It's on the tip of my tongue!

Have you ever had a word stuck on the tip of your tongue?

You might assume that if you think about it long enough and finally remember the word that you will be more likely to recall that same word in the future.  In fact the opposite may be true!  Time spent in a "tip-of-the tongue state" reinforces the pattern that caused you to forget the word in the first place.

A study which appeared in The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology suggests that the next time you have a word on the tip of your tongue you should immediately look it up or ask someone.  Then say it to yourself therefore creating a new memory regarding the word!

Trick or Treat Cards!

Halloween can be a tough holiday for many children on the spectrum or with special needs, so here are some free “Trick or Treat” cards to make this holiday a little easier for your child. All you need to do is print these out and fill in your child’s name. When they go to each house on Halloween, just have them pass out a card to encourage their independence and promote understanding and awareness in your community. 

Trick or Treat Cards 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

Megan 

Paper Bag Scarecrow Puppet Activity

Fall has arrived. With it comes rainy afternoons. Here's a fun and simple project to make with your kids sometime this season and ideas to encourage speech and language development in the process.

-Provide directions using words like first, after, next, then, last to complete the activity

-Brainstorm a list of materials you'll need to make the puppet (be creative- use those mis-matched buttons lying around or glitter or make a collage from magazine clippings)

-Discuss what scarecrows do and why

-Talk about places you might find scarecrows

-Describe the features of the scarecrow (perhaps it has patches on its shirt or is filled with scratchy straw)

-Show you child how to put their hand inside and lift the flap to make the scarecrow talk

-Practice articulation 'homework' words with the scarecrow

Put on a puppet show and enjoy!

-Elizabeth