My New & Improved Speech Room!

Hi Friends!!!

Well, it's been many months since my last blog post! If you follow me on Instagram, you've still been able to see some of the things I've been up to. :) I took the summer off from making TpT products and blogging… it honestly felt nice to not think about work for a bit!

Now that I'm back at work, I have some TpT products in the works, but I am not going too crazy. I'm try to get as organized as I can and really get a handle on the school year first. :) 

One of the first things on my list for this new school year was to revamp my speech room! It took a lot of time and energy but I am thrilled with the final product! My room is bright, clean, inviting and organized! It makes me happy to arrive to work in a nice room- I know it will certainly help on the super crazy days. 

Here is a peek into my new and improved speech room, with some before & after shots too! 

I have great built-ins in my room, but they are such a yucky orange color. I've seen other SLPs and teachers have success with contact paper, so I gave it a shot. I found my adhesive contact paper at WalMart online…. but you can check out Amazon too! I have to say, applying the contact paper was a bit frustrating and time consuming, but the end product was totally worth it. I was also a little worried that the print would be too busy, but it really looks nice and clean! I was so happy with how my shelves turned out! :)

For as long as I've been in my room at this school, I've had these big storage cabinets taking up my whole front wall. My front wall is made up of windows…. so I really began to feel blocked in. It took TONS of time and energy to clean out these storage cabinets… but once I did, I was able to move them out of my room and it made the world of a difference! I donated the orange cabinet to one of my coworkers. The brown cabinet still holds some of my not-so-important items (see… i'm not that organized!) and it sits in a pod near my room along with other teacher storage. :)

With all the open space, I decided to move my desk location to the front wall. It has been so great to be able to see out of my room- the windows really are nice… but I had never utilized them before! :)

The desk I previously had in my room was great! It was sturdy and not a bad color… I was just looking for something that popped a little more. After searching on craigslist for cute desks that matched my color scheme… I thought I was out of luck! Then, our neighbor randomly set out this glass desk for free on his curb! My husband helped me snag it! The wood was scratched and the metal pieces were tarnished… but the glass was beautiful! My husband took on the task of painting it and it turned out gorgeous!! It's definitely my favorite thing about my room now! :)

I took quite a few trips to Hobby Lobby and Target over the summer and during the first week back to work. 

-I purchased the cute yellow, grey and teal poms, the burlap banners and the cardboard letters at Hobby Lobby. 

-I purchased the teal plastic bins and boxes at Target. My "smile" pillow and frames were purchased at Hobby Lobby a couple years ago and my husband just spray painted the frames for me. :) 

-My "Today I Will Choose Joy" sign was a very thoughtful gift from a sweet coworker and it happens to go perfectly with my new decor! 

-I found the "SLP" wooden letters at Michael's and my husband painted those along with my desk! :)

-I used the decorative "Mrs. Swopes" cardboard letters a couple years ago and just re-covered them with new patterned paper this year to match the new color scheme. I also added the "I Can" letters. I can give you a quick tutorial! It was super easy to do! 

I bought scrapbook paper that I liked (Hobby Lobby has big packets of similar color schemes with 5 or 6 copies of each pattern in the packet) and I bought spray adhesive glue. 

I simply traced each letter upside down on the back of the scrapbook paper. 

I cut the paper letter out, sprayed the cardboard letter with glue, and stuck the paper on! 

It really was a breeze and turned out so cute! So much easier than painting each letter!

As far as the printables and visuals go… 

-I made a new organization visual for the Zones of Regulation! I will be posting it on TpT soon! I'm waiting to do a trial run with it with my kiddos to make sure it works well. :) 

-I got the "I Can" CCSS from Natalie Snyders! I cut out the statements and laminated them on my own scrapbook paper that matched my color scheme. 

-I also used a yellow, grey and teal room decor printable from The Speech Umbrella on TpT! I cut out the letters, laminated and glued them to the burlap banners.

-Finally, the "Where is Mrs. Swopes?" front door sign was made by me… you can find a similar FREEBIE in my store, here.

