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Hi! I'm Mrs. Kirchner (kersh-ner). The preschoolers call me Ms. Jodi. We are going to have a great year in Speech-Language Therapy! Our sessions are filled with activities, such as stories, songs, games, and play. The Speech Folder is very important for carrying homework activities and notes from me. Please bring it to each session! At the end of the session, the children who do their best work earn a sticker -- and usually everyone goes home with a sticker and a smile.
First days:
Introducing "Speech Superstars". Coming to session on time, demonstrating good listening, speaking nicely to others, doing homework and walking quietly in the halls makes your child a "Speech Superstar". I am very proud of all of my Superstars! Each child has received an award which has been placed in their Speech Folders. Please compliment your child and reinforce these important strengths.
First lessons:
"Give Me Five". Good listening requires more than just your ears -- we use our whole bodies to listen! When we listen with our brains, we earn rewards, stay safe, and learn new things. Your child will learn the characteristics of good listening. "Einstein Learns About Listening" is a short story we are discussing as we learn how to listen with our whole bodies.
Fluency Therapy:
At Bryson Elementary School this year, there are two ideas that I want to instill in the hearts of my students who stutter: 1) Sometimes I just stutter and that's okay. 2) I am in control of my speech. By stuttering on purpose ("Say this sentence with your bumpy speech."), children begin to feel less anxious about their speech. Less anxiety = more fluency. We discuss if something said was smooth or bumpy. We also have frequent conversations about our feelings, experiences, and how to react when someone stutters. These activities also reduce anxiety about their speech. I am proud of the way my students are able to talk about their stuttering.
Progress Reports:
Progress Reports will be distributed October 31st. Most of my students receive progress reports every 9 weeks, although some receive interim progress reports every 41/2 weeks. Progress reports give us a snapshot of a child's progress at that point in time. It is a great opportunity to reflect on where they have been and where they are going. Please feel free to email or call me if you have any questions or concerns.
Moving Forward:
"I Am Working On...". It is important for children to know what their speech targets are. Every child makes a sign about their speech target. Each session I cheer/chant, "What are you working on?" and they proudly cheer/chant back to me, "Action words!", "Ending sounds!", "S-Blends!", whatever their target may be. Please review this with your child at home.
There are some children for whom this activity is not appropriate. They may benefit from a more natural speech-language setting for therapy. In that case, I would not do this activity with them.
I am very proud of ALL of my students!! I see each child making progress!! Thank you to all of my families for working with your children and encouraging their speech and language progress!!
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