tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51072352012801239472024-03-17T01:29:29.401-07:00Chit Chat and Small TalkBits and Pieces from a Creative Speech Pathologist's ImaginationPam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-58070527695576709982018-03-26T13:50:00.000-07:002018-03-26T13:55:22.471-07:00In the Beginning was the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are studying the book of James at our church. A couple of weeks ago, our pastor taught on the third chapter of the book of James, which is all about taming the tongue. I've read these verses many times, and have listened to teachers speak about the importance of keeping our words in check on more than several occasions. This time, though, our pastor used John 1:1 to illustrate the power of our words. The verse in its entirety states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." But our pastor asked us to stop and consider just the first part, "In the beginning was the word, " to relate it to our own words. He said something to the effect that if we trace back to the origins of conflict within relationships, healing or destruction comes from the words we say after the event that caused the conflict. Were my words full of grace, encouraging or life-giving? Or were they destructive, hurtful and careless, leading to disastrous consequences?<br />
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To me, that was profound. Trace the words back to the beginning.<br />
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Being a speech-language pathologist, words have always been extremely important to me. My students' words impact me every day. I agonize over those first, hard-to-come-by words, meticulously planning and strategizing the best way to facilitate their emergence. I rejoice along with their parents when those precious words are spoken. I provide enticing, naturalistic contexts for new words to be learned, and then help children learn to shape those words into intelligible phrases and sentences to help them become effective communicators. I teach my students to recognize the power of their words, and have watched how their lives have changed as they grow.<br />
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But after hearing that message, I began to think about how my own words may impact my students.<br />
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I want to shower my students with words of encouragement and acceptance. I want to view them as worthy of only receiving my best words, those that are spoken with kindness and patience. I want my words to be a reflection of the knowledge I have gained over the years in this wonderful field, effective and instructive. I want them to build up, not tear down. I want my words to be intentional, never careless. My words have power, too, and I want them to be used as a force for good.<br />
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In the beginning was the word.<br />
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<br />Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-20697252770577845222017-03-29T12:34:00.000-07:002017-03-29T12:34:48.726-07:00Jumping Jack: How I Use My Favorite Spring Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8X2WF1sPFEXGFiwsTez4zzKJEV6t_k3QurjBB0iqo1DKXVtu8bz5gS3my1dcOYZ32jtGQ5r5Zwe8VKVJZiv5OHGnz1Q2T1h-m2_nT1hnHD0VYzmeWJ7GRRJSVkFrRoYcUbeZNSLuvigE/s1600/IMG_4925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8X2WF1sPFEXGFiwsTez4zzKJEV6t_k3QurjBB0iqo1DKXVtu8bz5gS3my1dcOYZ32jtGQ5r5Zwe8VKVJZiv5OHGnz1Q2T1h-m2_nT1hnHD0VYzmeWJ7GRRJSVkFrRoYcUbeZNSLuvigE/s400/IMG_4925.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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My new favorite game for spring (or anytime!) is called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jumping-Jack-Pull-Carrot-Watch/dp/B00I8Z6GAM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490812600&sr=8-1&keywords=jumping+jack+game">Jumping Jack by Goliath Games</a>. It is a bright, appealing game similar in play style to an SLP favorite, Pop Up Pirate, that can be used with both preschoolers and elementary school students. Students take turns pulling carrots out of the base, trying (or maybe, NOT trying) to make the rabbit jump out of his hole.<br />
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I love using games like this for the following reasons:<br />
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<li>High-interest: the students generally enjoy games that have some level of anticipation associated with them. They want to play them again and again.</li>
<li>Easy to play: there are very few rules to follow.</li>
<li>They promote joint attention and turn taking: players happily watch other players take turns, watching to see if the rabbit will jump.</li>
<li>Simplicity: There are very few pieces to manipulate.</li>
<li>Flexibility: I can adapt the way we play the game by adding companion materials designed to target speech and language goals.</li>
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In the photo above, students practiced their speech sounds while playing the game. Each student was given a page of stimulus pictures that contained their target sound. Students took turns choosing a target word to say, practiced it a specific number of times, and then removed a carrot from the base. If the rabbit didn't jump, the students placed the carrot on top of the picture. Play continued until the rabbit jumped, and then we played again. The picture pages featured in this photo are from my product <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Itty-Bitty-Black-and-White-Articulation-Cards-3029842">Itty Bitty Black and White Articulation Cards</a> and can be found in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Small-Talk-Slp">Teachers Pay Teachers Store</a>.</div>
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The more I played Jumping Jack with my students, I realized I needed more companion materials to target both speech and language skills. So I created <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Jacks-Garden-of-Carrots-for-Speech-and-Language-3065756">Jack's Garden of Carrots</a>:</div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Jacks-Garden-of-Carrots-for-Speech-and-Language-3065756"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOQnIJYJJUYUZD5OR8bvQaLnIh2ctiPYUEHwTr3OIPVWt-0FN8cGF7ALZ63xj6icvnu8CrjRz8Z7yZZkzYfLCdjDeT_BSs_8gUehyphenhyphenohKW-i0L_bU-_0osPYgz41zJjsMdNwo3URDFi00z/s400/Slide1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This packet contains 89 black and white activity sheets that are perfect to pair with Jumping Jack, but can also be used as a stand-alone activity. It contains two separate sets of articulation pages, one with pictures (all the most frequently targeted sounds and blends) and one with words only (later developing sounds). Language targets include synonyms, antonyms, multiple meaning words, describing, categories, comparing, contrasting, answering WH- questions, and inferences. I use these sheets at the same time as the game, completing a task before each turn, and sometimes I have the students complete the worksheet before we play the game.<br />
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Sometimes I use these print and go sheets with dot paints, and other times I'll use play dough or mini erasers to cover the carrots.<br />
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Here's a photo of using an articulation sheet while we play the game...<br />
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...and here is one of when we completed the worksheets first. I had one student paint the tops of all the carrots and the other paint the bottoms the first time through the target word set, and then we traded paints and said all the words again. I got double the amount of reps! Score!<br />
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To push my luck even further, and get even MORE milage out of this handy dandy worksheet, I had the students say their words again before they removed carrots while playing the game. We covered the carrots with bunny erasers to keep track of the words we said.<br />
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Here's a shot of us using mini erasers to cover the carrots while we practice describing the size, shape or color of objects.<br />
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Honestly, this game is so much fun and so flexible! I love it when I can use one item to target so many different skills.<br />
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What do you think? Do you use this game or one that is similar? I'd love to know!<br />
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<br />Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-63017330781520737362017-03-24T09:00:00.000-07:002017-03-24T09:00:13.192-07:00Sensory Bins: Adding the Unexpected<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sensory bins are all the rage with speech-language pathologists on social media, and I have enthusiastically jumped on the bandwagon. I've used them sporadically throughout my career, both in Early Intervention and with my private practice caseload with fantastic results, but after seeing so many amazing sensory bin creations on Instagram by my fellow SLPs, my interest in using sensory bins on a regular basis has soared to new heights!<br />
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My latest sensory bin creation is zoo themed, and didn't really require much creativity at all. Here's what I did:<br />
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1. I put pinto beans in a tub.<br />
2. I added animals and props from various zoo toy sets.<br />
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That's it. Done.<br />
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Zoo in a whole new way!<br />
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But here's where it gets good: I added some things that are very unexpected, things that you wouldn't necessarily find in a zoo play set.<br />
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I added mini erasers of all different sorts! There are donuts, french fries, trucks, apples, pencils and more!<br />
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Why? Because it blasted language learning opportunities through the roof!<br />
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Children are naturally drawn to nonsensical things, like feeding donuts to elephants instead of hay, and giving a giraffe a pencil to use. They think it's hilarious! And it gives me the opportunity to target a wider variety of goals:<br />
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<li>Negation: elephants <b>don't</b> eat donuts, a robot is <b>not</b> a zoo animal, a giraffe <b>can't </b>hold a pencil</li>
<li>Categories: this depends on the types of objects you use</li>
<li>Silly Sentence Construction: The elephant ate the truck. The lion stomped on the donut.</li>
<li>Absurdities: Do pencils swim? Do tigers play with rubber ducks?</li>
<li>Sentence formulation: I like to choose an animal and an eraser and say, "Make up a sentence about a lion and a truck." This one is SO GOOD for my little friends who are so concrete and struggle to imagine silly scenarios. </li>
<li>Answering "why" questions: Why don't zookeepers take care of robots?</li>
<li>Prediction: The zookeeper gave the elephant an ice cream cone. What do you think will happen next?</li>
<li>Imagination!</li>
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Felice over at <a href="http://www.thedabblingspeechie.com/">The Dabbling Speechie</a> has wonderful ideas for creating and using sensory bins in treatment. She even has a tab on her homepage dedicated to sensory bins that lists her posts and offers materials to help you get started. Her printable list of categories from her <a href="http://www.thedabblingspeechie.com/2017/03/spy-sensory-bin-build-language/">"I Spy" sensory bin</a> inspired me to make my own picture lists to accompany my zoo sensory bin.</div>
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These little lists have been so useful! So far, I've used them to target plurals, matching, final /s/ and /z/, copula verbs, vocabulary, and the pronoun "I".<br />
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They have also been helpful in helping direct the play of little ones who typically tend to only like to sift the beans through their hands, or scoop and pour. The mini erasers grab their attention, and they like to match them to the pictures.<br />
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Of course, you must used caution when adding any small object to a sensory bin. Especially if you have little ones who like to put things in their mouths as they could become a choking hazard. Be extra diligent!<br />
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So, how about you? Do you currently have a sensory bin that you're using? Try adding something that's a little unexpected. I think you'll love the results!<br />
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<br />Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-9711406975706059312017-02-05T11:00:00.000-08:002017-02-05T12:03:55.692-08:00The Frenzied SLPs Sharing Kindness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7_pDpkUlGCMqQxEsoSC8anXKk9R7b72MHjRz_50qgrCfWLnh5rtCRcFchabI1aLesxhTsE5wcHX_3BRd9caA50ZeIXWQE-PagvoTrELwcnUOsUYpFRHQdbVK_HOVY1m5Cb7cE5w0tJbl/s1600/Frenzie+Kindness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7_pDpkUlGCMqQxEsoSC8anXKk9R7b72MHjRz_50qgrCfWLnh5rtCRcFchabI1aLesxhTsE5wcHX_3BRd9caA50ZeIXWQE-PagvoTrELwcnUOsUYpFRHQdbVK_HOVY1m5Cb7cE5w0tJbl/s320/Frenzie+Kindness.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thanks for stopping by! You are so kind for visiting me! </div>
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(Ha! See what I did there?)</div>
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Kindness.</div>
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We haven't seen much of it happening in our news these days. In fact, it seems like negativity and selfish behaviors reign supreme.</div>
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But, do you know what? Kindness is still out there. You just have to decide to look for it, and you'll see it all around you. </div>
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That smile from the cashier at the grocery store.</div>
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That person who held the door open for you when your arms were full.</div>
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That unselfish person who let you go first at the four way intersection.</div>
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That kindergartner that ran up to you and gave you that hug on the playground.</div>
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That staff member who brought in homemade treats for the staff meeting.</div>
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That text from a friend, just because she's thinking about you.</div>
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And, do you know what happens once you start looking for it? You spot it, and it warms your heart. It gives you hope for humanity! And then, you start to become more aware of the ways you can spread kindness, too!</div>
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We learn from the examples of others.</div>
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With that in mind, I want to share my freebie with you. It's a Kindness Scavenger Hunt! Kids catch their classmates being kind to one another and write their names next to the behaviors they observe.</div>
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Once the list is full, you reward the students with a little kindness in return. You can give them one of these fun little brag tags, or a small treat. Even better, let them choose a brag tag to give to one of the people they spotted being kind!<br />
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Because I wanted to be extra kind, there are black and white versions of each of these sheets so you can save money on ink if that's a concern. You can find this freebie <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Kindness-Scavenger-Hunt-Freebie-2997652">in my TpT store.</a> </div>
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"Be kind, one to another."</div>
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Ephesians 4:32</div>
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My friend, Jen at <a href="http://www.myspeechuniverse.com/2017/02/sharing-kindness-freebie-frenzied-slps.html">Speech Universe</a> wants to keeping the kindness going, so click on the heart below to take you to her blog.</div>
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<a href="http://www.myspeechuniverse.com/2017/02/sharing-kindness-freebie-frenzied-slps.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGviOPy2Cv_M6tczbg4J2_LM5K28Ft1E3w6TInxYdV2apGOjqfUZVMDLRZhkera1u5envpo8xlYUE8bilQIgMiGaQI2I8W8u8vxHvPgSqtKc0bIpTjryOAz-_U5QVZz2_5DITglESxx6S/s320/Frenzie+Kindness+next+blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Or if you'd like to start at the beginning of the hop, click on this one:</div>