Well, that's a tour of my new speech room! I hope you enjoyed checking it out! Please let me know if you have any questions! I have loved seeing everyone else's speech room photos… you have all really inspired me to get my room in shape! Yay!

**P.S. A big thanks to my husband, Sean for his handy work and my Mom for helping me tie up all the loose ends! I couldn't have done it without them!**

 I'm hoping to get some "Look at my Lessons" posts rolling now that I'm organized, and be on the look out for some new TpT products! If you follow me on Instagram, you will easily be kept up-to-date with everything I'm doing… it's my favorite way to share! :)

Look at my Lessons 4/20

Hi Everyone!

Life has been very busy and exciting lately… which has resulted in TpT and blogging being put on the back-burner! I'm definitely not stopping… I've just slowed down a little with all the excitement going on. My husband graduated from his Doctorate of Physical Therapy program this weekend. I really can't put into words how proud I am of him! He's worked so hard to follow his dream and he continually stayed positive! He has such a bright future as a PT- he has a huge heart for his patients and is so passionate about his field! I can't wait to see where life takes him! Yay!!!! 

Anyway, here is my very brief and once again, late, summary of what I'll be using this week in therapy. Hopefully it isn't too late to help you! :)

Pig's Egg Book Companion Packet by Whitney SLP
"Pig's Egg" is a super cute book by Katherine Sully (you can get it on Amazon here). It's about a pig who feels left out on the farm because all of his friends are busy laying eggs. One day, he finds a turnip and think it's an egg. I love so many elements of this book. It's repetitive, so the kiddos begin to know what to expect. It's silly… which the kiddos always love. It focuses on character emotions, predicting and making inferences which is great for targeting pragmatic language skills. I also love that it is a fairly simple story to sequence and the character list is simple as well. I will be using the book along with this book companion packet by Whitney SLP. I purchased it last year, so it's already prepped and ready to go!

Farm Fun Bingo by SLP Chelsea (me!)

To go along with my Farm theme this week, I'll be using my Farm Fun Bingo as a language activity for my basic-level language kiddos and as an open-ended reinforcement game for pretty much everyone else. :)

Farm Fun Prepositions by SLP Chelsea (me!)

I'll be using these preposition cards this week to target location concepts with my basic language kiddos! :)

Farm Animal Memory Match-Up
I have an older version of this game, but the amazon link I found looks almost exactly the same. This is a memory game with farm animals. I use it as an open-ended reinforcement with my little ones. I also LOVE to use it for my basic articulation or apraxic kiddos. When I do that, I focus on phrases and word shapes during game play. For example, the animals are split apart by their head and feet, so I focus on the kiddo labeling each thing they find and by doing so, they are working on C1V1C2V2 + CVC word shapes (e.g. puppy feet) and simple target sounds (e.g. no cow).

Cracked Egg Compare/Contrast FREEBIE by The TLC Shop

I had this on my list last week, but didn't use it with all the groups I would have liked to, so I'll be using it again this week! It'll still go with my farm theme! :) This is a great language activity! I'm looking forward to using this with my kiddos. There are endless possibilities for targeting receptive and expressive language skills. Yay!

Spring Articulation Carryover Paragraphs by SLP Chelsea (me!)

If it's not clear by now… I LOVE using these. :) I've been using them all month with my upper grade carryover kiddos. I flip flop between this activity, Go Fish with phonemically loaded articulation cards (like Action Artic cards from Super Duper) and the paragraph level stories on the Articulation Station app. :)

Well, those are the therapy plans I have for this week! I have also added a new product to my store! Donut Dash! It's a super cute open-ended reinforcement game! I'll be using it in therapy in the coming weeks… but you can check it out now and use it anytime! 

Well, thats it for now! Have a great week, friends!!!!

Look at my Lessons 4/13

Hi Everyone!

It was my Spring Break last week… and other than seeing private clients, I didn't do anything work related. That includes prepping/planning for the week and anything blog or TpT related. Whoops! :) So, here is my very brief summary of what I'll be using this week in therapy. Hopefully it isn't too late to help you! :)

Print 'n' Go Spring Packet by SLP Chelsea (me!)

