Curriculum - a life saver

Using a curriculum for speech-language therapy is a time-saver and stress reliever for any speech-language pathologist.  Almost every school has a basic curriculum in place.  It's your job to talk with the teachers to discover what that curriculum might be. 

The Benefits

So many times therapists feel they must use ready-made materials designed specifically for speech-language treatment.  Unfortunately, they miss out on making their lives easier as well as encouraging language development in their students.  For example, if a child with difficulties in reading comprehension is studying about the Pilgrims in history, you could use supplemental books or even the child's textbook to read about the Pilgrims and work on his/her comprehension.  There is no need to begin a brand new list of vocabulary or ideas, when the child will best benefit from keeping the same curriculum. Most of the children in schools who receive speech therapy have difficulty with reading/language arts. What could be a more natural response than to use their familiar books, stories, or activities from school to encourage their participation in class and their success?

The therapist also benefits from using a curriculum.  No longer does he/she flounder about before therapy and wonder 'what will I do today with my child?"  The curriculum is already set up, so the therapist can plan her activities in advance while also encouraging the child's language.  Children want to feel successful, just like everybody else.  They are more likely to be successful when they are familiar with the story, idea, or concept. If, for example, a class is studying bugs/caterpillars, why not plan your therapy around that very theme.  For articulation, there are many options (i.e. /k/ in caterpillar, /g/ in bug; for language, the options magnify (sequencing stories/events, labeling, answering 'wh' questions, reading comprehension).  Again, this not only gives you a jumping off point for planning, but it also continues to encourage the development of similar vocabulary and concepts for the child.

An example curriculum

Unfortunately, not all places have a curriculum set up, especially preschools.  Below is an example curriculum you can use.  Any theme you choose can be modified to address various communication disorders. I hope the following activities and plans will be helpful to you.  You will discover that all of my lesson plans use books.  Whether you are working with pre-readers or readers, literacy and language go hand-in-hand.  There has been an explosion in excellent children's literature lately, so take advantage of it!  Use the libraries in your schools, the teachers you work with, yard sales, consignment shops, and bookstores to supplement the concepts for the children you work with.