Holiday Games for Word Retrieval

As I make out my gift-giving lists for family and friends, I am reminded that there's no better time to think about buying family games. Did you know there are many games on the market that not only create quality family time, but also work on language skills. One of the areas I enjoy working on with my students is word retrieval, also referred to as word recall. is the ability to recall…

Storytelling and Language-learning Differences

A writer's brain is like a magician's hat. If you are going get anything out of it, you have to put something in it first. - Louis L'Amour So often students with language-learning differences have difficulties with narratives, a.k.a. stories. One 7th grader I tested recently was asked to tell me an original story. This is what he said:  There was a boy. He walked into town and couldn't find…

Speech Language Pathologist

As an SLP with a heavy and diverse caseload, InferCabulary is my go-to program, as I can use it to address a number of goals simultaneously. My students’ pace of acquisition of new vocabulary items has increased dramatically because of the way in which the information is presented. It is incredibly motivating for students and highlights connections between words in a way that no other program…

Resources

Vocabulary Instruction Using InferCabulary Have you ever wondered what's holding your students back? Low vocabulary plays a huge role in reading comprehension grades 2-12. InferCabulary is an online vocabulary tool that mimics the act of avid reading. In InferCabulary, students encounter Tier 2 vocabulary  words in a rich, multimedia environment.…

Back to School Vocabulary Strategies

While kids and parents are scrambling for school supplies, lunch boxes and backpacks, I am scrambling to get my students organized for learning vocabulary this year. I start preparing my students over the summer break. They learn low tech vocabulary strategies with index cards. The word on the front and definition on the back. A visual cue on the front to promote memory and other ideas from my…

Holiday Card Games for Language

To continue our Holiday List for family games that are fun and target language skills, too, my students have a few favorites in the card game category. HedBandz Putting your thinking cap on can take on a literal meaning when you play HedBandz. (Thanks to Stephanie for this idea.) It's a favorite of elementary school kids and looking silly playing the game can create lasting memories. Each player…

Nicaraguan Surprise

  I had the amazing blessing of going to Nicaragua for a mission trip two weeks ago. The land is beautiful. The faces of so many are beautiful. The financial poverty is astounding, with many there making less than a dollar a day in income. The educational need is great. Although there is a public school system, it seems many parents choose not to send their children because, “I…

Worksheet Download

Graphic Organizer Worksheet & Vocabulary Activities Download Presentation & Worksheet Vocabulary is one of the five main components of reading instruction. Helping your child improve their vocabulary will also help them improve reading comprehension. The more words a student knows deeply and broadly, the better their understanding of both the spoken and written word. How…

Featured Book Recommendations: Part 1 

InferCabulary celebrates African-American authors and characters A good story captures a character’s experience, a moment in history, worlds that are new, old, or make believe, and so much more. The power of storytelling is that narratives can inform readers about unique experiences, cultures, and perspectives.  It is also essential for people of all ages to see themselves represented on the…