Super Duper

Let’s start with one of the giants in therapy materials, Super Duper.  You know and love their red boxes of happiness.  However, most of their materials are so pricey and funds in districts have been cut.  So, how can you build up your library for less?  I would suggest keeping an eye on sites like Zulily and the Facebook Marketplace.  Zulily is a site that offers discounted products from various sites/companies.  A few times a year, Super Duper products pop up on here for 40%+ off!  Also, keep an eye out on Super Duper’s Deal of the Week for occasional deals.

Dry Erase

I love using dry erase to engage all of my clients from a group at once.  They get more targets, are actively engaged, and we save paper and other resources.  A few of my Dry Erase Must-Haves include:

Dry Erase Pockets – Worksheets, visual scenes, or just a blank piece of paper for open-ended activities can all fit in here.  The ones pictured above have an elastic holder for the big expo markers as well.  This group of 6 pockets is about $9 and is one of my most-used purchases.  They will last you about 2+ years with frequent use.

Dry Erase Crayons – I preface this must-have by saying that I do NOT let my students use these.  I use these awesome dry erase crayons to add things to my board that I don’t want to easily erase.  This includes dates, reminders, visuals, etc.  Because they take a little more work to erase, I can even use regular dry erase markers in/around the crayon marks and erase the marker without erasing the crayon.  Careful though, if you press too hard you may crack a crayon (speaking from experience).  These will last you many years and cost $5-9 depending on your place of purchase.  Sometimes you can find it at US Toy, Target, Walmart, etc.

Dry Erase Markers – Because we use the dry erase sleeves for any written work in my therapy room and for many other activities, “skinny” dry erase markers are a must.  I have found these U Brands markers (amazon, target, etc.) with the eraser tops to be the best for my students.  They come in many colors and the included eraser is a life-saver… and that’s not just me being dramatic.  They sell for about $5 and, with respectful use by your clients, should last you 2+ years with frequent use.

Books are a huge part of my therapy but I’m pretty cheap when it comes to accumulating my library.  Sure, I occasionally shell out $10 on a great book for my students.  However, most of my library has been purchased for less than $1 per book.  This is going to take some detective work and a few antibacterial wipes but it’s worth it.  Purchase your books at a thrift store like Goodwill, Savers, Salvation Army or at garage sales.  Most books are very gently used and in good shape.  When I was working in Early Intervention I found board books and even gave them away to families – I could spare 50 cents for my kids to have at least one book in their home!  While it’s a little crazy on the half-price days, this is another way to save even more. Most sale days are on Saturdays but I just hunker down by the books and go through them.  Eric Carle, Usborne, Jan Brett, Old Lady, and so many more.

Games (and toys) can be used in therapy in many ways.  From Blurt to Candyland, games are easily modified to fit therapy goals while also working on turn-taking and other life skills.  But, as you may have guessed, I’m not about that full-price purchasing life.  Most of the games I use in therapy have been purchased from thrift stores, garage sales, and from friends with kids who are getting too old for the games.  The majority of my games have been purchased for less than $4 and their retail prices are up to $40!  Again… this doesn’t include the price of antibacterial wipes/bleach baths to clean them.

Minis/Trinkets:

Toobs, minis, dinky doodads… these are all wonderful additions to your therapy room. You can use them in sensory bins, as visuals for books, describing activities, etc.  At regular price, they can be a bit pricey for such tiny additions to your materials.  While Dinky Doodads are likely going to be full price at all times, it’s much cheaper than finding the items on your own.  Toobs/Good Luck Minis from Safari Ltd can be purchased for 40-50% off at all times… using those lovely craft store coupons from Michael’s or others!  Yes, it may take several trips to build up your collection but Toobs are about $12 each so you are saving $5-6 per Toob with a coupon.  Minis retail for about $6 so you will save $2-3 per pack.

