Storybook Maker App Review and Giveaway

Looking for a must-have app for your app collection?  If so, spend the next few minutes with me and learn all about Storybook Maker from Merge Mobile! 

While this app isn't brand new to the market, it is definitely one that is still talked about regularly among our fellow SLPs.  When I was recently given the opportunity to review it for you, I JUMPED at the chance!   

I love the versatility of this app for use in speech therapy!  It is appropriate for many different age groups and the possibilities for addressing targeted skills in therapy are virtually endless. If you can think up a goal, you can most likely address it with this app. How about Articulation? Fluency?  Language?  Auditory Memory/Comprehension? Following Directions?  Social Stories?  You can target each and every one of these areas with this one app and it is so easy to use! 

To begin, just click on New Book, add a Title and click Create!!  From there, just select one of 12 different page styles.  Here is the template for a 3-picture page that I used to make pages about vacationing at the beach!  

Before Pictures/Text: 

After Pictures/Text: 

Layout Changes:  Text size, Font, Color, Move

Customization:  Borders, Backgrounds, etc...

The FINISHED page!!

Could this app get any better?  Why yes!  You can even record your own voice to really bring your story to life!  So many options - this is better than scrapbooking any day (and far less messy)!!!  I have to say - I am officially addicted!  

Want your copy?  You can pick up this app from Merge Mobile in the app store for only $3.99 by clicking HERE or enter to win one of three copies generously donated by Merge Mobile just by entering via Rafflecopter below!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  Straight Up Speech was provided a copy of this app for the above review.  No other compensation was provided.  

What am I? Summer Edition

Well, summer is officially here, but in my neck of the woods (northeast Indiana) it sure doesn't feel much like it today :(  So to help brighten up my spirits and yours, I am excited to tell you about a GREAT new product from Rachel (aka: the bride to be) at The Queen's Speech!

What am I?  Summer Edition.

This 22-page unit addresses receptive language, expressive language and semantics! It is so versatile!  You definitely won't want to miss out on getting a copy of this activity for your students!

This packet includes:

Summer vocabulary cards with matching pictures to address receptive language (blue and orange cards).  I love these cards for my preschoolers who have difficulty identifying objects given a verbal description or for those just learning the concept, the option to use the orange picture cards as part of a matching activity!

Describing cards to expand expressive vocabulary (attributes, categories, etc.) (green and orange cards)  these are great for describing the pictures on the card and depending on the cards chosen can be used for compare and contrast activities as well!

What about a game option, you might ask...Rachel's got that covered!  She has also included cute Bingo cards for group play!  Who doesn't love BINGO?

Finally, she has included a fabulous teaching tool - a descriptive mat - a great visual for naming multiple attributes of each item - can your students name each one?

In all, What am I?  Summer Edition is a great end of the school year activity (getting ready for summer), a great summer activity for those of you who work ESY or in a hospital or clinic setting like I do, and/or a great activity to start the school year to kick off conversations about what your students did over the summer!   You can find this great activity in her TPT store by clicking here

AND...If you like this activity as much as I do - you're in luck!  Rachel has also created two other editions including:

• What am I?  School Edition (next on my wishlist :) )
• Who are You?  Animal and Insect Edition

You can find out more these products as well as all of her other activities by visiting her blog, following her on Facebook or by visiting her store on TPT.

Love this and want to win it?  The Queen's Speech is giving two copies away!  Hop on over to her blog HERE and enter to win!

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Sequence Comprehension - A Product Review and GIVEAWAY!

Comprehension - wow, how many of us work on this skill with our students?  Need a new way in which to target this skill?  Look no further than the Sequence Comprehension - First, Second, Last, Before, After packet by Rae's Speech Spot!

This 15-page packet not only addresses reading/auditory comprehension skills for one-paragraph readings, but also adds another level of difficulty by addressing sequencing concepts too!

What happened first?

What happened second?

What happened last (addresses before/last)?

What I love most about this packet is it's versatility, I could not only address sequence concepts as the activity was designed, but I could also address wh- questions as well by using the information presented in each paragraph!  These cards are perfect for many different skill levels for that reason.  Rae also included some special cards that can be used for a game option as well!

While this packet does have an Earth Day theme, it is appropriate for every day use as well!  Every day should be Earth Day, right??!! Want a chance to win a copy?  Be sure to enter below to win one of two copies that Rae has been so generous to offer up for the giveaway!

If you just can't wait for the drawing, then head on over to Rae's TPT store right now by clicking here.  While you are there, be sure to check out all of her other great products and be sure follow her on TPT to find out what fantastic product she introduces next.  You can also keep up with Rae by following her blog by clicking here or on her Facebook page by clicking here.  

Good luck to all and happy sequencing!!

Jenn

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Mr Froggie Says... An activity review and giveaway

In the four and a half months since starting my blog, I have been very fortunate to get to know and collaborate with many great speech-language pathologists across the country.  One of those SLPs is Natalie Boatwright from Just Wright Speech.

