Vocabulary Progress Monitoring {Product Launch & Giveaway}

I am excited that my latest product, Vocabulary Progress Monitoring, is available for use by speech-language pathologists and can be purchased in my TPT store. This essential and effective informal assessment tool assesses 300 vocabulary words. 

                                              
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocabulary-Progress-Monitoring-1520541

I have personally used these quick evaluation tools with children who have speech-language disorders to measure their semantic processing skills. Several SLPs purchased this product last week during my November 7th Must Have sale so I know this is a necessary product to have handy in your speech-language therapy room.

The resource is organized by vocabulary skills that require increasing receptive and expressive language abilities. In this extensive resource, you will receive vocabulary progress monitoring documentation forms to evaluate these specific semantic skills:

1) Object functions- 20 words (school & home items)
2) Word associations- 40 words
3) Categories- 10 groups
4) Similarities/Differences- 10 words
5) Synonyms/Antonyms- 40 synonyms, 40 antonyms
6) Multiple meaning words- 90 words
7) Oral definitions with Tier I words- 10 words
8) Oral definitions with Tier III (academic) words- 20
9) Figurative language- 20 words

I recommend making an assessment binder with several copies of each form and keeping them in sheet protectors. This way you can easily access them when you need to complete an informal vocabulary assessment for a student. 

This must have progress monitoring tool is on sale now in my TPT store for one week only because I know how much you need this product! As a special gift to my blog readers,  enter now for a chance to win my 2 latest progress monitoring tools! The winners will be notified next Thursday in honor of ASHA in Florida! a Rafflecopter giveaway  




Thanks for visiting the blog today. 

Tamara Anderson
BSL Speech & Language

I love Semantic Maps! {Evidence-Based Strategy}

I love any reason to use markers in speech-language therapy sessions with my students. When I demonstrate how to make semantic maps, I naturally use markers to make the terms more appealing. Who doesn't like colorful work samples anyhow? Plus, it is a great memory aid as well. 




Semantic maps are visual representations of key vocabulary words that are accompanied by definitions, pictures, and/or acronyms to help individuals learn academic content. 

I provide speech-language therapy to kindergarten-fifth grade students. Typically, I use this evidence based strategy with my 5th grade students with science and social studies content. However, it is beneficial with younger kids as well. 

Last year I implemented a single subject research design study for my Ed.S. degree program in curriculum & instruction. I compared 5th grade students' receptive social studies vocabulary knowledge after instruction using semantic maps with World War I and World War II terms vs. the intervention method of flash card drill & repetition. Making semantic or metacognitive maps were a part of Dr. Caroline Leaf 's, The Switch On Your Brain 5-Step Learning Process system that I implemented during this research. She is a neuroscientist and speech-language pathologist. How cool is that! I met her in person two years at a conference and she is a phenomenal speaker! 



http://drleaf.com/store/the-switch-on-your-brain-5-step-learning-process-dvdworkbook/

Ok, back to semantic maps. My research findings revealed that the use of the semantic map strategy increased the receptive vocabulary knowledge of 5th grade speech-language impaired students at a greater rate than vocabulary instruction using the flash cards method. On average, my students made a 35 % gain from pretest to posttest with WW I terms and a 50 % gain with WW II terms using semantic maps as a vocabulary learning strategy. When they used the flash card method during the non-treatment phase they demonstrated a  11% increase with WWI terms and a 15 % increase with WWII terms. 

This year, I have reviewed key ideas about the Civil War, reconstruction, westward expansion, animal cells, and plant cells using semantic maps with my students who have language disorders and co-occurring language based learning disabilities. 

Here are some more snapshots of the maps:

Thanks for reading my blog today! :)

*Remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for regular updates as well! I appreciate your support of Building Successful Lives (BSL) Speech & Language. 

Tamara Anderson

Categorization Bundle Activity # 5: Speech-Language and Language Arts Category Book

Here is a preview of the last activity in my English/Language Arts Comprehensive Categorization packet. This resource is perfect for use by speech-language pathologists or teachers to instruct students on English/Language Arts Common Core Standards vocabulary words.  The category book is designed for use with students in grades 3-5. However, this is also a good review for 6th grade students in middle school. 

I suggest laminating a copy of the book to use during whole group  instruction and attaching velcro to affix words in the correct categories. The SLP or teacher should first complete a mini lesson by explaining the meanings of the category names and providing examples. Then the teacher should show students how to classify the terms into the different categories in the book. After the students understand the instructions, the SLP or teacher may distribute the individual book seen below for them to complete individually or with assistance. Depending on the students' language processing skills, this activity may need to be addressed over more than one speech language therapy session. 

