Treat Bucket

Hey everyone



I love tangible reinforcements, and the kids do too! My favourite reinforcerment for my kids is my treat bucket. For me, it is a quick and easy alternative to games.  Normally, I bring one of three things with me to my sessions: a game, a treat bucket, or I allow them to use my iPad. Sometimes playing a game can be time consuming, so instead I'll let the kids pick a treat instead. When the little guys arrive and they know that they can get 1 of the three fun things, the children tend to work harder, and the session goes more smoothly. The bucket is really easy to fill too; I just go to the dollar store for all of my goodies. I love ring pops, pencils, erasers, gum, stickers, little toys (cars), and bracelets, almost anything!  The kids think that my treat bucket is awesome and for $20 I can get a lot of stuff for it!!!

Tell me what kind of reinforcements you like to use.

Cheers,

Mindy

March Speech and Language Package

Hey Everyone!


Do you ever get tired of the same old speech products? And who wants to cut out, and laminate another set of articulation card? Nope, me either. I made a quick, easy little package for March that has a leprechaun theme. Most of it can be printed in black and white too! YAY! 
This package targets articulation (any sound at word, phrase, or sentence level).


It also targets comparing/contrasting, irregular plurals, irregular past tense, segmenting words and conditional directions.
I have it on Teachers Notebook and Teachers Pay Teachers! 
It is only $1.50!
I really hope you enjoy it!

 

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

 

Odd one out

Odd one out!

I found this cool book that is called Dot Language- it goes through the vocabulary goal in detail and I find it really useful! The sheet shown is called odd one out- there are 4 items and the child colors/dabs the circle below the item that doesn't belong. They can then explain why it doesn't belong. This sheet is particularly useful because it doesn't just use your general, obvious categories. I love the example that used instruments: 3 were instruments you blow and 1 was one that you strum. Great idea, original!!!

This book also includes what goes together, odd one out, classifying and categorizing, functions and more. It is so simple to use all you need are bingo dabbers or if you don't have any you can use markers. They are great for kids who need some extra practice or you can send them home as home work.

You can find the book here!

 

Hope you found this useful!

Cheers,

Mindy

Do it for the kids........

Hey Everyone

 

Happy Saturday! I hope you are all enjoying your day off. I want to talk a little bit about the role we all play in the lives of the kids’ that we work with.Not a  direct speech link- bit everything is related, isn't it??!!

The Bigger picture:

Our job- Why are we here? We go to work every day, do housework, pay bills, commute and then try and spend some left over time on ourselves and with our families. It can be discouraging not to mention overwhelming. But I try to remember what our larger purpose here is and why we do what we do. For me- I am trying to use my life to help build the lives of others. With the kids my ultimate goal is to spread a little happiness, and joy to their lives while I build their communication skills. As I am trying to build their communication skills I hope it is so that they can go on to enhance their own lives. I am trying to build their self-confidence and abilities so they will ultimately be able to contribute their lives to helping others. And if I attain a few grammar goals in there- FREEBIE! WOO HOO! I always think to myself- even if a child doesn’t complete all of their goals I want them to have at least taken something away from out time together that is beneficial. If that is confidence, or just the fact that someone paid attention to them that day, I have won! (And so have they!). And so the cycle goes.

Gratitude:

We can sometimes get caught up in our own problems, crap; I have a $400 phone bill how am I going to pay that? Instead of focusing on the negative, be grateful. I am so grateful I have a phone, a home, a job, and a mouth to speak with (on my phone). Gratitude is a great thing and we all need to take a few minutes every day and voice what we are grateful for. Complaining doesn’t help anyone so, my advice is focus on the positive. And always show gratitude. If you are having difficulty finding things you are grateful for, you definitely need to start NOW!

Today I am grateful for my husband, my children, and my warm bed (it was -36 this morning! YIKES). Yes, I am so grateful for you, reading my blog. If you have something you are grateful for write it down in the comments section! Spread a positive, grateful attitude today!!! So I challenge you today to tell 3 people today that you are grateful for them and why!

 

Happy Saturday!

Cheers, Mindy

March is on its way....

Hey Everyone!

March is on its way.... Yahoo! To me, that only means one thing, spring!
 I am so excited!

Check out my facebook page!!!


Have you ever wondered what parents are doing at home to increase the language skills of their children? I do. I know that before I was in the speech world I had no clue what to do to get language going or what to do to promote children's language skills. I see many kids who are unaware or unclear of speech and language is and h ow they can help at home. I decided to help parents out by giving them easy, free, quick activities.  I send this calendar home with my speech "kids" every month. These free calendars are also an easy alternative to speech homework. Especially for the kids who never seem to get their homework completed. When I  made the calendars i wanted them to be used by parents to target many language goals, easily, all month long. The calendars target skills all children need to have! They only take a few minutes a day- some of the activities can even be do in the car for those of us who are really pressed for time!
Download it here and here!

I also want to put  a little shout out to all of you educators, teachers, daycare workers, speech aides, and SLP’s- Thank you for doing what you do and caring about our children! You are all wonderful!!

Take care!
Cheers,
Mindy

The Wheels on the Bus Preschool Package

Hey Everyone!

Do you love working with the preschoolers as much as I do? They are just so much fun! I love singing songs and having fun with the little guys. I love so many things about little people: they are never apprehensive to start singing, dancing or participating! Not shy, they are just happy to be a part of something fun!

This got me thinking........ I should work on making  a preschool package so I made a weekly plan for The Wheels on the Bus.

 

 
Included are coloring pages, vocabulary, sequencing and  beginning sounds activities . Go here and check it out and download it while it is free! I hope you enjoy it and go ahead and leave me some feedback!

 In the comment section below tell me what you love about preschoolers!

Cheers,
Mindy