higher level thinking speech therapy

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Speech and Language Therapy and Higher Order Thinking

Learning Reading Assessment For Orton Gillingham

Fun Writing Games For Kids - 5 Ws Detectives

Show Don't Tell Descriptive Writing Game | Good Sensory Learning

Reversing Reversals Bundle | Dyslexia | Good Sensory Learning

Categorizing Paragraph Building Activities | Improve Writing Structure

Making Inferences the Fun & Easy Way | Worksheets

Reversing Reversals Dyslexia | Dyslexia | Good Sensory Learning

Activities Bundle - Following Directions

Reversing Reversals Primary | Dyslexia | Good Sensory Learning

Abstract Thinking Multiple Meanings | Higher Order Language Skills

Reversing Reversals Beginners | Good Sensory Learning

Hey, What's the Big Idea Game | Good Sensory Learning

Worksheets - Following Directions Activities Beginners

Intermediate | Following Directions Activities Worksheet

Vowel Combinations Made Easy | Good Sensory Learning

Reading Games 2 | Good Sensory Learning

Reading Games Bundle | Good Sensory Learning

Word Shuffle Literary Term & Grammar Game | Good Sensory Learning

Reversing Reversals 2 | Dyslexia | Good Sensory Learning

Reading Games Primary | Good Sensory Learning

Show Don't Tell 2 Suspense Writing Game | Good Sensory Learning

Reading Board Games for Orton Gillingham | Good Sensory Learning

Primary - Following Directions Worksheet Activities

Spelling Assessment and Remedial Approach | Good Sensory Learn

What is Speech and Language Therapy?

Speech and Language Therapy is a therapeutic process that enables children and adults to develop their receptive and expressive language skills so that they can understand and communicate, to the best of their ability, with the world around them.

What is Language Processing Disorder?

• Language processing disorders impact about 5% of the United States population.  This condition affects communication and social relations.  In addition, it often impedes the ability to understand language (receptive language) and/or express their thoughts (expressive language). Like many disorders, it can manifest in numerous ways. One student may struggle outlining an assignment, while another may struggle with word finding difficulties, following a series of verbal cues, or even sustaining attention. Common difficulties include challenges with basic language skills such as rhyming, conversation skills, vocabulary, sentence structure, and verbal reasoning. It tends to impact the academic areas of spelling, reading, writing.  In addition, a student may experience difficulties with either receptive language or expressive language. Some struggle with a combination: expressive/receptive language disorder.  Other students don't experience difficulties until language based lessons move from concrete to abstract was of thinking - higher order thinking. 

What is Higher Order Thinking?

Higher order thinking, also called higher level language or metalinguistic skills, refers the mental processing of receptive (receiving and making sense of) and expressive (verbally communicating) language.  This cognitive skill requires abstract and deductive verbal reasoning as well as the understanding and use of advanced vocabulary.

What are Some Common Signs of Higher Level Language Problems? 

• Difficulties predicting outcomes.
• Problems with inferences.
• Difficulties interpreting social language skills.
• Struggles expressing ideas.
• Difficulties expressing thoughts through writing.
• Problems understanding main ideas and details.
• Struggles to make sense of jokes, humor, and riddles.
• Difficulties generating summaries and paraphrases.
• Problems sequencing events.
• Challenges following multi-step directions
• Difficulties paying attention in noisy environments such as classrooms, loud parties, malls, etc
• Problems following spoken directions

Does Good Sensory Learning Offer a Discounted Bundle for Developing These Skills?

Yes, we offer the  higher order language bundle , that offers six of our popular products.  They include:

• Hey, What's the Big Idea?
• Abstract Thinking and Multiple Meanings
• Following Directions Intermediate
• Word Shuffle
• Categorizing, Paragraph building and Transitional Words Activities
• Making Inferences the Fun and Easy Way

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Cognitive-Communication Disorders

 5 min read

In order to communicate a thought, first we think of an idea, then choose the words to express it, and finally we voice it. However, that first step requires our  cognitive  abilities, and it is often overlooked in favor of a focus on language and speech.

Just as we cannot articulate words without our tongues, we cannot engage in the full range of communicative acts without cognition. Without memory, we cannot remember what we’ve already said or heard. Without attention, we can’t tune out distracting noises or focus on the conversation. Without executive functioning, we wouldn’t use communication to achieve a goal. Each cognitive process plays a vital role in our communication, so when they become impaired, a cognitive-communication disorder often results.

Learn more about cognitive communication in our informative “ What Is a Cognitive-Communication Disorder? ” guide offering tests, treatments, and tips.