This book includes 11 vocabulary categories such as parts of speech, types of literature, parts of sentences, types of sentences, synonyms, antonyms, multiple meaning words, story vocabulary, figurative language,  text features, and types of writing. Students need to cut out the 14 groups of vocabulary words provided and sort them in the correct groups. Three groups will need to be sorted into a previously used category. Next the SLP or teacher should check students work for accuracy and then have them glue the words in their book. 

So you may think, what is the significance of teaching this skill? Students need to learn ways to effectively organize and input academic content into their brains so they can easily retrieve the information. Direct instruction in categorization will enable students with and without language disorders as well as language based learning disabilities to improve their receptive vocabulary knowledge. Additionally, this resource may contribute to improving their short term, working memory, and long term memory skills. 

You may purchase this resource from my TPT store in the comprehensive bundle by clicking here: 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ELA-Comprehensive-Categorization-Bundle-1111028

or individually: 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Speech-Language-and-Language-Arts-Category-Book-1110677

Thanks for visiting the blog today. 

Tamara Anderson, E.d.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist

Categorization Bundle Activity # 4- English/Language Arts Vocabulary Memory Activity

Hey there. I hope everyone had a great weekend and remembered to spring forward due to the time change. As I think about the beginning of another work week tomorrow, I can't help but reflect on my lovely students with speech language disorders. Many of them also have co-occurring specific learning disability in the area of language. Additionally, several of them struggle with remembering academic content either because they did not understand it when it was taught or their brain struggles to effectively encode the information.  

I created a English/Language Arts Vocabulary Memory Activity that will give students practice with increasing their short term, working memory, long term memory, as well as their receptive academic vocabulary knowledge of common core standards related terms. Vocabulary and memory skills are essential for listening and reading comprehension as well as mastery of academic content. This is a great activity for use during speech-language therapy, Language Arts centers, or as a differentiated instruction activity. Speech-language pathologists or teachers may make multiple sets as needed for students to use during small group or independent practice. Here is a preview:

To play the memory game, students will take turns identifying matches of the English/Language Arts vocabulary according to the category and associated vocabulary listed. If playing in a group, the student gets an extra turn if he or she selects a matching pair. There are 21 matches and the player with the most matches is the winner of the game. I recommend dividing the word cards into 2 sets initially so that the students are striving to identify 10 or 11 matches.

This activity is available for purchase in my TPT store as part of my ELA Comprehensive Categorization Bundle or individually. Check out the links below to view items:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ELA-Comprehensive-Categorization-Bundle-1111028

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/EnglishLanguage-Arts-Vocabulary-Memory-Concentration-Activity-693006

I appreciate your support. Have a great week!

Tamara Anderson, M.S., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist

Categorization Bundle Activity # 3- English/Language Arts Vocabulary Categorization Cards

The third activity in my English/Language Arts Vocabulary Categorization bundle are task cards. There are two levels of tasks cards that cover Tier I (everyday vocabulary words) and Tier III (E/LA words). Students have to complete sentences with the correct Tier I or Tier III term.  The first level targets questions for students in grades K-2 and the second level targets questions for students primarily in grades 3-5. However, I also suggest using Tier I words with upper grades students as a warm up activity prior to them learning to name vocabulary words in the Tier III English/Language Arts categories. 

Over the years, I have observed first hand that students with language disorders have difficulties processing verbal/written information, organizing information, remembering content, and expressing information. When speech-language pathologists or teachers provide them direct instruction in the area of categorization, it addresses all these skills in one activity. 

These categorization task cards are an ideal way to address vocabulary as well as the skills mentioned above. Here is a preview of the two levels of tasks cards provided. 

This speech language therapy and educational resource is available for purchase in my TPT store. Just click on the link here: 
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/EnglishLanguage-Arts-Vocabulary-Categorization-Cards-1109465


Have a great week! 

Tamara Anderson, Ed.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist

Categorization Bundle Activities # 1 and # 2

Here is a preview of activity # 1 and activity # 2 in the English/Language Arts Categorization Bundle. It includes vocabulary sorting activities for students in grades 1-2 and grades 3-5. 

There are 8 categories of terms for students to practice in grades 1-2. I typically give them 4 categories first: compound words, homophones, punctuation marks, and prepositions. I put the blank matching sheets on the table. Then, I instruct students to sort the terms into the corresponding groups and take baseline or pre-assessment data of their accuracy. I later teach a mini-lesson about those 4 categories of words and then give the students time to practice classifying them. 