Apps:

If you use an iPad in therapy, you know that quality therapy apps can cost you quite a bit.  I don’t have any revolutionary tips here except to keep an eye out during BHSM and during the ASHA Convention.  During these and some other times/dedicated months, app companies discount their more expensive apps by up to 50%.  Also, install apps like Apps Gone Free to keep up with limited time free apps from companies. I have gotten nearly all of my Toca Boca apps and others for free or heavily discounted!  Some apps, particularly AAC apps, will provide free copies/trials to SLPs to use with their students.

Decor:

We all know of the dollar spot and other dollar-themed stores.  Other decor tips include contact paper-ing your desk and cabinets/shelves, using JoAnn’s or other coupons to get material to cover bulletin boards instead of using paper that fades, etc.

IKEA is a great place to get frames, art prints, and other various furniture items.  I also love their selection of artificial plants for about $5 each to help green up my room a bit without the upkeep.  And if you have a very small “office”, IKEA can help you get organized.  I have also found some IKEA busy on the Facebook marketplace and craigslist for less.  (With receipt, IKEA items can be returned for 1 year!)

TeachersPayTeachers:

TpT is a wonderful way to find creative and helpful resources for decor, therapy, organization, PD, and more.  SLPs can take advantage of the SLP Must-Have sales on the 7th of each month during the school year.  Check out social media for what your favorite SLP-authors are offering.  Also, TpT has incredible sales a few times a year.  I typically just add a billion things to my wishlist throughout the year.  During sales I will use my TpT credits as well – these are the credits you get for leaving feedback on items you have purchased.  Also, bundles and introductory prices are a great way to get items for a lower price.  Some authors offer the ability to edit their products in exchange for the product for free.  Also, check out TpT for Schools and let your admins know how they can purchase items for your therapy sessions using this system.

Free!

Free is always great, right?  Here are some free resources for your therapy room:

Kahoot! – use Kahoot for comprehension activities, PD, etc.

YouTube – use YouTube to find readings of books that are not in your library, find interactive videos of topics from themes you are covering, etc.  You can also use YouTube to create videos accessible only with a link/unlisted to families if you send home instructional videos for articulation or other tips.

Gift Cards – Okay, not exactly free for the person who buys it but Gift Cards are a great way to get things for your classroom.  During the holidays and other times, you may find deals on gift cards which is free money! (e.g. Buy one gift card, get one 20% off. Getting $30 of gift cards for $25.)  Every little bit helps.

DonorsChooose – Every district has rules about using Donors Choose but it is a wonderful way to fund larger projects for your room.  Some projects I have seen for SLPs include iPads/Apps, Libraries, AAC devices/switch toys, etc.  When I do campaigns, I make sure to donate when my money is being doubled by a promo or matching donation source.  This helps get projects funded fully.

Professional Development – PD is changing.  SLP Summit, XceptionalED, and more are revolutionizing how we attain our professional development.  Many of these offer CMH (Certificate Maintenance Hours) for free.  While these would not count towards an ACE award through ASHA, they can be submitted for your CCCs maintenance!  Plus, in my opinion, they are so engaging and useful!

Other useful links with hacks and other money-saving ideas:

SLP Life Hacks from The Speech Bubble SLP

5 SLP Hacks that will Save You Time & Money from Nicole Allison Speech Peeps

Instagram #SLPHacks

What are your budget-friendly must-haves?  Share below so we can all be in the know, links welcome.

1 – Story Champs Intervention

I utilize Story Champs with so many of my students.  I wrote a review of it last year as well that you can view here.  Story Champs is flexible and I’ve seen really good growth from utilizing it.  In my mixed language/articulation groups, I’m able to target story grammar, vocabulary, articulation, and more with this tool.  There is also a Spanish Bilingual version available now.

