Summer Professional Development {Guest Post}

SO, I know you might have heard of my friend Jenna…she has this little blog called Speech Room News.  I mean…she is sort of a big deal  🙂  Jenna’s blog was the first I found….and it opened up a whole new world to me and I found all of these amazing people who were full of fun and practical therapy ideas.  She is an inspiration to many people and I am so happy to have the opportunity to have her on Crazy Speech World for a little summer reading…

I always have really good intentions throughout the school year. I buy books, borrow books and really mean to do some professional reading on my own time.  This post contains Google Affiliate links.

But real life always happens. I read two chapters and then I’m too busy. A few months later I pick it up and read a few more chapters. This has been happening for years so this summer I’m planning to finish all those almost finished PD books!

I thought I would let you see what’s in my pool bag for summer reading!

First up: Bringing Words to Life. 

I’m almost done with with one. Just a few pages to finish up, but it’s going to make me feel great to finally finish it! 

From the Author: This book provides a research-based framework and practical strategies for vocabulary development with children from the earliest grades through high school. The authors emphasize instruction that offers rich information about words and their uses and enhances students’ language comprehension and production. Teachers are guided in selecting words for instruction; developing student-friendly explanations of new words; creating meaningful learning activities; and getting students involved in thinking about, using, and noticing new words both within and outside the classroom.

Next: Thinking about You, Thinking about Me, Michelle Garcia Winner.

I’ve read bits and pieces of this one over the years, borrowing it from colleagues and friends. This spring I became an official member of the Social Thinking Blogging Team. Quite an honor to be asked! So I’m working on finishing this one cover to cover! 

From the Author: Students with social cognitive learning deficits face enormous challenges not only in their day-to-day relations with the world around them, but also in the fact that few professionals, educational or medical, understand the core of these student’s deficits. One fundamental deficit relates to perspective taking – the ability of one person to consider the point of view and motives of another. Although this sounds like a simple process, it is in fact a hugely complex task that is crucial to successful interpersonal relations, and is a skill that anyone with a social cognition disability will struggle with. This book addresses the different ways this problem can present itself, the current thinking on how to approach the problem and a wealth of exercises and activities that can immediately be applied to the student. Illustrated with clear diagrams and tables, and with photocopiable handouts, this accessible text will be invaluable for anyone assessing, living with or teaching children and adults with this most abstract of all learning disabilities.

And lastly: The Source for Auditory Processing Disorders, Gail Richard.

I don’t own this one, but I’m borrowing it to try to finish reading it! 

From the author: Find out WHY your students have difficulty with language processing and what to do about it. Dr. Gail Richard explains the neurological development of language processing in a way that makes sense. This book will change the way you do language therapy! Dr. Richard synthesizes years of research to explain the underlying neurological development of language processing. You’ll understand how auditory processing and language systems operate and how that affects treatment decsions. The book gives tons of practical information, such as: how to differentiate between auditory and language processing disorders how to remediate language processing disorders using a hierarchical model based on neurlogical development specific skill strategies and compensatory strategies for language processing disorders and central auditory processing disorders (for students and classroom teachers) the components of central auditory processing assessment the components of functional auditory processing skills (e.g., auditory attention, auditory closure) case studies, sample diagnostic reports, and behavior checklists.

That’s the reading list I’m working on! Are you reading anything great for professional development right now? Make sure you leave a comment and share so I can see what I should read next!