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I don’t know about you, but around this time every year my students seem to spiral and loose control of attention and emotional regulation. The expectations of the season, increased social situations, and changes in routines are certainly to blame, making this a great time to revisit skills that are familiar. One of numerous times I had the opportunity… Read More
Many of the children I work with both at my school and private practice struggle with social communication skills. I’ve found that across ages, most respond well to therapy that includes several principles: breaking skills down into concrete steps, analyzing elements of successful interactions and role-playing. My latest packet includes all three elements and it’s a fun Halloween theme! There… Read More
When I considered the numerous lessons Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy presented, one in particular stood out: the power of his language. Dr. King’s prose was eloquent, filled with metaphors and similes that simplified the complexity of the issues he addressed. What also struck me was the power of the words he choose. Martin’s Big Words, by Doreen Rappaport is… Read More
Learning to give gifts is an important part of the holidays. It is a skill that requires perspective taking AND executive function (planning). When I ask students what they think someone they know might want as a gift, invariably the response is what THAT student wants. Rarely are the preferences and interests of others considered. Focusing on the skill… Read More
The recent long teachers convention weekend gave me the opportunity to finally complete my Thanksgiving packet! I also gave it an early “test” run this week, and my students gave it two “thumbs up”! I set the stage by taking students back in time to the first Thanksgiving in 1621. The Pilgrims and Wampanoag Tribe celebrated the harvest with games… Read More
A common characteristic among my students is a lack of linguistic flexibility. They struggle during sentence and word play tasks, and are concrete in their thinking. The jokes and quick verbal banter of peers usually leaves them in confusion. Often there are also limitations in reading abilities as strengths in these areas support phonological processing skills. With the popular kid’s… Read More
