Category Archives: Speech & Language Therapy

Dr. Marion Blank’s Language Levels

Posted on 17/04/2020 by languageisheartosay

I was bowled over the day I came upon this work and it underpinned my practice in speech and language therapy thereafter. I have written before about it and I think all the links still work. For background information and … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Inference, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged Getting meaning from pictures, Home schooling, language development, Marion Blank, new vocabulary, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Any day now…

Posted on 16/04/2020 by languageisheartosay

Here we are in April already and facing a whole new set of rules for life. I know there must be many people trying to provide input at home which is normally done elsewhere by someone else. So I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, ESL / EFL / EAL, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Home schooling, language development, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Black Sheep Press

Posted on 09/08/2017 by languageisheartosay

Black Sheep Press has a new website with lots of exciting changes and improved features. You can visit it here. I used many of the resources from Black Sheep Press while I was working with young children. The company publishes … Continue reading →

Posted in Association, Child language, Competence level, Education at home, ESL / EFL / EAL, Grammar, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Black Sheep Press, Getting meaning from pictures, Learning to mean, Making it easier, Mr Goodguess | Comments Off

Modigliani portraits

Posted on 01/08/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here are my examples from lesson 6. Good vocabulary possibilities: Yesterday the page was divided down the middle. Today the background space is divided by lines drawn down and then across. The rectangles are fairly random. A coloured line is … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim, Idiom & metaphor, language development, Learning to mean, new vocabulary | Comments Off

Oil pastel and paint people

Posted on 31/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here are my examples from lesson 5. I didn’t have enough black paper to make the expected size and I made them much too small so could not add the suggested extra decorations. I also had to use Cray-Pas as … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim, Diane Culhane, Getting meaning from pictures, Idiom & metaphor, language development, Learning to mean, new vocabulary | Comments Off

Nature faces

Posted on 31/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here are my faces made from a few things I picked up in the garden or saw on my table. It was fun to see how spacing the eyes differently changed the face a lot. Vocabulary about the faces: naming … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim, Describing vocabulary, Emotions, Idiom & metaphor, language development, Learning to mean, Lynn Whipple, US English versus UK English | Comments Off

Leaf printing

Posted on 29/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here are my tags decorated with leaf prints in lesson 3. I made some prints into birds and others into bugs as suggested. Good vocabulary possibilities: Birds: talk again about how we know they are birds – refer back … Continue reading →

Night sky

Posted on 29/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here are my night sky pictures from lesson 2. Good vocabulary possibilities: Adjectives: you may have a copy of The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark which is often read in school. It contains many ‘wow words’ which are … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim, Diane Culhane, Idiom & metaphor, language development, Learning to mean, The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark, What kids say | Comments Off

Picasso dog

Posted on 28/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here is my Picasso dog. Did you make some? Good vocabulary possibilities: Eye, nose, ear, tongue, paw, tail, (learning to name the parts of things is really important for clarity – see http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Naming-of-parts-6224211/ ) Talk about what’s missing from this … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim, Getting meaning from pictures, language development | Comments Off

Crazy birds

Posted on 28/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Here are my crazy birds. Did you make some? Good vocabulary possibilities: bird beak tail claws wings feathers two legs (learning to name the parts of things is really important for clarity – see http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Naming-of-parts-6224211/ ) colour names and … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, ESL / EFL / EAL, Helping children understand, Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim, Getting meaning from pictures, language development | Comments Off

Kids Art Week

Posted on 10/07/2015 by languageisheartosay

Knowing how lovely Carla Sonheim’s classes are, I’m sure this one will be no exception – and it’s free! Click on the picture to get more details and sign up. I’ll be there – ever a child at heart! Art … Continue reading →

Posted in Helping language skills at home, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Carla Sonheim | Comments Off

It’s dinner time!

Posted on 01/03/2015 by languageisheartosay

A 5-year-old lad had a nasty fall off his bike, ripped a fingernail and went to A&E to be patched up. In spite of this traumatic series of events, he suggested to his mum that they ask the doctor home … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Grammar, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Tagged language development, Learning to mean, What kids say | Comments Off

Dr. Marion Blank

Posted on 26/02/2015 by languageisheartosay

The language style used by adults to children in the preschool and early school years is critical. (Post reissued)

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Grammar, Helping children understand, Marion Blank, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged language development, Learning to mean, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Time and Index Update

Posted on 10/01/2015 by languageisheartosay

1. I’ve decided to make a new special section in the list of resources called Time. These time resources are not new but I haven’t collected them together before. Anyone working with children with delayed or impaired language development will … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Helping children understand, Index of Resources, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching, Uncategorized | Comments Off

The Lady and the Lion

Posted on 25/11/2014 by languageisheartosay

I am proud to announce (with sound of trumpets) that Pip Harrison and I have got to the end of The Year of the Fairy Tale. The last set of resources based on two similar stories by the Brothers Grimm … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Grammar, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, Share stories, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Tagged Getting meaning from pictures, language development, Pip Harrison, S&LT, SLP, The Lady and the Lion | Comments Off

The Magic Horse

Posted on 20/10/2014 by languageisheartosay

Read Aloud version contributed by NZ writer/teacher ©Pip Harrison …“Guards! Seize this man!” ordered the King. “Take him to prison until my son comes safely home. Fancy bringing me such a dangerous thing!” … Early Reading version …“Look at that!” … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, Share stories, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Comments Off

