Let's talk about angry birds: digital and analog!

Angry birds is a game that we probably all recognize by now. You know it, right? That game where some green pigs steal eggs from some birds, different colored birds, who become very angry and try to knock the pigs off various structures. Thats the one! It was probably one of my first apps I ever purchased. Lucky for us all, after all these years, it is still a wildly motivating game for students. And lucky for me, there is not only the app, but there is also the board game. Any student would be over the moon to be able to play angry birds (analog or digital) in a speech therapy session. I used to leave it for the "reward time" at the end of a session because I wasn't able to find a way to incorporate language. So, I created this  core word based topical communication board  to accompany the board game to help get us talking while we played together, but I have also found it useful for when using the digital app as well. Find the board on boardmakeronline here. 

To play the board game, there are a few set up steps. First, you pick a card to decide which structure to build. Then, you need to get all the pieces in order to construct the structure. I keep all the pieces by me. This opens up loads of opportunity to communicate. (Note: there is no construction while playing the app.) Here are some of the target phrases I work on while preparing the  board game focusing on the use of core words with a few topically related fringe words: 

I want that

I want more

I want different 

I do it

Help me

You do it more

Turn it there

I get it

Where it go?

It go there

I want 2 triangle/square

I want big rectangle

I want do different

Then, once the structure is completed, the different color birds can be slingshot towards the structure to knock it down. It's actually a little harder than it looks!. Here are some phrases I model and expect from my students while the birds try to knock down those pesky pigs! Many of these phrases can be used while using the app as well: 

I want that bird

I do different bird

Where is small/big bird?

I do it

Help me

You do it

Where is it? (When the bird flies too far away)

It is there.

It go over (when the bird doesn't hit the structure)

It go down (when the structure falls down)

It no go down (when nothing gets hit)

You help do that (I use this phrase a lot when students need help holding the slingshot)

Help there (I also use this phrase when students need help holding the slingshot). 

I'm sure there are even more phrases as well. Hopefully, these phrases can provide some core word inspiration for an "older" and highly addictive app and board game!  If you think of other core word phrases, please feel free to share! Now, playing angry birds can be a motivating way to generalize the use of core words into an everyday game!

The Picture Communication Symbols ©1981–2011 by Mayer-Johnson LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission.

Boardmaker® is a trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC.

Build a Train

In a few weeks, I will be presenting at ASHA 2014 in Orlando, FL.  I’m very excited because, let's be honest, I love sharing and I will be talking about a lot of the information I write about on this blog.   Even though this particular app is not a new app to my collection, I thought I might post about it since I will be talking about it and showing videos of students using this app during my upcoming presentation.

 Build a train is a great free app that allows for kids to construct virtual trains and then set them out onto a choice of tracks.  As soon as you start the app, the building begins.  Even the very get go, there’s tons of opportunity to use descriptive language while building the train: "Blue train with yellow", the "red caboose," "the green engine."  Students tap on each train, or swipe through trains to see more choices.   You can select a location (winter, volcano, island… NOTE: some are for purchase) and off you go!

Once the train in on the track, we have to “make it go.”  There is a dial on the side that can be used to make it “go fast,” or “go slow.” But! A key step in this process is that I require a communication exchange before allowing the student to have access to the iPad to control the train.  I use this topical board to help facilitate language use for my students that have difficulty initiating the use of novel sentence structures. 

If you are interested in more information about how I use board like these, you can find it here. This one in particular was one of my earlier boards.  In a nutshell, here is how I use it. I have the app on the iPad in one hand. On the table in front of the student and myself  I leave this topical communication board.  I might ask a general question to the student such as “what should we do now?”  If the student does not answer, I might prompt the answer by pointing to some reasonable words such as “I + choose+ train” or "train + go."  I will model the phrase verbally as well.  I expect the student to attempt a similar phrase (with or without my pointing).  Once they do, I praise and allow them to play with the train in the manner they described. Sometimes I have kids that say one thing and reach for a different area on the iPad. In this case, I pull the iPad back and redirect them to the board and model the phrase they are attempting to do (e.g. "Oh, it looks like you meant to say 'horn go,'" (with pointing to each word as it is said).  "Let's do the horn," (while point to horn icon).  

Eventually, I fade my gestural prompts with the boards and the student can use the visuals (with or without pointing) to help him/her respond more independently. I find boards like these particularly helpful when working with kids with autism when trying to use novel language outside of "I want train please."  They provide visual support, limit the vocabulary so that it is on topic (and less overwhelming) and help guide the student to use new sentence structures.

