Page 12 - Lifeskills Lesson Plans Vol 2 Digital Version

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How do we make our services and support relevant to students in the school seCng? The answer lies
in the school curriculum. Research indicates that when teachers and speech-language pathologists

collaborate and use classroom content, students make greater gains in their communica on skills
(Throneburg, Calvert, Sturm, Paramboukas, & Paul, 2000). When we improve students’ abili es to
communicate their thoughts and ideas on topics that are at the heart of classroom discussions, we
are improving their abili es to ac vely par cipate in their community.

Collaborate

Large group ac vi es involving the whole class have been shown to be beneficial for students,

teachers, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) (Throneburg et al., 2000). Teachers are able to see

examples of how SLPs implement language strategies in a more natural classroom context. SLPs have

the opportunity to be a part of the implementa on of the academic curriculum. Most importantly,
students in collabora ve classrooms make progress in communica on and academic skills.

Observe

Modifying lesson plans and interven on materials for children with different levels of communica on

abili es and mul ple impairments is a challenging task. When planning for a diverse group of

students, it is important to observe students in their classroom seCng. Observing will provide insight

into the classroom dynamic and the various levels of func oning of the students.

Group Students

Choose which students require individual a6en on and which students would benefit from being part

of a group based on your observa ons, their speech-language goals, and their communica on

abili es. Communica on abili es can be broken down into:
 Non-verbal

 Non-verbal and inten onal with gestures

 Low-verbal (1-2 word u6erances)

 Verbal

Life Skills Speech and Language Enrichment Ac vi es Vol 2 11 Copyright © 2016 www.bilinguis cs.com. All Rights Reserved