Cost: $298.00

2 – iPad/Apps

I’ll just get this out of the way here.  I do utilize my iPad and apps frequently as therapy tools.  My iPad is much easier to take around to my quick artic sessions, screenings, etc. than a pile of artic cards or paper screeners.  I utilize it in various ways as well, using apps that aren’t solely for therapy as well.  I will say that we don’t ALWAYS use the iPad and I never let my students just “play” on it (unless they’ve earned free time after an assessment).  I typically sit next to them when we use it and I always hold it and have control in the session.  There are many great apps out there that can unleash your creativity as a clinician and apply speech/language skills in a different way.  I would recommend attending the upcoming XceptionalED Special Apps Update conference if you are interested in learning more.

Cost: iPad $329-1149  Apps: Vary $0-90

3 – Books

We use books constantly in therapy.  They are wonderful for mixed groups, themes, etc.  I typically find my books at thrift stores because they are so affordable there.  Occasionally I splurge on new literature.  There are so many great books that I won’t be naming them.  However – here are a few great lists by some of my favorite bloggers: Crazy Speech World; Speechy Musings Book Lists by Speech Sound and Books for Teaching Story Grammar in Speech Therapy; The Speech Space; etc.

Cost: $0.50-$20

4 – Super Duper

Honestly, for the most part I have moved away from the games and card decks from companies like Super Duper.  However, there are a few products that are flexible enough to be used for many goals and groups.  These are the products I pull on occasion to target 4-5 different goals in a session: “WH” Chipper Chat; Pirate Talk, What Do You Say…What Do You Do… At School?; The Question Challenge Card Game; Turtle Talk Fluency and Language Game

Cost: $55-70

5 – Board Games

We don’t play a lot of games but when we do, they address goals!  Now, I preface this by saying that most of these will need some adaptations made to make it work in therapy.  But that’s why we do the therapy and the material doesn’t do it.  Some of my favorites include Hedbanz, Blurt, 5 Second Rule Jr, Riddle Moo This, and others.  Again, I hunt thrift stores for these as I would much rather spend $3 on a gently used game than $15 on a new one.

Cost: $12-20

6 – Teachers Pay Teachers

I would be lying if I didn’t say that I utilize many wonderful materials from TpT.  Not everything on TpT is created equal and I highly suggest reading information and reviews carefully.  Also look for any information about the use of the product from the seller or others.  Some of my go-to resources include Editable SLP Assessment Templates; Cycles for Phonology Toolkit; Grab N’ Go “WH” Questions; Nyms-O; Nonfiction Texts Targeting Articulation and Language

Cost: $3-30

7 – Your School Campus

There is no reason to keep yourself inside the therapy room at all times.  Get out of there!  Within your school and on your campus are great opportunities for language and articulation.  We have done attribute searches (find something red, find something square), sound walks (find your articulation sound), and more.  Some of our favorite places to visit are bulletin boards, the playground, and my administrators (we like to ask them questions or tell them stories using our good articulation for example).  A big part of our job is moving the skills we work on from isolation into the general education environment.  These structured therapy times outside of the speech room can do just this.

Cost: Free

8 – Maps

A lot of my students have not been outside of the city they are growing up in.  They may travel to a nearby state or to Mexico to visit family occasionally.  We like to use maps – the bigger, the better – in my speech room.  We can use these to plan a road trip and read about/discuss attractions along the way.  We can hunt for cities that have their speech sound in the name.  We can talk about what we see around a place on the map (river, highway, city, park, etc.).  Maps are very interesting to kids in my experience.  They also love to use google maps to explore place they haven’t been or are just interested in.  We’ve used google maps to look at the house I grew up in – they LOVED that!  You can often get maps for free from local tourism shops, services like AAA, or from relatives who don’t want that atlas any longer.

Cost: Free

9 – Sensory Materials

I love integrating sensory bins and materials with my “everyday” speech materials.  We love using kinetic sand, fake snow, water beads, etc. to create a sensory component of our sessions.  I will often hide thematic/sound-based dinky doodads and other tiny items in sand and excavate them.  We may close our eyes and describe what we feel using our description details.  We might just put some laminated TpT cards or other stimuli in the sensory item and work on those.  Regardless of the activity, my students love working with sensory materials.

