Best Bug Books for Speech Therapy

Creepy Crawly bugs! I don't like them in my house, but I love them in my speech therapy sessions. What is it about bugs that fascinates children? These bright colorful creatures intrigue children of all ages. Whether you share your favorite rhyming book or non-fiction reference book about bugs, your students will ask for them again and again.  Engage in conversation, ask critical thinking questions, connect text to life experiences, learn a new word, and play with sounds, rhymes, and syllables. In this post, I want to share what I think are the BEST Bug Books for Speech Therapy. (Amazon affiliate links are included)

10 Speech Therapy Goals for "The Doorbell Rang" by Pat Hutchins

Pat Hutchins is one of my favorite authors. Her books are rich in content and engaging for young learners. If you have not read my previous blog post, Teaching Basic Concepts Using Rosie's Walk, I recommend it as a follow-up to this blog.The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins, is written for early elementary. Activities can also be adapted for students in alternative curriculum classes needing age/grade level appropriate content. (An Amazon affiliate link is provided)

In this post, I've identified 10 target goals for The Doorbell Rang that you can encorporate in your speech therapy groups today.

How to Use "Smellies" in Speech Therapy

The beginning of the school year is my time to reflect on what worked from last year and what didn't. Returning to school refreshed and relaxed always motivates me to try something new in the speech room. This year, I wanted to find an alternative to sticker charts and treasure boxes in speech therapy. The early childhood special education teacher and PreK teachers on my campus were using flavored lip balm on the back of little hands as a tangible reward for sitting during carpet, or completing work in a learning center. I started off the year experimenting with this reward system and realized that PreK students were not the only ones motivated by my "smellies." Turns out that three year-olds and fifth graders all love smellies in speech therapy. You can purchase several flavors of lip balm for $1 each, and you'll have enough to last the entire year.  But after a couple sessions of smellies, I discovered there are so many more uses for flavored lip balm than just a reward for good behavior. 

Speech and Language Activities for "The Apple Pie Tree"

Fall is one of my favorite seasons of the year for speech therapy. The warm smells, vibrant colors and cooler weather provide a platform for rich literacy and language opportunities with children. If your speech therapy groups are anything like mine, you have mixed articulation, fluency, social and language needs throughout the day. 

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall, is a sweet and engaging book for kindergarten through upper elementary. Activities can also be adapted for students in alternative curriculum classes needing age/grade level appropriate content. (An Amazon affiliate link is provided)

I've outlined a few target skills and included a freebie at the end of this blog for you to start using today.