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<a href="http://www.talkinwithtwang.com/2017/02/slps-sharing-kindness-with-freebie.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EGWyBmewaxZrWGPFE_vyRP78XI-edBA13b9qTI77PcQLPTRqh8z8j5ryBpe8hwPlPlY2U4t2_s8ZK-mlev6eMFoAry-M56miZfvKaDgkvAAkvKgDCfFwdxoaGaRqywgNmbf6UQ_7wTSJ/s320/first+post+eart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-91181331663328022692016-08-21T00:30:00.000-07:002016-08-21T07:15:33.767-07:00Frenzied SLPs Best Year Ever Bonus Sale Linky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_GfyIQawDeoLIFfh3ZO1q8tIn2qlsUeGWgv1GPNh7RzyZRnElSkigyMPMdyMEOfLOPWKzqIoAF-TmK1_FnvUkzuCCEqGjvQ_h0HTI5qnvzjDAYUBTZMqhFweUVSnytFfQAR8loPonVpw/s1600/Best+Year+Ever+bonus+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_GfyIQawDeoLIFfh3ZO1q8tIn2qlsUeGWgv1GPNh7RzyZRnElSkigyMPMdyMEOfLOPWKzqIoAF-TmK1_FnvUkzuCCEqGjvQ_h0HTI5qnvzjDAYUBTZMqhFweUVSnytFfQAR8loPonVpw/s320/Best+Year+Ever+bonus+link.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hello!<br />
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Did you hear that <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/">Teachers Pay Teachers</a> is having a one-day bonus sale on August 22, 2016? I'm linking up with the Frenzied SLPs to share some great products and tips from many awesome SLPs to help you decide what you need to make this year the BEST YEAR EVER!!! A huge thank you to <a href="http://slprunner2013.blogspot.com/">Jen at SLP Runner</a> for hosting this linky!<br />
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I just added a product to my store that you can use all year long:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Great-R-Challenge-for-Articulation-Fluency-2738953" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXNjDwtIY_LsyrUl1HbAqyeOphr6OIIE5_ZOpsOb1_5FXtibF2S9_WPcQaVZlynsuZuKk4SzDuChAwRhM6WiiETwMgo-ELRNRDKIMcJ7qo9ertOIjRiviZDbtyKucBWBfcRphpAPK4jeHs/s320/Slide1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on the image to preview it in my store!</td></tr>
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I am LOVING this product because it is so fun, flexible and easy to use! It is a set of 8 printable flip books that targets sounds at the word, phrase, carrier phrase, sentence, paragraph and carryover levels. There are 2 books for each sound position (initial, medial, final and blends), each with its own unique set of challenge activities. Challenges include racing the clock, adding silly phrases to the targets, tongue twisters and conversation. It also includes 24 "punny" brag tags to reward students for their hard work.<br />
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Check out the preview below:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMBAmrtnUxN1JVEAHumm37bsDlkh-RsigRMr_Uc5Q36jcktTyMSlZJpPoob-z7A5u4jhxp_38L8M51MSX1QqTZpzVA3vE63pGkBsJPeqJeDXT2k80LwkgqqV8fZ9O-4GbI7n_30xum_fU/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMBAmrtnUxN1JVEAHumm37bsDlkh-RsigRMr_Uc5Q36jcktTyMSlZJpPoob-z7A5u4jhxp_38L8M51MSX1QqTZpzVA3vE63pGkBsJPeqJeDXT2k80LwkgqqV8fZ9O-4GbI7n_30xum_fU/s640/Slide1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Students can complete the pages at their own pace. You can do one per session, or 3! Just add the pages to each book as needed.<br />
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Another reason I love this one is that I can also use the flip book pages as task cards. I just printed them on card stock, laminated them, cut them out, grouped them and stored them in an attractive photo box. They are ready to go at a moment's notice! Here's a closer look:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqd7mIab5fSVbvyMSvH1cH-MT1sKOz8HgD9tN_lX0kTVPQc5bDfM8zrpNaorJajf5gDaRr_9bHL5ypKqYv-oHS7dRzJG_mCOWkCU0mxNjI1WHNtxwX7q8qJajJLyjbAsWWxGMIpgOLtHl/s1600/IMG_3499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqd7mIab5fSVbvyMSvH1cH-MT1sKOz8HgD9tN_lX0kTVPQc5bDfM8zrpNaorJajf5gDaRr_9bHL5ypKqYv-oHS7dRzJG_mCOWkCU0mxNjI1WHNtxwX7q8qJajJLyjbAsWWxGMIpgOLtHl/s400/IMG_3499.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The set comes with a simple data sheet for you to track your students' progress each step of the way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYvMebFHZcBUzOqFzjxOvEQ4q6VyjMbCDOF8E-22_Ma5r0JPr91b_W9BH_vQreTjrAfPT2NpfLWTvducyb9hjiAepEM4k9mRjYH24DqdflY8lBBjQ0_vI4kReoHs1myQ9zVa6vobu834P/s1600/IMG_3509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYvMebFHZcBUzOqFzjxOvEQ4q6VyjMbCDOF8E-22_Ma5r0JPr91b_W9BH_vQreTjrAfPT2NpfLWTvducyb9hjiAepEM4k9mRjYH24DqdflY8lBBjQ0_vI4kReoHs1myQ9zVa6vobu834P/s320/IMG_3509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That picture is upside down...but YOU get the idea, right???<br />
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Speaking of data, each card has a space for the student to track their own correct productions. They just fill in the blank below the target list. When they achieve their goal (set by you) they check the box in the bottom right corner of each page.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5arx0PTT_ibF12oP8N4jC32ZFb1rPGk1wwBnh0qCAaY-tDO0FSVnZmlfGb6bLU0_KN1XPeTp-Kf3Yyy4G6pyn6VQKAoBZ1x2Js3zKdevkuSkeXuwk3HSpH993VjwyZCtdV_N1io7PHBnE/s1600/IMG_3502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5arx0PTT_ibF12oP8N4jC32ZFb1rPGk1wwBnh0qCAaY-tDO0FSVnZmlfGb6bLU0_KN1XPeTp-Kf3Yyy4G6pyn6VQKAoBZ1x2Js3zKdevkuSkeXuwk3HSpH993VjwyZCtdV_N1io7PHBnE/s320/IMG_3502.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And...(I love this part)...there's a set of 24 brag tags to choose from!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC9B-qtd1P1tVtjGI_UR8O_vcZ7JkePo1Itol5a0meC55zZ-oz6UiixHC36MT8lKarD33gB5JwGOgDxV6ijiQTUVj_0FfC-csu6N0AioxqhESLnWfj3I3H0-6ssHnugife3Gb1T1oGTou/s1600/IMG_3495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYC9B-qtd1P1tVtjGI_UR8O_vcZ7JkePo1Itol5a0meC55zZ-oz6UiixHC36MT8lKarD33gB5JwGOgDxV6ijiQTUVj_0FfC-csu6N0AioxqhESLnWfj3I3H0-6ssHnugife3Gb1T1oGTou/s320/IMG_3495.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One more of my favorite parts: The carryover pages each include a word puzzle, 4 different kinds to solve!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04XvzAB3j6Nwv4a6jq5Gh6340gVEN380HrXG8nNiP263kljA8LM6SBf4vmu88paaxWO2RyxUmOY5JxWWslL8S_sAXsO2cQDhQU1mpYbu8VzWxZeONPLRUJdFeFJmHvzGIDBvHUhi_-x1D/s1600/IMG_3492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04XvzAB3j6Nwv4a6jq5Gh6340gVEN380HrXG8nNiP263kljA8LM6SBf4vmu88paaxWO2RyxUmOY5JxWWslL8S_sAXsO2cQDhQU1mpYbu8VzWxZeONPLRUJdFeFJmHvzGIDBvHUhi_-x1D/s320/IMG_3492.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's another great reason to check out this product: It's the first part of a growing bundle. Buy it now at the introductory low price and download additional sets for free! The price will go up as more sets are added, so if you buy it now you'll be getting a FANTASTIC deal!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Great-Sound-Challenge-Growing-Bundle-2741907"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3t2Siq4-t-QDjI1u2fr7Gb-C6joPy1_QweK-_-l9kbLoV0Njsvf2rKRKVz5luKpUnCzRdLuBjlqz0YP0016tfejqtex0a6DqUsAniRyK-vY9ae7ipyV5O6HVOJJ-LaNiH8BgH9IU06kYR/s320/Slide1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you want to check out The Great R Challenge in my store, click <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Great-R-Challenge-for-Articulation-Fluency-2738953">here</a> and for the Growing Bundle click <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Great-Sound-Challenge-Growing-Bundle-2741907">here.</a><br />
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I wonder what the other Frenzied SLPs have to offer? Click on the links below to find out!<br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-15994112283320996842016-04-04T03:00:00.000-07:002016-05-09T17:06:50.821-07:00April Showers - Using Water in Speech/Language Therapy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello! I'm teaming up with the Frenzied SLP's to tell you how I've been using water in my speech/language sessions this past month.<br />
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It's springtime in Oregon, which means rain, rain, rain! We've had an abundance this year; I think I read somewhere that we're 14" above what is normal for this time of year. Crazy, right? So one thing we have no shortage of right now is water.<br />
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Since this is the climate that all my kiddos have grown up in, we spend a lot of time talking about the rain, and concepts and vocabulary related to rain gear and weather. And since we don't get much of an opportunity to go outside and play during the winter and early spring months, we all get a little too much build up of pent-up energy, so I try to incorporate movement into our sessions as much as possible. Here's what I did this past week to address both of those goals:<br />
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I made an indoor rain puddle!<br />
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<span id="goog_1845095984"></span><span id="goog_1845095985"></span>Here's how I did it.<br />
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I bought a blue tablecloth from a dollar store and some bubble wrap (the kind with the larger bubbles).<br />
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Actually, my husband bought the bubble wrap for me...<br />
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...and he bought enough for me to make 300 puddles, but that's another story! I digress.<br />
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Back to puddle construction.<br />
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I cut three pieces of bubble wrap, approximately 3 feet long each.<br />
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I used packing tape, and taped the bubble wrap pieces together to make a big square.<br />
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Next, I cut the bubble wrap into a random "splash" pattern.<br />
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Then I stuck the "splash" onto a square I cut from the tablecloth using loops of packing tape.<br />
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And there you have it, a puddle! A puddle that kids can jump into and not get wet, but still have the thrill of making a bubble-popping splash.<br />
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So, what did I do with this puddle?<br />
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We played a version of Go Fish that we instead called Go Splash with a movement twist.<br />
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This game is played just like Go Fish, where players make matches by asking each other for specific cards. My Go Splash version features colorful rain boots and umbrellas, which were great for working on colors, vocabulary, plurals and bilabial sounds. Mixed in with all the matching pair cards are movement cards that direct you to perform an action, like this:<br />
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The kids absolutely loved jumping in the puddle through out the game. And the loved it even more when I had to do it, too! So much fun! <br />
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This game is available in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Small-Talk-Slp">TpT Store</a> and it's called <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Go-Fish-Go-Splash-Go-Hop-2475662">Go Fish, Go Splash, Go Hop!</a> if you'd like to check it out. This product contains 6 different versions of Go Fish, each with its own unique movement twist.<br />
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I didn't just use my puddle to play Go Splash, by the way. I used it other ways, too.<br />
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I put it along side my swing and had the kids reach for the bubbles to pop them. This was great for kids who needed extra sensory input. It was also a fun way to work on the /p/ and /b/ sounds, saying "pop" and "bubbles".<br />
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I also spread out picture cards around the puddle and had kids retrieve them while laying on the swing. They said their target words and phrases as they picked them up. This was a huge hit, and was very motivating, even for those kids who usually don't enjoy practicing their target words.<br />
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My bubble puddle lasted all week and was worth the time it took to put it together. I did a little "puddle maintenance" by taping new squares of bubble wrap right on top of the "splash" throughout the week so all the kids had a chance to pop some when the puddle started to get flat. Easy peasy.<br />
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So how are YOU using water in speech/language treatment? We'd love it if you'd link up and share!<br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-83645316343973936202016-01-14T07:47:00.000-08:002016-01-14T07:47:23.686-08:00Playing in Mud Puddles: Word Games<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The winters in Oregon are long, filled with damp, grey days and plenty of rain. All that rain and lack of sun can make me feel sluggish and lazy. It certainly dampens my creativity! But one thing that never fails to cheer me up and gives me some inspiration is a trip to my favorite toy store, <a href="http://www.mudpuddlestoys.com/">MudPuddles Toys and Books</a> located in Sherwood, OR.<br />
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MudPuddles is a wonderful, independent toy store filled to the brim with the latest and greatest toys and books. Kate, the owner of this fabulous place, has a knack for finding toys that are appealing, fun, durable and educational. She pours her love of learning through play into her shop and is more than happy to introduce shoppers to her latest finds. It's a fabulous place and I love to explore it!<br />
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My most recent trip to MudPuddles was inspirational. As I browsed through the store, it occurred to me that I should write a post (or posts) about my new toy/game finds and how I might use them in speech and language treatment. And so, this toy/game review series, Playing in Mud Puddles was born!<br />
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I could spend all day and night telling you about all my favorite finds, but I decided that since this will be a series of posts, I will feature a specific category of toys/games in each post. I am devoting this first post to <span style="color: #e06666;">word games</span>, because I am, admittedly, a Word Nerd, and I love them!<br />
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First, I want to tell you about two awesome games I found from an educational game company called <a href="http://www.thinkfun.com/">Think Fun</a>. I love this company! They make quality, entertaining games that are so appealing and addicting! Their slogan is "empowering minds through play," which is totally in line with my philosophy.<br />
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The first is called <a href="http://www.thinkfun.com/products/wordaround/">Word Around</a> and is great for kids ages 8 and up.<br />
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Each card has three words on it, one spelled out sequentially in each ring. Players race to identify the word on the ring that matches the color on the back of the previously played card. The trick is trying to figure out where the word starts, identifying it and saying it before the other players do. Can you identify the words in the picture above?<br />
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Blue ring = bottle<br />
Red ring = regular<br />
Black ring = asleep<br />
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I actually purchased this game and brought it along when I went to visit my mom. She is aging and starting to experience some memory issues. She loves puzzle games like Sudoku, but I feel strongly that she should challenge herself with word games as well. I wasn't sure how she would do with this one, with the time pressure of competing with another player, but she really did well! She caught on quickly (which isn't always the case for her when learning something new) and really enjoyed it. She liked it so much that I left it there with her in Ohio to play with family and friends.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">IF</span> I had Word Around here with me in Oregon (I plan to purchase another copy on my next trip), I would use this game with my upper elementary, middle school and high school students. I would use it to target:<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>vocabulary - specifically parts of speech. I would have the student name the part of speech after identifying the word. For example, "bottle is a noun."</li>
<li>sentence formulation - have the students use the words they identify in sentences</li>
<li>synonyms, antonyms, multiple meanings - have the student choose 5 words and have them name a synonym, antonym or tell multiple meanings</li>
<li>working memory - many of my students process information at a slower rate than what is typical. I love to use competitive games like this to target processing speed.</li>