Cost: Free – $10

10 – Box of Highly-Preferred toys/items

If you work with students using PECS or other AAC devices/systems, having many highly-preferred items at your fingertips can be the key to unlocking their language skills.  I often keep several varieties of wind-up toys, light-up toys, poppers, sensory items, etc. nearby.  This allows me to quickly have students requesting with attributes and working on describing their items.  This can also help in motivating younger students to complete tasks and earn a preferred item.  I recommend looking in the dollar sections, holiday clearance, thrift stores, and even fast food meal toys.  Pro tip: keep these out of reach/sight if you aren’t using them or you may have a distracted and upset child on your hands.

Cost: Free – $4 each

Therapy is not all about the material you use.  It’s important to remember that the material is not the therapy, YOU provide the therapy and may utilize a material/tool in doing so.  What are some of your go-to therapy materials… share below!

To kick us off, I’ll talk about one of my all-time favorite SLP tools, SLP Toolkit (aptly named, eh?).  When I first met “Tool” and “Kit” (Sarah and Lisa being their given names) I loved their energy and after seeing their product was even more impressed.  I was not sure how much I would use the Toolkit but after over a semester of using it, I’m sure I’d would never like to go back!  Read on!

What is SLP Toolkit?

To find out all of the sweet specifics, check out their website or this video that SLP Toolkit put together which covers so much about the product… they do it much better than I could, so take a look:

SLP Toolkit Intro Video from SLP Toolkit on Vimeo.

What SLP Toolkit offers – Quick & Dirty:

• Present Level Assessments: Quick, thorough screening tools to assess a student’s strengths and needs.
• Progress Monitoring Tools: Criterion Referenced Tests and rubrics for a variety of speech and language skills.
• Goals: Measurable and customizable goals for targeted skills, levels of cueing, criteria for mastery, assessment methods, and assessment frequency.
• Caseload Management: Sortable record of your students’ demographics, IEP/Evaluation dates, service times, and treatment areas.
• Strategies: Tips to enhance speech and language skills. Used as accommodations in a student’s IEP.
• Daily Data option.
• Scheduling Tool.
• Ability to send student files to other SLPs using SLP Toolkit.
• Storage of all paperless information on a HIPAA-compliant server.

How I WANTED to use it:

You know SLPs, I wanted to use it with 100% of my caseload on minute number one of walking back into my therapy room after signing up.  I wanted to get present level assessments on EVERY student immediately.  I wanted to add their goals and accommodations into their profiles and have the information in there to utilize seamlessly and right away.  I wanted an A+ in SLP Toolkit… but in reality I probably got a C in my first semester…

How I ACTUALLY used it:

I began using SLP Toolkit in December of last year.  I definitely can’t wait to start using it at the beginning of a year instead of mid-year as it will give me some time to update levels, integrate new students into the caseload, etc.  Some of the main features I used SLP Toolkit for in my first semester using it were:

• the goals
• progress monitoring
• present level assessments.  (I sort of have a crush on the present level assessments.)

I used the present level assessments for a few things including annual IEPs and initial evaluations.  I loved these for those tricky little nuggets who have scores and skills all over the place.  When there is no cut and dry goal, SLP Toolkit helps me to identify skill areas that students are most lacking and what may be most impacting their access to the curriculum.  While I do not use Toolkit to qualify students, it is often what I use for RtI or as additional informal information that can be included in the evaluation and/or IEP.  I was able to utilize the strengths/ weaknesses from these in IEPs and then in writing goals.  I was also able to write very specific and clear goals based on present level assessments and progress monitoring.  I felt very comfortable and prepared in my IEP meetings.  Recently, after they added some great updates, a coworker was able to send me the “file” of a student who is moving from her school to mine!  In a district with as many transient students, this is an incredible resource!

How I WILL use it this year:

Like I said above, I am so excited to use this from day one this year.  I will have all students in my caseload and can add new students.  I will be utilizing the scheduling tool to make those first 46 drafts of my therapy schedule a bit easier to navigate.  I can also utilize the sharing feature to send the files to SLPs in my district to start their year off well!  I’m excited to use more progress monitoring for my students from last year and to share more beneficial strategies and tips with classroom teachers and parents as well this year!

