December Update

Goodbye Ms. Logan!!Today is Ms. Logan's last day with us.  She had done a wonderful job with all the students this semester.  We sure will miss her!  This week we began the topics of winter weather, winter holidays, winter clothing and winter activities.  We will continue to incorporate our individual speech-language objectives into these topics over the next several weeks.  We will use many  books, adapted books, games and activities related to winter to practice our skills.  Only two more weeks until winter break.  I'm certain the kids are getting excited as am I.  After winter break, we will have approximately two weeks until the end of the second quarter and first semester on January 14th.    Be sure to look for speech and language progress notes in your child's report card envelope. As always, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child please contact me by phone or email.  I am also always happy to set up a conference at any time if you'd like.  
Mrs. Hodgson
740-4314
hodgsons@bbhcsd.org

Happy Fall!
We are into the second week of October and the kids are working hard.  Just two more weeks until the end of the first quarter.  Wow, time sure is flying!  First quarter progress notes will be coming home with report cards so be sure to check your child's envelope for these.  As always if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me.  With the fall season upon us, the speech-language room has been taken over by pumpkins, scarecrows, leaves, and all things fall.  We will be using many fall-related books, activities and games to address our various goals and objectives.  Of course our language topics in Mrs. Shingleton's class will also focus on Fall and Halloween. We will continue to address skills in the areas of:

WH questions
Sequencing
Social Skills
Following Directions
Vocabulary
AAC
Using longer utternaces
 
 Some of the books we will be reading are:
The Hungry Witch
Pumpkin, Pumpkin What do you See
Time to Dress Up
The Halloween Brew
Happy Thanksgiving
Five Little Turkeys
Pilgrim, Pilgrim
Five Red Leaves
Leaves Everywhere 
Fall Leaves Fall
It's Pumpkin Time

Our Social Skills Group is also well underway.  Our theme will move from friendship skills to conversation skills.  The lessons we will cover include:
Whole Body Listening
STEPS
Space
Taking Turns
Eye Contact
Politness
Staying on topic
Volume

Enjoy this beautiful fall weather.  Before long, we will be talking about cold, snow, and winter!
Mrs. Hodgson

WELCOME BACK!  I hope you all had a wonderful summer as I know I did.  The first day of school seemed to go well.  I had a chance to work with some of our kindergartners today during their phase-in.  I also had a chance to see many of my students at lunch and in the hallways.  I will be continuing to conduct screenings on our kindergarten students through next week.  I will be touching base with all of my students next week.  I have some great things planned this year including several social skills groups, a classroom language circle and language group for students in Mrs. Shingleton's room, intervention groups, 1-1 and group therapy, and collaboration time. I welcome my student teacher Mallory Logan, who will be with us until December.

Mrs. Shingleton's Language Circle & Language Group
August/September Theme: Back to School/Apples
Skills Addressed : Thematic Vocabulary
                              WH questions
                              Story Sequencing
                              AAC
                              Following Directions
                              Categories
                              Social Skills
                             

Social Skills Groups:
Theme:Friendship Basics
            * Introduction to Social Skills
            * Behavior Expectations
            * Introducing Yourself
            * Getting to Know Each Other
            * What is a Friend?
            * Filling Buckets
            * Giving and Receiving Compliments

Next Theme: Conversation Skills

Winter, Winter, Winter!!!

It seem as if this winter will never end.  However, despite the cold temperatures, the kids have been working hard in therapy.  It's almost hard to believe the third quarter is half over.  The past two months we have been focusing on fine tuning our speech and language skills to meet our current goals and objectives.  The next couple weeks we will be gathering information and developing new goals and IEPs.  Some of you I have already met with, others I will be meeting with shortly.  Take the time to ask your child what they are working on in speech and language class. Also, take the time to talk to your children and read with them as that will help build speech and language skills daily.