Dig a Sentence

On Pinterest I saw this great idea for "digging deeper sentences." Here's the original post: Mrs. Meacham. 

Where I found it: http://mrsmeachamclassroom.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/167/ 

I used this idea on my whiteboard with 3rd grade and 6th grade language groups, and they all loved it! This idea works for: 
*grammar
*asking/answering questions
*story retell
*summarizing
*writing sentences
*organizing ideas

Since I got a good response from my students, I made it into a paper-pencil format and made a homework practice page. Download this freebie from my TpT store HERE. 4-page packet includes 1 version with visuals and 1 version without...homework for each. 

Dig a Sentence handout without visuals

Dig a Sentence Homework page with visuals

Leave a comment: what do you think? Who will you use this with? 

Mini Book artic homework

A fun artic homework activity. Students make their own "mini book" all about their speech sound.
Find this free download at my TpT store HERE.

Mini Book title page

Getting started: adding our speech sound inside.

Using a post-it note to brainstorm words that could be used in the "longest sentence in the world." 

 

Good way to practice the speech sounds as part of the giving of the homework.

creativity!

done :)

I have a goal to make a packet of mini speech books, but currently only have one to share. Enjoy at my TpT store HERE. Look for more at a later time!

Leave a comment--what do you think?  Would it be helpful to have more?

Write a Sentence Artic Homework

Simple? Yes. Effective? Yes. Quick? Yes. Helps generalize? Yes. 
Speech homework doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming to be effective.

This is a (very) simple homework assignment. I typically start it with my student then send it home with them to finish. 

 Free download at my TpT store HERE.

I can use it as part of my speech session by having them choose the words they want to practice (and saying that word 3x or in a brief sentence as I write it in), and by completing the first few sentences with them. 
For some, I find me writing and them talking most effective, but I also like to encourage their independence and practice of the assignment (some parents will write and complete the assignment with their student, other students will be wholly responsible for their homework-no matter how young!). 

writing her first sentence

 

WH "Question Wheel" Homework

I saw a circle-style graphic organizer and thought it was a great way to organize practicing WH-questions.   

Download includes a blank question wheel

I tried it as homework for both my 3rd grade and Kindergarten language groups...

 

...and they loved it! They were each very proud of their work. (It also gave me a good sample of their question writing skills!) 

So, I've made several more to pull out as homework as I work with WH-questions.

Bonus: Progress Monitoring!  I look forward to comparing student work over time and seeing if there is a change in question content as well as question grammar/conventions. 

...and I've decided to share :) 

Examples from my Free Download (found at my TpT store HERE)

(Word clipart) 


 Enjoy! Let me know how your student like it!

 

Homework: Practicing School Rules

Time to see some artistic abilities! Since starting clinicals as a speech-language pathology student, I have found many many ways to use and create stick figures...and many many ways that they come in handy! I'd guess that 90% of my caseload has seen my stick figures at one time or another!

This is an opportunity for your students to use their artistic skills...stick figures or not(!). 

I created this as homework for a kindergarten social skills/behavior intervention group. I find it useful for older students, too; they just need to be encouraged to think about the 'rules' at a deeper level.  With older students, I use the Character Counts inspired 'rule' pages I created that go with the pillar we are practicing that month. I also use them for students to think about skills such as eye contact, initiating a conversation, asking to join, and other social skills.

Here are some creative examples from my kindergarten group: 

This packet--including 8 pages of general and Character Counts-based rule pages--is a free download at my TpT store HERE. Enjoy!

Homework: Dollar Challenge Day

I created a homework page for articulation students on our monthly $ Dollar Challenge days. (Original Dollar Challenge Post here.) I recommend this page primarily for students grades 1-4. 

One parent even wrote me a note: "great practice activity!" I like it, too because it corresponds directly with the activity, corresponds with coin/money units in the classroom, and provides practice opportunities at home (the ultimate goal!). 

Students write a word with their speech sound on the line, then say that word 1 time for each cent in the pictured coin. 

Enjoy this free download at my TPT store: HERE 

Elementary Speech Folders

My speech students have 2 folders...a homework folder (that goes home and back....and may risk never being seen again, thus the second folder) and a speech room folder (that stays in the speech room).

Behavior chart marker (paper clip), stamp chart, cover page

Speech students who come into the speech room have a speech room folder. Those who are speedy speech only or inclusion only do not have a speech folder (just a homework folder).

Here's what's in each student's speech room folder: 

• Cover sheet (goals, speech room expectations, speech times)
•  Student stamp chart
• Behavior chart marker (picture) 
• The Dollar Challenge 100 tracking page (post here)
• As we work on tasks, this folder will house the different individual visuals, projects, etc. until they are ready to be sent home, posted on a bulletin board, or filed for progress monitoring (data!).  

(Click here to grab your free download of the cover sheet and sticker chart from my TpT store)

Free download

My students keep their speech room folders in their grade-bin. 

The speech room folder routine looks like this: 

• enter the speech room, find your folder in the grade-bin
• take out your behavior chart maker and place it on the "Ready to Learn" poster
• bring your folder to the table and open to the stamp chart, with your homework ready to be "stamped"
• if we are  not taking anything out of our folders, the folders "go under you." (My students love this because I don't care where it is as long as it is "under" them and not a distraction. Some students choose to sit on their folder-literally, while others put it on the floor under their chair or balance it on the metal bars of the chair. This open-ended method is a great way to get compliance without a challenge from those more 'creative' students...!)
• receive stamp (if earned) at the end of the session, re-place behavior chart marker, re-file folder in grade-bin.

This routine is faster and faster once the students are familiar with it. They like the independence and responsibility, and I appreciate the organization! 

Homework!

I am in the camp of SLPs who believe that homework is very important for practice and carryover into other environments (generalization). 

We all have students who have their sound down pat when the "see our face," then walk into the classroom door and it all goes out the window! Because of that, I'm working on a variety of generalization strategies for the classroom (like classroom walk-throughs when possible, visuals on the desk, a special 'remember my speech' pencil top eraser, secret signals between the classroom teacher and the student) and for home (homework...that's really the only way I get "into" the home!). 

I use some homework that I find from SpeakingofSpeech.com. Check out their Materials Exchange HERE if you haven't before! Materials are made by SLPs for SLPs and downloads are free .pdf files.

First Free Homework Download! 
Ice Cream Articulation Homework

Packet includes the following sounds: L, S/Z, SH, CH, TH, S-blends, L-blends, vocalic R, CVC words, and a bank page you can individualize. I used Word clipart.

Language Bingo!
My Summer Homework looked like this. This could also be adapted to be done for a month (e.g., November Language BINGO!). Made one for older elementary, and one for younger elementary/preschool.

Grab this free download HERE.