We all know that the more fun a speech therapy session is, the more engaged our little clients are. Some times we have to just plain work hard but the trick is to have the kids forget that they are working because they are having so much fun.
You know I love to use great board games for language and articulation therapy. This week one of my students (second grader) finally figured out that I required him to say 3 words with his sound for his turn as well as MY turn. Usually I don’t get questioned on this procedure but he called me on it, “How come I have to say words on YOUR turn??” If you want the truth…you get to say twice as many words and learn your sound faster.
Well, as I’ve said, I will be blogging more about word-finding this fall, as I think there is less information that is practical and fun out there than for some other speech and language diagnoses.
Yesterday I introduced FAVOR-C, the acronym for “Do yourself a FAVOR and SEE these strategies in your mind.” We worked on the first strategy of Filling in the blank as we brainstormed words that were appropriate in short phrases about what we “wash,” “climb,” “drink” or “I stand in_____” using the app, “Word Retrieval” by Virtual Speech Center, Inc.
On to the board games. My little client loved “Last Word” by Buffalo Games. Designed for 8 years and up, this game is easily adaptable for younger kids, just select easier category cards. Choose a Subject Card (ranging from musical instruments, things in the garden, things that scare people, to things that are loud or snack foods.) A timer is provided but that puts added pressure on some kids, especially those with word-retrieval problems. Ironically, my little friend enjoyed the timer. Snap down a Subject Card and all players start calling out things in that category. The person who names something last before the buzzer, advances his marker on the game board. It’s a wonderful way to expand vocabulary within a category and build word association.
What games have you found fun while working on word-finding?
