Are you looking for a fresh and fun way to target speech sound practice with your young clients? Well, look no further because I’ve got an exciting recommendation for you—let’s dive into the whimsical world of using sound-loaded stories.
As SLPs, we know the importance of making speech therapy sessions engaging and enjoyable for our clients. That’s why I’m thrilled to share how this delightful story can not only spark laughter and engagement but also help children master those tricky sounds in a playful and interactive way.
Now, you might be wondering, “How can a story specifically target speech sound practice?” Well, let me break it down for you:
- Find engaging Storylines loaded with the target sounds: By immersing children in a captivating narrative, we create a natural context for practicing the target sound.
- Interactive Reading: As we read through the story, we can pause at key moments to encourage children to repeat words containing the target sound.
- Visual Aids: Pairing the story with visual aids, such as laminated clipart of the story characters and objects mentioned in the book, reinforces the connection between the written word and the target sound. Children can point to the pictures as they practice saying the corresponding words, enhancing their phonemic awareness.
- Warm-up and Auditory Bombardment: Encourage your student to practice the target words found in the story before diving into the book. or if you are following a Cycles approach to phonological therapy, review the target words as part of the auditory bombardment.
By infusing speech therapy sessions with the magic of storytelling, we can create a dynamic and supportive environment where children feel motivated to practice their speech sounds. And we didn’t even cover literacy development! So many wins!
But you might be wondering where can I find such books?
Well, you have several options:
- Create your own, but honestly, who has time for that?
- Use published children’s books that contain alliterations like Dr. Seuss’ ‘One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish’© for targeting the /f/ sound. Rhyming word books like ‘Hop on Pop’© for the final /p/ sound!
Look in marketplaces like Teachers Pay Teachers and check out mine! (shameless plug). Cody and His Cat is a delightful story about a boy named Cody and his cat. Cody and His Cat is packed with words that begin with the /k/ sound, such as Cody, cat, kitty, cake, coffee, cup, cart, and more. Cody and His Cat offers a delightful blend of laughter, learning, and initial /k/ stimulation practice—a winning combination for speech therapy success!
Looking for more fun and engaging articulation activities? check out: Savoring Speech Sounds: Making Articulation Therapy a Sandwich Adventure!
Happy storytelling and happy teaching!
