Cozy chats about speech, language and learning
Word maps, also known as semantic maps or vocabulary maps, are effective tools for teaching vocabulary and writing for several reasons: Word or semantic maps are a great strategy to assist students in both understanding vocabulary and in using more descriptive words in their writing.…
My passion for teaching written language skills began in my undergraduate training in education and speech and language pathology.
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is read on the beach. When that reading transforms my thinking or my practice of teaching I feel doubly gifted. Edrenaline Rush by John Meehan is one such book. This may end up being a series as…
Clinical writing speech-language pathology is an important skill to review not just for the graduate student but also for the professional speech and language pathologist. You may have been an amazingly creative writer in school but now the skills that made you so talented then,…
There is an inter-relationship between, reading, spelling, handwriting, and written expression that needs to be honored when we think about teaching reading. There are multiple areas in the brain that are essential in learning how to read. Our instruction, therefore, needs to be explicit, systematic, cumulative, and multi-sensory.
This semester at Providence College we tried a flip class in the Communication Disorders Class with readings and PowerPoints happening outside of class and during class, we did activities that would support language development. Besides for the reading and response to blog entries students were…
 The internet has allowed us as clinicians to have research-based resources at our fingertips but sometimes finding these resources can take a treasure map. Here are some great resources: Reading Comprehension: Readworks The nonprofit ReadWorks provides K-12 teachers with what to teach and how…
It is great that there are so many great materials that can be used in speech therapy but we need to recognize that these are tools and not the therapy. So just as you would not say that a house was built by a ‘hammer’…
I can’t believe that it is that time of year again when I have not finished ESY!  The promise of a TPT sale, however, makes look forward to the new school year exciting. The sale is August 1-2, Monday and Tuesday. Here are some products from…
I have been working with great children’s literature within the whole classroom environment to develop student’s Tier Two vocabulary, understanding of story grammar and listening comprehension skills. I have always embedded some social language skills into these lessons with the set up of class expectations,…