Is it worth it?

Yes, yep, duh, of course, why not, oh yeah!  Why is it worth it?  It makes me more confident, organized, and diligent.  It makes it EASY to be good at progress monitoring and writing great IEPs and Evals!  If I was a new SLP I would spend almost everyday hugging my computer if I had SLP Toolkit (Great graduation present for new grads!).  But… you should probably just check it out for yourself.  You are able to sign up for a free trial where you have access for 5 clients so you can dig in and see if it is right for you.

You can also use this sweet code, SUBLIME17, to get 1 FREE MONTH OF FULL ACCESS or $19 off of an annual subscription!  So go on with your bad SLP self and sign up!

You can also catch Sarah and Lisa of SLP Toolkit when they present their FREE course “5 Mistakes to Avoid in Data Collection” at the upcoming SLP Summit!

SLP Toolkit is a great Tool for SLPs and Speech/Language Therapy… I hope this little lovefest (aka review) was helpful to you.  If you have other questions/comments, add them below and/or contact SLP Toolkit!

Here are the products that each blogger is offering and links to their store and product:

Sublime Speech: Editable SLP Assessment Templates

Activity Tailor: Articulation and Language Therapy Joke Books: I’m Joking!

Allison’s Speech Peeps: Articulation Context Clue Cards Using Tier 2 Vocabulary

Busy Bee Speech: Interactive Articulation Binder for Speech Therapy

Consonantly Speaking: Playdough Mats for Articulation: S&Z Edition

Crazy Speech World: American Inventors Nonfiction Texts for Comprehension, Grammar & Vocabulary!

The Dabbling Speechie: NO PREP Build a Sentence Activities

Home Sweet Speech Room: Speech Farkle

Kristin Minden: Spring Speech Homework Bundle

Let’s Talk Speech Therapy: AAC and You–Handouts for Classroom Teachers

Let’s Talk with WhitneySLP: Spring-Related Sequences

Live Love Speech: Grab n’ Go Social Skills

Mrs.T SLP: Winning & Losing Games: Social Story Mini Books

Ms.Jocelyn Speech: Social Scripts: Tone of Voice

Peachie Speechie: Shamrock Listening Comprehension Sentences

Rock Chalk Speech Talk: “Woof!” A Dog-Themed Speech and Language Unit

Simply Speech: No Prep St. Patrick’s Day Articulation Homework

Speech Bubble SLP: Language Trifolds

 Speechy Musings: Speech and Language Therapy Centers for Articulation

Speech Time Fun: St. Patrick’s Day Yes No Questions

Speech to the Core: Everything You Need! Spring

Super Power Speech: Spring Up with Language (Level 2)

Queen’s Speech: The Voice Monsters {Voice Therapy Techniques}

Teach Speech 365: Get the Gold Reverse Interactive Book

Word Nerd Speech Teach: No Prep Spring Speech and Language Pack

Good Luck!

(You may enter via the form on this post or HERE)

So, despite it being a week before Thanksgiving, I wanted to publish this post.  As SLPs we have unique skills and tastes.  We love our profession and adore any gifts that acknowledge those letters after our name or help our clients make progress with their goals.  Here are 15 great gift ideas for SLPs (or future SLPs) for holidays, graduation, birthdays, etc.  And if we’re being honest, they’re all on my list this year!

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Speech-Language Pathologist Art Print Gift – Sound Wave & Art Poster:

Who doesn’t love a nerdy sound wave poster to hang in their office?  Grab this on Etsy for $20-199 depending on size.

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Personalized Tumbler Cup:

SLPs are superheroes!  This is available for $12 on Etsy in 28 color choices!

