FAQ & {a sale}

November is here! And I'm throwing a sale! Thursday and Friday only! Stock up on your Thanksgiving goodies now!

I thought I would take the time to ask some Frequently Asked Questions!

 
What's your favorite area of SLP?
Preschool! Preschool language to be specific!

Everything used to be free. Why are you charging for products now?
The bigger this blog gets (yay! exciting!) the more time I spend on it. I don't chart it, but  I would guess the blog works out to just about a part time job. Since I'm spending much more time now, I am selling therapy items. You wouldn't expect to work for 20 hours per week without any compensation. Things have changed, but I hope you'll stick around! Luckily for you there are still freebies! And nothing costs more than your bill at Starbucks. Plus it's always your choice to purchase or not!

Can you make more freebies?
Well, we just covered why I'm not. But I do multiple giveaways on my facebook page every week. Maybe you'll win a copy!

How do you price your TPT products?
I choose them based on the time it takes me to create, the length of the document, and also the cost of the clipart. I always find myself struggling to pick a price. I ask myself what is fair to you, and what is fair to me. If I spend 12 hours making a document, it's going to cost more than something that only takes me an hour to whip up! Hence the variety you see in my store! Similarly - packs, that include multiple games cost more because it takes more time to make them!

How long does it take you to make your therapy materials?
That depends greatly on the topic of the item. I might spend anywhere from 1-15 hours making documents in the packets I sell. That's why the TPT prices vary. For example, Candy Land games that include pictures take a lot of time. I have to search for a picture, download it and insert it into the document. Then I need to do that 500 more times. I work on those projects over several weeks. Other things such as a simple 's'more category' game might only take me an hour to create and so they cost less. I try to be fair and hope you continue to see value in the items I post. You can always email me with feedback about TPT items.

Another great thing about TPT is you can see other purchaser's comments and ratings before you purchase. That might help you make decisions before purchasing. Just click on Rating & Comments!  (Thanks for rating items - this helps others decide!)

How do you have time? No, seriously, how do you have time?
First of all, It kinda bugs me when people post 'you must have a lighter caseload than me.' It's a pet peeve. You CAN however comment that things I post are time savers and you don't know how I have time to do it :)  I have a caseload of  about 60 something (3 days preschool 2 days elementary) in my schools. I work a second job one day per week after school.  Plus I have a regular life. This blog has definitely turned into another part time job, but I love it! Just imagine the time you would spend at a part time job, and that's how I do it!

Well, then how do you have the energy?
I like to be busy. And making therapy materials is something I can do while I sit in at home and watch The Voice!  I threw my energy into SRN this year when I needed a distraction. (My dad passed unexpectedly this year.) When you guys give me positive reinforcement is just encourages me to keep going! I usually write all my posts on Mondays, then I put them up throughout the week. Although I check email and do social media pretty much daily. I always have a document open on my computer working on something. So if a group cancels I can spend 10 minutes here or there working on things.

Tell me about your days... 

Okay - this seems weird, but here's a snapshot during the week I'm writing this!

Monday

8-9 Prep: Check email, prep materials, send out screening permission forms, finish an IEP

905-1145 – Treatment in my elementary groups

1145-1205 Lunch

1205-1230- Prep for RTI meeting tomorrow

12-130 Tx in groups

130-215 Testing Block. Finish one screening. Spend 15 minutes cutting laminate. 

215-330 Tx in groups

330-4 Billing and finish an IEP.

4-5 Grocery & Target

5-7 Eat Dinner, Relax, Clean Kitchen, Do Laundry

7-8 Post Rosie’s Walk download, catch up on SRN social media, return emails.

8-9 Finalize Conference Presentation for later this week - Thanks for having me OSSPEAC

9-11 Watch DVR’d The Voice, Work on Candy Land Preschool Language 2

Tuesday

8-820 Prep Check email

820-9 Intervention Assistance Team Meeting (our RTI team)

905-1145  Tx in groups

1145-1210 Lunch & Paperwork.

1210-1230 Work on an IEP

1230-330 Tx in groups

330-345 Medicaid Billing

345-400 Emails, clean up

400- Go grab Chipotle (YAY!)

415 – Arrive at Private Clinic

430-500 Write Tx plans/Progress notes/eat dinner

500-700 Individual Clients

7-730 Documentation
745 Arrive home

8-9 Return emails, call it a day!

Wednesday
8-4 Work
4-6 Happy Hour
6-8 Relax and enjoy couch time! 

How do you time manage for the blog?
I have a blog calendar, things like reviews with specific due dates go on the blog calendar. Then I fill it in with treatment ideas. I usually leave powerpoint open on my computer running in the background. I email myself ideas throughout my day or weeks, so I always have ideas I'm waiting to execute. If I get a spare few moments, I pull up that powerpoint and word on whatever I've got in progress. I sometimes work on documents for therapy at work, but do most of it at home.

How do you share information with teachers, so that you can all be working together to help kids with their communication skills?

EMAIL!!! My room is also right next to the lunch room, so I try to pop in and check in while they are heating up their lunches (sometimes I have to let my group do silent work for 3 minutes to get this accomplished - but it's usually worth it!) 

What clipart do you use?
Graphics Factory, Maree Truelove, KPM Doodles, Scrappin Doodles. I like to search etsy if I need something specific. 

How do you do Middle School Therapy?

I don't. Sorry! I tried my hand at a few TPT materials, try those out. 

Could you include actual pictures instead of clipart?

