Product Spotlight: Preschool Make A Book

As you know we are always looking for quality materials we can use in speech therapy. We love this idea from Mojo Publications:

Preschool Make A Book is an activity program geared to clients in the developing phase of language who present with delay or disorder. The book is composed of ten units, each containing  a 4-episode picture sequence. You can use the pictures to make beautiful and versatile mini books by cutting/gluing or folding the pictures. At the bottom of each picture, write your target (based on your goals). 

There are three steps: 1. Choose your pictures 2. Choose your targets 3. Make a book. Here is a finished one that I made by cutting and gluing.

You can write just about anything under these pictures. They can be simple (single vocabulary) or more complex (complete sentences with pronouns, verb tense, etc). You can even use these pictures with your clients who have autism and need more of a social story.

I developed this product when I saw a need for speech therapy products to look a little more modern and fun. I wanted to create something that look distinctive but approachable, to be open and versatile yet simple to execute in therapy and at home. Preschool Make A Book is based on an activity I often chose when working with preschoolers, and I am very proud of how it turned out.

Please check out my website www.mojopublications.ca You can download an ebook or purchase a hard copy (which comes with the free ebook). For a limited time, there is a 15% discount. Just type 15%PMAB at checkout. 

Elissa Benjamin

Tell us a joke.........

The communication Trust has teamed up with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) to launch Voice Box 2013 – a national joke-telling competition designed to raise awareness of the fun and importance of communication.

RCSLT are inviting mainstream primary and special schools in England to work on their own, or with their speech and language therapists, to hold a joke-telling competition between 2nd September and 4th October 2013. You then send RCSLT the winning joke from your school by Monday 7th October and a judging panel will shortlist the 10 best jokes they receive.

RCSLT will invite the shortlisted joke tellers and their parent or guardian to the Houses of Parliament on Monday 28th October for a national final, hosted by The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons.

For more information please click here.

Mobile phones are a huge barrier to communication development!

I just wanted to take the opportunity to respond to another report in a newspaper:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2420526/Parents-ignore-mobiles-talking-children-know-views-important.html

Head teachers have accurately said that parents shouldn't check their phones when their children are talking to them, as this can make sure they feel important and valued.

Why is this so important?

Communication is a two way interaction between people, children need to have the opportunity to interact with people that will listen to them; and respond to their questions and comments about the world around them. This will help them to learn how to communicate and use language skills that are appropriate and expected by others i.e. turn taking, listening attentively etc.; and also why we communicate i.e. for our needs and wants to be met.

Realistically can this be done if mum or dad or, our child’s carers spend a large proportion of this valuable time texting, responding to emails, accessing social media etc. Previously, a large impact on a child’s speech, language and communication was the effect of ‘wallpaper television’ i.e. the television being on constantly in the background, impacting on effective interaction and communication between children and adults. Today, I think another challenge is the mobile phone, as this can be taken anywhere.

What affect can mobile phones have on effective communication?

·        Reduces the time spent talking to each other, face to face

·        Reduces vocabulary expanding opportunities

·        Reduces effective modelling of social interaction skills i.e. listening attentively to the speaker, turn taking, ending conversations appropriately etc.

·        Reduces opportunities for parent-child interaction, affecting the quality and quantity of that interaction

·        Prevents good eye contact

·        You may not be aware of non-verbal communication i.e. pointing, body language, gestures; your child may be using to support his/her communication

Fortunately, I have not come across many parents in my pre-school language groups who regularly access their phones rather than join in with the session. However, I do know that many of my colleagues have. So if you work with parents and their children, think about talking to them about the use of mobile phones and the impact it can have on their children’s speech, language and communication skills.

Georgina White

A third of parents don't read a bedtime story!

On Thursday, when I was on my way home, I heard a report on the radio about the fact that a third of parents are no longer reading their children a bed time story!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2418076/Third-parents-longer-read-bedtime-story-children.html

I was both shocked and worried to hear such a report. The article states that some parents claim they do not have the time, or are to stressed to read to their children! In fact a parent said this to me last week. Yes, we do have very stressful and busy lives but, one story can open the door for a lot more opportunities for our children. We, as adults (parents, carers, early years practitioners, teachers etc) should be providing children with the opportunity to access books and stories, or even stories we make up ourselves. There are no rules or regulations to what we should read, how often, when or where; just take the opportunities while you can. For example, you may be waiting for the bus, you could read the advertisements on the bus and talk about what they might mean; or you may be having a coffee and you could look at a magazine or newspaper together. The possibilities to access written print and encourage language around it are endless.

There are so many benefits to reading to children that I could just fill a whole page, and more telling you about it. However, instead of 'reinventing the wheel', please see links below for a previous blog written by Libby Hill; detailing and evidencing the benefits of reading to your child.

http://www.smarttalkersblog.com/2012/02/books-are-old-fashioned-out-dated-and.html

In all of our pre- school language groups we always include a story. The children love it, and so do the parents. Whenever I look around the room I can see that parents are just as engrossed in the story, and will often laugh along. In fact, I often find that a story at the start of session can often act as a good 'ice breaker' for those children, and adults that find these situations difficult. I also like to choose a 'special helper' each week, and they get to choose a story for the group.

So please, make it your resolution to include stories, and books into your everyday routine with the children you know!

I would love to hear how you incorporate stories and books into you everyday life.

Thank you,

Georgina White