Friday, December 22, 2006

Seven Steps to New Syntax

I found a monograph that summarizes the Association Method. Apraxia-Kids has less detailed summary of this language therapy originally developed for the deaf. Several schools in the United States feature this program: Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Arkansas, Napa, CA, and San Francisco, CA.

We are covering pronouns (except we) right now, which puts Pamela on the seventh level of instruction out of fourteen (page 343). I do not follow all seven steps (page 17) exactly as described in the manual. I added a Charlotte Mason twist in what we call our steps to make it consistent with what we do in language arts. Every speech therapy lesson, which usually lasts about thirty to forty-five minutes, includes the following:
  • Read aloud – Pamela reads aloud a typed story (cursive, color-coded) in her therapy book with the new syntax for the week (reading).
  • Recitation – I read a sentence from the story. Pamela repeats it while seeing the page (associating) and without seeing the page (recall of spoken language).
  • Copywork – Pamela copies a story I wrote on the dry erase board in cursive (written memory for the language structure).
  • Written Narration – Pamela writes her own story applying the new syntax in print (written memory for the language structure).
  • Dictation – I say a sentence, and Pamela writes it on paper in print (identification of selected language through audition alone).
  • Oral Narration – Pamela practices the new syntax during her daily conversations, usually about perseverative topics (saying).
I try to do speech therapy every school day and generalize the new syntax in our daily conversations. If Pamela does not automatically apply the new syntax, I remind her to use her therapy sentences and questions. If the new syntax kicks in, then I know she is ready to move on to the next language structure. If it does not, that tells me we need to linger another week and practice the new syntax.






4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a helpful post! Thanks! I was wondering if you typed these sentences or wrote them on a dry erase board. Does speech work best for you in the morning or afternoons? Sincerely, Diane

walking said...

I do both. I type the story Pamela reads aloud to me, color-coded to highlight new syntax, in cursive. I store all of her stories in her therapy book. I also keep her social stories in her big, black book.

When she is ready for copywork, I let her pick a topic, and I write a story in cursive about that topic.

We usually the formal speech lesson in the afternoon, but generalizing happens all day.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting this, Tammy! I had tried the Associative Method before and we are returning to it. As we also use the CM philosophy, I was so relieved to see how you blended it in with speech therapy! This will save us so much time in our lessons!

You've been such a font of information that I truly value and benefit from. THANK YOU for all your efforts!

walking said...

Taffy, let me get this straight! A Charlotte Mason homeschooler with an autism spectrum child who is interested in lone ranger RDI and the association method plus a fan of Jane Austen? (Ahem, I was bold enough to try analyzing Mr. Darcy at my learning styles lecture at last year's Charlotte Mason conference). We must be kindred spirits!

If you like my blog, I think you will like Taffy's blog as well!