I wanted to share this video to show you how you c I wanted to share this video to show you how you can break up minimal pairs therapy with a meaningful and fun activity!

We are working on /s/ cluster reduction, and took a break from “the cards” to work on nap vs. snap using an iPad game (we also practiced no vs. snow).

We pretended our hands were the machine and said “snap” and then the reinforcer is to tap the screen and pick up (or “snap”) the snow.

I find that kids really respond to these meaningful tasks as it emphasises how our words have meaning, and you can get a lot of organic practice trials in 💪🏻

BTW... I just ❤️ my kids!!!

#speechtherapy #speechpathology #slp #slpeeps #minimalpairs #speechdevelopment #privatepracticeslp #preschoolslp
I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck! I’ve g I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck!

I’ve got three on my caseload at the moment who respond so well to the emotion visuals, and it’s so lovely to hear some change in their voice vs. a monotone, robot-like voice!!

CARDS: @bjoremspeech @iowaspeechie @bjoremspeechpublications

#apraxiaofspeech #slpeeps #childhoodapraxiaofspeech #speechtherapy
Binding. It’s a simple little joy that makes my Binding.

It’s a simple little joy that makes my SLP life easier.

And no, I don’t have a binding machine... I take it to my local office shop and it costs me around $5 to do!!!

Any other binding fans out there???

#binding #slpsofinstagram #slplife #slpeeps #slpsontpt #speechies #slporganization
Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words using minimal pairs, DOESN’T mean that you are forbidden from using any other cues!

Many times, my kids need some additional types of cues, whether it be gestures (point to the throat), a mirror (to see the tongue go back), metaphors (front vs. back sounds), or placement cues (move your tongue back) to help them be accurate so that they aren’t frustrated.

Many times those cues get dropped pretty quickly... but I still use a pragmatic cue where I question what the child means (did you mean tea or key?).

And yes, I used fronting as my example because GOSH IT’S A STUBBORN PATTERN sometimes. And I need aaaaaalllll the cues 🤣 do you agree??

#adventuresinspeechpathology #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #slpeeps #slp #speechtherapy #speechdelay #preschoolslp
Have you ever felt like you don’t know what you Have you ever felt like you don’t know what you NEED to know when implementing a new therapy approach?

I made this Minimal Pairs Therapy plan to help make sure you have thought of, and planned, the elements to implement the approach.

This means choosing the approach, picking the patterns and sounds that will make the most impact, completing generalization probes, and REALLY thinking about your treatment intensity.

So many times I have people say the child isn’t generalizing, and I wonder if they have planned for all of these elements?

Is it really the child, or has the SLP not planned the therapy correctly????

TAKEN FROM: the Minimal Pairs Handbook

#Adventuresinspeechpathology #minimalpairshandbook #phonology #slp2b #slpgradstudent #speechdelay #slpeeps #preschoolslp #ebpslp #speechtherapy #speechpathologist
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You don’t need fancy toys to do minimal pair tasks!

I upload minimal pair resources to my iPad so I can bring them up when I’m on my school visits.

We literally put animal figurines in the sections, and then after we “earned” them all, we picked them up and tried to throw them back in the container.

Also.... love how this little one correctly said “go” after we had that communication breakdown. The POWER of minimal pairs therapy 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

#minimalpairs #speechdelay #speechpathology #speechtherapy #preschoolslp #schoolslp #privatepracticeslp #adventuresinspeechpathology
I pulled out this shopping game (again) today for I pulled out this shopping game (again) today for minimal pairs!

We practice our pairs, then flip a picture over to see what the item is, and who’s list it belongs to.

Simple, but very motivating for Miss 4 today!!!

#minimalpairs #speechtherapy #slp #speechdelay #speechpathologist #Adventuresinspeechpathology #preschoolslp
Here are some truths: 1. I always wanted to be a p Here are some truths:
1. I always wanted to be a psychologist
2. I never wanted to work with kids

Then I changed degrees and
3. I thought I’d be a medical SLP

Then I realised I didn’t like dysphagia and brain stuff as much as I thought so
4. I thought I’d enjoy working with complex communication needs

Then I really found a love for:
5. Social communication ❤️ I still enjoy everything I learned, and gosh did I do a lot of PD. But I felt like my kids never moved off my caseload.

