The Tool Bag

Oh, the invisible "tool bag" famously referred to by clinical instructors and textbooks alike as the magical bag overflowing with effective techniques and quick tricks to target any therapy goal that crosses their path. As a new clinician, my "tool bag" started as a cute maroon tote bag with a few sharpened pencils. My first year as a graduate student I would spend hours making materials for one specific goal, for one specific client, that would be so detailed if I left one piece at home the whole lesson plan would become a disaster. Sometimes after the session I'd throw it all away because there was no possible way I could re-use it for any other purpose. Game boards, puppets, flashcards, all circling your local landfill. I was determined there had to be a better way to start shopping for my "tool bag" to make lesson plans more efficient, effective, and exciting! 

Now as a second year master student and a year of clinical experiences under my belt my maroon tote bag has started to create compartments that have made filling my tool bag a little easier and cost effective (as well as environmentally friendly!). My following list is meant as a framework to start filling that "tool bag"! 

Top 5 Ways to Start Filling your "Tool Bag"

1. Books, books, books!

Is your student working on final -s? WH questions? Pragmatics? There's a book about that! There are hundreds upon hundred of books that can be used to target any goal - I mean that! Not only are books a great shared language experience I have found that I can use the same book to target three goals at once - talk about efficiency! And did I mention the little thing we like to call a library?? Free free free! Summary: books are versatile, exciting, and free! Check out Pinterest to find lists of books organized by therapy target just type in the search bar: speech therapy books.

2. Themes!

Who doesn't love a theme? Themes make concepts come to life and provide a meaningful context for students to see the target multiple times in different contexts. Helloooooo generalization!!! Centering themes around seasons is one of the easiest ways to keep consistency in a session while targeting a child's list of IEP goals. If your theme is fall, having the child color apples while drilling a speech sound, then work on WH questions dressing stick figures (when do we wear a coat? who is wearing the red hat? etc.), and finally targeting prepositions by directing the child to place the dressed people 'on top' or 'under' the tree! Summary: themes keep consistency in a session, increase opportunity for generalization outside therapy, and just plain cute! Who doesn't love a little  "hand" made turkey? 

3. Less is more!

This is an age old term whether you're talking about makeup, wedding dresses, or cologne. What I mean in this context is that the simpler an activity is the easier it is to explain the directions, keep the therapy target as focus of therapy, and let's just be honest the tote bag will be lighter on those walks into the clinic! When making a lesson plan, I have found that if I can use the same game board, picture cards, or puppets for multiple therapy targets and students - the more valuable that material is! When making materials or purchasing them, I make sure I can reuse the item for at least 3 purposes before following through. Summary: using the "less is more" strategy will enhance your tool bag's versatility, keep it light, and keep it purposeful! Clear space, clear mind!

4. Repurpose Materials!

Thrift stores, second hand shops, and even household items can all be repurposed into a meaningful therapy materials! Pinterest has embraced this idea and it has been my source of inspiration for client after client. However, sometimes the ideas can be time consuming, and if you're not the crafty person it can be down-right painful. When repurposing materials it doesn't have to be a craft project but rather an economical tool to provide some fun in a session- take the box. Boxes can be the most exciting therapy material to repurpose and be reused for many different targets in a session. Cereal boxes, shoe boxes, or tissue boxes! Use a box for a barrier game, to sort vocab cards, or even create a big dice for a game! Summary: repurposing materials can be a cost-effective, creative and intriguing way to incorporate new life into your sessions! 

5. Coloring book Pages!

Hand a coloring page to a child and they know instantly what to do! I have found online free coloring pages as one of my most useful techniques to use for countless therapy activities and goals. Print out a picture of a ladybug - work on speech drills by filling in the dots, cut out the ladybug and use it do actions, and paste it into a speech journal to take home! This easy and fun activity usually gets kiddos excited especially if you use a theme, a book, a less is more game, and a repurposed items throughout! Summary: coloring book pages are easily accessible, adaptable, and engaging! And, not to mention the artwork is a reminder of a successful therapy session hopefully intrinsically motivating the students to do well!

Well, there you have it! My top 5 ways to start filling your "tool bag". My tote bag is nowhere near filled and as a student clinician I am constantly learning from my supervisors and seasoned speech language pathologists what is effective and meaningful for each child! 

:) Speak. Listen. Sparkle,

Lauren