The SLP Role in Cognitive-Communication Disorders

The speech-language pathologist’s job is to assess all aspects of a client’s communication: speech, language, and cognition. Clients who have recently suffered a stroke or brain injury, as well as those with progressive conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s, or MS, may show signs of a cognitive-communication disorder.

If treatment is indicated, the clinician and client will set goals to improve communication functions so the client can better participate in their life. The treatment may either address the impairment directly, or focus on compensatory strategies, or a combination of the two. The treatment plan for cognitive-communication disorders may include a variety of activities, including the use of apps for therapy.

Integrating Apps into Cognitive-Communication Therapy

Apps can make it easier to provide quality exercises for a wide range of goals, and they’re easily accessible to the clinician and the client. However, it’s important to recognize that performing an exercise on an app may not be enough to improve a skill or deficit.

The exercise presented by the app is the  stimulus ; the  therapy  is how we help a person deal with that stimulus. Successful therapy may involve:

• bringing greater awareness to the problem and what is needed to solve it
• teaching strategies that are used to break the problems down into manageable chunks
• providing repeated exposure and opportunities to be successful, cementing the skill in the brain.

A skilled therapist can use the stimuli presented through apps to achieve these goals.

Apps to Help with Cognitive-Communication Disorders

Tactus Therapy offers a variety of apps that can be used to treat cognitive-communication disorders as part of a skilled therapy plan.

Conversation Therapy

Conversation Therapy presents hundreds of interesting topics, each with 10 different questions. Because the app gets people talking, it can be used to work on many communication skills. In general, turn-taking, eye contact, and topic maintenance can be addressed as the client answers the questions. As both the client and clinician can participate in the conversation, listening skills are put to work, along with self-monitoring for speech intelligibility.

Use the  Feel  questions to target pragmatic (social language) skills such as empathy. The  Remember  questions are useful for targeting memory or reminiscence, whereas the  Brainstorm  questions target flexible thought. Those working on organization can practice by answering the  Define  and  Narrate  questions. Target reasoning and problem solving by asking the  Decide ,  Infer ,  Predict , or  Evaluate  questions, or by selecting only the  Safety and Problems  category of topics.

Engage in real-life discussions with pictures & questions that get people talking to practice communication strategies.

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Advanced Naming Therapy

Advanced Naming Therapy is ideal for cognitive-communication therapy, with hundreds of stimuli to elicit higher-level expression. The  Describe  activity has many categories filled with interesting pictures to discuss. Use the  Thoughts  and  Conversations  categories to build perspective-taking skills. Target flexible thinking using the  Idioms  category. Address problem-identification and solving with the pictures found in the  Problems  category.

The  Generate  activity can be used to improve speed of processing by having clients race against the clock to name items from a given category. Target semantic organization by introducing strategies that the client can use for a more efficient search (e.g. visualizing, subcategorizing, searching through the alphabet, moving across a mental map).

Practice organizing thoughts into clear, concise arguments with the  Compare  activity. Comparing and contrasting requires the client to define each word or describe each picture in a way that points out both the unique qualities of each, and the commonality between them. The exercises in the  Abstract Concepts  category are especially challenging, requiring deeper analysis and more nuanced responses.

Express yourself better with challenging word-finding exercises for aphasia and cognitive-communication problems.

Category Therapy

If Advanced Naming Therapy is too challenging when working on thought organization, step down to Category Therapy. Work on exclusion, addition, and sorting tasks for concrete, abstract, and sub categories.

While the app only requires users to identify the correct answer, the therapist can ask the client explain their choices and discuss why the other options aren’t appropriate. (Be sure to turn off  Auto-Advance  in the Settings.)

Strengthen connections between words with flexible exercises to improve language and reasoning skills.

Visual Attention Therapy

For clients with  hemispatial neglect , Visual Attention Therapy provides  visual scanning exercises  to improve attention. This can help with reading comprehension, since those with neglect may start reading midway through a line. The advantage of using the app for scanning practice is the immediate auditory and visual feedback it provides to the client, along with the automatic scoring and timing it offers the clinician.

This app can also be useful for clients with memory or other attention deficits. Scanning the screen for two closely related targets is a great exercise for working memory and attention to detail. Encourage increased speed of processing by drawing attention to the timer. Many clients have a goal to decrease their impulsivity, and this app makes it easy to measure progress by focusing on minimizing the error rate over repeated trials.

Retrain the brain with interactive cancellation exercises that help you assess and treat left neglect.

Spaced Retrieval Therapy

This app simplifies the evidence-based memory training technique of  spaced retrieval . Track data and time intervals for personalized memory targets to help clients with dementia or TBI.

Make memory training easy using evidence-based expanding intervals with built-in data tracking & timing.