I used this today with 4 different language and articulation groups as an open-ended reinforcer. My kiddos loved it and it was so easy prep-wise. :)

Easter Chicks by Speech Junction

I'll be using this super simple but fun activity as another open-ended reinforcer during therapy sessions! I'll be utilizing my yellow dot markers and have my kiddos fill in a specific amount after a designated task. I'm looking forward to using such a cute reinforcer!

Spring Themed Taboo by Keeping Speech Simple

I mentioned this one last week as well… I'll be using it again this week with different groups! :)

Cracked Egg Compare/Contrast FREEBIE by The TLC Shop

This is a great language activity! I'm looking forward to using this with my kiddos. There are endless possibilities for targeting receptive and expressive language skills. Yay!

April Social Skills Conversation Questions by Speech Island

Although I will likely use Taboo & the Compare/Contrast activities above with my social kiddos, it's never a bad idea to have something extra on my list. So, I have prepped these convo questions! I plan on putting them in a box and will have the kids draw cards at each turn. :)

Spring Articulation Carryover Paragraphs by SLP Chelsea (me!)

If it's not clear by now… I LOVE using these. :) I've been using them all month with my upper grade carryover kiddos. I flip flop between this activity, Go Fish with phonemically loaded articulation cards (like Action Artic cards from Super Duper) and the paragraph level stories on the Articulation Station app. :)

Cariboo w/ Mommy Speech Therapy articulation cards

I have many Cariboo games in my future! Not only this week, but in many weeks to come! I've been using the articulation worksheets from Mommy Speech Therapy as my Cariboo cards and they fit perfectly! *I make sure to not cut the lamination to0 close to the paper.* I'm sure you know this game is like SLP gold…. I swear it motivates almost any kiddo! I should also mention that I got a plastic storage box for my Cariboo cards! I went to Michael's and purchased a bead storage box for $2.99! So, if you have a million Cariboo cards and are looking for a way to organize them… try it out! :)

Well, that's it. I've given you a very brief synopsis of my week and I've done it a day late…(whoops!) but hopefully it's still helpful! :) Hang in there friends!!! Summer is just around the corner! 

Look at my Lessons 3/30/15

Hi Friends! 
I am counting down the days... our Spring Break is next week and I absolutely cannot wait! Work has been busy and life has too! I'm in need of some slow-down time. I'm actually considering going into work one day next week to organize and make my life a little easier, but we'll see. :)

Anyway, I didn't quite get to this last night... but it's still Monday so hopefully this post will be helpful to you!

Here's a "Look at my Lessons" for the week! 

DISCLAIMER: I know everyone has caseloads made up of varying ages and abilities… so my lesson plans may not apply to everyone. However, I often use open-ended reinforcement activities and those can be utilized for many different therapy groups. I should caution that I've listed mainly the materials I'm going to use- I don't include behavioral strategies, prompting and modifications in my lesson plans… they are VERY general. But, they give me place to start when it comes to therapy for the week!

I have some photos and a list below of my lesson plan activities and where you can get them! :)

 Easter Egg Hunt

I'm so excited to do a real, live, Easter Egg Hunt with my preschoolers and kindergarteners! I snagged these cute Easter Bunny headbands at Michael's Craft Store, along with some eggs and Easter bags. I'll be using Mommy Speech Therapy word level worksheets to cut up and put target words in eggs! I'm planning to hide the eggs in a garden area on our school grounds! The kiddos should love it- I'm a little nervous that their excitement will trump speech word practice, but we will see!

Easter Bingo 

Crazy Little Projects has a cute Easter Bingo that is so colorful and simple! I love to use this as an open-ended reinforcer for my articulation groups! I use bingo chips from my Chipper Chat games and the kiddos get to draw a card after their designated articulation sentence/target. It keeps their little hands busy and, everyone loves BINGO! :)

Easter Egg Craft

I got these cute and easy black & white eggs at Hobby Lobby last year! I'm sure you can find a version of this at any craft store or you can just find an Easter egg coloring page online to use! Once again, an easy open-ended reinforcer to use with any target! I'll be using this with my articulation kiddos this week!

