If it's a presidential election year in the U.S., chances are talk about the election is everywhere... even for kids! SLPs can help their students make sense of Election Day by incorporating activities for the theme into speech therapy sessions.
But presidential elections aren't the only opportunity to help students learn about democracy and voting. Federal, state, and/or local elections happen may happen each year. SLPs can use these events to promote critical thinking and empower students' civic engagement.
If all that sounds great but you aren't sure how to incorporate an election theme into speech therapy, these digital resources can do the heavy lifting for you!
Election Websites and Activities for Speech Therapy
Click over to any of these sites for interactive and interesting election-themed activities to use in speech therapy.
This informational passage about elections and voting has several coordinating language (and even articulation!) activities for older students. It's an easy route for incorporating the topic with your mixed groups.
This website hosts various free, printable activities and materials such as presidential Mad Libs, coloring pages, 'I voted' stickers, and synopses and discussion questions for picture books about citizenship.
The Scholastic site has several articles about voting and elections, each with many large, vibrant images. Scroll to the bottom to find videos, an election vocabulary quiz, and an electoral college game.
This website has downloadable resources for elementary through college. The activities, such as creating infographics and doing mock interviews, really promote critical thinking and creativity within the election theme.
For students in upper elementary through high school, PBS Learning Media has a large collection of lesson plans (including some downloadable handouts), videos, and photo galleries to utilize in speech therapy sessions.
This site is loaded with nonpartisan resources for election time. Many of these games and simulations cover election topics and are offered at differentiated levels for different ages.
Books and Articles about Elections
Follow the article links or search the following book titles wherever you access hard copy or digital versions of books (your local library, YouTube, websites, online stores, etc.).
Picture Books
V is for Voting by Kate Farrell
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
Equality's Cal: The Story of Voting Rights in America by Deborah Diesen
Curious George Votes by H.A. Rey
The Night Before the Election by Natasha Wing
Vote for our Future! by Margaret McNamara
If I Ran for President by Catherine Stier
Nonfiction Books
What Is a Presidential Election? by Douglas Yacka
Elections: Why They Matter to You (A True Book) by John Son
We Can Vote by Ann Bonwill
Articles & eBooks
We want to vote: Battles for the ballot by National Geographic Kids
What is the job of the U.S. president? by National Geographic Kids
The Election Problem by PBS Kids
Election Videos for Speech Therapy
Incorporate any of these short videos (2 to 6 minutes each) into your speech therapy sessions to help students better understand voting and elections.
You Choose: Presley Talks About Voting by PBS Kids
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood: How Grownups Vote by PBS Kids
Election Day for Kids by Twinkl
The time leading up to and following an election is a great time to incorporate themes of voting, rights, the election process, and politics into your speech therapy sessions. The above resources will make that endeavor easier to implement so you can focus on engaging your students and targeting their goals using a relevant current event.
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