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The most effective cognitive-communication therapy requires more than sitting a person alone in front of a screen. Tactus Therapy apps are designed to work best when used together with a therapist or trained caregiver who can integrate personalized strategies, give feedback to improve, and target individualized goals.

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Megan S. Sutton , MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and co-founder of Tactus Therapy. She is an international speaker, writer, and educator on the use of technology in adult medical speech therapy. Megan believes that technology plays a critical role in improving aphasia outcomes and humanizing clinical services.

More in ‘ Using Apps ’

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Mild Aphasia

For those with mild aphasia after a stroke or brain injury, use these apps in this way to improve communication by making them as challenging as possible.

 10 min read

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Severe Aphasia

For those with severe aphasia, including global aphasia, use these apps in this way to help restore the basic building blocks of language and communication.

 9 min read

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Dysarthria: Slurred Speech in Adults

From AAC to speaking in unison to discussing hot topics, we've got you covered with 4 core and 2 bonus speech therapy apps to improve dysarthria.

 6 min read

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Writing

From spelling words to typing text messages to composing emails, we've got you covered with 4 core and 2 bonus speech therapy apps to improve written expression.

 4 min read

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Talking

From repeating phrases to naming pictures to discussing hot topics, we've got you covered with 5 core and 5 bonus speech therapy apps to improve verbal expression.

 7 min read

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Reading

From identifying words to following written directions to reading paragraphs, we've got you covered with 4 core and 4 bonus speech therapy apps to improve reading comprehension.

Using Speech Therapy Apps to Treat Listening

From listening to words to following directions to understanding stories, we've got you covered with 4 core and 2 bonus speech therapy apps to improve auditory comprehension.

How to Write Cognition Goals for Speech Therapy [with goal bank]

Cognition goals for speech therapy include the areas of attention, memory, problem-solving, executive functions, and using compensatory strategies. Individuals with cognitive-communicative deficits may benefit from speech therapy to address these areas and improve cognitive functioning.

Cognition and Speech Therapy

Individuals with diagnosed cognitive-communicative disorders are usually referred for speech therapy services. These cognitive-communicative disorders may result from a brain injury or acquired neurological disease. Often, individuals with cognitive-communicative disorders receive speech therapy because they have communication difficulties, which impact their ability to participate in day-to-day activities that they once were able to. These may include social interactions, job duties, or academics.

Areas of cognitive-communicative challenges may include:

• Executive functions
• Problem-solving
• Language (often related to semantics and pragmatics)

How to Write Cognition Goals

If you haven’t already, check out our article that outlines How to Write Speech Therapy Goals.

For the purpose of this article, we will discuss the process of goal writing for individuals receiving speech therapy for cognitive-communicative challenges.

The first step to writing goals is identifying the area(s) of need . These needs may be identified through formal and informal assessments, observations, and interviews. For example, a formal assessment to test cognitive-communicative function may include the RBANS , and an informal assessment may include a questionnaire about how the individual’s memory and attention skills may be impacting their life.

Getting a detailed case history and asking specific questions about what has been affecting the client and what they want to work on is key! For example, if they want to return to work, goals may be tailored to their job. If they want to live independently, goals may be related to completing activities of daily living (ADLs). For individuals receiving cognitive-communication services, person- and/or family-centered care has shown to be greatly beneficial for personal outcomes and clinical decision-making (like developing goals!).

Once you have identified the area(s) or need, you can begin creating the goals you are going to write and target.

As seen above, speech goals should be written with 3* components in mind: the DO statement , the CONDITION statement , and the CRITERION statement .

*Also commonly included is consistency (we incorporate this!). Aka: does the individual have to meet a specific criterion more than once? A common example of this may include across 3 consecutive sessions . This is usually something understood by the therapy organization/service provider and is sometimes/sometimes not included in the written goal itself. Including consistency statements ensure that the skill has been generalized and provides more reliable data that the skill has been properly mastered.

DO statement

What the client is actually going to DO and the specific skill they will be working towards.

Example: complete divided attention tasks

CONDITION statement

T he specific setting and/or context where your client will work on this skill.

Example: related to their profession

CRITERION statement

How the client’s performance will be measured.

Example: with 85% accuracy

DO + CONDITION + CRITERION

Example: [Client] will complete divided attention tasks, related to their profession, with 85% accuracy.

There you have it! An example using our Goal Writing Formula containing the DO + CONDITION + CRITERION (don’t forget to think about consistency!) for increasing communication skills for services targeting cognitive skill areas.

