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How to Use Book Companions for Mixed Therapy Groups

When we talk about using books in therapy as a way to meet multiple goals in one session, the most asked question in the room is

Sounds great. But how?

I thought it might be helpful to go through my plans and share exactly how I implement literacy based strategies within the context of a speech therapy group in the schools. I think it’s safe to assume, most of us have experienced the dreaded mixed grouping of students with very different goals and the struggle of learning how to meet everyone’s needs within a typical 30 minute session. I have certainly been there! So let’s do a little case study, if you will, on how I did this in real time.

Background: I thought about one of my recent challenging groups to plan for and knew it would be perfect to share. I had 4 first graders, one working on speech sound production of /s/ and /s/ blends; one student who was gifted but also struggled with understanding other’s emotions and perspective taking, one working on macro structure of narratives, and one who was working on listening comprehension. There goals were all very different and I felt like we were covering every aspect of speech and language!

Planning: I would need to select a book that would include many of our needed targets, so I would look for something that included a lot of /s/ targets, a good social language lesson or theme, and a clear beginning, middle, and end. One that I have in my personal library is Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup. This book has tons of /s/ blends that are repetitive, it talks about friendships and perspective taking, and has a simple storyline to address the narrative retell and listening comprehension. I already have a book companion for this story, but if I had a book I didn’t, I could also look for materials to use on Teachers Pay Teachers or create them myself.

In looking through the book companion, I would pull the activities that would address those skills, so I’d print the retell, speech sounds, answering comprehension questions, plus an open ended activity that the group can complete together. I also have the option of using the Boom cards, which might be good as a follow up!

Another thing to keep is mind is to be flexible. Sometimes, it’s hard to know how quickly students will be ready to move on, you might end up doing it for more or less sessions than you planned based on their engagement or performance!

Pre-Reading: It’s really important that the students know what skill they are working on at the start of each session, so I would review what each student is targeting in the story. For the student working on /s/, we might start by practicing the title and saying ‘smelly’ 5-10 times. Then as a group, we discuss what the story might be about based on the cover, make text to self connections about bears or text to world connections about why someone might be stinky.

During Reading: During the story I would use shared reading strategies to draw attention to specific elements of the story that would be important for comprehension and retell. We would also briefly discuss the characters feelings and perspectives as story events happen.

Post Reading: I can do this a few different ways. Each child could get their own worksheet targeting their goals that they can work on individually while taking turns, round robin style, if you will. I would work with each student individually for a few minutes at a time to complete the tasks. This would be a good way to collect data on each skill without practicing. Once they finish this, you can read the story again and they can self check their accuracy.

You can complete each individual activity as a group, so that all students are exposed to all skills. The student working on speech sounds can continue to focus on their production in conversation or quick drills throughout the session by saying a word 10 times. This would probably take multiple sessions to work through, but that’s not a bad thing! It just depends on your students.

You could also have them complete an open ended activity together, where they take turns like a craft, game board or dot sheet. As they take their turn, they practice their skill, so it might the student working on speech sounds saying a target 10 times, then rolling a dice. Next student identifies the characters and setting of the story, then takes their turn. Next student explains what happened at the beginning of the story. And the last student explains why the bear didn’t have any friends at the beginning of the story. Then go back to the first student and continue the cycle until there has been enough practice.

Again, this stage of the intervention may take more than one session. All the while, I can go back and re-read the story as needed. You could also use the worksheets or Boom Cards to send home so parents know about the story and they can practice the skill again.

I hope this example helped you see a little bit about how I might set up a book based therapy session with students in a mixed group. There are lots of ways to do this, but I think using book companions certainly makes it a little bit easier!

If you’re looking for some professional resources for implementing literacy based speech, check this post.

