Initial /s/ Homework Booklet: Free Speech Therapy Articulation Picture Book

Initial /s/ Homework Booklet

To download click on the image to open it full size. Then right click on the image, choose "save as" and save the page to your computer.

I recommend you print on cardstock for durability.

Description

This articulation homework booklet is designed to be an extension of my single-syllable card sets. The target words are all CV or CVC in syllable shape and include no blends or vocalic /r/ sounds. This booklet is designed to be read by a parent (or therapist, older sibling, classmate, teacher...) and child together. The child should be familiar with the target therapy words/pictures from working with the initial /s/ card set. The helper reads the typewritten words pausing for the child to "read" the picture words. Each time the book is read, the helper can put a sticker/stamp/checkmark in one of the boxes on the front of the book. This will encourage multiple practice readings. The child's fluency should increase with each repeated reading. The words on the back page can be used for either auditory bombardment before reading the book together or for drill after finishing reading the book (or both). The target audience for these cards are children with severe speech delays who are ready to practice initial /s/ sound in a more natural context. Move to these exercises to add complexity and increase generalization after the child has achieved good accuracy with single word, single word repetitions, and simple alternating single words with the initial /s/ picture cards.

Key Features

• This booklet features 12 initial /s/ words incorporated into a simple story to be read by a helper and child together.
• The words are CV or CVC in syllable shape.
• The words are simple and are easily understood by or easily taught to young children.

Permissions

I give permission to copy, print, or distribute this booklet provided that:

1. Each copy makes clear that I am the document's author.
2. No copies are altered without my express consent.
3. No one makes a profit from these copies.
4. Electronic copies contain a live link back to my original and print copies not for merely personal use contain the URL of my original.

Looking for Feedback

I would love to hear back from anyone who uses this booklet. Let me know if you find errors or there is anything you would change. Comment on this page, or send me an email at testyyettrying(at)gmail(dot)com.

Where can I find more?

More card sets and related printables are on my Free Speech Therapy Articulation Cards page.

Here is a picture of a homework booklet (the /l/ booklet) printed on cardstock and folded into the booklet. It slides nicely in between board books to be pulled out and read during bedtime story time.

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One year ago I wrote about how to use songs and rhymes and a cloze technique to get a young child to verbalize.

Speech Card Set Activity: Speech Switcheroo (An Uno-Style Game)

I needed to slow the kids down so they could focus more on making quality productions rather than on simply making lots of sloppy productions, so it seemed like the perfect time to introduce a new speech card set game. I turned our /st/ cards into an uno-style game I called Switcheroo. The kids had a blast playing and I was really pleased with the experience. It should take you no more than 10 minutes to prepare any of the free speech sets for your own Speech Switcheroo set.

Directions for Making Your Own Speech Switcheroo Game

1. Print 4 copies of the free speech card set of your choice. (You probably need no more than 12-15 cards to make a large enough deck, so I recommend printing four copies of only one page of the sets.)
2. Print 1 copy of the special cards. (Found at the bottom of this page. Click to open full-size image then right click on that and save image to your computer for printing.)
3. Before cutting the cards out, put yellow stickers on each card of the first sheet and one one of the skip cards and one of the +2 cards. Then do the same for green stickers on another sheet, red stickers on the third sheet, and blue stickers on the fourth sheet. No stickers need to be placed on the Switcheroo cards. You could also use colored markers to make dots on the pages if you don't have stickers in the four colors.
4. Cut out all the cards and shuffle. Then deal 7 cards to each player and play the game uno-style. Have the child say the speech word as they play each card.

If you liked this card set activity you might also like:

• 10 Card Set Game and Activity Ideas
• Simple Speech Card Puzzles
• Speech Card Stories
• Speech Card Caterpillar
• Speech Card Game: What's Hiding?

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One year ago, during a speech session with our early intervention therapist, I encountered a very concrete example of the oral apraxia exhibited by both of my children.

Reading Eggs - An Online Reading Program

I am trying a free trial of Reading Eggs which is an online reading program. You can sign up for a free two week trial. After you sign up, you can add multiple children to the account. Then you can enter the code ABC1034 to extend the free trial by an additional 4 weeks (you can enter the same code for each child extending the program trial for multiple children). You have the option to have your child start at the beginning with letter recognition, or have them take a test to determine an appropriate starting level. Michael got 19 of 40 questions right and the program started him at the Level 4 Map.

Each map has about 10 lessons. Each lesson takes about 15 minutes to complete and has a variety of activities. The first lesson Michael completed was about the letter G and the second was about the letter L. He practiced letter recognition in isolation and in words. He practiced phonics with three letter words that included the featured letter in initial or final position. He practiced sight words featuring the letter. They even include an exercise that uses a connect the dots format to teach how to write the lower case letter. You can download a printable sheet of exercises for each lesson. He enjoyed the "game" and we've barely scratched the surface.

I haven't tried it yet with Ava, but given that the program starts with letter recognition, I may have her try it too beginning with the first lesson. She doesn't recognize all of her letters yet, so it might be really nice for her. She did enjoy watch Michael play through his lessons, so she might be interested in doing her own lessons.

If the children continue to enjoy playing with the program, I'll consider subscribing when our free trial is up. Has anyone else seen or used this program? Does anyone have recommendations of other online reading programs we should check out (particularly if they have free trials)?