<li>word skills - I have several students who struggle with games like anagrams (i.e. changing the letters of a word around to make other words)</li>
<li>articulation carryover - I might use this for rapid rate production of carrier phrases for /r/ or /s/. At the end of the round, I would have the student say "I can <span style="color: #cc0000;">read</span> bottle" or "I <span style="color: #cc0000;">see</span> asleep" for each of the cards in his/her pile.</li>
<li>social skills - winning/losing, good sportsmanship, turn taking</li>
</ul>
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The second game I found is called <a href="http://www.thinkfun.com/products/wordaround/">Pathwords Jr</a>.<br />
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It's a word search puzzle game where kids find the words of each puzzle and cover them with brightly colored shapes to create a pattern.</div>
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There are four different levels of play, from beginner to expert. Some of the puzzles show a list of the words to find,<br />
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and some give picture clues or hints, making the puzzles more challenging to complete. Each puzzle has a theme and is often in the shape of an item related to the theme. For example, the puzzle pictured above has music-themed clues, and is shaped like a musical note.<br />
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I purchased this game and have been happily using it with my mid-to-upper elementary and middle school students. I've used it target<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>categories</li>
<li>inferencing</li>
<li>vocabulary</li>
<li>verbal reasoning</li>
<li>problem solving</li>
<li>spelling</li>
</ul>
<div>
The kids love this one and so do I! </div>
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The third word game I want to tell you about is called <a href="http://baxbo.com/games/xoom-cubes/">Xoom Cubes</a> by a company called Baxbo, who describes this game as "a thousand word games in one." Players complete challenges by creating words from their letter dice. There are two levels of challenge cards, regular and junior.</div>
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I purchased the junior deck, and here are some of the challenges:</div>
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There are letter races, category races, timed games and potluck, which is a challenge to create as many words as you can find with your dice.</div>
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I did not purchase the complete game that included the letter dice, for two reasons: first, I am on a tight budget and already knew I was buying the other two games, and secondly, I have letter tiles from <a href="http://www.bananagrams.com/">Bananagrams</a> that I figured I could use instead. I am all about repurposing what I already have! So, I combined the Xoom Cube Jr. cards with the Bananagrams tiles and it worked just fine.</div>
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Here's how I've been using them:</div>
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I spread about half of the letter tiles on a non-slip mat in the center of the table. I positioned a bell within reach of each player. I read a challenge card to the players, who then raced to complete the challenge, ringing the bell when they finished. The first player to collect 5 challenge cards was the winner!</div>
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I used this game to target the same skills that I listed above for the Think Fun games. What I like about this one though is that students have a greater opportunity to generate the words used in the game. We've had many discussions about the words they have chosen to spell ("No, LOL is not a real word, it's an acronym, so choose a different word to spell.") and what those words mean. It gives me insight into what topics are important to them as well (Star Wars, Mine Craft, music).</div>
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Moving on...</div>
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One of my favorite sections at MudPuddles is the collection of little toys in bins at the front of the store. Something always catches my eye, and I always come away with a small treasure. I want to feature one of these treasures each month, too. I'm calling them Little Droplets that Make a Big Splash! These items will be inexpensive (less than $5.00) but very useful and fun.<br />
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January's Little Droplet is one that my friend, Jenny (who just happens to work at MudPuddles) cringed at when I picked it up. It was an expandable plastic tube for $1.99. She said, "Pam, you do NOT want that! It's so LOUD and ANNOYING!" But then, I showed her that this accordion-style tube is just perfect for providing auditory feedback. You just stretch the tube, bend it into a crescent, hold it up to your mouth and ear, and then say a word. She was amazed! She promptly showed her co-workers this new way to use this toy. I bought several to use with my articulation kids, and they are a hit! Not only do the kids love shaping the tube into the right size for them, they are learning to use auditory feedback to help shape their production of sounds.<br />
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So there you have it. Didn't I come away with some great finds??? I can't wait to go play in MudPuddles again soon.<br />
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Oh, by the way, I should say that the items chosen to be reviewed for this post were completely my idea, inspired by how they might work for me in my clinical setting. No toys or games were given to me free of charge, nor was I given a promotional fee. The opinions regarding these products are expressly my own.<br />
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A <span style="color: #e06666;">BIG </span>thanks to Kate and Jenny at MudPuddles for so graciously allowing me to hang around in their store and showing me such cool things! If you'd like information on any of the things I featured today, shoot them an email or give them a call. I know they would be happy to help! Just click <a href="http://www.mudpuddlestoys.com/">here</a>.Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-3541430203584922922016-01-04T03:00:00.000-08:002016-01-04T06:51:09.852-08:00Frenzied SLPs: What I'll Try This Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Frenzied SLPs are ringing in the new year by sharing some thoughts about things we want to try or do in our personal and professional lives in 2016. So I'm linking up with <a href="http://www.allyallneed.com/">Laura</a>, <a href="http://figurativelyspeechingslp.blogspot.com/">Jessica</a> and <a href="http://slp123.blogspot.com/">Abby</a>, who got this party started to tell you about my hopes for the next twelve months and beyond.<br />
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I've been mulling over thoughts about what I'd like to do differently in my daily life, and what I aspire to accomplish for days. While there are many changes I'd like to make, I couldn't really put my finger on the one that seems most necessary or appealing. But I did recognize a common theme that seems critical in order for me to make ANY changes. That theme is to live my life more intentionally.<br />
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What the heck does THAT mean??? For me, it means to make purposeful choices to be positive, productive, compassionate and relational each and every day.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">Intentionally Positive:</span><br />
<br />
I see myself as a glass-half-full kind of gal most of the time. It makes my soul feel good to be happy! I try to see the good in people, and even in difficult times, I try to see the bright side of things. Sometimes, though, I fall into a trap. A terrible, insidious trap that just saps anything positive right out of me and fills me with discouragement. And what is that trap??? Comparison! It's so easy to compare myself and perceive myself as lacking in all areas of my life. It's not unusual for thoughts like this to be swirling around my head:<br />
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She looks great! I'll never be as stylish as she is.<br />
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Her house looks like it could be in a magazine, it's so perfect! I'd better go home and paint my kitchen. And have it tiled. And buy new dishes and knickknacks. And a new rug. Oh, forget it! I just don't have what it takes to put together a beautiful kitchen.<br />
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Wow, her TpT products are amazing! Mine look so amateur compared to hers. Maybe I should just give it up.<br />
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She is so smart and professional! I want to be like her when I grow up!<br />
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And the list goes on.<br />
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But here is the truth:<br />
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Comparison IS the thief of joy! Absolutely! Theodore hit that nail right on the head. Whenever I compare myself to others, I feel all my joy disappear. I get so discouraged! I need to stop. It's destructive and adds stress to my life that is all self-imposed. So I am making the intentional choice to appreciate who I am and what I have. I am choosing gratitude over discouragement.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">Intentionally Productive:</span><br />
<u><br /></u>
I confess: I am NOT a list maker. I have a planner, and for a few weeks, I used it, liked it, and then abandoned it. It's just not in me to be exceptionally organized! (In my mind, making lists and using an organizer IS exceptionally organized. I know, I know.) But I do see the value in those organizational tools, and I agree, they help me to be more productive. I also can see how it's satisfying to cross those items off the list. It's definitely positive reinforcement! So, I am choosing to intentionally plan my days (in the loosest sense of the word) by re-instating my planner for work, and keeping paper handy to make lists.<br />
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See??? It's the first week of January, and I've started already.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">Intentionally Compassionate:</span><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span>
Sometimes I don't have the best attitude toward people who are struggling. It's hard to know how I can help, and I have a difficult time knowing what I can say that would be helpful or encouraging. And sometimes I'm just plain judgmental.<br />
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I am making the choice to pray for a compassionate heart. I don't want to be oblivious to those around me who are hurting. And being judgmental is not helpful to anyone!<br />
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I also want to be more intentional to share my blessings (money, possessions, talents) with those who need them. As Christians, it's what we're called to do, and I want sharing to become second nature to me.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666;">Intentionally Relational:</span><br />
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I am an intensely relational person. I love being around people and knowing about what's going on in people's lives. That being said, I am not always great at doing the little things that people really appreciate. Here are a few things I'm wanting to be intentional about:<br />
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<li>sending handwritten notes to people to let them know I'm thinking of them/appreciate them. There's something really special about handwritten sentiments, and I was reminded of how important they are to people of my mother's generation when I went to visit her for a week last month. It's a lost art that needs to be resurrected.</li>
<li>getting to know my neighbors better. We've had a handful of new neighbors move in this past year, and I want them to feel welcome and accepted.</li>
<li>answering emails and texts in a timely manner. I get frustrated when people don't follow through on answering my emails and texts, so I need to make sure I'm being just as diligent to respond to theirs.</li>
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Whew! I've got a lot on my list! I'd better get moving, don't you think?<br />
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What are YOU going to try this year? I'd love it if you'd share!<br />
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-85951127188463352742015-12-30T15:34:00.001-08:002015-12-30T15:34:28.257-08:00Winter Find It on the Go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrMIyIa8wbZPoatJd2zepW5dF8-oczOxn_K1Kbutc9KQZMcThRxmiKRlBJT3qUEj73SfYCb23eTqkqd-DW9_3Piq3N7PqZqt5M2bLfjdorAvGFfZVYY5T9Dekk-w7uM6Qoc2bjCr2Uxet/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrMIyIa8wbZPoatJd2zepW5dF8-oczOxn_K1Kbutc9KQZMcThRxmiKRlBJT3qUEj73SfYCb23eTqkqd-DW9_3Piq3N7PqZqt5M2bLfjdorAvGFfZVYY5T9Dekk-w7uM6Qoc2bjCr2Uxet/s320/Slide1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today I am sharing one of my favorite products with you. It's called Winter Find it on the Go for Language Skills. It's been very popular with other SLPs and is currently featured as one of <a href="http://superpowerspeech.com/">Super Power Speech's</a> picks in her <a href="http://superpowerspeech.com/2015/12/january-2016-lesson-plans.html">January Lesson Plans</a>, so I thought I'd give you a preview of this fun and very FLEXIBLE product.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZY2YxBUqwUHHkXNjy5ap76zwaZaXZSIQoS9g5e-dkUUoyrbJTi__3chB0jyfqacrIpamdpu1y2p_b-vbYHSPRJ6IBML5V7kPe2NLB-bNQz_KxfvdGK3tJmmFplPcPEawwsH3Js0-27hy/s1600/IMG_1272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiZY2YxBUqwUHHkXNjy5ap76zwaZaXZSIQoS9g5e-dkUUoyrbJTi__3chB0jyfqacrIpamdpu1y2p_b-vbYHSPRJ6IBML5V7kPe2NLB-bNQz_KxfvdGK3tJmmFplPcPEawwsH3Js0-27hy/s320/IMG_1272.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Winter Find It on the Go is a collection of 18 winter-themed search and find picture scenes in a flip book format. It is divided into 4 categories: Colors and Counting, Actions, Categories and Associations. It also includes an Extra Target section, which lists additional targets that can be addressed for each picture scene.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUQq5ZS4b9O4YjwKnlntAsL9VL9DhIQrNEI_fTgtz37bYDZZwkw04pnw_Bs5WyiFaMX2WrWwxDkly-lJPLPzv7RkyTB8WFnHOA1gADaddcpGn5zqqGHmuJJXDeQplsDbD3TBQqywPlL_P/s1600/IMG_1270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUQq5ZS4b9O4YjwKnlntAsL9VL9DhIQrNEI_fTgtz37bYDZZwkw04pnw_Bs5WyiFaMX2WrWwxDkly-lJPLPzv7RkyTB8WFnHOA1gADaddcpGn5zqqGHmuJJXDeQplsDbD3TBQqywPlL_P/s320/IMG_1270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It includes scenes for holidays (Hanukkah, Christmas and Valentine's Day),<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpRGedOwLivV2tEjxbWr9fnX6rF1oz7XlXN9bY4n4z5VDDG3acAkIolPAPtcwkoh9dkQK4HQYh6Ik1PScHDOOOaKaFV53mmTJ6y4NYZZW4Kqbt_dWgqVQo6OC11SeHrxBeNtbxyHPBos1/s1600/IMG_1271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpRGedOwLivV2tEjxbWr9fnX6rF1oz7XlXN9bY4n4z5VDDG3acAkIolPAPtcwkoh9dkQK4HQYh6Ik1PScHDOOOaKaFV53mmTJ6y4NYZZW4Kqbt_dWgqVQo6OC11SeHrxBeNtbxyHPBos1/s320/IMG_1271.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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polar animals, winter activities and familiar routines such as bedtime.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigyJf2qpCbYLSAK_wtVAWBVic2Wdft_GNNoOweSW2mMTHjK8QjFimDNMlYRjYp6ytDUJX4oXGb9j4_zXq0B_jYrA74Ofz6PerSA1NaAYZVSYN2T-QNtnIfhyJX9rVgMMGOWS_kokmoe1W/s1600/IMG_0370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigyJf2qpCbYLSAK_wtVAWBVic2Wdft_GNNoOweSW2mMTHjK8QjFimDNMlYRjYp6ytDUJX4oXGb9j4_zXq0B_jYrA74Ofz6PerSA1NaAYZVSYN2T-QNtnIfhyJX9rVgMMGOWS_kokmoe1W/s320/IMG_0370.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Each page lists targets to find and features a specific goal, such as past tense verbs. Students use a dry erase marker to circle the targets as they find them, and then wipe the page clean when they are finished.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3AVMkRCpzYXd6ywUCEaUQXWQ_uWGazadioTpKFuVvRIEan2l0jWOkaBweQRcYcFWBT1vL6pIm3EXAvyqiKcXMXftKMqxQYvIrCz_BPtLZuqjwP4pCpumH_orZo6VaTh3jpdsIVRpHU8Y/s1600/IMG_0376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3AVMkRCpzYXd6ywUCEaUQXWQ_uWGazadioTpKFuVvRIEan2l0jWOkaBweQRcYcFWBT1vL6pIm3EXAvyqiKcXMXftKMqxQYvIrCz_BPtLZuqjwP4pCpumH_orZo6VaTh3jpdsIVRpHU8Y/s320/IMG_0376.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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If you're not working on the specific target listed on the page, flip to the back section for suggestions of other goals you can target! So flexible!!! In this 18-page book, you can target more than 40 different skills!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6XB9xUcPOMsyiJU98C9DBcA6208Ly2nZu7Oc4JkrNDT4J-bIm7Ju_puuWgsUQDYjywEORuazdKmV8W87AuQa5P_Ru3D26XYg23vBkkD7Y0NcT9rowQIMgOFK2R6jcemzw9DVMKGcqb5I/s1600/Slide05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv6XB9xUcPOMsyiJU98C9DBcA6208Ly2nZu7Oc4JkrNDT4J-bIm7Ju_puuWgsUQDYjywEORuazdKmV8W87AuQa5P_Ru3D26XYg23vBkkD7Y0NcT9rowQIMgOFK2R6jcemzw9DVMKGcqb5I/s400/Slide05.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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I find myself reaching for this product again and again. I've used it with every child on my caseload! It's even great to use with my articulation kiddos!<br />
