Speech therapy students who are acquiring various phonemes kicked off the new year with exercises to strengthen the speech muscles and improve control of oral movements. Although we practiced these exercises earlier in the fall, this week has been a good time to review and reassess oral motor skills. Just like with any exercise program, oral motor activities need to be repeated frequently to remain strong.
The children who have been focusing on carryover are being given calendars to keep track of their speech production outside of the speech room. This week students will be listening for times when their speech needs to be more clear. The goal is to become more aware of one's articulation and to take ownership of communication skills.
Finally, Mrs. DeYoung's language groups have completed another Think Aloud activity to apply various comprehension strategies to reading expository texts. The groups read articles related to their social studies curriculum and discussed their thinking. Most of the students were able to identify the strategies they are using. They will continue to self-monitor their comprehension to check for understanding and determine if they need to reread for clarification.
Next week (Jan. 12-16) Prairieview and Lakeview will be administering the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Mrs. DeYoung will not see students if they are being tested during their regular therapy time.