Cognition Goal Bank

The following are some examples of speech therapy goals that may be targeted in sessions. You can take these goals as is, or take the “do” statement from one, the “condition” from another, and the “criterion” from another. Remember: the best goals are the ones that most closely align with the client’s needs, and all clients are different!

Example #1: [Client] will complete divided attention tasks, related to their profession, with 85% accuracy.

Example #2: [Client] will complete alternating attention tasks, in structured settings, with 90% accuracy, across 2 consecutive sessions.

Example #3: [Client] will complete a sustained attention task, in a quiet environment, for 15 minutes, in 2/3  opportunities.  

Example #1: [Client] will use external memory aids to retell daily activities, while communicating with a familiar partner, in 7/10 trials, across 2 out of 3 sessions.

Example #2: [Client] will use internal memory aids to recall the steps of a simple recipe (i.e., 3 to 4 steps), in a natural setting, with 75% accuracy.

Example #3: [Client] will recall at least 4/5 of their daily medications, using learned strategies, for 3 consecutive days.

Executive Functions

Example #1: [Client] will determine 3 tasks to complete each day, related to their occupation, in 90% of opportunities.

Example #2: [Client] will self-monitor their ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs), using a checklist while at home, with 80% accuracy.

Example #3: [Client] will create a grocery list for a week of meals, in a natural setting, with 80% accuracy, across 3 consecutive weeks.

Problem-Solving

Example #1: [Client] will identify a basic problem and its corresponding solution, related to personal ADLs, in 75% of opportunities.

Example #2: [Client] will identify whether or not they can solve a problem independently, while working on an academic assignment, in 8/10 trials.

Example #3: [Client] will state 2 possible problems, related to a medical issue, in 80% of opportunities.

We hope you found this helpful! Find more goal banks below.

• How to Write Aphasia Goals
• How to Write Executive Functions Goals
• How to Write Self-Determination Goals
• How to Write AAC Goals

Looking for a goal bank that we don’t have? Let us know! You can email us at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram @communicationcommunity.

https://www.asha.org/policy/pp2004-00191/#sec1.3.23

https://www.asha.org/slp/clinical/cognitive-communication/

https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/aphasia/person-and-family-centered-care/

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Must Have Visual Aids For Working On Critical Thinking Skills In Speech Therapy

Struggling to break down critical thinking skills to help your speech and language students succeed.

Are you trying to find a better way to work on higher level thinking skills with  your speech students?  Are you trying to bring in more academic vocabulary and skills into your therapy rooms?  Are you struggling to see carryover?  Are your students not seeing the relevance of what you are working on in speech?  By working on critical thinking skills, you WILL be targeting what they are working on in the classrooms.  You WILL help them see they can be successful.  You WILL see motivation and you WILL see carryover.

What can qualify as critical thinking skills?

Anything that involving thinking deeper about the material.  It doesn't necessarily have to be about a reading comprehension passage.  You can start with pictures!  You can work on inferencing, predicting, cause/effect, compare/contrast, and drawing conclusions.

But if teachers are working on it, why should we?

We can work on the LANGUAGE of higher level thinking.  The vocabulary of the questions/responses, the language of thinking about your thinking, and even the sentence structure of how to respond.  Our students need to understand syntax to understand if the question is asking about the past, present, or future.  If our students don't understand multiple meaning words, they can be totally tripped up when one is used in these types of activities.  Starting to see the relevance?

Why visual aids?

Our students benefit from a multi sensory approach.  They need to see, feel, and touch the information.  They need repetition.  The more they are exposed and in a variety of ways, the more they will understand and use independently.  I like to break it down so they can see the various ways questions can be asked and various ways answers can be given.  They can't be so scripted that they only are familiar with one type of question/answer vocabulary.

Feeling lucky?

Are you feeling lucky?!  I am giving you samples of my visual aids which are part of a VARIETY of TpT products FOR FREE!!!!  Click the button below to grab it for yourself!!  All you need to do is enter in your email and it will be sent to you for free!  If you use these visuals, please tag me on Instagram @speechtimefun! CLICK HERE FOR FREEBIE!!!

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• Language for Thinking

Language for Thinking: A Structured Approach for Young Children

For the majority of children developing verbal reasoning skills comes naturally, while others may find it more of a challenge.

If a child who is recognised as having a specific language impairment, delayed language skills, Autistic Spectrum Conditions  (including Asperger’s Syndrome), or moderate learning difficulties developing verbal reasoning skills can seem almost impossible.

What is the approach?

Language for thinking has been specifically created to teach and develop children’s language from the abstract to the concrete.

This book is based around 50 verbal and picture scenarios that can be used with a wide range children, of varying ages and abilities. Above all this book is practical to use not only in the classroom but with children on an individual basis too.