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Filed Under: Books, Language, Pragmatics, Service Delivery

My goal is simple. I want to provide you with helpful resources to engage your students in quality & creative therapy sessions

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  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
  • Using open ended activities and games in speech therapy can make planning sessions so much easier! Here are a few suggestions that worked well for me. Do you remember the first time you were faced with a mixed group and were realllllllllly unsure about what to do? I do… picture it, St. Augustine 2007 😅 I was […]
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Meet Blob (NOT Bob)… and I’m here to tell you Meet Blob (NOT Bob)… and I’m here to tell you that you need this one in your therapy sessions.
Blob is a creature that can morph into anything and he does!  But someone keeps calling him Bob instead of by his name, which is frustrating for him. Finally he decides to just be himself, and he also stands up for himself to be called the correct name.
This one has all kinds of important lessons, and I think the name piece is super important for kids. Every child deserves to be called by their name and correctly. It’s a perfect beginning of the year book!
This book would also be great for: 
⚪️perspective taking
⚪️Targeting /b/ or /l/ clusters
⚪️Describing the different things Blob turns into
⚪️Compare and contrast
⚪️Discussing children’s interests and what they can be
⚪️Making decisions
Amazon Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3LbZDi7
What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Medez and Kate A What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Medez and Kate Alizadeh is such a wonderful story about a young girl and her abuela, dreaming about what she will be when she grows up.... Perfect for Grandparents Day 🫶🏻

Here's what I love about it for therapy:
👉🏼Themes of self awareness, being yourself, and interacting with the world around you
👉🏼Some figurative language that allows for deeper discussions with older students on your caseload
👉🏼Present tense verbs, including present progressive
👉🏼Lots of rich Tier 2 vocabulary with strong verbs and nouns (i.e. warrior, march, destined)
👉🏼Whimsical pictures that will engage your kids​
Have you picked this one up yet?
🎓THEY MASTERED IT!! It’s graduation day, so i 🎓THEY MASTERED IT!! It’s graduation day, so it’s the perfect day to break my social media summer break and shout out these amazing new SLPs!!!!

I started this job two years ago, and this cohort started this journey with me. To say I’m proud of them is the biggest understatement of the year. My heart is so full of love for this group of young women and they are going to be AMAZING world changers through their work as SLPs. 

I’ve learned that being a supervisor means a lot more than imparting my wisdom about being an SLP.  Teaching how to navigate life and deal with loss, and how to manage stress and work boundaries are just as important as how to do therapy or write a SOAP note. 

And for Allison… thank you for all that you taught us and continuing to look down on all of us from heaven 🤍

Happy graduation, Class of 24!! I love you all and I can’t wait to see what you do! Go Noles!!
I read 13 books last month and enjoyed every singl I read 13 books last month and enjoyed every single one!! I don’t usually share these in feed but it seems like summer is a good time to share good books 😂 My top 5 for May were…

1.  Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler was my absolute favorite. So, so good I couldn’t put it down! 5⭐️

2. When You Left Me Speecless by @authorjesschristine was delicious!! SLP romance that is SO spicy and a fun read by one of our very own. 5⭐️

3.  Idea of You by Robinne Lee was another adorable, spicy read that I tore through in one day. Followed up with the movie featuring Anne Hathaway and *chef’s kiss* 4.5⭐️

4.  The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah was intense and beautiful and made me feel all the things. Kristin Hannah could write a grocery list and I would read it. She is so consistently amazing! 5⭐️

5. Hidden Potential by Adam Grant was a fantastic nonfiction book that I read with some of my coworkers and we all agreed it was a must!  4.5 ⭐️

What have you been reading and loving lately?! Tell me in the comments so I can add it to my list 😍
Happy SLP Day, friends 🩷 YOU deserve all the ce Happy SLP Day, friends 🩷 YOU deserve all the celebration!!
I have the perfect new book for your speech therap I have the perfect new book for your speech therapy sessions::: Meet Floof 🐱 

Floof by Heidi McKinnon is an adorable new book that follows a silly cat that is doing what most cats do… getting into everything and taking naps!