Some of the other key phrases I target while using this app include both core and fringe words. Examples are:

• Make horn go
•  Do bell
• Make train go fast/slow
• Different track
• Do different track
• I choose track
• I play more
• I choose more train
• I/you change train/track

My favorite core word to use with this board is “turn” because it can be used with two distinct meanings:

• My/your turn
• Turn on/off light

My friend developed her own board based on her student's motivations. Although the concept was the same, her board contained different vocabulary. Her particular student was motivated by pick up boxes.  She also preferred to focus on the vocabulary for "night" and "day" rather than referring to the "lights."

For free, I highly recommend you give it a try. Then you can tell me all about how it works for you at ASHA! Hope to see you at there!

The Picture Communication Symbols ©1981–2011 by Mayer-Johnson LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission.

Boardmaker® is a trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC.

Free ebook with GREAT learning opportunities!

I downloaded this FREE ebook just the other day. I have to say, after using it 3 times, I am already impressed. It is a simple story about a hedgehog named Ned who is looking for a home for the winter. He stumbles upon homes that are already taken and the residents inside tell Ned “this is my home.” Then, the residents tell Ned to check somewhere else to stay for the winter.  

The book provides a great way for my kids with autism to practice intonation and stress (e.g. “my home.”).  There is the opportunity for the student to record his/her own voice in order to hear what his/ her stress sounds like. If you prefer, the narrator can read the book as well and hear the correct stress.

It also provides and excellent opportunity to make inferences (e.g., if Ned can stay in the homes or not) from indirect requests (e.g., to check somewhere else without directly saying “no”).   I simply ask, “Can the hedgehog stay here?” after each animal asks him to move on.

The story line also provides opportunity to practice preposition including “in,” “out,” “up” and “down” while Ned is looking for a home.

If you are working on 2-3 word combinations, I have created this draft of a topical communication board guide novel utterances such as “leaf falling” “blowing wind,” “open door,” “look in.”  The leaf animations are engaging and fun.

 Not to mention the opportunity for an abundance of “L” practice!

What a great find!

The Picture Communication Symbols ©1981–2011 by Mayer-Johnson LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission.

Boardmaker® is a trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC.

First words sampler

First words sampler was probably one of the first apps that I purchased and used in therapy.  I was almost in disbelief about how easy it was to get my clients to vocalize or use AAC (usually icon supports) to talk about what they saw. 

The app itself is really simple: you drag letters blocks up to the visual match to spell a word. The app reads each letter as you drag it to spell the word out loud. Then, after the word is successfully spelled, the icon spins around. 

I swear on my speech degree, that most kids will do anything (including vocalize, use full sentences to say what they see, expand sentences to include color) to see the icon spin around. 

So, using this app to elicit language is easy! Simply hold the iPad and ask the student what he/she sees. After they state the one word ("cat") or expanded sentence ("I see yellow duck," "It's a blue ship."), then they can drag each letter into the correct spot and squeal with joy as the object spins around!

It's a sure thing, and free!

Touch the sound

I stumbled upon Touch the Sound by Alligator apps.  Currently finishing up a unit on the 5 senses, it has been easy to incorporate app this into my regular speech practice. (Check out the extended 5 senses  lesson on boardmakershare: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Activity/1739181/5-senses-book ) 

I like to use this app to work on the receptive identification of sounds. Then, to keep the student engaged, after about 10 attempts, I usually "step it up a notch" by asking the student to say what they hear before touching the answer. 

I encourage the student to use his/ her communication system to say "I hear" or "hear" and then point to the correct choice on the app.  If the communication system has additional nouns or if the student is verbal, I may ask the student to use a complete sentence (e.g., "I hear a ______.") to work on commenting.

With some practice, I have seen some students generalize this commenting skill to comment on what they hear in their own environment ... " I hear a jet!"

It is worth the megabite usage on the iPad to give it a whirl!

Toca Boca Kitchen

So far, I have not been disappointed in any Toca Boca app that I have purchased.  It hardly depends on which app it is, my students love Toca Boca apps (as do I)! One of the great things about Toca Boca apps from a speech therapy perspective is that they lend them selves to elicit novel language and increase utterance length. In general, most of the Toca Boca apps allow for a variety of specific choices using descriptive language.  The types of descriptions can be modified depending on the goals of the student (e.g. long/short, fast/slow…. blue man with orange hat and orange glasses, cut finely, cut coarsely etc.).  For a full list of Toca Boca apps, check out:  http://tocaboca.com/ (...and be ready for hours of entertainment!)