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You can add this go-to product to your winter materials collection by clicking the link to my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Find-It-on-the-Go-for-Language-2177791">TpT Store.</a><br />
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Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-42273826369815381122015-11-27T12:19:00.000-08:002015-11-27T12:19:07.534-08:003 Ways to Practice Social Skills Before the Holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zcd2ZTA3ZRZzqIiaRt_8fZoZ0pTtGtWabdE9cBFRusGoF5fQhg6KCuVqVHCnlBODM58bz3zJR0QxeJtv4uYTW00OK55sZU7JUV0_1AmagYmw_oRs6wLRcfFUVTF4vd742lVOBbEhyphenhyphen9T9/s1600/3+Ways+to+Practice+Social+Skills+Before+the+Holidays+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zcd2ZTA3ZRZzqIiaRt_8fZoZ0pTtGtWabdE9cBFRusGoF5fQhg6KCuVqVHCnlBODM58bz3zJR0QxeJtv4uYTW00OK55sZU7JUV0_1AmagYmw_oRs6wLRcfFUVTF4vd742lVOBbEhyphenhyphen9T9/s400/3+Ways+to+Practice+Social+Skills+Before+the+Holidays+%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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The holiday season is now upon us, and it's the most wonderful time of the year! Homemade cookies, hot chocolate, beautiful lights, fabulous celebrations, catchy music, spending time with friends and family and excitement everywhere! It can also be overwhelming...especially for our kids with social communication needs.</div>
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I want to take a minute and tell you how I am going to help prepare my kids with social communication needs for some of the situations they might encounter during the holiday season. These kids hold a special place in my heart, and I really, really, REALLY want them to have successful interactions in social situations this holiday season. So we're going to do some practicing, and I've got a few tools to help.</div>
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1. This time of year tends to be all about gifts, and for kids (any kid, not just ones with social communication disorders), it's often about the gifts THEY want and hope to receive. My kids with social communication needs really have a hard time understanding that the gifts they most desire are not always good choices for their friends and family. So last year I created this little activity to help them take the perspective of others and select gifts for them that match their age and likes/dislikes. It's called <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Choose-the-Right-Gift-A-Freebie-for-Perspective-Taking-Skills-1602697">Choose the Right Gift</a> and you can grab it for free in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Small-Talk-Slp">TpT Store</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpQM5ZCbxCW9awrg_I4WKAIOzdJoLJqPn8XyHbixyrE7dlXiZ6_RszTOhflF4_wc2yt-R_4AWy2ulfVn5ZCiGvvOGzw4u0a1n6T4QKDtivky2NGm7c7fRTMfHKzWiqvUc31ujzfo8LmEj/s1600/Choose+Gift.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpQM5ZCbxCW9awrg_I4WKAIOzdJoLJqPn8XyHbixyrE7dlXiZ6_RszTOhflF4_wc2yt-R_4AWy2ulfVn5ZCiGvvOGzw4u0a1n6T4QKDtivky2NGm7c7fRTMfHKzWiqvUc31ujzfo8LmEj/s320/Choose+Gift.png" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Students use store ads to choose presents for fictional person based on their likes and dislikes, and then share their selections and rationale with the group. This freebie contains 8 half-page worksheets that depict a fictional character, and 2 customizable worksheets. Here's how I use them:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Give one half-sheet to each student and tell them they will be choosing 2 gifts for the person listed on the page.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;">Have the students share the name and the age of the person he/she will be “shopping” for with the group. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;">Next, have the students share the likes and dislikes of their person.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;">Show the students a variety of store ads, explaining that each store features different categories of items to purchase. Ask each student to select a store ad/catalog, based on their person’s likes.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;">Students choose 2 gifts from the ads that match their person’s interests, cut them out and paste them on the gifts at the bottom of the page.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;">As a group, students share what gifts they selected and why they chose them.</span></span><div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16.003px;">This was a very popular activity with my social skills group last year. I really loved how it helped them to think outside themselves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16.003px;">2. The second tool I'm going to use is the <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Think-Before-You-Say-It-Holiday-Edition-2223486">holiday version</a> of my popular <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Think-Before-You-Say-It-2032422">Think Before You Say It</a> activity to help my kids use their social filters in social settings this holiday season.</span></span><div>
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Think-Before-You-Say-It-Holiday-Edition-2223486"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNpvKN-s6ASySbdcRlndaKPFGJSWJ4kRd4_MPUEX8TZ155QoVTdaTrv4KduP3M6gZf51l32ELjv83Wk6LSTG7qCHRyY34aCcnfcsaxkEuvySErT7hHbPYDib4m8oZIkNpAVph6NYI51X15/s400/Think+Before+Holiday+1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Kids are given a social scenario card that depicts a situation they may encounter this holiday season along with a negative thought. <span style="font-family: inherit;">They <span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; line-height: 16.003px;">will then evaluate and determine if a statement is unkind or disrespectful.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOxJVg1MQPOpKozVD5UAn51yZb6aOUOKvYvmIlIXcxOTk3A_nihRoLgyn-dS6tCLK1p1KeskIg7O9RHFaeyJ4azr9wuPLn12yplp5RZMSaMjO-U1I7F13hnjPhrZCUbuOuD4ynALGBEgO/s1600/Think+Before+Holiday+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOxJVg1MQPOpKozVD5UAn51yZb6aOUOKvYvmIlIXcxOTk3A_nihRoLgyn-dS6tCLK1p1KeskIg7O9RHFaeyJ4azr9wuPLn12yplp5RZMSaMjO-U1I7F13hnjPhrZCUbuOuD4ynALGBEgO/s400/Think+Before+Holiday+2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then, they change that negative thought into a positive, respectful statement and write it on the speech bubble card. We get all kinds of amazing discussion happening when I've used the original version, so I'm expecting this one will be great, too.<br />
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3. The last tool I'm going to use is a <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/December-Social-Scavenger-Hunt-Free-Product-Sample-2228722">social scavenger hunt</a>. I've been using social scavenger hunts all school year to work on conversation skills, and they have really been great! The kids have loved them, and their parents have asked for copies for the students to use at home with family and friends. They are part of a mini-unit I am creating to target conversation skills, specifically making small talk, that will be available for purchase after the first of the year.<br />
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But I wanted to share this part with you NOW, because it would be so great to use as a party game or a warm-up activity in any group. And it makes kids HAVE to ask each other questions and interact! You don't need to have the mini-unit yet or be working on conversation skills specifically to make this work for you. It's just a great social activity that I know your kids will love.<br />
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Did I mention this sample activity is a <span style="color: #a64d79;">FREEBIE </span>in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/December-Social-Scavenger-Hunt-Free-Product-Sample-2228722">TpT Store</a>? Go download it, and let me know how it works for you.</div>
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Here's to happy, successful social interactions! </div>
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Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-41033830512785001922015-11-08T19:00:00.000-08:002015-11-09T06:29:06.940-08:00Frenzied SLPs: Thankful and Grateful Blog Hop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCXY1Bamfxibv8Ngn2rAcqoy06-O-cyrLCO-VGf7B4JHjApIiF1xMiIDXdKqL6_Lw40_YkNaf6P6-ulVbVjH8wrAvp67P_1QNFM5rjkSxiuNBHfdUzv68FOXCyQqMWy6FDyKxcCuDtduu/s400/Screenshot+2015-11-07+12.10.19.png" width="400" /></div>
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Woo Hoo! I am so excited to be part of <span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/thefrenziedSLPs/?fref=ts">The Frenzied SLPs </a></span>Thankful and Grateful Scavenger Hunt hosted by <a href="http://sparklleslp.blogspot.com/">Sparklle SLP,</a> <a href="http://slprunner2013.blogspot.com/">SLPrunner</a> and <a href="http://www.myspeechuniverse.com/">Speech Universe</a>! We all have so much to be thankful for, and we're happy to let our gratitude spill over by treating three lucky winners to some awesome prizes!<br />
<br />
In case you've just joined the blog hop here with me, here's how it works:<br />
<br />
1. Read each Thankful and Grateful post from The Frenzied SLPs!<br />
2. Collect the character at the bottom of each post. Don't forget to write down
the characters in order to reveal the secret phrase.<br />
3. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of any post by entering the phrase<br />
4. Visit The Frenzied SLPs Facebook Page for an extra entry.<br />
5. Three winners will be chosen after the rafflecopter closes on 11/13/2015.<br />
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So, what am I thankful and grateful for? I have been blessed beyond measure by God with the gifts of my family and friends, my practice and my colleagues both near and far. I could write PAGES of reasons that I'm thankful to be part of this awesome online community of speech-language pathologists who make me a better clinician, collaborator, product creator and person each and every day but I'll keep it short and sweet and just say that I value you all immensely and I'm thankful for each and every one of you!<br />
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I want to share a moment of gratitude I experienced this past week that lead to other moments of thankful reflection. Have you ever had one of those seasons of life where you are so busy with your work responsibilities and your personal life that it feels like it is all you can do to make it through each day? That's what my life has been like for the past month. I looked at my calendar last Sunday to prepare for the week and felt exhausted before the week even began. By Tuesday, I realized I was looking at my week as if it were a long to-do list to be completed by Friday night, checking off each appointment and event like tasks I had finished. It was like I was waiting for each day to be over so I could be one step closer to Saturday. Have you ever done that? Have you spent energy wishing time away instead of appreciating the moment? I realized I was so busy waiting for Friday to be over that I wasn't really being fully present for my clients, family or friends. I was just going through the motions. I'm not sure what triggered that realization (Oh wait. Yes I do. It was God, whispering with that still, small voice of conviction.), but as soon as I realized it, I knew I needed an attitude shift.<br />
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So Wednesday morning, I made the decision to stop wishing the week away and just be fully present for each therapy session and event, appreciating the time spent with each person. I can't even tell you what a difference that decision made in my attitude I had toward facing each busy day! I took the time to really be with each child I'd been blessed to work with, and to give them the kind of service they deserve. I really enjoyed the people I spent my evenings with and was thankful to have had the opportunity to get to know them better. I let go of the anxiety and preoccupation of preparing for the next day's schedule by understanding that people are more important than my desire for everything to be perfectly executed. I got through my week feeling a little tired, but I wasn't as exhausted as I thought I would be. It ended up being a pretty good week, and I am pretty sure my attitude shift had a lot to do with it. And I am grateful for that.<br />
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So, are you ready to move onto the next blog to see what my colleague <a href="http://speechsnacks.com/">Rose</a> is thankful for? Before you go, here's your letter:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEf6Y3SMja_GVp8I-XRdQVwy-Oms1kNEEiJa9BCG59Yq5hUyDjeCiLtnOGSNSYIIrJhHwYbsd9AJN1FVtlnzAhvQNQTggonMFfIySE4rpYVCZx1kGSeV1dXoc5UF2KJehDsCp2U4iMqy6/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-07+14.33.47.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyEf6Y3SMja_GVp8I-XRdQVwy-Oms1kNEEiJa9BCG59Yq5hUyDjeCiLtnOGSNSYIIrJhHwYbsd9AJN1FVtlnzAhvQNQTggonMFfIySE4rpYVCZx1kGSeV1dXoc5UF2KJehDsCp2U4iMqy6/s320/Screenshot+2015-11-07+14.33.47.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, click on the image below to take you to Cooking Up Good Speech:<br />
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<a href="http://speechsnacks.com/2015/11/thankful-grateful-blog-hop-the-frenzied-slps/"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LfGRoKhE7b2eEbKD3StkfYNnys2umpjllH119smDnozoTuKVxqWiGxflCmM6QAJYGvyZgh_vcjlS19Iy2dpNBuQHwjlN3pNMZRgQ_njbvWhzjsxRM7ncoixN8QzwR53ZxOaxGmKF8Rja/s320/Screenshot+2015-11-07+14.35.07.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H1l7b7FkXcL8wtcaZYTmmWLgfEHzdRPGXt5qq0exm4_5ZWgySBFHa8QlXm9tJ4vcpWwgqQZW7xZg_I0Xvp5jxV1oB1cxTeGtt9JcFNvQgoGiMQsiFnBfA2vkheOk9zvKYp0PDK8lkUhX/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-07+14.50.54.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H1l7b7FkXcL8wtcaZYTmmWLgfEHzdRPGXt5qq0exm4_5ZWgySBFHa8QlXm9tJ4vcpWwgqQZW7xZg_I0Xvp5jxV1oB1cxTeGtt9JcFNvQgoGiMQsiFnBfA2vkheOk9zvKYp0PDK8lkUhX/s320/Screenshot+2015-11-07+14.50.54.png" width="315" /></a></div>
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Don't forget to enter the contest to win some awesome prizes! You can enter here:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="ab3de3cc33" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ab3de3cc33/" id="rcwidget_emx4kghe" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br />
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Want to go back to the first blog in this blog hop? Click on the the image below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.myspeechuniverse.com/2015/11/the-frenzied-slps-thankful-and-grateful.html"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbCebPpMd816Iz478Q1mSI5S6GV9gRdcU9dnWzY_5ddcQw75r5NzYFE8R8RDCUabNKU1bGKz-qPMwWD5DhNN5GQ5xURKB-SBO-s90UOBRo1x6etLitG-F-LX3mMoNTSclFMgiOZ4xyDfX/s320/Screenshot+2015-11-07+14.50.54.png" width="315" /></a></div>
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<br />Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-9120408285318334152015-11-04T12:43:00.000-08:002015-11-04T14:26:00.353-08:00Paper Bag Owl Craft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijcW5WabpbZFAVH1b8cvQ7uLz4wW6flYJcitPq7SfOmN2ySl0W1YBC-JpCtzBiGTD-Qz-xXvpVTjuWUqIcTaJfE1fz3Iq3wJgrM1Vpv4-_43iWZe4oHeii6p-TALs73WYM7akq0-CvBkH/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.51.33.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijcW5WabpbZFAVH1b8cvQ7uLz4wW6flYJcitPq7SfOmN2ySl0W1YBC-JpCtzBiGTD-Qz-xXvpVTjuWUqIcTaJfE1fz3Iq3wJgrM1Vpv4-_43iWZe4oHeii6p-TALs73WYM7akq0-CvBkH/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.51.33.png" width="474" /></a></div>
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These paper bag owls made from paper lunch sacks have been a big hit in my speech room this week! Let me show you how to make them. Here's what you'll need to prepare:<br />
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<ul>
<li>buy large-sized paper lunch sacks</li>
<li>cut out hearts from patterned scrapbook paper or construction paper. My hearts were approximately 4"x5"</li>
<li>cut out circles of three different sizes. I made mine 3", 2.5" and 1". Make the largest circles any color you want, make the medium-sized circles white or cream, and the small circles black.</li>