The question sheets have been carefully structured to improve a child’s development in terms of verbal reasoning and thinking skills. The parallel assessments of written and spoken language can be used to assess each child on an individual basis, therefore each child will start at the right level for them, with their progress being monitored by worksheets and score forms, which are included.

The skills which a child can gain include:

• Improved verbal reasoning skills
• Improved thinking skills
• Develop language skills
• Improved Spoken & Written language

Who can the approach be used by?

Language for thinking can be used with children with;

• Delayed language skills
• Autistic Spectrum Conditions (Asperger’s Syndrome)
• Pragmatic Language Impairment
• Moderate Learning Difficulties

Language for thinking is used with a range of pupils who find verbal reasoning, language skills, and the spoken and written language difficult.

Children who often benefit from this system have:

• Difficulties in expressing themselves verbally
• Difficulty with the spoken and written language
• Difficulty with reading

Who can deliver the approach?

This approach can be implemented by therapists, school/support staff and family members.

Further Information

If you are interested in using language for thinking with your student or service user it is best to have their needs assessed. A Speech and Language Therapist or licensed tutor will provide training and support you to set up this approach.

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Free your time. Fresh, ready activities.

Speech therapy activities designed for therapists and kids to love.

Engaging Resources

Engaged therapy sessions, here you come! Speech & language activities that are guaranteed to catch the attention of any child. Perfect for digital learning and in-person fun.

BUNDLE Executive Function

✨ As seen on Boom Cards Featured Bundles!

This BUNDLE of executive function cards includes problem solving stories, social stories, predicting stories, sequencing stories, and flexible thinking stories.

Multiple types of wh- questions, why and how questions, labeling exercises, multiple choice, and drag and drop categorizations   are included throughout this bundle to encourage an in depth understanding of each executive functioning skill.

⭐️ 80 Problem Solving

• Multiple choice question
• 2 labeling exercises

⭐️   52 Social Stories

• Topics of social skills to choose from (feelings, manners, listening, sharing & turns, making friends, being kind)
• Sorting exercise
• 2 wh- questions

⭐️   50 Predicting (✨ as seen on Top Premium Boom Cards ✨)

• What questions
• How questions

⭐️   50 Sequencing

• 3 different what questions per story

⭐️   40 Flexible Thinking (✨ as seen on Top Premium Boom Cards ✨)

• Why questions
• Labeling exercise

Each deck includes a teaching slide and visual to help your students better understand executive function skills before practicing! 

CLICK HERE for Boom Cards Preview.

To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for modern Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with "Fast Pins," (a form of play that gives instant feedback to students for self-grading Boom Cards). For assignment options that report student progress back to you, you will need to purchase a premium account.If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account.Read here for details: http://bit.ly/BoomTrial .

Wh- Questions & Short Stories

15 short stories to target wh- questions, auditory comprehension, reading comprehension, recall, and more!

Multiple levels of difficulty, including both shorter and longer paragraphs for a variety of length and detail in the stories.

⭐ Wh- Questions in Short Stories

• 15 Paragraph Short Stories
• 6 Wh- Questions for every story
• Stories are 4-9 sentences in length
• What, where, who, when, why, and how questions for every story

*This product contains the same activities as the Boom Cards version. If you would like the Boom Cards version, view   Wh- Questions & Short Stories, Auditory Comprehension, Boom Cards.

Compare and Contrast

Compare and contrast a variety of topics with 5 different activities and over 400 prompts! Improve understanding and use of similarities and differences using this comprehensive activity. 

This resource includes   5 different ways to practice comparing and contrasting , including stories, Venn diagrams, wh questions, short answers, pictures, graphs, and more. Real photos are included in this resource.

⭐️ Compare and Contrast:

• 5 stories with Venn diagrams
• 10 picture pairs with wh questions and Venn diagrams
• 10 picture pairs with wh questions and short answer questions
• 10 word pairs with wh questions and short answers
• 10 word pairs with graphs and word banks
• 2 blank templates

⭐️   Targeted Skills:

• Improve use of compare and contrast
• Increase comprehension of similarities and differences
• Expand skills for answering questions

Topics & Questions

80 unique topics with 4 wh- questions and a story prompt to improve expressive and receptive language skills, with REAL pictures. Questions and story prompts improve story telling and sentence generation skills. What, where, who, when, why, and how questions are included, with 4 different questions for each picture.

✨ As featured on Boom Cards Top Premium Decks ✨

⭐ 80 Topics & Categories

• 5 activities for each topic
• Real picture for every topic
• 4 wh-/how questions for every topic
• 1 story prompt for every topic
• What, where, who, when, why, and how questions included

⭐  Targeted Skills

• Improve receptive & expressive language
• Enhance skills for   answering questions
• Boost   story telling skills
• Develop   noun labeling and describing

Practice describing topics and categories, by answering questions and discussing a story prompt for each topic!