Here is an example of the words that I cut apart for the students to sort and place on the blank sheet above.

Here are some examples of the word sort activity for grades 3-5. There are 12 categories of vocabulary for this word sort.

 Thanks for visiting my blog today. If you have any further questions about this product, email me at tamaraanderson.bsl@gmail.com


Tamara Anderson, Ed.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist

English/Language Arts Comprehensive Categorization Bundle

Hey everyone. I am excited to tell you about my first English/Language Arts Comprehensive Categorization Bundle for students in elementary school. It includes 5 activities that are designed for use with students in grades 1-5 and also as a review for students in 6th grade.   I currently use all the activities successfully in my speech language therapy lessons with my students. The activities focus on the important skill of categorization and common core standards language arts vocabulary. 

Students with and without language based learning disabilities or specific language impairment often struggle with receptive and expressive vocabulary skills. They have difficulty identifying/naming academic terms when given the meanings as well as verbally defining the words. There are so many vocabulary words that relate to the various academic content areas and students need a way to practice identifying these terms. In my speech-language therapy sessions, I primarily provide direct instruction in the area of English/Language Arts. Therefore, I created this bundle of my 4 frequently used categorization activities that also relate to the common core standards. 

Why link teaching categorization with English/LA common core standards vocabulary? Students need a way to effectively input and organize curriculum content in their brains so that they can recall it for further use. Teaching and practicing the skill of sorting terms into the correct categories can assist students with successfully inputting information into their short term and eventually long term memory. Research shows that students need direct vocabulary instruction and that the use of categorization is  an effective strategy to assist them in organizing academic content, improving memory and word retrieval, as well as promoting gains in student mastery of the curriculum. Categorization is a great skill that students can use to improve their vocabulary knowledge in math, science, and social studies as well. 

In this packet you will receive: 
1) Quick Reference for Common Core Standards (pages 3-4)
2) Sorting activity for grades 1-2 (pages 5-21)
3) Sorting activity for grades 3-5 (pages 22-46)
*Students sort grade level vocabulary into the correct group with enclosed classification sheets. 
4) E/LA Vocabulary Categorization Cards (pages 47-58)
*Students complete sentences on task cards by expressing the category name. A word bank is provided for 2 levels of task cards (Tier I and Tier II terms)
5) Categorization memory activity grades 3-5 (pages 59-64)
*Students play a matching game to match vocabulary by looking closely at vocabulary category and associated words on each card. Each category is color coded to enhance students' memory. 
6) Category book grades 3-5 (pages 65-84)
*Students sort E/LA words into categories from provided groups of words. They glue the words in the book after their accuracy is checked by the SLP or teacher. Great activity after whole group instruction. 

The vocabulary categories for grades 1-2 include compound words, homophones, punctuation marks, prepositions, nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives. The vocabulary category categories for grades 3-5 include groups such as synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, types of nouns, parts of speech, types of sentences, parts of a sentence, types of literature, story elements, types of writing, text features, and figurative language. 

Check back later this week, for a visual preview of these E/LA common core categorization activities. This bundle is available in my TPT store:  http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ELA-Comprehensive-Categorization-Bundle-1111028


Sincerely, 

Tamara Anderson, Ed.S., CCC-SLP
Speech Language Pathologist

Winter Land: English/Language Arts Activities

Hello there. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I had a nice weekend and was able to spend time with my precious niece that was born last Monday. I also had time to finalize my newest speech-language therapy/educational resource: Winter Land: English/Language Arts (ELA)Activities that is available in my TPT online store here: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Land-EnglishLanguage-Arts-Activities-1057356

There are three activities included in this packet. First, there is a Winter Land Game Board that students can play by taking turns answering speech, language, and academic related questions. My students enjoyed playing this last week with the included categorization cards. 

 

There are two levels of English/Language Arts vocabulary categorization cards included in this activity. The first is the basic level that targets Tier I or everyday vocabulary words. The second is Tier III or ELA curriculum specific vocabulary words that students are required to learn in elementary school such as types of sentences, parts of speech, and types of literature. There are a total of 32 vocabulary questions cards included. 

The first level targets questions for students in grades K-2 and the second level targets questions primarily for students in grades 3-5. However, I also suggest using the Tier I words with upper grades students as a warm up activity to help them recall the skill of categorization. Then, they can work on learning how to name vocabulary words in the Tier III categories.

The Winter Land Game Board may be used with my other TPT products such as: Winter Word Associations and English/Language Arts Common Core Standards Vocabulary. 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week. 

Tamara Anderson, Ed.S., CCC-SLP