Attitude of Gratitude

Listening2Learn shares the importance of being thankful and ways to instill gratitude in your child by listening and talking together. 

Ten Little Native Americans

This week in therapy I began using Thanksgiving as a theme in some of my AVT sessions. My little listeners enjoy the song, Ten Little Indians while it may not be considered politically correct it is a wonderful repetitive song that I have used for countless years. We sing and shout, "Woo woo woo, Woo woo woo" which is great for early sound awareness and imitation. 

Together, we take the Native Indian boys and girls in and out of the teepee which is a catalyst for many listening and spoken language activities and goals.

One little, two little, three little Indians

Four little, five little, six little Indians

Seven little, eight little, nine little Indians

Ten little Indian boys/girls.

Favorite Thanksgiving Books

Kristin Cummings, an SLP from Simply Speech created a collaborative list of her blogging friends' favorite Thanksgiving books. There are 15 stories with links to each blog sharing ways they use the book. Some have created include book companion materials.

 Click HERE for this great resource of Thanksgiving books for Auditory Verbal Therapy and at home.

Listening and Spoken Language Tips for Grocery Shopping

This printable can be found at http://www.listening2learn.com/

Listening, Learning and Spoken Language with New Events, Activities or Holidays

This blog post was adapted from the http://www.medel.com article entitled,

Helping Your Child Enjoy New Events with Their Cochlear Implant 

by Donna  Sperandio, Head of Rehabilitation at MED-EL

You can be read the original article HERE 

For any child a new activity or event is an experience, and especially for a child with hearing aids or cochlear implants each new event means new sounds and experiences that may seem overwhelming. But don’t worry, there are a few ways that you can help to make their listening experience, and the whole event, comfortable and enjoyable.

The Key Word: Preparation

Involving your child in preparing for the event in an age-appropriate way is the best method to make everything enjoyable.

First, just introduce them to the general idea of what the event is about. This way they can develop an overall understanding of what to expect.

How should you do this? An easy way would be to explain the big steps that might occur by just talking about them in order. Or, you could get a bit more creative. If you have pictures from similar events, or if it’s a recurring event maybe from the last time it happened, then you can show these to your child to give them an idea of what they might see or be around. Younger children might enjoy acting out the activity with toys or dolls, and this can be especially useful in structured events like a wedding where there’s a clearly defined routine to the whole event.

Then, you can get more into the details. What are specific activities that happen at this event? Will someone be standing up to give a speech, and if this happens how should your child behave? If there will be songs or music, maybe your child would enjoy hearing them in advance so that he or she can better enjoy them during the actual event.

Here are some basic questions that you can think about what to tell your child:

1. Why is this event happening?

1. What will happen at the event?

1. Who will be at the event?

1. Will there be any surprises, like unexpected events or noises, for which he or she can prepare?

1. How should your child behave? Is it formal or informal?

• Will there be speakers, and where will the speakers be located? (This is important because it might influence where your child should sit or stand to hear best.)

• Will there be induction loop or FM systems? (If yes, then your child could connect wirelessly to the systems for better hearing.)

During the Event: Enjoy

Depending on your child, you may want to either stay close or give them lots of space. Make sure to talk with them in advance and, if they’re old enough, make a choice that both of you can agree upon. Remember, the goal is to make it enjoyable for them as well as for you. If your child likes to be independent, that’s great! Encourage his or her independence, but also let them know that you’ll always be nearby if needed.

If your child uses any assistive listening devices make sure to grab them before leaving, and don’t forget any other accessories or extra batteries just in case. Again, it’s better to be prepared.

Talking with the event organizers can also help, whether it’s just informing them that your child will be present with his or her cochlear implant or asking about any assistive listening devices they have.

Example questions could be like:

Afterwards: Relax

If you want to reflect afterwards, you could ask your child if they have any questions about what had happened at the event or just ask them how they felt. If you took any photos at the event you could also look through them now.

Thanksgiving: Following Auditory Directions Containing Conditions

Following Auditory Directions Containing Conditions,  If..... then... for Thanksgiving!

This printable activity was created by Dana Hagan, MA CCC-SLP

 Click here to download the printables.

Talk about Thanksgiving traditions, target

auditory processing, auditory memory and following conditional directions

while playing a fun and energetic game.

Ask your child to listen and follow as you read each card. 

For example,

"If you watch football on Thanksgiving, then do one jumping jack."

"If you like cranberry sauce on your turkey, then say 'Yipee!' ".

THANKSGIVING: Auditory Verbal Therapy Pinterest Board

THANKSGIVING Auditory Verbal Therapy

Click HERE for ideas for listening and spoken language at home or in parent centered therapy.

Fall Auditory Verbal Therapy Pinterest Board

Fall Auditory Verbal Therapy

Click HERE for ideas for listening and spoken language at home or in parent centered therapy.

Top Ten Thanksgiving Books for Young Kids

Written by: School Sparks Blog

 Stores are already bombarding our senses with signs of the December holidays, so it is refreshing for me to step back from that and introduce children to Thanksgiving. While teaching children about the history of Thanksgiving, as well as the spirit of the holiday, I also remind myself to take time to think about everything I have to be grateful for.