To use Boom Cards, you   must   be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for modern Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with "Fast Pins," (a form of play that gives instant feedback to students for self-grading Boom Cards). For assignment options that report student progress back to you, you will need to purchase a premium account.   If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account.   Read here for details:   http://bit.ly/BoomTrial .

Conversation Starters

Conversation starters to improve commenting, asking questions, and answering questions during conversations. Conversation prompts has variety of ways to practice conversations, including questions, open response, fill in the blank, and more.

This resource includes   multiple ways to practice conversations , including pictures, comments, questions, asking questions, and more.

⭐️   All About Me Conversation Starters:

• 2 what questions
• 1 how question
• Open response opportunity

⭐️   Conversation Topics:

• 20 unique topics
• 3 open response opportunities to practice
• Practice asking questions and making comments

⭐️   Conversation Photos:

• 20 unique photo prompts
• 2 open response opportunities to practice

⭐️   Boom Cards include:

• 20 conversation topics
• 20 conversation starters with real photos
• Open response opportunities to practice

⭐️   Targeted skills:

• Improve conversation abilities
• Increase ability to ask and answer questions in conversations
• Expand commenting skills during conversations

NOTE: This resource includes 1 printable PDF with a Boom Cards companion. The Boom Cards contains part of the PDF resource, but does not include the "All About Me" conversation starters. Boom Cards are digital resources. PDF pages can be used digitally with PDF applications or can be printed for in person use.

To use boom cards, you must be connected to the internet. boom cards play on modern browsers (chrome, safari, firefox, and edge). apps are available for modern android, ipads, iphones, and kindle fires. for security and privacy, adults must have a boom learning account to use and assign boom cards. you will be able to assign the boom cards you are buying with "fast pins," (a form of play that gives instant feedback to students for self-grading boom cards). for assignment options that report student progress back to you, you will need to purchase a premium account. if you are new to boom learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account. read here for details: http://bit.ly/boomtrial ..

Problems & Solutions with Problem Size

Problem solving stories, problem size, solutions, common problems   and more are included in this set.   There are 80 unique problem solving and solution scenarios   for critical thinking. Open response questions and multiple choice questions are included in every story! You will receive problem size and common problem teaching pages, as well as multiple examples.

⭐️   80 Problem Solving Stories

• 80 unique problem scenarios
• Multiple choice question for every story
• 2 open response exercises for every story

⭐️   Problem Size Slides & Questions

• 5 in-depth teaching pages
• Problem size (small, medium, big) definitions
• Emotions related to problem sizes
• Color coordinated problem size visual
• 2 small problem exercises
• 2 medium problem exercises
• 2 big problem exercises

⭐️   Common Problems & Questions

• Teaching slide with definitions & examples
• 6 scenarios of common problems
• 2 free response problem & solution questions per scenario 

With 80 unique stories, 12 common problem scenarios, 6 problem size questions and multiple teaching pages, you will be able to use this resource for   many   teaching sessions. You won't need anything else!

Story Builders & Create A Story

Improve creative writing with these narrative and short story prompts! This set of   70 short story builders   comes with character, location, event and time learning targets.

Help your students improve their stories and increase their creative narrative skills. There is space for students to type or write their stories, as well as an organizing task for story parts. 

Your students will have all the tools they need to create unique and imaginative stories!

⭐️ Includes:

• 70 story builders
• 3 practice levels
• A combination of who (character), where (location), what (event) and when (time) story part targets
• 36 story builders that include 2 story parts
• 20 story builders that include 3 story parts
• 14 story builders that include 4 story parts
• Story parts organizing task with pictures
• Space for creative writing and narrative generation
• Instructions on each page 

⭐️ Teaching slides:

• In depth information about the 4 included story parts
• Descriptions
• Picture matching activities 

Save your time and energy, this set is NO PREP! Includes everything you need to elicit creative, engaging stories from your students.

Perfect for SLPs, teachers, or parents looking to expand language or writing in a fun and creative way!

Social Skills & Pragmatics

Social skills and pragmatic language set to improve executive functioning skills.   52 unique stories with sorting and wh- questions!

Social skills topic can be organized by category or practiced in random order, depending on your goals! Your students will sort each card into "appropriate" or "inappropriate" categories. They also will have an opportunity to explain how to improve social skills. Keep students engaged with interactive drag and drop!

