Therasimplicity

As a student, I have been given temporary access to the website therasimplicity.com.
For those who have never heard of it, it's a website for therapists which features several pre-made worksheets and customizable templates to download and print.  

It targets different scopes of communication including pragmatics, swallowing, reading, fluency, speech, and voice.

Below, I have highlighted some of my favorite aspects of the site!

TheraGames:

• Start to finish games-In therapy I would write target words in the spaces and would use it like a game board.  For example if my client landed on "rabbit" he would have to say "rabbit" 3 times with a good "r" sound to stay on the space.

• Bingo-Bingo boards have the option of adding pictures or words to the spaces to target specific sounds/words in therapy.

TheraTools:

• Pennies of praise-These sheets are great motivational tools for therapy.  Clients can be awarded pennies for good behavior or accurate productions.  They love placing their pennies on their fun worksheets.

• I did it!-These are super fun motivational activities! Cut out the animal's head and stick it onto a paper bag. Kids love "feeding" the animals.

TheraEducate: This section includes tons of handouts describing different communication disorders.  It also provides parent handouts that can be given to the parents of clients.

Check out Therasimplicity with a 14 day free trial!

Sequencing with Mr. Potato Head

What you'll need:

• Mr. Potato Head
• Camera to take pictures of Mr. Potato Head in different stages of assembly which are then turned into sequencing cards (optional)

Mr. Potato Head is a great way to target sequencing.  Kids love playing with him and it's a neat alternative to using boring sequencing cards.  Sequencing becomes much more realistic and easy to relate to when they are able to physically put it into practice.

Start off by taking pictures of Mr. Potato Head in a sequence.
In the image above I have taken pictures of Mr. Potato Head with feet, arms, eyes, and a nose and mouth.

First, have your client put the cards in order.  Then allow him to reenact each step.  Have him describe what he is doing as he assembles Mr. Potato Head.

EX:
1) "First, put I put his feet on"
2) "Next, I put him arms on"
3) "Then, I put his eyes on"
4) "Lastly, I put his nose and mouth on"

To maximize production, I have my client repeat all 4 steps after he has assembled Mr. Potato Head.

You don't necessarily need to make sequencing cards!  Another way to use Mr. Potato Head is to have your client assemble him in his own way (shoes for example, then eyes, then a hat).  After he is done, ask him: "Tell me what you did" and let them sequence on their own "First I put shoes on him, then I added eyes, lastly I added a hat".