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iTunes gift cards – apps, music, & more:

Whether they want to download a sweet SLP app for use in therapy or some de-stressing tunes, an iTunes gift card is a great idea for most SLPs!  You can send them via e-mail for $10-100 too!  You can also gift one of my Top 10 Speech & Language Apps to gift!

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Bottle Labels:

Wine is the official evening drink of SLPs and The Peachie Speechie has designed these GREAT Wine labels for $3.  Pair them with a great bottle of vino for an added effect!

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Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card:

Teachers Pay Teachers offers incredible resources at an affordable price.  Help your favorite SLP help their clients by providing a gift card for $5-500!

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Speech Sticky Notes:

Every time I see these at ASHA I giggle.  Only SLPs would want to jot down a note on a larynx.  Grab these for $5 each or $15 for a set of 4 at Blue Tree Publishing!

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Laminators:

SLPs love lamination almost as much as teachers.  Being able to laminate materials is extremely helpful!  Grab a laminator for under $50.  Throw in some lamination sheets too!

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ASL I Love You Badge Holder:

I have never been a fan of lanyards for my badge.  So I love this ID holder.  Plus, who doesn’t love the ASL sign for “I Love You”?  Enjoy this for $8 on Etsy!

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Oliblock Magnets:

I first found this company on Instagram.  After receiving some samples I can’t stop raving about them!  These are like magnetic paperclips that are perfect for organizing my planner and papers or sticking something to the fridge/filing cabinet!  They come in tons of fun colors too!  Grab them on Etsy for $5.99>.

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Magnetic Hourglass:

I don’t know why I think this is so awesome but I just love it.  I can see SLPs using this for a timer for groups, for a minute of peace, or just to be a really cool decoration in their office.  It’s available for $19.99 at The Container Store.

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All the caffeine!:

Sometimes the only thing getting you through the day is that delicious dirty chai tea latte on your desk.  Now, most people will say to grab a Starbucks gift card for your favorite SLP.  Those are great!  I also love finding local coffee shops when possible!  Any amount that will pay for at least 1-2 drinks is appreciated!

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Super Duper Gift Card:

Tons of great materials live at Super Duper.  The SLP in your life would LOVE to go shopping on the site!  Grab a Gift Certificate for any whole dollar amount!

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Speech Bubble Goodies:

Speech bubbles of anything are a great gift for SLPs!  Here are a few ideas!

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Hand Sanitizer:

It’s a germy, germy world out there.  SLPs don’t need soap or lotion… they need SANITATION!  I love the stress relief version from Bath & Body Works.  2 Birds … 1 Stone!  These are $5 each but any brand is good!

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iPad:

iPads are an incredible tool for organization, therapy, fun, and more.  This is the gift for SLPs.  Mini, Air, and Pro are all great options for $269-1,079.

I hope this gives you some great ideas for goodies for the favorite SLP in your life.  Even if that SLP is yourself!  Happy Holidays!

Here we go!  One of my favorite times of the year… A TpT Sale Party!  “Teachers are Heroes” sale starts this week and we’re linking up with our cart favorites just for you!

I have finally started to feel my product-producing MoJo coming back and have begun to make a new series of products for Articulation.  The first in this series is available now and will be a great price during the sale!  Articulation Strips – /r/ are a totable articulation drill activity for readers! Great the traveling SLP, RtI/push-in services, independent practice, homework, and more!  There are over 180 articulation strips in this pack!  More sounds will be added soon!

I have also Bundled my Animal Puzzles!  These interactive puzzles are perfect for EI/Pre-K Speech therapy, classrooms, and more. Endless targets including requesting, body parts, following directions, describing, animal noises, free play, and more.

Now for my over-flowing cart!  Here are 5 of my picks for the upcoming sale!

Interactive Vocabulary Books: Color Books from Speech Room News

Leveled Grammar Intervention from Allison’s Speech Peeps

Mad Scientists Inferences from Live Love Speech.

Apraxia – Interactive Apraxia Activities Value Bundle From Teaching Talking

No Prep Articulation by The Speech Bubble SLP

Enjoy the sale!  Share below what you will be purchasing!  And check out more posts on the Linky Home for more ideas of great products to purchase!