Spring Themed Taboo

This is by Keeping Speech Simple on TpT! I'm so excited to use this unique yet simple game with my Social Skills kiddos to target inferences, perspective taking and nonverbal communication (e.g. eye gaze and body orientation throughout the activity)! I will likely make modifications to this activity for my younger kiddos vs. older kiddos. 

Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure 

I posted about this last week, but I'll be using it again this week because I couldn't get through my whole book companion pack (see below) last week. :) I purchased this book a  at Target, but you can also get it on Amazon. It's a super cute book about Pete having to fill-in for the Easter bunny on Easter morning. 

Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure Book Companion

My book companion targets "WH" questions (basic & advanced), sequencing, comparing & contrasting and includes open-ended games and activities! If you have the Pete the Cat:Big Easter Adventure book, you've got to check out the companion pack in my TpT store! :)

 Spring Articulation Carryover Paragraphs

My carryover paragraphs have been a total go-to therapy material these days! This packet targets the carryover of later developing sounds ( S, Z, R and "TH") and has a spring time theme. This is designed for upper elementary aged students who are in the carryover phase with their articulation targets. I love using these- it's such a quick and fun way to sneak in numerous productions of target sounds!

I have many other Easter themed ideas in my Look at my Lessons post from last week - so check it out if you haven't already. :)

Throughout my work week, I often post pictures of what I'm doing in therapy on Instagram! It's my favorite way to share, so be sure to check it out!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!!!

Look at my Lessons 3/22/15

Hi Friends! 
First of all, thank you to everyone who took part in our blog hop! It was a great success and I'm so glad all my readers were able to snag such amazing FREE materials! Yay!!!

So, it's Sunday and that means it's time for another "Look at my Lessons" post! I'm sorry I didn't post one of these last week. I had all the blog hop craziness going on and I've been sick since last Monday, so I've been a little off track. I'm still sick and crossing my fingers that this cough and sore throat goes away ASAP…. I'm in a wedding on Friday! 

Here's a "Look at my Lessons" for the week! 

DISCLAIMER: I know everyone has caseloads made up of varying ages and abilities… so my lesson plans may not apply to everyone. However, I often use open-ended reinforcement activities and those can be utilized for many different therapy groups. I should caution that I've listed mainly the materials I'm going to use- I don't include behavioral strategies, prompting and modifications in my lesson plans… they are VERY general. But, they give me place to start when it comes to therapy for the week!

I have some photos and a list below of my lesson plan activities and where you can get them! :)

Jumping Jack game

I just got this game a couple months ago at Target! It's super cute and very similar to Pop-Up-Pirate! I use it as an open-ended reinforcer during therapy. It lends itself perfectly to my Easter theme this week and I already know that my kiddos LOVE it! If you're interested, you can get it on Amazon!

Egg Hunt

Check this item out in my TpT Store! Use as an open-ended reinforcement for any activity! The students can earn one Easter egg for each task you ask them to complete (e.g. articulation cards, language cards, math facts, sight words, etc). The students will pile the Easter eggs on their Easter basket mat as they complete the tasks.

Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure 

I purchased this book a week or so ago at Target, but you can also get it on Amazon. It's a super cute book about Pete having to fill-in for the Easter bunny on Easter morning. I loved it so much that I made a book companion for it!

Pete the Cat: Big Easter Adventure Book Companion

My book companion targets "WH" questions (basic & advanced), sequencing, comparing & contrasting and includes open-ended games and activities! If you have the Pete the Cat:Big Easter Adventure book, you've got to check out the companion pack in my TpT store! :)

Easter Egg Sequencing

I found this cute freebie by The Deane's List when I was searching TpT for more Easter language activities for  my kiddos! I'm looking forward to using this!