One of the best ways to introduce children to Thanksgiving is through beautifully written and illustrated picture books. I have listed 10 books that I enjoy. Some are wonderful resources for teaching young children about the first Thanksgiving, while others highlight the importance of recognizing and being grateful for the wonderful people and things in our lives. There are also a few books that incorporate the holiday season in an entertaining story.

Recommended Thanksgiving story books for young children:

1. Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland -  Beautifully illustrated and written, this book highlights the importance of being grateful for the wonderful people and things in our lives.

2. Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes - Appealing, detailed illustrations and simple text focus on the children in a loving family as they recognize all that they are thankful for. This book truly captures the spirit of Thanksgiving and even has a page at the end of the book to allow children to write down what they are thankful for.

3. T is for Turkey by Tanya Lee Stone - This delightfully illustrated book uses the alphabet as the structure for telling children about the first Thanksgiving. The rhyming text adds to the enjoyment of the book.

4. The Littlest Pilgrim by Brandi Dougherty - This sweet tale about a small girl will be easy for young children to relate to. The fact that the main character is a Pilgrim offers children a glimpse into the life of these early American settlers.

5. One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy - This adorable book, which can be sung to the familiar tune, is a great introduction to the first Thanksgiving feast. The book gives accurate information in an easy to understand way with young characters that will appeal to children.

6. The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing - Modeled after the poem ‘Twas the Night before Christmas, this rhyming book tells the story of a family as they prepare for the Thanksgiving meal. The story also shows this family sharing their meal with extended family and saying a prayer at the table.

7. ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey - Another book set in the rhyming style of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, this adorable tale of eight children visiting a turkey farm will delight your little one. The author has a sense of humor as he names the farmer, for example, Mack Nuggett. This is an entertaining book, told with the turkey’s perspective in mind.

8. A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman - Rhyming text and playful pictures are fun for children. The turkey theme sets the stage for discussions about Thanksgiving.

9. The Thankful Book by Todd Parr - The bold, colorful, and easily recognizable illustrations by Todd Parr grab children’s attention. This book is a wonderful springboard for discussions with children about the many small things in the world to be grateful for.

10.          Arthur’s Thanksgiving by Marc Brown - While not about the Pilgrim’s first thanksgiving or a family celebration, this is an entertaining story for fans of the Arthur series. Arthur is given the job of directing the class Thanksgiving play which poses quite a dilemma for this favorite storybook character.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you are able to spend this special time with the special people in your life.

Thanksgiving Therapy Ideas On My Pinterest Board

My Thanksgiving AVT Pinterest Board is full of ideas for 

Listening, Language and Holiday Fun!

Click here to look around and pin some therapy ideas!

Following Auditory Directions Containing Conditions,  If..... then... for Thanksgiving!

This printable activity was created by Dana Hagan, MA CCC-SLP

 Click here to download the printables.

Talk about Thanksgiving traditions, target

auditory processing, auditory memory and following conditional directions

while playing a fun and energetic game.

Ask your child to listen and follow as you read each card. 

For example,

"If you watch football on Thanksgiving, then do one jumping jack."

"If you like cranberry sauce on your turkey, then say 'Yipee!' ".

Listen & Learn with: Thanksgiving Guess Who?

Click here to download the printables.

Thanksgiving Guess Who? can be used for a wide range of listening and language targets such as auditory memory, auditory processing, deductive reasoning and expressive language goals. For the game to work, both players must listen, comprehend and reply to each other’s questions accurately.

To Play: First, you will need to print out the game cards.

Number of players: 2 (more players can compete as teams)

•    Description: Each player has a one set of 20 different Pilgrims and Indians. Both players select one small Pilgrim/Indian card. Do not let your opponent see it. Put remaining little cards away.

•    Lay out your big cards face up in 4 rows of 5.

•    Take turns asking each other questions about the cards to deduce which small Pilgrim/Indian your opponent has. Turn big cards face down when they don’t have characteristics you are asking about (i.e. “Does your person have a hat?” “No”...turn all people with hats face down, etc.).

•    Once every card is turned face down but one, you can ask your opponent, “Is your person ______?”

If it is, you win the game!

Suggested Listening and Spoken Language Targets:

1. Describing Salient Features:

If your child often communicates by pointing or uses a lot of non-specific vocabulary like that, this, or thing, playing Guess Who? can contribute to using more specific descriptions. It is a good idea to look at the cards together beforehand and warm up by discussing the characters’ distinguishing features.

2. Question Formation:

Forming yes/no questions involve inverting the subject (e.g., your Pilgrim) with either the main verb (e.g., Is your Pilgrim a girl?) or the auxiliary verb as in  (e.g., Does your Indian have two feathers in his headband?)

 3. Is/Does Question Forms:

When using Thanksgiving Guess Who? for this purpose, require the child to ask all questions using one of two forms:

•    Is your pilgrim wearing a bonnet_____?

•    Does your Indian have a vest _____?

•    Expect your child to answer using full sentences, not a simple yes or no.

4. Have/Has as well as Negation and Contractions:

There are four typical forms of an answer:

•    Yes, my pilgrim has _____.

•    No, my Indian doesn’t have _____.

•    Yes, my pilgrim is _____.

•    No, my Indian is not _____.

5. Using “Clear speech”:

Producing accurate /s/ and /z/ and other speech sounds can be highlighted in spontaneous speech For example: is, has, does, etc. Thanksgiving Guess Who? is a great exercise in self-monitoring and using clear speech.

Have fun!