Phonatory Control

Building phonatory control in students is an important foundation. Students learn that "voice is power" through simple lexicons:

/AH/ for "on", "want" (turning the voice on)

/M/ for "more" or "me"

/H/ volitional voicing

Activities that have a high success rate for my students and building volitional voicing include:

Belefun

Belefun is Elefun's Younger Sister. Turn the game on and watch the butterflies come out. Feed the butterflies to Belefun for continual fun.

Lexicon: /ah/ for "on", "want", "out", "in", /mmm/ feeding, "more", "me"

Scarves

Scarves are a great way to add movement to your session during music during music or interactive book. Have students wave them left to right, make waves, squish the scarf, move it fast and slow. 

Students can track the scarf to incorporate head tipping/turning into the session to activate their vestibular systems.

Read the beloved story "Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen and follow directions using scarves or cloth like items. Great for engaging pre-school

Grab my FREEBIE to incorporate scarves functionally into a story activity to promote focus and attention during academic tasks.

Students will:

-Cross midline

-Track items with head tips/tilts

-Track items with eyes to decrease eye fatigue due to screen time

-Recall the sequence of events

-Follow directions

Spin it Again

Put gears on a pole and watch them spin down. Pull the pole from the base and watch the gears spin off to the ground. Flip blue base to choose a wobbly or sturdy bottom. 

Can be used for simple motor phoneme warm-up. 

PROMPT Lexicon: ah/on, up, go, me

Tunnel

Tunnels can be motivating and regulating at the same time. Students can: 

-Crawl through to retrieve desired items from inside

-Stand and wear it like a pop up hamper

-Roll balls through to have a pass

Yoga Ball

"What happens at the hips, affects the lips" the great PROMPT instructor Tracey Kellner.

When working with non/low verbal kids I try to get them moving as much as possible. Consult with the OT/PT and see what they do with the student. 

-Bounce on a ball

-Roll over the ball (on belly/on back)

-Scooter

-Swing

-Gentle spinning (pick them up or in a chair)

-Crawling through a tunnel

-Animal walks