]]> http://sublimespeech.com/2015/02/whats-in-your-cart-hero-sale-edition-linky-party.html/feed 1 http://sublimespeech.com/2015/02/red-carpet-slps-oscars-contest.html http://sublimespeech.com/2015/02/red-carpet-slps-oscars-contest.html#respond Fri, 20 Feb 2015 20:24:50 +0000 http://sublimespeech.com/?p=2146 The Oscars are this Sunday and they have absolutely NOTHING to do with Speech-Language Pathology…

Almost nothing!

Now before I get to the best part (an insanely awesome giveaway from some of my favorite SLP bloggers) I wanted to tell you a few ways that you COULD use the Oscars to your advantage after this weekend’s big show:

• Host a “Speechies Awards” in your room:  You can give away awards for whatever you’d like.  This would be a great way for children to practice nominating peers and justifying their nomination.  Be creative!
• Acceptance Speeches: These don’t have to actually be acceptance speeches but could be fluency or articulation passages that are said like acceptance speeches.  Have the students get up, accept their “award”, and say their speech.  Don’t forget to thank mom and dad!
• Perspective-taking: If you can find some clips from the Oscars past/present on YouTube you can do a great perspective-taking activity or social skills activity talking about how the winners/losers feel, what they should say to their fellow nominees, why they think they were nominated, why the clip you show is funny/sad/etc.  There are several good clips… just make sure to pre-watch them for content!

Many of your students will probably hear about or watch part of the Oscars this weekend.  They start pretty late so they may only catch the red carpet and first few awards but it could be a fun activity to integrate into your speech rooms!

Now…. for the winner in the category of “Best Giveaway in a Leading Blog Role” goes to…

Click on the graphic above to head to the form to submit your predictions for 16 award categories.  One winner from the most accurate entries will be drawn to win a prize bundle from 18 SLP Bloggers!!!  So awesome!  1 entry per person and all entries must be entered by 7:30P CST on 2/22/15 to be valid (I will disallow entries at 7:31 on the dot so don’t be late!)

Enjoy!

]]> http://sublimespeech.com/2015/02/red-carpet-slps-oscars-contest.html/feed 0 http://sublimespeech.com/2014/12/appy-new-year-yapp-guru-expert-linky.html http://sublimespeech.com/2014/12/appy-new-year-yapp-guru-expert-linky.html#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2014 01:57:07 +0000 http://sublimespeech.com/?p=2082 As 2014 comes to an end, Yapp Guru is looking at which apps are the Top Ten apps that the App Experts loved in 2014.  My iPad has had such a crazy 2014!  I went from working in 2 elementary schools with K-5 and children with severe Autism (including many nonverbal students) to working within the Early Intervention system with clients 0-4 on my caseload.  However, I want to give you my Top 10 from the entire year… these are apps that stay on my iPad instead of floating in the cloud and are used most frequently.  Some of them made their debut in 2014 but others have been around for a bit.  Regardless, these are the apps I recommend to you!

(In no particular order of course!

Articulation Test Station – $49.99

I love using this app for RtI screener, speech samples during evaluations, and progress monitoring.  It is incredibly easy to use and is always my go-to for a quick paperless evaluation/screener!  Watch for sales but it’s worth the $50, and I don’t say that easily!

Peekaboo Barn – $1.99

This is one of my favorite apps for preschool clients.  We utilize it to work on following directions, identifying animals, and labeling.  We can also talk about the animal attributes, what’s in the barn, and more.

Avokiddo Emotions – $2.99

I love to use Avokiddo emotions with a wide range of clients.  We use this with social goals to identify emotions, talk about why the character feels that way, etc.  We also use this to work on attributes, actions, describing, requesting, and so much more.  It’s a well-made and versatile app!

