Dear Parents,
Welcome to our first newsletter! The following information will help you to stay in touch with what your students are doing in Ms. Hanson’s and Mr. Heibein’s class, as well as Mrs. Harris’s Speech/Language Therapy services! We will send a monthly newsletter home and it will also be available on our Newsletter Blog (here!).
Welcome to our first newsletter! The following information will help you to stay in touch with what your students are doing in Ms. Hanson’s and Mr. Heibein’s class, as well as Mrs. Harris’s Speech/Language Therapy services! We will send a monthly newsletter home and it will also be available on our Newsletter Blog (here!).
Reading
Here’s a great way to read to your child:
*If your child uses a communication device, make sure you are modeling this on his/her device! If you would like more information, please let Mrs. Harris know and she will set up a training on this topic!
- Read a Page (see example above)
- Ask a simple question (i.e. Who was in trouble?) and wait for response.
- Answer the question if child doesn’t respond. (The turkey!)
*If your child uses a communication device, make sure you are modeling this on his/her device! If you would like more information, please let Mrs. Harris know and she will set up a training on this topic!
WRITING
The students have been working on writing about National Geographic’s daily picture.
They are learning to write using a simple sentence structure. For students who are using assistive technology, the words are often color-coded, and fit into the sentence structure below:
Math
The students have been working on a concept called “Touch Math.” This is a multi-sensory approach for students to have hands-on, concrete access to numbers and counting. The students are beginning to learn to add using Touch Math.
Communication
We are so excited that our students will begin their Problem Based Learning this year by watching interactive video models of a basic conversation. This means that your student will be learning to greet others, ask questions during a conversation and exit a conversation. We will provide some home ideas next month!
Sabatoge! This is a wonderful strategy to learn which will help your child communicate. Communication sabotage is setting up a situation that will help encourage your child to communicate. For example, you might set their favorite video game out of reach, and expect them to ask for it. Or you may leave something out, like that favorite video game. Leave the case empty, and expect your child to ask for it. |
See the link below for ideas on Sabotaging a situation: This is also a great time to focus on Core Vocabulary, which is the vocabulary that is the most flexible and most useful in the long run! For example, if your child is asking for a movie, expect that they are telling you “I want a movie.” “I want a” are core words. Or you might have your child ask for help “Help, please,” or state a need “I need more.” Look at all of those core words! |
Speech Therapy Corner:
Parents, please send in family pictures with your students. In speech/language therapy, we are working on personal collages as we improve our communication. Who doesn’t love to talk about themselves!!
Parents, please send in family pictures with your students. In speech/language therapy, we are working on personal collages as we improve our communication. Who doesn’t love to talk about themselves!!