<li>cut out triangles for the beak and feet. Mine were 2" triangles.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgip7NlXajlMighGgtau7j9QmpmvlJCEqa1F-zBPHXoZ9GEb1grbVg1XgcM-t7_PS3ah_X_inlkmE-Am_N9gPHwcCODXS_aDGm06duyFcHD9EoQBnA5NIICVKRQAe2CfhqjwVqfAogXcE5o/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.55.16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgip7NlXajlMighGgtau7j9QmpmvlJCEqa1F-zBPHXoZ9GEb1grbVg1XgcM-t7_PS3ah_X_inlkmE-Am_N9gPHwcCODXS_aDGm06duyFcHD9EoQBnA5NIICVKRQAe2CfhqjwVqfAogXcE5o/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.55.16.png" width="480" /></a></div>
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First, cut 2 inches off the top of a lunch sack. I used a large-sized lunch sack, which was approximately 6" x 4" x 12.25".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtHgZYRmb0_vkdHfEAOYQy79NzUvwn2W5HaROWAOiODInkOhLeGcBhDI3qFif1tVTb2KC5iu__4JNB1jX6Rfcjnsajv8op2dkYnAUJDwJBtuFQrRdlE2aJIVB2s-CwJWE_Rg38Lk2EkNc/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.40.19.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtHgZYRmb0_vkdHfEAOYQy79NzUvwn2W5HaROWAOiODInkOhLeGcBhDI3qFif1tVTb2KC5iu__4JNB1jX6Rfcjnsajv8op2dkYnAUJDwJBtuFQrRdlE2aJIVB2s-CwJWE_Rg38Lk2EkNc/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.40.19.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next, measure 2.5" down from the top of the flat side of the bag (i.e. the side that doesn't have the bottom folded up) and mark it.<br />
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Fold the top of the bag over at the 2.5" mark and make a crease across the top.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCfzz02yfaH99bUXpfAP4H86WU8ghEZk0KWLttZZGwNuPUh7BrlF6mLL7NwIk3T536NPT66dNCwRX74YJNDPVC-jXrhasTlQwGaeNkVigkypys-S0szD7lCKqNj4GKj6aMNksfKHwiRgV/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+12.09.46.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCfzz02yfaH99bUXpfAP4H86WU8ghEZk0KWLttZZGwNuPUh7BrlF6mLL7NwIk3T536NPT66dNCwRX74YJNDPVC-jXrhasTlQwGaeNkVigkypys-S0szD7lCKqNj4GKj6aMNksfKHwiRgV/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+12.09.46.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Open the folded flap and cut the corners off diagonally by starting at the center point and cutting across to the edge at the fold.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolTscbai-IfPF5ilIvczyvUUQRuzRBX44Gh8j9rJGZct4o_5sOtWwK8D_LRQ6AXiScVOqsaN3P3xcFLiJ19DCta2gUDP2cKnyWUs3Ae97J1258V_v3nWD9zqsJyvzFlGrRjURroUk-0Jk/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.43.44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolTscbai-IfPF5ilIvczyvUUQRuzRBX44Gh8j9rJGZct4o_5sOtWwK8D_LRQ6AXiScVOqsaN3P3xcFLiJ19DCta2gUDP2cKnyWUs3Ae97J1258V_v3nWD9zqsJyvzFlGrRjURroUk-0Jk/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.43.44.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cut off both corners to make a triangle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxav59lqImxtdOx_0D57jA1w6RfhtE_wVoLqZsEi8qypEJhxavNKsMbBuiKwRSanIC_aPQW7x9jSBYLr_-vVcrkEX_wd9WDqRsEwhIt5Q920x0i53d5eDlBzh7YDg2pc_WrTdOghdT7PE/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.43.57.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxav59lqImxtdOx_0D57jA1w6RfhtE_wVoLqZsEi8qypEJhxavNKsMbBuiKwRSanIC_aPQW7x9jSBYLr_-vVcrkEX_wd9WDqRsEwhIt5Q920x0i53d5eDlBzh7YDg2pc_WrTdOghdT7PE/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.43.57.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fold the triangle down along the crease. It should look like the picture above. If you want the triangle to rest closer to your owl's eyes, fold an inch below the original crease.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbyKLHfsPdvxLdHxOGe5jc1a-53ErtNt_Mq-jfOjoktSKimX3TWGm7meOdqBIfDbctaBXFhCB6SCm74ODewQP9jJJuflCN1ex2JBkCN8X3M2kSgr7d_aZ3Pzv7L-m0YncorpM6tvTy0El/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.43.34.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbyKLHfsPdvxLdHxOGe5jc1a-53ErtNt_Mq-jfOjoktSKimX3TWGm7meOdqBIfDbctaBXFhCB6SCm74ODewQP9jJJuflCN1ex2JBkCN8X3M2kSgr7d_aZ3Pzv7L-m0YncorpM6tvTy0El/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.43.34.png" width="530" /></a></div>
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Glue the heart on so the point is almost at the bottom of the bag.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB14rVPVEbzGkeVY-NsdS6_cEBlXU8EARxrTbcVvbCY-aD5jtFew4lzrnihG79dkPbhXr-lv4fxxAmFW9w3jmJ8lIW6Hy-qCwAZMIu5cYq030gaX36DkVrHDvTYhPfVNL8rDejQGvJ3YIK/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.45.42.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB14rVPVEbzGkeVY-NsdS6_cEBlXU8EARxrTbcVvbCY-aD5jtFew4lzrnihG79dkPbhXr-lv4fxxAmFW9w3jmJ8lIW6Hy-qCwAZMIu5cYq030gaX36DkVrHDvTYhPfVNL8rDejQGvJ3YIK/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.45.42.png" width="496" /></a></div>
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Glue the large circles on first,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUtnjgHLKA5F7xrHXHqT8BsPgXiDev7-uLJsKRlhjgJyNZqOjfQLYTVgOL1kY1hhW3bOW8RcUFokNNAOry8ujLvuEEwuOjxXaPhLFHaHqt4dMCsLvSkgHWOqMyej10vkrWMmsqIqHAewT/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.46.41.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUtnjgHLKA5F7xrHXHqT8BsPgXiDev7-uLJsKRlhjgJyNZqOjfQLYTVgOL1kY1hhW3bOW8RcUFokNNAOry8ujLvuEEwuOjxXaPhLFHaHqt4dMCsLvSkgHWOqMyej10vkrWMmsqIqHAewT/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.46.41.png" width="522" /></a></div>
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...followed by the white and black.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1QyMzGkAjcbXtGT3M3QZiyQYX2CKt_-bGBfhj54yZEWCY7ZnM7P77tVq9vTVnogIZmpKuFrxIBiZZDYnitH0cZ6y1SG_UzcKxTMceETKXDstLpWgN1klIY_jb2GIuV1lhhh3tk0cnVIG/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.47.44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1QyMzGkAjcbXtGT3M3QZiyQYX2CKt_-bGBfhj54yZEWCY7ZnM7P77tVq9vTVnogIZmpKuFrxIBiZZDYnitH0cZ6y1SG_UzcKxTMceETKXDstLpWgN1klIY_jb2GIuV1lhhh3tk0cnVIG/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.47.44.png" width="478" /></a></div>
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The beak goes on next.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-tu0VhWi2JtD0Tswkt7mZAtFTqOtzOb_ZV1lfjPDTPJkEWKtS1p-utXsw0h9FGN9f6Ta1PfBCziDCTLi88rR8_4-UX7-pStW1lpbL4CVwmxX-LpXRkxExXFcCsMdkrRxfwKYWVOFPrBh/s1600/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.48.44.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-tu0VhWi2JtD0Tswkt7mZAtFTqOtzOb_ZV1lfjPDTPJkEWKtS1p-utXsw0h9FGN9f6Ta1PfBCziDCTLi88rR8_4-UX7-pStW1lpbL4CVwmxX-LpXRkxExXFcCsMdkrRxfwKYWVOFPrBh/s640/Screenshot+2015-11-04+10.48.44.png" width="492" /></a></div>
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Turn the owl over and glue two triangles on the back, with half of each triangle sticking off the bag.<br />
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Gently open the bag and set the opened bag on the table with the owl facing you.<br />
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Gather the top edges of the bag in at the side folds and fold the triangle back over the front. That's it! Aren't they so cute??? We filled our owl bags with homework pictures and worksheets to take home. Perfect!<br />
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You can work on all sorts of language goals with this little craft. Here are a few suggestions:<br />
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<ul>
<li>shapes</li>
<li>sizes</li>
<li>colors</li>
<li>following directions</li>
<li>plurals</li>
<li>possessives</li>
<li>pronouns</li>
<li>sequencing</li>
</ul>
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I love these, and I hope you do, too!</div>
Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-18517347197615446942015-10-26T03:00:00.000-07:002015-10-26T06:43:34.527-07:00Frenzied SLP's: Treats of Halloween Linky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Helloooooo!!! I am honored to be joining the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thefrenziedSLPs?fref=ts">Frenzied SLPs</a> for this Treats of Halloween Language Tricks and Activities Linky Party hosted by Annie of <a href="http://doylespeechworks.blogspot.com/">Doyle Speech Works</a>, Laura of <a href="http://www.allyallneed.com/">All 'Yall Need</a> and Manda and Shanda of <a href="http://twinspeechlanguageandliteracy.com/">Twin Speech Language and Literacy</a> to share some of my favorites!<br />
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We made these darling Frankensteins last week in my speech room. I saw several variations of these posted on Pinterest so I decided to give them a try. They were fairly easy to put together and ALL the kids loved them, from preschoolers to upper elementary. You just cut rectangles from black card stock or construction paper, and then cut out the center to make a frame. Make the top edge jagged to look like his hair. From the scraps, cut out eyebrows, crooked smiles and bolts. Cut circles for the eyes out of white paper and draw the eyeballs in the center. Cut a piece of clear contact paper to fit the rectangle and stick it onto the frame. Cut odd-shaped pieces from green tissue paper to fill in the face.<br />
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I used these mostly as reinforcers while working on articulation targets. After the kids said their target words/phrases 3-5 times, I gave them a piece to stick on their Frankenstein. They really turned out cute!<br />
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I used Frankenstein as a reinforcer for language activities, too. I paired it with my <a href="http://chitchatandsmalltalk.blogspot.com/2012/10/halloween-flip-book-for-adjectives.html">Halloween Flip Book for Adjectives</a> and had the student make up a sentence using the pictures from the book. This little flip book is great, by the way, for working on adjectives and talking about if the picture pairs are probable. Can flashlights be scary? Why or why not? And here's another treat: it's a freebie! Just click on the link above to find it.<br />
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Another thing I love to do in the week leading up to Halloween is practice trick-or-treating. So many of our little ones really need help practicing this routine, and a play house with characters is the perfect way to do it! The house in the picture is from Fisher Price, and it's really fun.<br />
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Another thing I'll be using this week are the Halloween-themed pages from my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fall-Find-It-on-the-Go-for-Language-2111609">Fall Find It on the Go</a> flip book. These print-and-go pages are fun search and find activities that kids really enjoy and can be used to target multiple goals. The page pictured above is great for working on finding things that go together. I like to have the children tell me why the items go together after they find each pair. So many great language-learning opportunities! Check out this very flexible flip book at <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Small-Talk-Slp">my Teachers Pay Teachers store</a>.<br />
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One last quick and easy activity I'd like to share is Halloween Block Play. I attached some cute Halloween-themed pictures to wooden blocks with clear packing tape, and they have been a hit! Here are some ways I've been using them:<br />
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<ul>
<li>following directions: Great for positional directions (top, bottom, next to, behind, in front, between, etc.) and temporal directions (before, after, first, last, etc.).</li>
<li>Describing object location: Let the child be the teacher and tell YOU where to place the blocks.</li>
<li>Storytelling: Line up several blocks on the table. Have the student tell a story using the blocks as prompts.</li>
</ul>
<div>
And guess what, I have another treat for you...you can find these cute pictures as freebie in my store! You can find it <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-Picture-Cards-for-Block-Play-Freebie-2171042">here.</a></div>
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I hope you found a few treats in this post that you can add to your pumpkin-shaped bucketful of language tricks for Halloween. You can even find MORE treats by heading on over to the other Frenzied SLPs' blogs to check out their tricks and treats. Just click on the links below:</div>
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<![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
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(before, after, first, last, etc.). </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
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<p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:
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<![if !supportLists]><span
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style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-font-kerning:12.0pt'>Describing Object
Location: Let the child be the teacher and tell YOU where to place the
blocks</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:
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<![if !supportLists]><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:
Times;mso-bidi-font-family:Times'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>3.<span
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style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
color:black;mso-themecolor:text1;mso-font-kerning:12.0pt'>Sentence
Formulation:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Choose two blocks and
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mso-font-kerning:12.0pt'>Story Telling:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Line up several blocks on the table. Have the student tell a story
using the blocks as prompts.</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
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<!-- end InLinkz script -->Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-67821261652194155372015-10-20T12:05:00.000-07:002015-10-20T12:11:51.944-07:00Quick No-Prep Halloween Activities for Preschoolers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Want some fun, motivating no-prep activities to do this week? I've got a couple of ideas!<br />
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A number of years ago, I bought these wooden shapes from a craft store. Every October I bring them out, and use them in ways I never have before. They are durable and appealing, and most of all, the kids love them. Here are three ways I used them:<br />
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<li>Mystery Box! I have this wonderful mystery box that I got from <a href="http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/">Lakeshore Learning</a> that has holes in each end of the box. I have the child close their eyes, and I sneak one of the shapes inside the box. Next, I let the child reach in and touch the shape from the other side. I held onto the shape from the other side as well to help prevent the child from taking a peek, but you wouldn't need to do this if the child has enough self-control not to peek. Then, I give the child three or four <span style="color: #e06666;">clues </span>about what the object is and let the child guess. After the child makes a guess, he/she pulls the object out of the box. Here is an example of the clues I gave: You see it on Halloween. It is white. It flies. It is scary. It says "Boo!"</li>
<li>Flashlight Hunt! This one was my little friend's idea. He asked me to turn off the lights and hide the wooden shapes around the room so he could find them using a flashlight in the dark. How could I resist? So we did just that. It worked perfectly for working on <span style="color: #e06666;">object location</span>! We found the shapes "on" the floor, the bench, the shelf, the chair, the box and the table and said the location each time. We repeated this activity three times, but he could have done this all day! I just know his mom is going to go home and recreate this using Halloween things they have at home.</li>
<li>Make a Sentence! We laid the shapes on the table and named each one. Then we chose two shapes to <span style="color: #e06666;">tell a "story"</span> about. For example, after choosing the witch and the ghost, the child said, "The witch and the ghost went trick-or-treating." This was so great for generating sentences and ideas about what the characters might do! It's the perfect way to introduce storytelling to your littles.</li>
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I know you probably don't have these same wooden shapes, but no worries! You could do these same activities using picture cards. And if you don't have a mystery box, use a tissue box instead! </div>
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Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-14064559635920103232015-10-15T14:39:00.002-07:002015-10-15T14:39:04.567-07:00Put Your iPhone Camera to Work: Creating Stories for Your iPad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love to make stories for my students using my iPhone and photo editing apps. It's really easy! Let me show you how I do it.<br />