⭐️   52 Social Skills short stories

• 2 scenarios per slide
• Drag and drop sorting for "appropriate" or "inappropriate" behavior
• What question to target improving behaviors
• Why question to target critical thinking

⭐️   Skills are able to be sorted by topic:

• Sharing & Turns
• Making Friends

BUNDLE for Executive Function Skills also available in Shine Speech Activities shop , which includes problem solving, predicting, flexible thinking, social skills, and sequencing/planning, too!

Use this deck to help teach and practice pragmatic skills - you won't need anything else!

Sentence Comprehension & Language Comprehension

Improve sentence comprehension, language and reading comprehension, and picture comprehension with 4 activities and over 125 prompts for speech therapy or classrooms! Target comprehending, receptive language, and more.

This resource includes   4 different ways to practice sentence comprehension , including wh questions, pictures, fill in the blanks, and more. Real photos are included in this resource.

⭐️ Sentence Comprehension:

• 40 sentence comprehension task cards with 3 questions each
• 30 real photo sentence comprehension prompts
• 30 multiple choice reading comprehension activities
• 30 fill in the blank language comprehension prompts
• Improve sentence comprehension skills
• Increase receptive and expressive language abilities
• Expand skills for understanding sentences and pictures

Categories with divergent naming, convergent naming, group, similarities, differences, and more! Words, cartoons, and real pictures included for a variety of ways to practice.

This resource includes   6 different ways to practice categories , including describing, naming, grouping, similarities, differences, and topics. Category cards include words, cartoon pictures to color, and real photos!

⭐️ Categories:

• 40 Describe the category
• 40 Name the category
• 40 Categories Grouping
• 24 Categories similarities
• 24 Categories differences
• 6 Categories Topics
• 10 Describe the category
• 15 Name the category
• 15 Categories Grouping
• 15 Categories similarities
• 15 Categories differences
• 5 Categories Topics
• Improve understanding categories
• Expand ability to describe categories
• Practice language with categories 

NOTE: This resource includes 1 printable PDF with a Boom Cards companion. The Boom Cards contains part of the PDF resource. Boom Cards are digital resources. PDF pages can be used digitally with PDF applications or can be printed for in person use.

Picture & Word Describing Webs

This set of 70 picture description webs targets describing pictures and words by color, shape, size, location, material, function, category and more. Includes 8 wh- questions for each word!

Teaching slides are also included to teach your students how to describe pictures.

⭐️ Picture Description Webs:

• 8 fill in the blank questions to target descriptions
• Color description targets
• Size description targets
• Shape description targets
• Location description targets
• Material description targets
• Function description targets
• Category description targets
• Who (who uses it?) description targets
• Color coded targets to improve memory of ways to describe

⭐️ Teaching Slides:

• Question example for each description target
• Concrete examples of each description type 

⭐️ Bonus Pages on PDF:

• Colored blank picture web template with 8 questions
• Black and white picture web template with 8 questions

BONUS! A blank PDF template for a color web and a black and white web are also included.   Your students have the opportunity to draw their own unique pictures and create webs.

70 trials, plus blank webs, allows for unlimited practice of picture and word describing. 

Help your students learn how to describe with this activity! PDF and Boom Cards versions are included.

Predicting in Short Stories

This activity includes   50 predicting stories . Unique and original scenarios for predicting practice!

✨ As seen on Boom Cards Top Premium Decks ✨

Each scenario   includes a "what" question and a "how" question   for further discussion and analysis for your students.

50 stories means you won't need any other activity for predicting! Use these randomized trials track data over multiple sessions.

⭐️   50 Predicting story slides

• Unique predicting scenarios
• What question for predicting
• How question for analyzing prediction

BUNDLE Figurative Language

This BUNDLE of figurative language cards includes idioms, metaphors, hyperboles, personification and similes. Over 255 practice targets with figurative language!

The set targets multiple skills so your students will have an in depth understanding of each type of figurative language! This set is a truly comprehensive approach to understanding and using figurative language.

⭐️ 60 Idioms

• Yes/no questions for every trial
• What questions for every trial
• Free response (students have an opportunity to create their own idioms) for every trial

⭐️ 40 Metaphors

• Free response (students have an opportunity to create their own metaphors) for every trial

⭐️ 40 Similes

• Free response (students have an opportunity to create their own similes) for every trial

⭐️ 45 Hyperboles

• Free response (students have an opportunity to create their own hyperboles) for every trial

⭐️ 40 Personification

• Free response to give students opportunity to create short stories with personification

⭐️ 35 Allusions

• 2 what questions for every trial
• Free response to encourage building allusions in sentences
• Allusions to Historical figures, literature, famous fictional characters, locations/landmarks, Greek mythology, movies and more

⭐️ Each deck includes a teaching slide

• Definitions
• Help your students understand and identify figurative language before practicing

Preview Boom Cards HERE.