To sell or share things on the Internet you must have licenses. So I can't just go into google images and copy images. I would have to physically take the pictures myself. Right now I buy sets of clip art and I am subscribed to a graphics website. At this time, I don't anticipate switching to pictures. 

What's your favorite Cocktail? (haha Thanks Karen)

You'll have to meet me at happy hour to find out! 

How do you keep track of data.

I use paper data sheets. I had large columns and rows with the IEP goals across the top and the date on the left hand side. Usually about 4 rows fits on one sheet, so it gives me lots of room to write and I can also glance across and see what goals I haven't targeted in the last few weeks. 

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration?

I really only make materials for what I need for my own clients. I make games and activities I think they will enjoy. I've always been creative, so it isn't difficult for me. 

What are your favorite materials?

Ipad, chipper chats, EET, CandyLand, CandyLand Castle, Pop Up Pirate, Fun Decks, and the things I make!

What's that font?
Usually: Pea Hollee

Do you do inclusion therapy?

I do total inclusion for preschool. At the elementary level I do pull-out. I would LOVE to do some inclusion but just haven't found a way to meet the IEP minutes using that model. 

Have you ever supervised someone during their CF? 

Nope. I think I would like to in the future though! 

How do you stay in contact with parents?
I have a communication log in each folder for elementary. Parents and I write back in forth on it. I try to email occasionally too. At preschool, I send home an newsletter each night and write individual data on it.

Do you write lesson plans?
Not for elementary. For those groups I jot notes on my treatment data sheet if there is something I need to remember to work on. I usually have my lesson plans in my head. I don't have to turn them so I don't write them. For preschool, I have a sheet that outlines ideas to use with each book. That way, from year to year I don't forget anything! But I don't turn in specific lessons plans.

What are your professional goals?

I'm not so sure yet! For now I love pediatric therapy. I love making materials. I'm sure where that will take me, but I really love interacting with other SLP's so I hope I can keep finding new avenues for that.

Whew! I think that covers a lot of it! Thanks for asking! 

Barnyard Buzzers {review & giveaway}

I'm popping in with a product review today! I seriously LOVE this product. which makes it fun to review for you! Learning Resources provided me with a free copy of these Barnyard Buzzers, but the opinions are just mine!

The Barnyard Buzzers ($19.99) are answer buzzers that moo, cluck, neigh and bark! 

In the speech room I used them to play an activity working on listening comprehension/main idea. The students each had to listed to a paragraph and then they could buzz in to answer. 

In my group, one little friend is a much faster processor. So we played 'rounds.' Once they answered by buzzing first, they had to sit out the next two rounds. This way everyone had their turns at enough trials.

Your hallway neighbors will being peeking in, to see what in the heck is causing those noises!

Learning Resources wants to give one lucky Speech Room News reader a copy! Just enter using the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Election & Presidential Language

I live in Ohio. In case you haven't heard. We're kind of a big deal in early November! Next week some of my elementary kids will be expected to participate in discussions about the elections. This will be so difficult for some of my friends! Especially with the abstract concepts!

This 9 page vocabulary set, is made to target 14 election and government vocabulary targets. 

Students use the 'Electionary' (such a cute term! borrowed it from Time or Kids). Go over the new terms with the students. Use drawing, modeling and acting to make the terms more concrete. 

In the first game, receptive comprehension of the vocabulary is targeted. Each game card has a sentence with a fill-in-the-blank. 

The second game, targets expressive language. Each vocabulary card is on the cards. Use the word in a sentence or give a definition. 

Throughout the game, look for the 'elected President' cards. These will give you one extra turn!

I made these with my 3rd-5th graders in mind, and they should be appropriate on into the intermediate grades too!

Find the download on my TPT Store!


The week after the election is a great patriotic holiday. Veteran's day in November 11, 2012. I'll use this  election along with my presidential listening comprehension activity to talk about our country and Veteran's day.

The Presidential Listening Comprehension is a 7 page document containing 23 presidential cards. 

Students take turns drawing president cards. They have the SLP read the card to them. Each non-fiction card has basic and interesting facts about the presidents. 

23 different presidents from a variety of time frames are highlighted. From Washington to Obama. 

The task cards each display the presidential seal and one task. Students answer WHO, WHAT or WHEN questions about the information presented on each president. If they draw a detail card, they need to independently recall one or two details from the text.

This activity is available in my TPT Store!

Leave a comment with how you're working on election vocab or plan to celebrate Veteran's day! And if you leave a political comment, it will be deleted! We have plenty of ads here in the buckeye state. 

Thanksgiving Middle School

November is creeping up on us so I wanted to share another Turkey Day activity for you! I don't teach middle schoolers or high schoolers but many of you do. So I thought I'd try my hand at making you something for Turkey Day! 

The download is 24 pages in length and includes 5 games targeting language, pragmatics and grammar. Included games are: Literal/Rhetorical, Active/Passive Voice, Sequencing, Main Idea & Multiple Meaning Ideas. 

Literal/Rhetorical Questions (16 cards) Each card contains a statement. Decide if it’s a literal or a rhetorical question. 

Active/Passive Acorns (12 cards) Cut each acorn apart. Have students match the acorns and decide which acorns are active/passive voice. 

Sequencing (12 cards) Students read the sentences and the underlined word. Identify the general meaning of each sequencing word (before, during or after.) 

Multiple Meaning Turkeys :( 18 cards) read the word. Provide two definitions for each word. If you draw the runaway turkey cards, put all your cards back. 

Main Idea/Details (16 cards) Students draw a card. Read the paragraph. Have the student give the main idea and details. 

Find the item in my TPT Store! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think! Do you want to see more middle school activities?