Easter Expected vs. Unexpected

 This is a great activity with my social skills groups! I use these cards to target identification of Expected & Unexpected behaviors. Sometimes, depending on the attention level of my kiddos, I use this with some sort of simple point system or reinforcer as they respond to each card.

Spring Articulation Carryover Paragraphs

My carryover paragraphs have been a total go-to therapy material these days! This packet targets the carryover of later developing sounds ( S, Z, R and "TH") and has a spring time theme. This is designed for upper elementary aged students who are in the carryover phase with their articulation targets. I love using these- it's such a quick and fun way to sneak in numerous productions of target sounds!

Throughout my work week, I often post pictures of what I'm doing in therapy on Instagram! It's my favorite way to share, so be sure to check it out!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!!!

Hopping into Spring: Newbie Blog Hop!

Hi Friends!!!

I am so excited to be hosting this blog hop with Jennifer from Speech Therapy Fun! It's been so great to collaborate with such amazing SLPs and newbie bloggers/TpT sellers!

If this is your first visit to my blog, thanks for visiting! I'm excited to have you!!!! 

A little bit about me….

I'm Chelsea. I live in Orange County, CA with my husband and our chocolate labrador, Olive! During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, friends and family!  

I'm a pediatric SLP. I've been working in the field since 2009. I currently work in the public school setting with preschool to 5th grade in Orange County, CA. I also see little ones for in-home private therapy. I am licensed and ASHA certified.

I've been blogging for just a few months, since January 2015. I've truly loved the whole blogging and TpT experience. I have been able to collaborate with some amazing SLPs and I truly feel it has not only made me better at what I do, but this whole process of sharing and seeing what others are doing in therapy keeps me feeling positive and excited when I go to work each day… even on the crazy days!

Please take a look around my blog while you're here! Every week, I share my lesson plans and links for those materials… it's a major time-saver when it comes to prepping for therapy each week! I also love to share about new ideas, go-to games and apps for therapy. 

Be sure to follow me (you can use the social media banner on the top right corner of my blog) to make sure you are kept up-to-date on new materials, blog posts and therapy ideas! My favorite way to share is typically through Instagram, so make sure to follow me there!

For our Hopping into Spring: Newbie Blog Hop, I'll be offering you an AMAZING spring freebie for today and tomorrow only! I'm so happy to be hosting this hop with Jen & I've loved getting to know so many new SLP bloggers!

My FREEBIE is.... drumroll please...…

Spring Articulation Carryover Paragraphs

My Articulation Carryover Paragraphs are some of the products I am most proud of in my TpT store! I've used them over and over in my own therapy sessions and I've been hearing great feedback from other SLPs that have used them!

It's so hard to find a great way to target carryover of target sounds once our older kiddos get to that point, so that is why I created these products! I plan to continue to make more Articulation Carryover Paragraphs.... but for now, I have Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Spring themed sets.

How do I use them? I print them out, cut them and laminate them. Then, I put them together on a ring. I use them during speedy speech sessions (10 mins, 2x per week) with my students that are 3rd grade and up. I always bring my "clicker" to count how many products we get in each paragraph. I sometimes bring a highlighter so my students can highlight their target sound throughout the paragraph before we begin.

My students LOVE these paragraphs and I do too! I always get 150+ productions of their target sound within a quick 10 minute session! The target sounds in each paragraph are in all word positions, while the stories are fun and silly.

If you grab my Spring Articulation Carryover Paragraphs FREEBIE today and you enjoy it, please leave me feedback and check out the other Articulation Carryover Paragraphs in my store!

In addition to the freebie I'm offering for today and tomorrow, I have other great spring-themed products in my TpT store. I've been printing and laminating all of these materials to use in my own speech room for the next few weeks! They are must-haves, so be sure to check these out, too!

Thanks for stopping by!! Be sure to hop to the next blog to snag some more freebies! 

P.S. Stop by my friend, Sparkly Speech Girl's TpT Store for a Spring Freebie as well! She may not have a blog, but she's joining in the hop fun! You can follow her on Instagram for some great ideas and materials, too!

Happy Spring!!!!!