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Every fall, three little gnome brothers turn up in my speech room to play. If you'd like to see the magical gnome home I created last fall, read this <a href="http://chitchatandsmalltalk.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-magical-gnome-home.html">post.</a> Each day, the kids arrive to find those industrious gnomes playing with our toys. This is how I made a story to record all the little gnomes' antics. I wrote this story to specifically target the pronoun "he" and regular past tense verbs.<br />
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I started by taking pictures every day of the gnomes posing with their toys. After a week or two, I had enough pictures to make a story.<br />
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I load the pictures onto my computer and open the Picasa app.<br />
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I select a picture and then click on the "text" icon on the left side of the screen.<br />
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I type the text directly onto the picture. You can choose from a variety of fonts, colors and sizes. Then I click "apply" to save the changes to the picture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HQwSoh7897X3ZKx-fZO0ezJAblDdwUAMF2QcyU0MIYz3YbdGmOunvpGb3lRnQ0c2kNOEJAvYJFqxvOwsNh80OUMSeB2jvkIe9W8N-iSA2ofKpGSeKN9FBhKlLJD_MhLkoPa5AZj0svRn/s1600/IMG_1055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_HQwSoh7897X3ZKx-fZO0ezJAblDdwUAMF2QcyU0MIYz3YbdGmOunvpGb3lRnQ0c2kNOEJAvYJFqxvOwsNh80OUMSeB2jvkIe9W8N-iSA2ofKpGSeKN9FBhKlLJD_MhLkoPa5AZj0svRn/s640/IMG_1055.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I click the little green symbol above the red circle to hold the completed picture in the tray along with the others I want to add to my story. When I have the ones I need, I save them as an album.<br />
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Next, you have options of what you want to do with your story. You can save this file to iPhoto and just view the pictures on your phone or iPad, just like you would with any photographs. But I like to save mine to Dropbox so I can open the file and view just the photos in the file and so I can share the Dropbox link with families. Here's what I do:<br />
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First I save the album to my desktop. Next, I choose the file from my desktop, and then click on "Move to Dropbox".<br />
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Once the file is in Dropbox, I can open it on my iPad or my iPhone and view the story, swiping the screen to turn the pages.<br />
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See? Wasn't that easy? There are probably many other ways to edit your photos to make a story, but this one really works well for me. I love that I can share the links with parents and that they can access them anonymously. The kids really enjoy them, too. It's a great way for them to share about speech/language therapy with their families at home and practice their speech and language targets while doing so!Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-11752794734088899972015-10-14T12:24:00.001-07:002015-10-15T06:47:14.386-07:00My Speech Therapy OOPS!Hello!<br />
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Have you ever had one of those speech therapy moments you wish you could take back? My friend, Karen over at <a href="http://pedispeechie.blogspot.com/2015/10/speech-therapy-oops-small-talk-slp.html">The Pedi Speechie</a> blog is hosting a series of posts by SLP bloggers sharing their speech therapy OOPS moments. Today is MY day to share, so head on over to Karen's blog to read about one of my most embarrassing moments!<br />
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<a href="http://pedispeechie.blogspot.com/2015/10/speech-therapy-oops-small-talk-slp.html">Speech Therapy Oops!</a>Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-75244050860905674802015-10-11T15:32:00.000-07:002015-10-11T15:32:22.725-07:00Product Review: Halloween Attributes by Activity TailorHello!<br />
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Fall just seems to be flying by, and it's already time to start planning for Halloween! I've been searching Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers for a few more activities to round out my lesson plans, and I found this great product for comparing and contrasting by Kim over at <a href="http://www.activitytailor.com/">Activity Tailor</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-Attributes-Game-CompareContrast-includes-Cariboo-option-1454047">Halloween Attributes Game</a> features three different sets of Halloween-themed cards along with a variety of comparing/contrasting activities, several that feature those motivating QR codes that every kid loves!<br />
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The first activity includes 8 jack-o-lantern pictures and 16 clue cards. Each clue card features three clues and a QR code. The students listen to the clues and remove the jack-o-lantern cards that don't match the clues until they are left with just one card. Then they check their answer using the QR code. <br />
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There's also a costume version of this activity as well as one using witch's hats. So cute and my kids will love the variety!<br />
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The second activity that I just love is the set of witch's hat Cariboo cards. My kids never seem to tire of the Cariboo game, and these darling little hats are going to be great for listening for details and for the expressive language skill of describing. If you don't have the Cariboo game, you can still use these cards for the same purpose, just lay them out on the table and hide several plastic chips under the cards.<br />
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The last activity included in this set is a chart for comparing and contrasting the Cariboo hat cards. I used the 8 hat picture cards from the QR code activity instead because my Cariboo cards were already mounted on my game, and they worked just fine. You place one card over each column and then you mark off the features of each hat. After completing the chart, I had my students describe each hat using the features checked on the chart. Then I had them compare and contrast the hats based on the features checked. I really liked this activity as it provided a visual way to organize details for comparing and contrasting.<br />
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This product is a great addition to my Halloween lesson plans and will provide opportunities for working on comparing and contrasting for at least two sessions. Go to Kim's Teachers Pay Teachers store to grab your own copy: <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-Attributes-Game-CompareContrast-includes-Cariboo-option-1454047">Halloween Attributes</a>Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-49086531244015382112015-08-24T18:08:00.000-07:002015-08-25T16:30:07.591-07:00My {Interrupted} SLP Life: Hiking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love my all-consuming SLP life: the kids, the research, the outcomes, creating products, blogging...but sometimes I need an interruption of routine to keep me balanced. This is the first in a series of blog posts that will give you a glimpse of some of the interruptions that keep me sane, happy and healthy.<br />
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Living in the Pacific Northwest, it's hard to NOT want to live a healthy lifestyle. Everywhere you go, you'll find people being active. They might be cycling, hiking, boating, wind surfing, fishing, rafting, camping, jogging, snowboarding, skiing, or any number of other outdoor activities.<br />
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My husband and I really enjoy hiking, and there is no limit to the number of trails to explore.<br />
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We pack a backpack with supplies for the day and head out to a place of spectacular beauty with our happy, hiking Havanese, Bruno. <br />
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One of our favorite places to explore is the Columbia River Gorge. There are at least <a href="http://www.oregonwaterfalls.net/gorge.htm">25 different waterfalls</a> that can be seen from trails varying from easy to difficult terrain, and are always a draw for us. Check this one out:<br />
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This one is called Oneonta Falls. Most of the "trail" is in the stream, so you have to plan on getting wet and dress accordingly. Isn't it magical? When you're on the trail, going through the cavern with the steep cliffs on either side, you really feel like you've been transported into a scene from Lord of the Rings.<br />
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Before you get to the waterfall, you have to scale this enormous log jam. This is always a favorite with my boys! I have to admit, I love the challenge, too!</div>
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This is Horsetail Falls, which is just down the road from Oneonta Falls. It's a favorite place to bring out of town guests who are up for a short hike.</div>
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Sometimes we head over the Cascades to the high desert and hike at <a href="http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=36">Smith Rock State Park</a>. It is jaw-droppingly beautiful! We follow the trail along the creek bed and circle around the breathtaking rock formations. We always marvel at the majesty of these towering rocks!</div>
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We just discovered this hike this year. It's called <a href="http://www.opalcreek.org/trails/">Opal Creek</a> and is another stunner with its beautiful blue pools, cascading waterfalls and crystal clear stream.</div>
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It even has a natural waterslide to play in, if you don't mind icy cold water.</div>
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For a change of pace, we can head to the coast and hike on trails along the Pacific Ocean. This is the view from <a href="http://www.nps.gov/lewi/planyourvisit/ecola.htm">Ecola State Park</a> near Cannon Beach, Oregon. I hate to use this word again, but it is STUNNING! I could stay there all day and watch the waves crash on the shore.</div>
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One Monday earlier this month, my husband and I headed out to a trail on Mt. Hood that we hadn't explored before. It's called <a href="http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Ramona_Falls_Hike">Ramona Falls</a> and the hiking website we checked said it was a 6.6 mile hike (moderately difficult). That distance is a little longer than we like to hike, but we decided to go for it. </div>
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The trail meandered through beautiful stands of douglas fir trees and was a pleasant hike. We met a hiker coming from the opposite direction who stopped to pet our dog. He said he was hiking the <a href="http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Ramona_Falls_Hike">Pacific Crest Trail</a>, which goes from Mexico to British Columbia. Here's a snippet of our conversation:<br />
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Hiker: I am on Day 100 of my hike, with 550 miles to go. How far are you going?<br />
Me: Just to the waterfall.<br />
Hiker: Waterfall? What waterfall?<br />
Me: There's supposed to be a waterfall ahead less than a mile from here.<br />
Hiker: Oh, I missed it, I guess. I don't have time to take in the scenery.<br />
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What?!? How can you miss a waterfall? I started thinking that maybe we took a wrong turn somewhere. But we kept hiking, and just about the time Bruno and I thought we could go no further, we turned a corner and saw this: a beautiful fairy-tail clearing leading up to a shimmering waterfall.<br />
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Absolutely awe-inspiring. I do not know what is so mesmerizing and magical about water falling over some rocks, but it is. It just is.<br />
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The cool, refreshing mist on our faces, the patterns of the water as it falls to the rocks below, the sound of the cascading water, the green of the moss...the intricate handiwork of God. How can I not but worship Him in this place?<br />
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We left this sacred ground in silence for awhile as we hiked along the stream that fed this waterfall. I could not comprehend not stopping to experience the beauty and the magic of this magnificent place! How could that hiker have missed this? But as my husband and I hiked along, deep in our own thoughts, it occurred to me that we (me and the PCT hiker) were two hikers on the same trail for a time, but both with very different goals. His was to complete a very long hike in a prescribed amount of time. He had to plan his trip down to the last detail, set an agenda, and hike at a pace in which he could successfully complete his hike each day. He had his end goal in mind. My goal was to hike a few miles, take in the scenery, and appreciate God's creation, stopping to take detours along the way. Two very different perspectives. </div>
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Since that day, I've thought of that hiker a number of times. I really admire his dedication, self-discipline and determination! But I've also come to view his hike and mine as an analogy for my life as a speech-language pathologist in two ways.</div>
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In relation to other SLP's: I have this terrible habit of comparing myself to others. I look at colleagues who have opened their own practices and now employ several others and wonder, should I be doing that? I admire the aspiration of other SLP's that continue their education to gain higher degrees and wonder where they have the time. I witness the successes of other SLP's in many different capacities and wonder if I should be doing more. I forget that even though we're on the same trail, we each come with our own goals and perspectives. But we're all in this to make a difference in people's lives, right? We're all on the same path to help others become better communicators. It's just that some of us are on the fast track, with the end-goal to own a large practice, become the president of ASHA or our state organization, or become the top SLP seller on <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/">Teachers Pay Teachers</a>. We need those people! Some of us have come to this path by the way of a previous profession and have a unique perspective to offer. We need those people, too! And some of us are content to bloom where we're planted and find no greater joy than taking the time to appreciate the scenery around us and to celebrate the little victories along the way. When our paths merge, let's remember that we're coming from different perspectives and let's celebrate the differences! </div>
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In relation to the children I work with: They are all on the trail to become successful communicators. It will take hard work and dedication to get to their destination. But each one approaches the trail with a unique perspective and a unique set of skills. Some will be on the fast-track, and get there in record time. Some will move steadily along the trail, making progress each day. Others will meander and plod along, putting one foot in front of the other just to reach the next rise in the trail. Don't you have those kids who are so challenging that all you feel like you've done is climb uphill with no waterfall in sight? But then, suddenly you go around the bend and there it is: the imitation of a sign or word, that new sound learned, that new social skill used to converse with a peer. Let the waterfall flow! I'm so glad I took the time to stop and witness it!</div>
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<i>Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.</i></div>
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<i>He will teach us His ways</i></div>
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<i>And we shall walk in His paths.</i></div>
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<i> Isaiah 2:3</i></div>
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Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-54778113208328430112015-08-19T15:26:00.004-07:002015-08-19T16:33:43.036-07:00Change? I hate change! Or do I???I have always thought of myself as a person who dreads change. There are many times when I find myself wishing that "things" could go back to being just as they were. But then I got to really thinking about changes, and it turns out that I don't really hate ALL change. So what's the deal? What kinds of changes do I dread? Here's a list of some changes I've experienced in the last six months and how I feel about them.<br />
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1. Online mobile deposits with my bank app: Bring it on! I love it! Such a time-saver!<br />
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2. My middle son moving to Seattle: Boo!<br />