The latest app I have downloaded is called Toca Kitchen.  The purpose of the app is to feed a character. Using perspective taking and (Michelle Garcia Winner's) "smart guesses" on what the person/character would like, you select food from the kitchen. The food can be cooked and processed using a variety of kitchen tools, which is a great way to practice using a variety of functional cooking verbs.  There is a free version of the app called Toca Kitchen Monsters which is equally as great, however has less options of characters to feed. 

I use these communication boards (can be found on boardmakershare.com) to encourage students expand utterances, diversify verb use and specify descriptions. 

I love apps that use food because it is a great way to teach “likes it/ doesn’t like it.”  It is also a great way to practice reading body language and interpreting non verbal vocalizations.   When you try to feed the people or characters  they either like the food a lot and have a big reaction (using big facial expressions and loud vocalizations), or like it a little (more subtle facial expressions and vocalizations), or do not like it at all and refuse the food. This activity lends itself to working on reading body language and nonverbal communication, an activity that is often more challenging for my students with autism. 

As usual with Toca Boca apps, there are no written (or spoken) words in the app, it is easily adaptable to be multilingual and loved by kids (and adults) of all ages. 

The Picture Communication Symbols ©1981–2011 by Mayer-Johnson LLC. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Used with permission.

Boardmaker® is a trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC.

ClassDojo

If you don't already know how wonderful Class Dojo is, I highly encourage you to sign up for this FREE service to experience first hand how it can shape the lives of students with autism.   ( www.classdojo.com )

Class Dojo is a service that I use to provide visual feedback to my students about their behaviors during speech sessions. My students with autism are visual learners and the "tallying" of behavior "points" helps motivate them to use more "expected" behaviors across our sessions. Class Dojo is an easy way to keep track of the behaviors as they happen and provide instant feedback without saying a word! 

Most of my students love the avatars.  They seem to also feel very empowered and in control of their own behaviors when using Class Dojo.  I have one student that is so motivated to use Class Dojo that he asks for it as we start our individual speech sessions. 

What's great about this website is that you can customize the positive and negative behaviors to meet the specific needs of a student or class. For example, with one of my students, the green/ positive points are given for "whole body listening" and asking questions (his targeted speech goals).  The red/ negative points are given for when he is "moving too much" or when he is taking all the "talk time."

When I run groups, I also use Class Dojo to motivate the entire class to meet my goals of good group participation including: seated with the group,  looking at the speaker, quiet  listening and safe hands.  If the group is doing all this, I can give everyone positive points all at once. If someone breaks from our group plan, then I can also give individual points (positive or negative). 

At the end of sessions, I can show the class or student a graph of how much positive vs. negative behaviors they used. Even better than that, I can show students exactly which behaviors they are great at, and which they need to improve on. 

I mostly use it on my computer or iPad. If using it on an iPad, it seems you have be connected to the Internet. In addition, it is a good idea to set up the targeted behaviors from a computer or laptop.  If working with a class, I can see how using it with apple TV would work perfectly! 

I don't even use Class Dojo to its fullest potential. There are options to print or email reports to parents and have student and parent logins. 

I know Class Dojo is designed for classroom management, but as a speech therapist, I love it in my individual sessions too!

Sounding Board: easy access AAC

Lately, I have been turning to SoundingBoard (TM) by AbleNet more and more when I am in need of a customized AAC voice output device on the fly. It is a free app, but it is one of the most valuable ones that I have. 

You can choose any where from 1 - 9 customizable buttons to be on one screen. Each button is quick to program. The icon choices available are not always perfect, but I use the camera to take pictures of objects or of other icons I have used with my students.  It offers voice recording for the voice output, and each recording takes less than one second to make. I can easily set up a new page even while working with the busiest of students.  In my practice, SoundingBoard (TM) comes in handy as an AAC supplement when working with kids with imperfect voice output devices. 

There are times I have used it as a schedule as well. I set up each square as an activity to complete. The visual plan usually helps organize and motivate my students with autism. Then, during the session when I ask my student, "What's next?" he is able to answer using a customized voice output device.

One of my favorite new ways to use it is during my introductory "hello" song. The visual and audio feedback help engage and focus my students. In addition to providing a voice for my non verbal students, the pictures help visually prompt my verbal students to use speech. I find the auditory feedback from hitting the "button" also helps my verbal students vocalize. 

NOTE: This app is actually an iPhone app, so you will have to search iPhone apps to find it in the iTunes store.