ArtikPix Level Plus – #29.99

This is a very versatile and clean app for articulation therapy.  I love the way it is set up and remembers settings and data between sessions.  If you work with a lot of articulation clients and/or RtI for Articulation, this app is a great investment!

aacorn – $189.99

AAC is an ever-changing area.  This app is great for some students and a great way to introduce AAC to younger children.  It learns the student and can be customized completely.  I also love that they offer free version to SLPs for therapy and trials.  Plus, of all AAC options, this is one of the best made and affordable options.  I have used this with nonverbal elementary students as well as nonverbal children under 3.  With some training, it can be utilized by most students easily.

Soundable – FREE

Sometimes you have to kick back and relax with a nerdy little SLP game.  Soundable is a great refresher for IPA and fun SLPs!  Think of it as Scrabble with IPA!  Enjoy!

Toca Kitchen Monsters – FREE

This is a great free app from Toca Boca.  As a general reinforcer, it is goal.  However, if you dig deeper you’ll find that you can do following directions (which food to pick, how to cook it, etc.), talk about attributes, vocabulary, and much more!

I Dare You Articulation – $4.99

This app has been a favorite of mine since it’s arrival in the app store.  My older articulation students love it!  We even were able to go around our school with the app and “dare” some teachers and the principal to do the dares by utilizing good speech sounds.  It was so motivating and the staff loved it!  Erik X. Raj has so many motivating articulation apps!

Real Vocabulary Pro – $29.99

I really enjoy how this app targets vocabulary learning in students K-5.  You can work on antonyms, synonyms, definitions, multiple meanings, and idioms within this app.  It also keeps data for you!  There are reinforcer games as well which is helpful for older clients!

Sentence Ninja – $19.99

Sentence ninja is a great way for students to work on grammar and syntax.  It can also be used for language and articulation carry-over.  It’s a very motivating theme for students and they enjoy working on this app during sessions.  It has built-in data tracking also.

There are so many incredible apps being added to the marketplace each day.  These 10 were my favorites of 2014 and I can’t wait to see what 2015 will bring!  I hope you’ll visit the other blogs in this linky to see which apps they loved this year!

Appy New Year!!!

]]> http://sublimespeech.com/2014/12/appy-new-year-yapp-guru-expert-linky.html/feed 3 http://sublimespeech.com/2014/12/an-slps-christmas-list.html http://sublimespeech.com/2014/12/an-slps-christmas-list.html#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2014 03:31:53 +0000 http://sublimespeech.com/?p=2062

We’ve been watching out.

We haven’t cried (too much).

We rarely pout.

And do you know why?  Because we are SLPs!

So this year we’ve made a list and checked it twice.  Of course we’ve been the right mix of naughty and nice.

So, we know Santa Claus is coming to town… with a bag full of SLP goodies for us!

This Christmas we hope our wishes come true, at least one or two:

Here’s what’s new at Sublime Speech:

My animal puzzles are perfect for EI/Pre-K and AAC!

Looking for quick iPad/Smartboard Artic activities?  This No Print Articulation for /r/, /s/, “sh, ch & j”, and “th” as well as the bundle are great for upper elementary aged kiddos.

My Mason & Mia Mouse series is great for basic skills in Pre-K/Lower Elementary!  Like them all?  Check out the Bundle!

Now, here’s what is in MY cart!

Blooming Preschool Language by Lauren LaCour of Busy Bee Speech looks like a great addition for my new EI/Pre-K caseload.

Like many of you, I have fallen in love with Jenna’s Interactive Vocabulary books for my Pre-K/EI kiddos.  It’ll be winter in Chicago for a bit longer so I’m hoping that these Winter Interactive Vocabulary Books from Speech Room News will help enhance sessions on those cold winter days.

Finally, I have added this new Community Helpers Bundle from The Speech Bubble SLP to my wishlist!  Looks great!

I hope that you enjoy the sale!  Don’t forget, the sale is December 1-2 and you need to use the code “TPTCYBER” during checkout for the full 28% off!  Also, don’t forget to leave feedback for previous purchases to utilize TpT credits during the sale!