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3. Progress in treatment (both monumental and small): Yay! I love it! It inspires me!<br />
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4. Buying a new car: Boo! Too much work and I hate the payments.<br />
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5. Meeting and networking with new online SLP friends: Love it any day of the week!<br />
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6. New procedures for preauthorization of services through the insurance company I bill to the most: Awful. Don't even get me started.<br />
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7. My favorite grocery store closing after being "my store" for the past 20 years: What? They can't do this to me! Don't they know how convenient it is for me to shop there? I know where everything is! Ugh!<br />
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8. A new locally-sourced grocery story opening in the new shopping center: Yes! I love all the healthy food options! (But it IS located in a spot that is less convenient.) (And I don't know where anything is.)<br />
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9. Needing to paint my kitchen: Rats. It's been like this for 12 years now. It's just fine, right?<br />
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But the best one is #10, so (drumroll please), without further ado...<br />
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10. Giving my blog and social media sites a makeover: Yes! I'm so excited! I can't believe I've waited THIS LONG to do it! And <a href="http://www.blogsfitforaqueen.com/">Blogs Fit for a Queen</a> did a fabulous job with the design and pulling it all together.<br />
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So what do you think of the new look??? I hope you like it, because I won't be changing it anytime soon!<br />
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<br />Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-39838452966723657962015-08-15T07:35:00.001-07:002015-08-15T07:36:31.823-07:00Bananagrams for Synonyms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj2WDTrmwvtJcMr2UEfouoAE-m2EIHhYdpIj83RcaKCHPypGuuZLZGEioN9lKKghIEgut07QpoEOs2Oa17HAOUEkg3ZMd3Aopkm6LuiJlM0YwtkqhH6jkC1dc8FXJp39gcSg1iCWPjBep/s1600/IMG_3282.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj2WDTrmwvtJcMr2UEfouoAE-m2EIHhYdpIj83RcaKCHPypGuuZLZGEioN9lKKghIEgut07QpoEOs2Oa17HAOUEkg3ZMd3Aopkm6LuiJlM0YwtkqhH6jkC1dc8FXJp39gcSg1iCWPjBep/s640/IMG_3282.PNG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I pulled out an old favorite this week: <a href="http://www.bananagrams.com/">Bananagrams</a>! I forgot how much this kids like this one and how many different ways there are to use it to target language goals. I'm going to share how we played this week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOspqb_51yemH3ejsd-KZ0iawahwuXuokoOE0UcXAYO3cnThtqp48JG1xKRGp46yf31hLAwgChrIcM9DanmpLp9TGwRzwM0UwypDEaKwqCxhbnqXo4dvRkruGvxRqG28UX85166BSYZ3E/s1600/IMG_3283.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOspqb_51yemH3ejsd-KZ0iawahwuXuokoOE0UcXAYO3cnThtqp48JG1xKRGp46yf31hLAwgChrIcM9DanmpLp9TGwRzwM0UwypDEaKwqCxhbnqXo4dvRkruGvxRqG28UX85166BSYZ3E/s400/IMG_3283.PNG" width="300" /></a></div>
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First, each player chose twenty letters. I left the letters facing up so the kids could choose the ones they wanted. The directions were to use all twenty letters to make words, crossword puzzle style. The players could exchange letters one at a time if they needed a different letter to make a word, and add a few extra to complete the final word if necessary.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgU7boZNZyloqHjQ-sl2c9LbUMp6UhHo4qmto2dgBDF0QZgW4D3DpjYm_SrSVgrwG1N8z_DLO22AFKbREHPdW-x1YiaetXKcAh60cNUOOxDQJUJUG06BaO9p4S9qiAqArrHTf5zg0iekh/s1600/IMG_3284.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFgU7boZNZyloqHjQ-sl2c9LbUMp6UhHo4qmto2dgBDF0QZgW4D3DpjYm_SrSVgrwG1N8z_DLO22AFKbREHPdW-x1YiaetXKcAh60cNUOOxDQJUJUG06BaO9p4S9qiAqArrHTf5zg0iekh/s400/IMG_3284.PNG" width="340" /></a></div>
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After the players' words were complete, each player named the words they made. Then, they took turns choosing one of their words and naming a synonym for that word. If they couldn't think of one, we looked the word up on <a href="http://www.thesaurus.com/">Thesaurus.com</a>. <br />
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Next week, we're going to try this again with word associations. Instead of naming a synonym, I'll have the students name a word that goes along with each word.<br />
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Do you use Bananagrams in treatment? Tell me how in the comments!Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-78661254613650331772015-08-02T17:03:00.000-07:002015-08-02T17:03:07.994-07:00Pairing a Picture Dictionary with the Expanding Expression Tool<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpgzEc60SgDd4GLKocdnTTLdkzgesCJRpEGh2DUOzz6zH-6NI8FjTUumZYiG-cZlXWmzRUWmq7xdod12nefN5jnTHPjrkXfax7Voq4_aQ_1Tf3jjmJJKetr4RxELCX2TMiHLu-Q8cXRfY/s1600/IMG_3157.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpgzEc60SgDd4GLKocdnTTLdkzgesCJRpEGh2DUOzz6zH-6NI8FjTUumZYiG-cZlXWmzRUWmq7xdod12nefN5jnTHPjrkXfax7Voq4_aQ_1Tf3jjmJJKetr4RxELCX2TMiHLu-Q8cXRfY/s640/IMG_3157.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've been using Sara Smith's <a href="http://www.expandingexpression.com/">Expanding Expression Tool (EET)</a> for a couple of years now to help my students define and describe objects and make word associations. It is a multi-sensory tool for improving oral language, and I have witnessed first-hand how effective it can be in helping students organize their thoughts when defining and describing objects and their functions. The tool is simply a string of colored beads that are used as cues to help the students remember what to include in their descriptions. Each color represents a different facet of the definition. For example, the green bead reminds the student to name the group the item belongs to, blue prompts them to tell what the object does, etc. If you're unfamiliar with this tool, you should really check it out. Just click on the link above.<br />
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But for those of you who know all about EET and use it as part of your treatment, I want to share how I've been using it with my upper elementary and younger middle school students. I've been pairing it with a picture dictionary, a dry erase pouch and dry erase markers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6AN9_krRcTwxgcMTWX3zXDw6JbyP8-eeJl01eVYt5qgRySqVi_CHJ6WJcuSokpptNHOuJzKCoPO4u4QYfhlGfiwY4TUeGL9bvB-aSQtQR6Iaigd2BXak3hMpiWxcP_-NQgY9uZFLeicl/s1600/IMG_3158.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6AN9_krRcTwxgcMTWX3zXDw6JbyP8-eeJl01eVYt5qgRySqVi_CHJ6WJcuSokpptNHOuJzKCoPO4u4QYfhlGfiwY4TUeGL9bvB-aSQtQR6Iaigd2BXak3hMpiWxcP_-NQgY9uZFLeicl/s640/IMG_3158.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I just choose a page and slide the page right into the dry erase pouch to keep the page clean and protected. Next, I choose one of the words on the page.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZO9MEou4b5QbyH62MYj3RaeCu7_VufCIk2Wj1sv55Y_Nu29P2QsU1u4rfzexgyIud0MbZ2Xw-7aKrQi42qa8FKs3Dlw6JsjPP7UxpydXTtqs4WmzOdKY3ma5t56l1_RYXRcTB9Ir4NBz/s1600/IMG_3159.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZO9MEou4b5QbyH62MYj3RaeCu7_VufCIk2Wj1sv55Y_Nu29P2QsU1u4rfzexgyIud0MbZ2Xw-7aKrQi42qa8FKs3Dlw6JsjPP7UxpydXTtqs4WmzOdKY3ma5t56l1_RYXRcTB9Ir4NBz/s640/IMG_3159.PNG" width="582" /></a></div>
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We used colored dry erase pens in corresponding colors to underline the elements of the definition of the chosen word. We found three separate things that ice does or what people do with ice, so we underlined them in blue. Next we used the tool to review the possible parts of a definition and read the definition again, underlining the group name with green, what it's made of with brown, and it's attributes with black. We noted that this dictionary's definition did not include a detail corresponding to the white bead (i.e. where you would find it), so the student restated the definition adding that extra information.<br />
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Here's an example of one we did using six different colors.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEill7wDCiyI5STNJaeCINI-lBG21Jdhsd2p0_0n2Y5mRf4hyphenhyphen1S0nH0v9sKTX3rynRacikH3_uNhQf8ZtkTWO1K9qCveio7ej5pWmqYWBwsPHKsiCH2_NiokN-E2bp5VVBOof1yK6PdnNQKo/s1600/IMG_3160.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEill7wDCiyI5STNJaeCINI-lBG21Jdhsd2p0_0n2Y5mRf4hyphenhyphen1S0nH0v9sKTX3rynRacikH3_uNhQf8ZtkTWO1K9qCveio7ej5pWmqYWBwsPHKsiCH2_NiokN-E2bp5VVBOof1yK6PdnNQKo/s640/IMG_3160.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This definition was pretty complete, so we didn't need to add a thing. But since both of these items were on the same page, we decided to use the definitions to compare and contrast the objects. The color-coded key words really helped simplify the task and keep the responses organized.<br />
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Do you use EET? If so, I'd love to hear how you use it! Leave me your ideas in the comments.<br />
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*I am not affiliated with the makers of The Expanding Expression Tool in any way, nor am I being compensated to review this product. The treatment ideas and opinions in this post are solely mine.<br />
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<br />Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-73450472911086902102015-07-31T09:16:00.002-07:002015-07-31T09:16:37.772-07:00TpT Back to School Sale: What's in Your Cart? {Linky Party}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VASAaZui_oFSQbEJisXcZcOzZ4Q_SzdQ4t3Js2mKyP3z6hRwcrKo1uoiAAhD_qomc5AfXlCyuY1hdSRbJqku6UmDUpj61L9zssKYK2T13vc6ZKYO1H1MKirB9QwyDcx2dtZ0X8imLKfk/s1600/WhatsInYourCartLInky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4VASAaZui_oFSQbEJisXcZcOzZ4Q_SzdQ4t3Js2mKyP3z6hRwcrKo1uoiAAhD_qomc5AfXlCyuY1hdSRbJqku6UmDUpj61L9zssKYK2T13vc6ZKYO1H1MKirB9QwyDcx2dtZ0X8imLKfk/s640/WhatsInYourCartLInky.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Can you believe how fast summer is flying by and that we're already thinking of going back to school? It's crazy! But it's also that time of year when Teachers Pay Teachers holds their back to school sale where buyers can save up to 28% on all their purchases! Jenna at <a href="http://thespeechroomnews.com/">Speech Room News</a> is hosting her annual linky party so we can all tell you about the great products we've got in our carts, so you can get some ideas of what to put in yours!<br />
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Here's a couple of items you should check out from my store:<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Scavenger-Hunt-and-I-Spy-Games-1968172"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_prUdIgtS40OMuoUDV4jOmWeXtxHs72TGlF4MQaHLoL4AXVBE8jdi-ylMaA0lIPubUZ-6hSIDg2H2dbHIWxmS5xkmHA04sHE-QVasnhCNfKDlYT5eQANeAWI2lNA4y7vhI7gH6Iu_Pmd/s400/Slide1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I really LOVE my newest product, <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Scavenger-Hunt-and-I-Spy-Games-1968172">Back to School Scavenger Hunts and I Spy Games</a>. You can target almost any goal you want with the I Spy activities. I use them all the time with every child on my caseload. The Scavenger Hunt lists each target a specific skill, including object function, attributes, negatives, colors and social skills. I just know you'll find this product useful!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis59rBbPXXDYr-PmYfwE8Ig90IEKXod1NIMxpfsilN1HzYUX5ALptYgBtgzydRgZ2GM-m6WZI0hvT1NevNu0NtfPktWsKmGKSvhLJzqGSMu3ghdwplyLmEJqkjaHeGORP4hCvVQOJ4agC/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis59rBbPXXDYr-PmYfwE8Ig90IEKXod1NIMxpfsilN1HzYUX5ALptYgBtgzydRgZ2GM-m6WZI0hvT1NevNu0NtfPktWsKmGKSvhLJzqGSMu3ghdwplyLmEJqkjaHeGORP4hCvVQOJ4agC/s400/Slide1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another one of my favorites is an oldie-but-goodie: <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Monkey-Business-A-Carryover-Activity-for-R-S-L-and-Blends-602490">Monkey Buisness: Carryover Activity for R, S, L and Blends</a>. It's perfect for practicing words in sentences and laying the groundwork for skill generalization to conversation! <br />
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Now, what's in my cart that I can't wait to purchase???<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tTWs3KxmI7WpwGdWAijfephqRu6hoJmA_fT8c7cyLqqGUBb3_wzhrcwuJ6KWgcyUwycKUifXSoEcmMaGU1QZcsaU0Qms3i1G96Li_Pz1joChPuiY8Z0r95eNkTksBv738kKJIRN2J6vM/s1600/Screenshot+2015-07-31+08.44.37.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9tTWs3KxmI7WpwGdWAijfephqRu6hoJmA_fT8c7cyLqqGUBb3_wzhrcwuJ6KWgcyUwycKUifXSoEcmMaGU1QZcsaU0Qms3i1G96Li_Pz1joChPuiY8Z0r95eNkTksBv738kKJIRN2J6vM/s400/Screenshot+2015-07-31+08.44.37.png" width="392" /></a></div>
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The first item is <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Expressive-Language-and-Receptive-Language-WH-Questions-1828774">Ashley's Category Asking and Answering WH Questions.</a> I've got several little buddies who are working on these skills and this product looks like it will be a great addition to my lesson plans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJsduod8uiou057-BIG37QU4Wyh2YqXv9rImsMOh2Srl0noXJtrxBMOPhtM8t6Std4p3_FirbXWpygQJha2aYjX2JeaOm-vdDDcOhe5ShSL3ky_AHSMhkwAV0rwlwLsxm95Vq9E6eavmk/s1600/Screenshot+2015-07-31+08.50.58.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJsduod8uiou057-BIG37QU4Wyh2YqXv9rImsMOh2Srl0noXJtrxBMOPhtM8t6Std4p3_FirbXWpygQJha2aYjX2JeaOm-vdDDcOhe5ShSL3ky_AHSMhkwAV0rwlwLsxm95Vq9E6eavmk/s400/Screenshot+2015-07-31+08.50.58.png" width="395" /></a></div>
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Look how cute this <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Apples-Story-Phonological-Awareness-Language-Preschool-Unit-963050">Apple</a> unit by Collette the Alberta Speechie is? This will be the perfect fall unit for my preschoolers!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm also loving <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Receptive-Expressive-Language-Builder-Back-to-School-Edition-1967175">TLC Talk Shop's</a> Receptive and Expressive Language Builder Back to School Edition. This one targets so many skills including description skills, inferencing skills, and asking and answering questions.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcgfZrlMZnwj7zlAYlydlZ8jQ8aMgXkU6QlJiZk-7OVh-wDLC3fOoM9C3xZ-Hq5sccCMMy7deLMGGs5gscihqfRQ8d9Zwz1GHVZhfsIXEg3p17fxON2nu5vk-te86-Q3-BVqe-M6FwgPS/s1600/Screenshot+2015-07-31+09.06.18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcgfZrlMZnwj7zlAYlydlZ8jQ8aMgXkU6QlJiZk-7OVh-wDLC3fOoM9C3xZ-Hq5sccCMMy7deLMGGs5gscihqfRQ8d9Zwz1GHVZhfsIXEg3p17fxON2nu5vk-te86-Q3-BVqe-M6FwgPS/s400/Screenshot+2015-07-31+09.06.18.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's one that EVERYBODY who works on articulation needs: <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Articulation-Deep-Test-R-with-100-Picture-Stimuli-1272832">Articulation Deep Test for R</a> by my friend Tracy. This test is so amazingly inclusive and will be perfect for helping me identify exactly which targets to address.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">After all of that, I really NEED this one:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOVBFkOei7qVl-MUHyfntOztHnzF77rt1xDnAO3yIrNgrJpa2QdELHeCYBJyFQYVylaHqNTUhytE8_xEYE0ouzGBOJU6gqk9WLrmqVMrwcXByhzl2R0eRKAJJPyDeVaAiV9nOU69TgQrU/s1600/Screenshot+2015-07-31+09.01.58.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOVBFkOei7qVl-MUHyfntOztHnzF77rt1xDnAO3yIrNgrJpa2QdELHeCYBJyFQYVylaHqNTUhytE8_xEYE0ouzGBOJU6gqk9WLrmqVMrwcXByhzl2R0eRKAJJPyDeVaAiV9nOU69TgQrU/s400/Screenshot+2015-07-31+09.01.58.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Organize-Your-Speech-Files-EDITABLE-1676189">Organize Your Speech Files</a> by Jennifer Bradley should help me do just that! I am sooooo looking forward to getting more organized!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Want to see what some other bloggers have in their carts? Go visit <a href="http://thespeechroomnews.com/2015/07/whats-in-your-cart-bts-2015-linky-party.html">Jenna's blog</a> to see who else linked up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy Shopping!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Pam</span>Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-31947294970128662152015-07-28T13:36:00.000-07:002015-07-28T13:36:24.041-07:00Back to School Scavenger Hunts and I Spy Games<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Scavenger-Hunt-and-I-Spy-Games-1968172"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe-nQUfBN0Tv1FJMmYfFZzxCxg4cusq_vHs9B3v8KpFSfOv7h4O4iI4B-Mii2j0NUgc41PKiHFcAw3kOnmaEPRhd8jUJfJvOrSguO1QVXSaifJowGYup8_vtG-KA15e4-CEdaDvGE0R8F/s400/Slide01.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>