Then I realised
6. I get A LOT of joy assessing and figuring out speech patterns and seeing kids make fast progress week-to-week targeting their speech sounds.

So here I am!

It’s definitely NOT the place I thought I’d be, but sometimes you have to try different things to know what’s right for you!

#adventuresinspeechpathology #slplife #slpsofinstagram
Nothing gets me up at 5:45am on a Saturday morning Nothing gets me up at 5:45am on a Saturday morning like the excitement of a new resource.

Seriously.

I’m a morning bird and do my best work when the whole house is asleep.

I don’t even have a coffee 😲😲😲

Sooooo..... I’m still taking requests for my next set of minimal pair toolkit resources. Drop them below 👇🏻

#adventuresinspeechpathology #minimalpairs #speechtherapy #slpeeps #slpsontpt #slpsofinstagram #preschoolslp
I have been hearing this phrase OVER and OVER agai I have been hearing this phrase OVER and OVER again lately!!

Many of you have been trying minimal pairs therapy either for the 1st time, or you’re implementing it differently...

... and the amount of times that I read a DM or feedback on TpT saying that things literally just “clicked” in a session was high enough that it warrants its own IG post 😂

See, THIS is why I love treating SSD, and I love the minimal pairs approach. Your child can make HUGE LEAPS within one session.

It’s amazing! It’s encouraging. And gosh it makes your job satisfaction high!

Do you know what I’m taking about? Have you ever seen things “click” with a child?
Tell me how 👇🏻

#speechtherapy #speechdelay #slpeeps #slp #slp2b #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #phonology #ebpslp #schoolslp #privatepracticeslp
I wanted to share this video to show you how you c I wanted to share this video to show you how you can break up minimal pairs therapy with a meaningful and fun activity!

We are working on /s/ cluster reduction, and took a break from “the cards” to work on nap vs. snap using an iPad game (we also practiced no vs. snow).

We pretended our hands were the machine and said “snap” and then the reinforcer is to tap the screen and pick up (or “snap”) the snow.

I find that kids really respond to these meaningful tasks as it emphasises how our words have meaning, and you can get a lot of organic practice trials in 💪🏻

BTW... I just ❤️ my kids!!!

#speechtherapy #speechpathology #slp #slpeeps #minimalpairs #speechdevelopment #privatepracticeslp #preschoolslp
I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck! I’ve g I am just LOVING this prosody cues deck!

I’ve got three on my caseload at the moment who respond so well to the emotion visuals, and it’s so lovely to hear some change in their voice vs. a monotone, robot-like voice!!

CARDS: @bjoremspeech @iowaspeechie @bjoremspeechpublications

#apraxiaofspeech #slpeeps #childhoodapraxiaofspeech #speechtherapy
Binding. It’s a simple little joy that makes my Binding.

It’s a simple little joy that makes my SLP life easier.

And no, I don’t have a binding machine... I take it to my local office shop and it costs me around $5 to do!!!

Any other binding fans out there???

#binding #slpsofinstagram #slplife #slpeeps #slpsontpt #speechies #slporganization
Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words Just because you are contrasting /t/ vs. /k/ words using minimal pairs, DOESN’T mean that you are forbidden from using any other cues!

Many times, my kids need some additional types of cues, whether it be gestures (point to the throat), a mirror (to see the tongue go back), metaphors (front vs. back sounds), or placement cues (move your tongue back) to help them be accurate so that they aren’t frustrated.

Many times those cues get dropped pretty quickly... but I still use a pragmatic cue where I question what the child means (did you mean tea or key?).

And yes, I used fronting as my example because GOSH IT’S A STUBBORN PATTERN sometimes. And I need aaaaaalllll the cues 🤣 do you agree??