Prepositions & Spatial Concepts

This set of   prepositions targets spatial and location concepts with 60 trials ! Teach your students prepositions and location with this robust, comprehensive deck.

You can pick which preposition to target, or practice with randomized slides. The teaching module will   teach your students everything they need to know about each preposition   before practicing! 

⭐️   Prepositions include:

⭐️   learning module includes:.

Use the practice slides to practice prepositions with multiple choice. Navigate between the learning module and practice cards using the buttons at the bottom of each slide.

CLICK HERE for Boom Card Preview.

To use Boom Cards, you  must  be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for modern Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with "Fast Pins," (a form of play that gives instant feedback to students for self-grading Boom Cards). For assignment options that report student progress back to you, you will need to purchase a premium account. If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account. Read here for details: http://bit.ly/BoomTrial .

Main Idea & Supporting Details

Main idea and supporting details with 5 different ways to practice and 50 unique prompts! Improve reading comprehension and writing skills using this main ideas and detail resource.

This product contains a PDF version and a Boom Cards companion.

This resource includes   5 different ways to practice main idea and supporting details , including stories with questions, main ideas vs. details, create-a-story, grouping, and pictures with questions. Real photos are also included in this resource.

⭐️ Main Idea & Details:

• 10 Stories & Questions
• 10 Main Ideas vs. Details
• 10 Create-A-Story
• 10 Grouping
• 10 Pictures & Questions
• Improve understanding main ideas and details
• Increase reading comprehension abilities
• Expand skills for creating stories

To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for modern Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with "Fast Pins," (a form of play that gives instant feedback to students for self-grading Boom Cards). For assignment options that report student progress back to you, you will need to purchase a premium account.  If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account.  Read here for details: http://bit.ly/BoomTrial .

Expanding Language with Wh Questions and Real Pictures

Expand expressive language using wh- questions and sentence generation prompts with real pictures.   Improve expressive language, answering questions, labeling verbs, and story generation!   What, where, and who questions are included for every picture!

⭐ Expanding Language with Real Pictures

• 80 real life pictures
• 3 wh- questions   for every story
• Free response prompt   for every story
• Large variety of actions and topics within pictures
• What, where, and who questions for every story
• Printable pages

⭐ Targeted Skills

• Improve expressive language
• Enhance skills for answering questions
• Boost sentence and story generation skills
• Develop verb describing and labeling

Sequencing and Planning

This set of 50 sequencing and planning activity deck will help your students improve their planning skills! The deck includes a variety of sequencing and planning scenarios and trials for your students.

Each open-ended short story includes 3 color-coded wh- questions to guide sequencing.

⭐️   50 Sequencing short stories

• Unique sequencing stories
• 3 wh- questions per story
• Color-coded questions, to match teaching slide

⭐️   Teaching slide

• 6 unique teaching  slides with visuals
• Color-coded information to match questions in trials
• Drag & drop activity
• Synonyms for key words
• Example of a story sequence

CLICK HERE for Boom Cards Preview

Flexible Thinking & Reframing

This set of 40 flexible thinking and reframing thoughts cards   teaches your students how to improve flexible thinking   in difficult situations.

Each unique scenario includes   multiple questions as well as a labeling exercise   to encourage flexible thinking and increasing creative problem solving.

⭐️   Each Flexible Thinking trial includes:

• Why question
• How question

⭐️   Teaching slides include:

• Flexible v. rigid thinking comparison
• Flexible thinking examples
• Strategies for use of flexible thinking in difficult moments

INCLUDES: Both a PDF version and a Boom Cards version!

BUNDLE for Wh- Questions also available in Shine Speech Activities shop , which includes short stories and sentences!

CLICK HERE for Boom Cards Preview .

*This product contains the same activities as the PDF version. If you would like the PDF version, view   Wh- Questions & Short Stories, Auditory Comprehension .

Inferencing & Context Clues

70 inferencing and context clues trials to improve critical thinking skills! Each trial comes with 4 unique clues to help your students make an inference. They can then provide their answer, and drag the cover away to see the correct answer and a picture.

⭐️   As featured on Boom Cards Top Premium Decks   ⭐️

⭐ 70 Inferencing & Context Clues Slides:

• 4 clues for every word
• Space to type an answer
• Drag to uncover the correct answer
• Pictures of the correct answer

⭐ Skills targeted:

• Improve inferencing
• Enhance ability to understand clues
• Increase critical thinking and executive function abilities
• Boost deductive reasoning skills
• Improve ability to draw conclusions

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