12. I am around the building so all students see me--that makes making a relationship for a screening, starting RtI, testing, etc. much faster and easier

I'd be happy to help anyone set up their speedy speech program! More posts to help out! 
 

2 comments:

  1. I am curious...how many buildings do you serve? This seems like a great idea, just didn't know if it would work in a multiple building schedule like mine.

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    Replies
    1. I serve a district birth to 21, which includes 3 buildings (preschool, K-6 elem and 7-12 jr/high school). Logistically, here's what I'd say....
      *I write 14 or 16 days/month into IEPs, to allow for a minimum of 4speech sessions/week. My elementary speedy speech students do not see me on Wednesdays. I use weekly homework to 'stand in the gap.'
      *I have actually had great parent and staff support so I can see my junior/high school students via Skype 3 days/week and "live"/in person 1 day/week for a slightly extended amount of time (15 minutes with the small group). I keep a folder of articulation word lists for each student next to the computer they use for Skype and have set up a 'speech students' account. The computer is in the resource room's office, which is separated from the other students with a glass window (private and less distracting but supervision is available). My students and their last period teacher are responsible for their Skype attendance (with reminder emails from me:)
      *I use my speedy speech basket for the elementary, and have a speedy speech 'binder' at the junior/high school with more age-appropriate materials. I still use cards--but they are cards I have made/copied (less$!)
      *If you use a plastic container with a lid (those snap-on lids with handles have worked well), your speech 'basket' can travel.

      Hope this helps! Let me know if I can be more helpful!

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