#adventuresinspeechpathology #speechpathology #slpsofinstagram #slpeeps #slp #speechtherapy #speechdelay #preschoolslp
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Adventures in Speech Pathology

Feel confident treating speech sound disorders

Uncategorized · April 27, 2017

My secret SLP weapon for working with teenagers

I had a secret weapon when I worked with teenagers in the United States. It immediately cut down the eye rolls when I was there to collect them. These teens actually started conversations with me and not the over way around. And just by association, that teen was a little more interesting to their peers.  It was my accent. Being Australian made me kinda cool. But wait… don’t click away because you don’t have an Aussie accent. And no, I’m not suggesting that you start binge watching Australian TV shows to get the accent. My accent was my secret weapon because it made teens interested in me, but it is what I did with that weapon that made the difference.

Life as an SLP was going pretty good if you can ever really say that about working with teens. I mean, there were always drama of some kind, but we got along and worked hard. And then I met this one student. Let’s call him Miguel. Miguel was the sullen teenager that I was afraid I’d meet. The teenager who sat back with arms folded and rarely looked me in the eye. The guy who muttered stuff under his breath, while shaking his head. Who wouldn’t participate in conversation, and walked 5 steps behind me. The teenager who said to me “I don’t want to be here, okay” and treated me like the enemy.

It’s confronting dealing with someone who doesn’t want to be there. Stickers and promises of a game on the iPad doesn’t work with teenagers. They have likely been in therapy for their whole schooling life, and are still ‘stuck’ on an IEP. They know how this works. They have figured ‘speech’ out. They don’t want to be there. Being super bubbly and up-beat doesn’t work. Being cool (but not to the point of un-cool) doesn’t work. Being relaxed and just kinda chilled doesn’t work. Trying not to be an SLP but a friend doesn’t work. Their attitude stays the same. Teens can hold on to a grudge idea for an exceptionally long period of time. So this is what I found that does work.

Being bloody honest.

You know how I mentioned that it was what you do with your secret weapon that makes the difference? Well, I called this teen out. I stopped being nice, down-to-earth and flexible. I was actually quite the opposite. I called this teen out and it was one of the toughest things that I have done as a therapist because getting stern with teenagers can go in a couple of different directions. And yes, I probably raised my voice a little and I may have used my pointer finger to get my message across, but I was ‘done’ at that point too.

“I know that you don’t like being here and that you don’t like me. I get it. I pull you out of class in front of all of your friends. But do you know what? You are really behind all of your classmates. These are your scores and this is where I need you to be. The only way that you can get out of speech is to get a score within this range. So you can just sit here and ignore me. Go ahead, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. But the longer you act like this, the longer you will be in speech. So really, it’s up to you, mate”.

I pulled out those subtest scores, drew the bell curve and plotted Miguel’s scores, including where I needed him to be. I talked percentile ranks and standard scores and he just sat and listened. I didn’t walk him back to class the way I usually did, because I was over it too. I was over being treated this way when I was simply just doing my job.

The next week when I came to pick up Miguel, he had a completely changed attitude. He worked hard and I could see that he had a motivation now. He had a goal, and that was to get out of speech and never have to see my face again. Most surprisingly, he was respectful. He greeted me and said goodbye and it was totally not what I was expecting. Miguel changed schools a few months later, with an IEP following him, but I was glad that at least he knew why he was seeing me and I really hope that he ‘got out’.

The bottom line is this: teenagers should be treated like adults. They want to be taken seriously and they want you to know that they’re not kids anymore, so talk to them like an adult. Make them part of the decision making process.

And don’t be afraid to be bloody honest with them.

 

I’m no sugar-coater. If you want a refreshingly honest read, check out some related posts and follow my blog so that the posts come to your inbox: Confessions of an SLP Who Didn’t Like Working in Schools and Using YouTube in Speech Therapy (don’t make my mistakes).

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  1. Loretta says

    May 4, 2017 at 7:54 pm

    Wow. Thank you for telling it like it is. It is challenging for so many of us to risk (or even admit to) not being *liked* or appreciated by others. It’s admirable how you used that to your advantage as a form of motivation! Great post Rebecca ⭐️

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Hi, I'm Rebecca.
I encourage SLPs to feel more confident treating speech sound disorders, and make faster progress with their students.

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