Page 5 - Literacy Based Speech Language Therapy Activities Digital Version

Literacy-Based Speech Language Therapy Activities

Introduction

We have been studying literacy-based intervention for the better part of a decade, have given
numerous presentations, written papers, and have created a plethora of activities to use with our

favorite stories. Most importantly, we have spoken with YOU to gain ideas, insight, and inspiration.
We have heard the requests for these materials to be readily available to speech-language pathologists
and educators across the country. And more than just templates, you wanted to know HOW we use

these materials to help our students improve. The development of this literacy-based therapy book
stemmed from teamwork, collaboration, feedback, and commitments to create effective therapy
materials that can be easily implemented and utilized (especially with the busiest of workloads and

schedules).

Why narratives and storybooks?

As educators, we rely heavily on narrative abilities when assessing our students’ skills. We
ask children to tell us about events, retell stories, write about events in their journals, and answer
questions about stories or passages they read. We then analyze and judge the grammar and content

of their story, the order of events, the semantic complexity, and the narrative elements. Finally,
employing the full power of our professional wisdom, we determine whether a child is “within
normal limits” or not. Heavy stuff if you think about it. Those of us who signed up for this

profession are proud to take this challenge head on and make decisions calmly and seriously. But
what do we do at this point? WHAT DO WE DO!? This is where this book comes in.

Storybooks provide a platform to address academic needs and therapeutic goals

simultaneously while accounting for social and cultural factors.

We are here to tell you that a child’s linguistic abilities can be stretched, grown, strengthened,

built – brought up to what the world deems “within normal limits” and surpassed. Not in years but
in months. And YES!, even when their culture is different, when they speak another language, and
when their situation dictates that no one at home reads or has any familiarity with academic

expectations. One other thing…are you sitting down? This not only works better than many of the
other interventions, but it is really fun, too. High levels of learning coincide with high levels of
engagement. That means for both your students and YOU! The use of storybooks and the activities

suggested here have the power to reengage us in our profession while the students are having fun
and tearing through their goals.

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