Natalie works as a school SLP and recently created a great activity targeting prepositions and following directions.  She has graciously offered to let me review Mr. Froggie Says... and has offered up two copies to give away via Rafflecopter!

Mr Froggie Says... is a 16-page packet that addresses both 1- and 2-step directions and prepositions.  Both sets of activities could be used to target receptive and expressive language as well as auditory memory goals with your students!  As such, it is extremely versatile and the cute graphics make it a packet your students will definitely love!

Mr Froggie Says... contains the following:

•16 following direction cards (1- and 2-step)

•24 preposition cards with labels/without labels for identification of each preposition targeted

•2 large lily pads and 16 picture cards to match preposition cards (i.e., put the turtle under the lily pad)

•1 open ended game board

Natalie developed multiple activities for using these materials including memory, a "Simon Says" type activity, and replicating the preposition cards using lily pad and picture cards as described above.

I LOVE this packet and my preschool/kindergarten clients do too!  I added a bit of a twist in converting the 2-step directions into 3-step by adding a frog action to the beginning (i.e. "ribbit" like a frog, hop like a frog, hop over Miss Jenn's legs, etc).  This proved to be a great way to keep my clients' attention, increased the difficulty level for those whose goals target multi-step directions and gave those clients who need to move, another "fun" way to do so!

To see what Natalie has been up to most recently and to hear about her new products, giveaways, etc... be sure to 

Visit her blog by clicking here

Follow her on  Facebook by clicking here and/or

Check out all her great activities by visiting her TPT store here

Also, be sure to enter the giveaway via Rafflecopter below for your chance to win a copy of Mr. Froggie Says... and head on over to Just Wright Speech by clicking here to see her review of my Articulation Bingo for /k/ and /g/activity



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Elementary, My Dear Analogies

Happy Sunday!

Here is my newest activity targeting simple analogies for preschoolers and early elementary students.  

This 12-page activity addresses analogies both receptively and expressively and uses kid-friendly graphics to help your students fill-in-the missing answer.  This packet contains:

Fill-in-the-blank cards for expressive task:

Answer cards to pair with cards above for receptive task:

I created this packet to fill a gap in my materials, as I have many preschool-aged with this goal, but sadly, few materials to address it (particularly with graphics)! Hope it proves to be a useful tool for your students as well!

You can find Elementary, My Dear Analogies in my TPT store here

Jenn

Who? -er Noun Derivatives

Many of my preschoolers have difficulty answering "who" questions in general.  Often times, I hear answers like "boy", "girl", "lady", "guy", "a mom", or "a dad" when my clients don't know the answer.  While this is a bit of a spin on that skill, noun derivatives are often missed by my preschoolers as well.

This 14-page activity targets -er noun derivatives.  Students using this activity will gain a greater understanding of noun derivatives and complete a variety of practice opportunities designed to change action verbs into nouns, specifically using those actions to identify the person who completes that action.

This activity includes:

18 picture cards (pages 3-5)
18 sentence cards (pages 6-8)
18 picture cards with fill-in-the blank sentences (pages 9-11)
18 fill-in-the blank sentence cards (pages 12-14)

Task 1:  Students will match picture cards to sentence cards or select picture when sentences are read aloud by clinician (receptive task).
Task 2:  Students will state fill-in-blank answer either with or without picture cues (expressive task).  

Hope this activity proves to be helpful for your students as well!  You can find this activity in my TPT store by clicking here

Jenn

Guess what??  I just recently finished the second installment in my Articulation BINGO series targeting /s/ and /z/ in all word positions!

My Articulation BINGO sets include simple sets of cards (just clip art picture and word) and addresses multiple words per position per sound.

This activity includes:

Contents:

• 35 picture cards each for initial /s/ (pages 3-8) and 11 picture cards for initial /z/ (pages 37-38)
• 35 picture cards each for medial /s/ (pages 13-18) and medial /z/ (pages 39-42)
• 35 picture cards for final /s/ (pages 23-28) and 35 for final /z/ (pages 47-52)
• 4 different picture bingo boards per word position per sound (24 total) (/s/ pages 9-12, 19-22, 29-32) and
• 4 different picture bingo boards with all word positions represented per sound (12 total) (pages 33-36 and /z/ pages, 43-46 (medial), 53-56 (final)  **due to lack of initial /z/ words, no bingo boards are included for this position (pages 57-60)

**Cards can be used for traditional articulation drill and practice or to play one of the following game options.

• Bingo:   Distribute bingo board to each student.  Have students take turns drawing picture card and naming items with target sound.  First student to get bingo (across, down, or horizontally) or cover entire board is winner.

• Memory:  Print two sets of picture cards and have students name items with target sound while matching picture pairs.

• Go Fish:  Print two sets of picture cards and have students use repeated sentence framework to request desired picture with target sound.

As I hinted above, there will be additional Articulation BINGO sets on the horizon!  Stay tuned for the next installment /sh, th, ch/ and thank you for all of your continued support of Straight Up Speech!

Get your copy of Articulation Bingo for /s/ and /z/ in my TPT store by clicking here

Jenn