What I love most about this story is the minimal words on each page, with fantastic illustrations that tell a bit of a different story. This is absolutely perfect to get your kids engaged and chatting about all the things they see Floof doing (and target verbs, prepositions, expanding utterances, and about a hundred other skills)

So many speech and language opportunities with this one, it’s a MUST read!  Want the link? Comment “Floof” and I’ll send you right over to Amazon so you can grab your own copy. 

I was provided with a copy of Floof in exchange for a review, but opinions and recommendations are all mine 🤍
Another semester done, another group of amazing wo Another semester done, another group of amazing women steal my heart ❤️ So dang lucky to get to do this work, SO proud of these future SLPs 🫶

Something that has been heavy on my heart lately::: I wish SLPs stop demonizing grad school, it’s such a problem especially on social. There are tons of people, me included, working really hard to make sure these young people have great experiences. Is it hard?  Hell yes. But can it also be amazing? Hell yes.

And if you had a terrible experience, what are you doing to change it for others?  Complaining about it on social is only doing harm to our field… and that’s fresh from the mouths of my students. It makes them anxious and scared and is such a negative influence. 

How about instead, we talk about boundaries and balancing it all, how to have difficult conversations and self advocacy, growth mindsets and overcoming challenges. How about we help prepare them instead of scare them? 

Just a thought 🌸 

Signed a tired clinical supervisor who pours her heart and soul into her grad students 🩷
For 13 years I worked as an SLP in the schools. I For 13 years I worked as an SLP in the schools. I was so happy there, I never thought I would leave… I imagined having a whole happy career in an elementary school and retiring and that would be that. 

But it wasn’t. 

The pandemic hit and I started to drown in that life that I used to love so much. So I left. And everyone said how brave I was, but I was so scared and sad and confused. Without being a school SLP, I didn’t know who I was anymore. How was my identity as a human so wrapped up in my job?  I started questioning whether or not I even wanted to be an SLP anymore. 

But I did. 

I found my way back through opportunity after opportunity. These doors that opened, led me back to my passion for a field I love. And it looks a whole lot different now than I ever imagined.

And that’s good.

We are so lucky to work in a field filled with possibilities. I tell my grad students all the time, you don’t have to pick a path and walk it forever. What works now, may not work for you in 5 years. Hell, it may not work next year. 

Stop putting pressure on yourselves and each other to be something specific. Med SLP, school SLP, peds, adults… we can do it ALL.

We grow, we change, we keep going. THAT Is where the beauty is 🩵 create the life you love and screw what you’re “supposed” to do.
Unbelievable. That’s all I got. Unbelievable. That’s all I got.
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Crazy Speech World

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These category acorns are a freebie in my shop! Lots of fun ways to use these in therapy! bit.ly/CSWacorns ... See MoreSee Less

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8 months ago

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It’s officially fall...and even thought it’s still in the 90s here in Florida, it’s time for fall themed activities! These clip categories are a fun activity for your students because it’s hands on and interactive 😍 bit.ly/2RhKYFB ... See MoreSee Less

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Crazy Speech World

8 months ago

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Speech stamps give your students the opportunity to work on speech and phonological awareness skills at the same time! Comes with digital and paper versions to fit all your therapy needs! bit.ly/CSWstamps ... See MoreSee Less

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Crazy Speech World

8 months ago

Crazy Speech World
Meet Blob (NOT Bob)… and I’m here to tell you that you need this one in your therapy sessions.Blob is a creature that can morph into anything and he does! But someone keeps calling him Bob instead of by his name, which is frustrating for him. Finally he decides to just be himself, and he also stands up for himself to be called the correct name.This one has all kinds of important lessons, and I think the name piece is super important for kids. Every child deserves to be called by their name and correctly. It’s a perfect beginning of the year book!This book would also be great for: ⚪️perspective taking⚪️Targeting /b/ or /l/ clusters⚪️Describing the different things Blob turns into⚪️Compare and contrast⚪️Discussing children’s interests and what they can be⚪️Making decisionsAmazon Affiliate link: amzn.to/3LbZDi7 ... See MoreSee Less

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