Cinderella

Posted on 07/09/2014 by languageisheartosay

Pip Harrison, New Zealand writer, has rewritten the well-known tale from the Fairy Godmother’s point of view. The RA is approx. 11y for older children, or to be read aloud. ‘…Amidst it all, the prince and Cinderella gazed at each … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Grammar, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, PSHE / Virtues Programme, Share stories, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Tagged Getting meaning from pictures, language development, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

If you’re a good girl…

Posted on 22/08/2014 by languageisheartosay

Today I chuckled to hear a small child promise from her buggy, ‘If you’re a good girl, you can have an ice cream.’ It was a shame her mother didn’t clarify things even by the joke response, ‘I’m always a … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Grammar, Helping children understand, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Comments Off

The Twelve Brothers

Posted on 13/08/2014 by languageisheartosay

“…As the young men pushed open the gate, she picked the twelve flowers. With each snip one young man after the other rose up from the garden, arms turning to great black wings, noses to beaks, legs to claws – … Continue reading →

Posted in Grammar, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, Share stories, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged language development, Learning to mean, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Little Red Riding Hood

Posted on 04/05/2014 by languageisheartosay

“Shall I walk with you?” said the wolf. “Oh, no, sir, thank you. I can quite well walk by myself and I expect you have wolf things to be getting on with.” “Well, there is one wolf thing I could … Continue reading →

The real princess AKA The princess and the pea

Posted on 16/04/2014 by languageisheartosay

“Pea of destiny, pea of delight, We need your help, we seek insight. Is this princess the real deal? Will she sleep or will she feel Your bumpy presence in her bed, Making her toss and turn instead?…” Find the … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, Share stories, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Tagged Getting meaning from pictures, language development, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Blondine, Bonne-Biche & Beau-Minon

Posted on 11/03/2014 by languageisheartosay

Another Traditional Tale has been uploaded to TES. If you do not get your resources from TES, you can find the ‘long and short of it’ versions (as above) here. The original story – from a book of Old French … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Grammar, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, PSHE / Virtues Programme, Share stories, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Getting meaning from pictures, language development, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Music to my ears

Posted on 25/02/2014 by languageisheartosay

BBC Radio 4’s news this morning included a mention of British Education Minister Elizabeth Truss visiting Shanghai to see their maths teaching in action. I’m sure I heard the mention of the importance of verbalising maths concepts. The English language … Continue reading →

Posted in Association, Child language, Competence level, Helping children understand, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Comments Off

The Frog Princess

Posted on 20/02/2014 by languageisheartosay

The first TRADITIONAL TALE is complete! See the link in the sidebar on the right. I hope people find it fun. If you do not get your resources from TES, you can find the ‘long and short of it’ versions … Continue reading →

Go find (this wonderful book)

Posted on 21/01/2013 by languageisheartosay

Just finished ‘Room’ by Emma Donoghue (Picador, 2011), a book I found hard to put down but did not wish to finish. Even read some bits twice. Don’t look at a description of it or you may suspect it will … Continue reading →

Posted in Association, Child language, Grammar, Helping children understand, Inference, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Comments Off

Woolgathering in the windmills of my mind

Posted on 18/11/2012 by languageisheartosay

Today I looked out and it was a wonderful autumn day: blue cloudless sky, no wind and I went to Wisley. On my way there, I heard several updates about wars and rumours of wars on the car radio but … Continue reading →

Posted in Association, Child language, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy | Tagged Analogy, Idiom & metaphor, Learning to mean, S&LT, SLP, What kids say | Comments Off

Citroen alert!

Posted on 12/09/2012 by languageisheartosay

‘Don’t like Citroen!’ ‘You don’t like Citroens? Why’s that?’ ‘Citroen run me down.’ The grandfather’s chuckle as he replied led me to believe that Citroens have not shown an evil disposition to attack his grandson. Indeed, it seemed unlikely from … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Helping children understand, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged language development, Learning to mean, S&LT, SLP, What kids say | Comments Off

Let’s not add to confusion

Posted on 30/09/2011 by languageisheartosay

English is very open to misunderstanding because of the number of homophones we have. Some are not spelt the same way – but when you hear examples there is scope for confusion – and of course non-readers cannot visualise both … Continue reading →

Posted in Helping children understand, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Learning to mean, Making it easier, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Keep speech simple too

Posted on 20/02/2011 by languageisheartosay

It’s not just print that needs adapting – even talk can be confusing! The words we use, the speed we go, the in-between time – all these will influence how much a child understands. Especially the child with delayed or … Continue reading →

Posted in Association, Child language, Competence level, Inference, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Analogy, Making it easier, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off

Keeping text simple

Posted on 02/01/2011 by languageisheartosay

It can’t be hard to make things simpler… can it? Well, actually, it can be quite tricky. Creating or adapting resources for children with language impairment can take a long time. Not only that. After using the resources it may … Continue reading →

Posted in Child language, Competence level, Grammar, Helping children understand, Promoting language development, Speech & Language Pathology, Speech & Language Therapy, Teaching | Tagged Learning to mean, Making it easier, S&LT, SLP | Comments Off