Go
Away Big Green Monster app is actually an interactive book, a really fun one
that my students really gravitate towards. It can be read with or
without narration or with a song.
What's
great about this book is that each page lends itself to talking about
individual body parts using multiple descriptions. With the turn of
each page, the monster gains more and more parts to his face. I stop on each
page to comment about each body part the monster gains by using a full
sentence. Depending on the student and his goals, I use different types of
sentences: "two eyes," "he has 2 eyes," or "he
has 2 big, yellow eyes." The addition of body parts page by page
allows for plenty of repetition sentences with similar sentence
structure.
While
I read the book or use the app, I use this communication board to enhance and
support language. Most of my clients use 1 descriptor at a time, but in some
cases up to 3 can be used per body part.
Then,
as the book continues, each body part disappears one by one. I use the
turn of each page to practice use of the negatives such as "no hair"
or "he has no nose."
I
point to each icon on the topical board as I model the intended sentence for
each page. The student can then either point to the icons to formulate
sentences, or as in most cases, the student will point
and simultaneously vocalize each sentence. After s/he comments
on what he sees, the student can touch the body part on the app, which makes a
fun sound as it wiggles. As the student is first learning the app, I also
have him/her find the same body parts on his/her own body as well.
To
generalize the skills learned in this activity, I use the same topical board
while playing with "Mr. Potato Head." Most of the time, I will play
"Mr. Potato Head" directly before or after using the "Go Away
Green Monster" app. The student can use the board to
request pieces (e.g "blue eyes," "2 ears") and
sometimes we even comment on what the "Mr. Potato Head" is missing in
order to request pieces. For example, if the student comments, "he
has no hair," or "no hair," I respond "that's right, he has
no hair. Let's find some."
I
also use the same topical board with my "One-eyed, one-horned, flying
purple people eater" doll right after playing with the app. I model how
the same words on the topical board can be used to describe other monsters that
look different.
The
app is one my students ask for quite often and I love that the language is so
easily generalizable. There are tons of fun things to talk about in the app and
book! The visual supports appear to help student initiate the use of new
comments and help add more descriptions to their language as well.
Hope
you find it as fun and productive as I did!
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