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I know it's only the end of July, but I am already planning some of my back to school activities. I have a diverse caseload of kids in preschool through middle school, and I love to find activities that can be adapted to use with almost all of them. My kids just love treasure hunts, I Spy games and racing the clock in timed challenges, so I created this packet to include all three of those motivating activities. <br />
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This product features two colorful I Spy! game boards that can be used in a variety of ways. I like to use them with my preschoolers to target categories, attributes, colors, letter recognition and object function. I just ask them to find "something in the sky" or "an animal that lives in the zoo", and have them cover the item with a checker after its found.<br />
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I use these boards in so many ways! I use them with the checklists that are included to find objects belonging to categories, but here are some other ideas: Adapt it for working on S-blends by having the student say "I spy a ____" while finding each item. Use it to target negatives by finding items NOT in the category listed, and have them say, "A ___ is NOT a ____." or "A ____ DOESN'T have ____." Have the students direct others to find specific objects by describing them. Be creative! </div>
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I've got a couple of older elementary students who struggle with processing information quickly and have difficulty with rapid naming tasks, so I created two rapid naming checklists to go along with each board. </div>
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All you need is a stopwatch (there's probably one on your cellphone), a dry erase pouch to put the I Spy game boards in, a dry erase pen to cross off items as they are found, and a pencil to record the number of items found. I have the students name the items as they find them, often having them state the color of the object as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiucmA_mDj0fSwVzSgdeSyA18L8Lk8G746OlIrbiZ0-3Ob4m1AbCw1gO1Rjf1veLc98B1_0Km0AUrmQuZSqBlDIJgGkLzDXNgQU6UWWryAkYy_2aNtFaUvOq-fV-xhRPgzZ_vpsFZUoU5/s1600/IMG_3062.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiucmA_mDj0fSwVzSgdeSyA18L8Lk8G746OlIrbiZ0-3Ob4m1AbCw1gO1Rjf1veLc98B1_0Km0AUrmQuZSqBlDIJgGkLzDXNgQU6UWWryAkYy_2aNtFaUvOq-fV-xhRPgzZ_vpsFZUoU5/s400/IMG_3062.PNG" width="300" /></a></div>
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My older kids really love this one! Anytime they can race the clock, they are happy campers. This would be a great activity to target fluency, too.</div>
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The second part of this product is the set of five different scavenger hunt lists. There's a color hunt for the little ones...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEms2QpupcW3CrwgV1B8jGC49v4lY3X5KBY0ebmxgK49R9suUh1SIcTQ5SzR0kMmT4Y4P54XGEvcTRt5kkJdKotd41Dx7oB44CZY8bIefB9Vj9rvLaNj52eZGGbB9O06bJYpiNFGJeUK_w/s1600/IMG_3059.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEms2QpupcW3CrwgV1B8jGC49v4lY3X5KBY0ebmxgK49R9suUh1SIcTQ5SzR0kMmT4Y4P54XGEvcTRt5kkJdKotd41Dx7oB44CZY8bIefB9Vj9rvLaNj52eZGGbB9O06bJYpiNFGJeUK_w/s640/IMG_3059.PNG" width="480" /></a></div>
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...ones that feature object functions, attributes and negatives...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp565xGtaPyAZGIFemMlk63g_DK1O1YBc7bi1StlEfERcby6RJr7Pn8iK2_SgpQI8_c92h5Wj1IH5ReFllZUcFipABqZ_zdXgE9zHXxWUVSb6XnIHRqC7CSLS5TJ8HFyUS28BfvZ2yJvK/s1600/IMG_3057.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp565xGtaPyAZGIFemMlk63g_DK1O1YBc7bi1StlEfERcby6RJr7Pn8iK2_SgpQI8_c92h5Wj1IH5ReFllZUcFipABqZ_zdXgE9zHXxWUVSb6XnIHRqC7CSLS5TJ8HFyUS28BfvZ2yJvK/s400/IMG_3057.PNG" width="300" /></a></div>
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...and one that targets social skills. I've even included an extension activity targeting follow-up questions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlCP04UQ0rXaGpEd01i6WkE00_96gCbGXv_vZ8MdEBFYq9SyJGWYoqi7bBmUBmFMNjxhc42shy7LBDINxgob4UbhWgMzjSjNM2R8SaFZVVstkxikY7blPJoE41rS3SEGHyH2wdGHDiUdX/s1600/IMG_3058.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlCP04UQ0rXaGpEd01i6WkE00_96gCbGXv_vZ8MdEBFYq9SyJGWYoqi7bBmUBmFMNjxhc42shy7LBDINxgob4UbhWgMzjSjNM2R8SaFZVVstkxikY7blPJoE41rS3SEGHyH2wdGHDiUdX/s640/IMG_3058.PNG" width="480" /></a></div>
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These scavenger hunts are perfect to use one-on-one or with a group, or even for sending home as homework. I haven't used them with my kids yet, but I just know they'll be a hit!</div>
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Want to add these to your back-to-school lesson plans? You can find them in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Scavenger-Hunt-and-I-Spy-Games-1968172">TpT Store</a>, so just click on over.</div>
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Enjoy the rest of your summer!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Pam</span></div>
Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-71245678989602522402015-07-14T11:19:00.001-07:002015-07-14T17:44:22.971-07:00SLPs in Vegas LInky Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.speechsproutstherapy.com/2015/07/slps-in-vegas-linky-party.html"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSepLGaCboYzf8-NddosWkCUjE_tReaMgF5se2B0IQkhh9WJi_fOu1Kt0vsQ112tc1ZRm5SnUJFm6ks818mblIpNOdCgVwF9OSwdwFJG5d8sfstfn2mxYGBo0lvQ5UsXP-barCJk-p1PM/s640/Slps+in+Vegas+Linky.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was one of those fortunate speech-language pathologists who attended the Teachers Pay Teachers Seller Conference in Las Vegas last weekend. It was such an amazing time of learning, inspiration and friendship that I just have to share what I took away from it!<br />
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First, let me just say that I love to create my own treatment materials and share them with you, but I am NOT a Mover or a Shaker in the TpT world. I am just a lowly little seller trying to build her store and learn some things along the way. But the opportunity came up for me to attend this conference, and I decided to go, despite the fact that I had only "met" the other SLPs in the group online. I even agreed to share a room with one of them!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My roommate, the lovely Tracy from Gold Country SLP</td></tr>
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Meeting Tracy and all of the other amazing SLP creator/sellers was BY FAR the best thing about going to the conference. Look who I got to spend time with: <br />
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That's Lisette from Speech Sprouts...<br />
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...here's Lynda from Lynda SLP 123 with Susan Berkowitz...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylNH-Vke1PGsqIyRXOQiNIpkxcGw6yeEnYgy0MYiSg6ST3cTWqMB7Az8z4w0xV4XNqGZAatLkRfcr-ncElrQxqq89eSvPf2jjSLDLoINIsEasE6ABgBvo5yrKsj3VyeNvwFffbjZOB_Z0/s1600/IMG_2933.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylNH-Vke1PGsqIyRXOQiNIpkxcGw6yeEnYgy0MYiSg6ST3cTWqMB7Az8z4w0xV4XNqGZAatLkRfcr-ncElrQxqq89eSvPf2jjSLDLoINIsEasE6ABgBvo5yrKsj3VyeNvwFffbjZOB_Z0/s400/IMG_2933.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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...Ashley from AGB Speech Therapy and Ashley Rossi...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyDzFWrGgBhPFUtqqarz1EX8ll7R508p2RmTNa953XU5MxF6I1b2cSXEQ0X79VLeFJESF1YPUVGUuVifrXX_aO5qPKqI4LB1lthDuGz6xdD-mCEL-OUm6yaz90MFuRyx5R4CdAF-ANNzF/s1600/IMG_2941.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyDzFWrGgBhPFUtqqarz1EX8ll7R508p2RmTNa953XU5MxF6I1b2cSXEQ0X79VLeFJESF1YPUVGUuVifrXX_aO5qPKqI4LB1lthDuGz6xdD-mCEL-OUm6yaz90MFuRyx5R4CdAF-ANNzF/s400/IMG_2941.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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...Kelly from Speech 2 U (who is extremely witty and hilarious)...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbYRfelF3agmp9xtrPyEEcn1ZgonXHXO0i6fxuNbF2yFAecmzy0S70pXiXvUOhJTVLMc7bugjh3L7jlhnntu_boSdPpyqzMrcxbaOkNr9d1QdBnxjbfXyKzRG4Meykg95YW5uOElQhd9t/s1600/IMG_2937.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbYRfelF3agmp9xtrPyEEcn1ZgonXHXO0i6fxuNbF2yFAecmzy0S70pXiXvUOhJTVLMc7bugjh3L7jlhnntu_boSdPpyqzMrcxbaOkNr9d1QdBnxjbfXyKzRG4Meykg95YW5uOElQhd9t/s320/IMG_2937.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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...and the Fabulous Mia from Putting Words in Your Mouth! I was star-struck!!!<br />
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There were many others too, but I wasn't fortunate enough to get pics with all of them. But here's the whole group:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBjXpr2_7lJBxiZqNmMy_PtR-9BuWmztoPsF67PCXXVW5v599HPBi0veBXv2nQ95NQc-0DUQabp-rjaLOmYkM4G9aeb4vATUoDm05yFC_TQ40yYpMhBd5YEoUyTPoQwqG7aWqoBhorPRF/s1600/SLP+Vegas+Balloons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBjXpr2_7lJBxiZqNmMy_PtR-9BuWmztoPsF67PCXXVW5v599HPBi0veBXv2nQ95NQc-0DUQabp-rjaLOmYkM4G9aeb4vATUoDm05yFC_TQ40yYpMhBd5YEoUyTPoQwqG7aWqoBhorPRF/s640/SLP+Vegas+Balloons.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We ROCKED those t-shirts, by the way. Everyone at the conference knew who the SLPs were! Here's me wearing mine on the day it arrived in the mail:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDlUzoQHAK8r5Kup3VIE3SYFvCN02kHJlSKIpf1E2GbGNHYeGWOHW4KbZF4MsqulYP733GJ46j4GiKUyvKglDbY5SQG45dw1UXzOTP0ODsJIAjqbGa-POiFc1YHrIi093lyvfb2zqTQXe/s1600/IMG_2930.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDlUzoQHAK8r5Kup3VIE3SYFvCN02kHJlSKIpf1E2GbGNHYeGWOHW4KbZF4MsqulYP733GJ46j4GiKUyvKglDbY5SQG45dw1UXzOTP0ODsJIAjqbGa-POiFc1YHrIi093lyvfb2zqTQXe/s400/IMG_2930.PNG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I was so excited! I had no idea what to expect before I went, but I knew it was going to be fun.<br />
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So, what did I take away from this experience besides meeting new life-long friends and colleagues? I learned A TON about marketing, the ins and outs of being a TpT seller, using social media, and product design. I can't share any of the conference sessions' info or content, but I can tell you this: if you're a TpT seller and you want to improve your skills, GO to this conference next year. Why?<br />
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1. Networking! Many of us SLP sellers/bloggers already belong to Facebook groups and have gotten to know each other through social media, but actually meeting these wonderful people in person is beyond compare! Even though we're all sellers competing for our share of the market, this group of ladies is incredibly supportive of each other's efforts. We talked about tips and tricks that have worked for us, laughed about failures and mis-steps, and taught each other things about PowerPoint, Pinterest and Periscope.<br />
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2. Inspiration! I met so many inspiring people and heard so many encouraging words from other sellers and presenters. Teachers Pay Teachers is an incredible resource for speech-language pathologists, too, and I am blessed to be a part of it.<br />
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3. Motivation! All kinds of sellers were represented at this conference. Those who are just beginning, those who (like me) keep plugging along and want to build their stores, and those who have reached the stars in their success. Regardless of where you are on this continuum, this conference provided the motivation to improve your skills as a blogger, seller and professional. I left feeling overwhelmed by my new to-do list, but at the same time, ready to move forward and grow with a clear plan in place.<br />
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I came home with my mind buzzing with new ideas, ready to put some new-found energy into my products and blog, secretly wondering how in the world I was going to juggle it all, and reminded myself that the key is BALANCE. So I took some time out to go watch some of the Special Olympic events taking place at a nearby high school on Sunday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4DLIrT7L0Yz8J60wcDIYs7f2EI2l5XnfeAsn71mh-3jCD2dOXZbvppGR6a3af_Lc9u42O6TUO0QApS1YmfOw98zU3HCngXFwAr7TxiJwyPuWcS7IkAykA_5a68GjRb_6R8NAQ4DLH1em/s1600/IMG_2936.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4DLIrT7L0Yz8J60wcDIYs7f2EI2l5XnfeAsn71mh-3jCD2dOXZbvppGR6a3af_Lc9u42O6TUO0QApS1YmfOw98zU3HCngXFwAr7TxiJwyPuWcS7IkAykA_5a68GjRb_6R8NAQ4DLH1em/s640/IMG_2936.PNG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Wow, talk about inspiration and motivation! Those athletes are the epitome of those two words! How can I not be inspired by the athlete who stopped to pump his fist in the air to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd before crossing the finish line? Or the athlete with physical challenges who ran the race to the best of his ability, even if it meant finishing minutes behind the winner? Watching these athletes compete and succeed and observing the pride and support of their families reminded me that THESE are the lives we are impacting with our services and products. If I can make a difference for one, that is reason enough to keep going. I may finish miles behind other sellers and their sales goals, but I am going to celebrate my victories along the way.<br />
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Want to know what some of my friends took away from their time at the conference? Click on the link below!<br />
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<a href="http://www.speechsproutstherapy.com/2015/07/slps-in-vegas-linky-party.html">Speech Sprouts SLPs in Vegas Linky Party</a>Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5107235201280123947.post-33488709005839230382015-05-18T11:14:00.000-07:002015-05-18T11:26:28.711-07:00Homework Hotline Linky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://goldcountryslp.blogspot.com/2015/05/homework-hotline.html"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqS0UbqRiB3rQ-2p0WT4h4lah2QlIvMF3XVjYNEJlCWT-AbD3sG0mcE4bAHtBX9vqXZf16R1LuPOAy_v6JqnpGqfuP0T_dtB9qfKhrjL9Ph8XVU0dbkyQMRfGqtlQ84y41pJFjpbPXK29/s400/homework+hotline+3.jpg" width="322" /></a></div>
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I'm linking up with my friend Tracy from <a href="http://goldcountryslp.blogspot.com/2015/05/homework-hotline.html">Gold Country SLP</a> to let you know about two of my products that would be fantastic to send home as homework this summer or any time of year. They are both designed to be used with preschoolers and K-1, and are completely black and white with no prep required!<br />
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<a href="http://goldcountryslp.blogspot.com/2015/05/homework-hotline.html"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqddD-t0m4zW-P_ulpU4E1T7XtACsbxpi1ZtOXHRG0pqiKVv2gZuHeeqh2uPtMkfvpIgCZpySyA_WVQmx-vBtclkn8hJ7EiENo1Ai4aUs7HbmztuMmMFZ6riC3rfsj21I5kIRmK0gnQs0/s640/Screenshot+2015-05-18+10.44.02.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The first one is my <a href="http://goldcountryslp.blogspot.com/2015/05/homework-hotline.html">Blowing Bubbles Categories</a>. This one has four different activities for identifying members of categories and naming categories in three different formats: dot paint worksheets, cut and paste, and flip books, which are great for using in the car. My parents tell me they like to pull them out and use them when they're in carpool lines, or at the gas station, or anytime they find themselves waiting for a few minutes. Great idea!<br />
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<a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Blowing-Bubbles-Early-Sounds-1854400"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpe9e2Rayce-uMSMNQoNdpiTja03sgZ_Y2DwzY1r4WAsHFg4WL98Wn_ob7jc16ijJbxo0Pt6gsrVfTTzqq_K1m3baMSsTvcTppaxvhGCHtzQotA0ErBP8yOM-969MghTNJrWI0v6FKeA_/s640/Screenshot+2015-05-18+10.53.06.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The second one is a companion product that targets early developing sounds, called <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Blowing-Bubbles-Early-Sounds-1854400">Blowing Bubbles Early Sounds</a>. These print-and-go worksheets feature 5 different words per page and are great for using with dot paints, but you could cover the pictures with chips, erasers or anything else you'd like. Picture cards are also included. My families LOVE these!<br />
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You'll find both of these items in my <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Pam-Dahm">TpT Store!</a><br />
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Thanks for stopping by! Now go back to <a href="http://goldcountryslp.blogspot.com/2015/05/homework-hotline.html">Tracy's blog</a> and visit some other talented blogger's pages to gather some more awesome homework ideas!Pam Dahmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02715137334884481100noreply@blogger.com0