Tag Archives: SLP Hacks

{SLP Hack} Use spiral bands instead of book rings

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Looking for an easy and inexpensive way to assemble interactive books and other materials? I like to use spiral bands instead of book rings. They are flexible, easy to thread through and spring back into place (unlike metal spiral rings). Plus they don’t come unsnapped like book rings do. These also come in handy when needing to attach carrying straps to items. Here is what I recently ordered. They are 1″ in diameter. Several smaller sizes are available.

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Spiral Bands – size 16: https://www.strombergschickens.com/product/spiral-leg-bands-for-poultry

9/17/22: Updated contact info:

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1

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• GoTalk Now AAC & GoVisual Visual Scene Apps – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

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• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamooradomazingkidsaac

• Blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com

{Make Articulation Dice} SLP Hack for the Photo Dice app

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{Make Articulation Dice} Wanna shake up those articulation drills to make them more fun? Check out this FREE app. Because ads are distracting to my patients, I purchased the .99 IAP to remove the ads, uploaded a plain wooden background and then made customized articulation dice using pics from the Smarty Symbols Image Club  (https://smartysymbols.com). You can import any pictures you want from the Camera Roll into the app or take pictures with the iPad or iPhone camera. You can either use the app in “rolling” mode or leave them wiggling so dice can be flicked or tapped off the screen as the child says the target words. Even saw the option to e-mail your dice creations (that person will need an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch) running iOS 3.2 or later and a copy of the Photo Dice app installed to open the file).

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Update: I realized that it was even easier to use the Custom Boards- Premium app by Smarty Ears (https://appsto.re/us/1hHNB.i) to make pics for the dice. I used the 5 x 6 template, saved it as a picture in my Camera Roll and then cropped out each pic to upload into the dice.

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Thanks Tech ‘n Talk SLPs for sharing this fun idea in this video over on Instagram:

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App Store: Photo Dice by MachWerx, https://appsto.re/us/kgwUC.i (free, .99 in app purchase to remove the ads)
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids:
http://m.me/OMazingKidsYoga
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkids
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
YappGuru: http://yappguru.com/user/omazing-kids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with 27 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

{No! No! No! ~ Dealing with Challenging Behaviors: SLP Hacks}

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{No! No! No! ~ Dealing with Challenging Behaviors: SLP Hacks} I work in a setting where a large percentage of the patients have challenging behaviors. It’s often a huge undertaking just to get them to engage in any meaningful way. I have lots of strategies in my speechie toolbox including visual schedules, various methods of reinforcement, using techniques from the Hanen & DIR Floortime programs, etc.

I currently have one particular kiddo whose favorite word is “no” and is very tough to engage. Seriously…. as in having whole sessions initially where he would hide like a turtle in his hoodie or plop to the ground and refuse to move. Fast forward several months and he’s a little more willing but still very challenging. Elmo is his BFF who comes to every session. We are usually okay long as the primary focus is on helping Elmo learn to say his speech sounds more clearly (not a lie right? Elmo definitely could use some therapy… lol). What’s funny is that this kiddo almost always answers on behalf of Elmo.

Yesterday in a blended Hanen / DIR Floortime focused session I discovered that this patient thought it was hilarious to take turns playing hide and seek with Elmo & me. I usually alternate sessions between his goals targeting play skills and those focusing on articulation. The problem is even with Elmo incorporated into the artic therapy this patient often immediately responds with a very melodramatic “no! no! no”. But I was prepared for that today. I had the Speech Stickers app ready to work on some CV combinations with him. I quickly changed the target to “no”. Every time he said “no” (to refuse to participate) I added a speech sticker to the screen and imitated his melodramatic production. He immediately was caught off guard, started to giggle and we were eventually able to move on to some other CV combinations. He was highly motivated to finish the stickers to get to the reward animation at the end but to keep him producing the sounds to get there I had to convince him that the characters in the iPad had to “hear” him before they would appear on the screen (had to be sneaky in tapping the scoring at the top so he didn’t catch on that I was actually in charge of it). We ended the session with a highly reinforcing game of Elmo hide and seek.

The reason I share this is that they don’t typically teach SLP students hacks/creative strategies like this in grad school. When you get out in the real world and especially if you work in a setting that has kids with challenging behaviors you will need to develop some creative SLP hacks to engage these kiddos in therapy.

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What are some of your most creative hacks / strategies to keep kids engaged? Join the conversation over on the OMazing Kids Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/). Unfortunately I had to toggle off commenting here on my blog a couple of years ago due to huge amounts of spam.

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In case you don’t have the SpeechStickers app by Seriously Sticky LLC, I highly recommend it (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/speechstickers/id436101181?mt=8, iPad only, iOS 7.0 or later)!

FYI… They have a second app, Sticky Words, in the works (https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/photos/a.1039368119447526.1073741892.174264525957894/1187059944678342/?type=3&theater)…. can’t wait 🙂

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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