Page 128 - Literacy Based Speech Language Therapy Activities Digital Version

Literacy-Based Speech Language Therapy Activities

Creating a 16-Part Narrative Story

Hopefully by now, a few things are obvious to you. Can you see how you will be able to stretch your
therapy for one book out to several weeks? Can you see why our students are so successful
producing complex narrative language. At this point, your students have some mastery over

sequencing, using cohesive elements, and creating a four-part story. Not it is time to put it all
together and knock your teachers’ socks off!

Write the four cohesive elements on the page
We start by writing out the four cohesive elements on the
page. This usually begins by them watching you. Within a
week, my students know the expectation and write out the

four words without asking.

Draw a picture or write a sentence
Most elementary students like to draw but by 3 grade, some
rd
students are impatient and their writing skills take over. It is fine if they only want to write the story.
This is the end goal anyway! The template helps them know that they need at least four parts. I had

a 4 grade student come to my room complaining about his teachers who made them write
th
paragraphs. I explained that a paragraph has 3-5 sentences and that he had written about 20
paragraphs in my class this year so far. It was just that our four sentences were spread around the

page. He asked me if I kept all of his homework so that he could show his teacher so that he didn’t
have to write anymore!

Write the four question words on the page
Again, the students typically follow me first but soon do it by memory.

Circle the question words in four different colors
If you stick with the rainbow order, it is easier to remember in the long run. WHO (red), WHAT
(orange), WHEN (yellow), and WHERE (green). Consistency is important for our students.

Grade work collectively and then individually
I usually work through the whole group for each individual question. If a student is missing a

component, pause for second and add the part to their picture or sentence. No punishment or
celebration, they just know they are done when they have 16 parts. Celebrating is for more than 16
circles.

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