Do you ever have trouble engaging your older students in articulation therapy? I'm guessing that's a resounding YES from just about every upper elementary, middle, or high school SLP ever.
Older kids (who have likely been in speech therapy for years) aren't easily amused by our normally trusty articulation games. Simple drill works... sometimes. So we need activities up our sleeves to really pique their interest when seemingly nothing else will.
SLPs use a combination of strategies to engage their older students, so let's take a deep dive into one of my favorites– utilizing logical reasoning within therapy activities.
Articulation therapy can quickly feel dry and repetitive, but striving to achieve or solve something can alleviate some of the monotony. The added element of logic takes some of the focus from the speech sounds. This can be a good thing– it not only helps with generalization (fist bump) but also makes students feel less put on the spot.
There are lots of articulation games and activities that have a component of logical reasoning built in. Here are a few examples, including some that may be your next session-saving activity for older students!
Word Plexer Puzzles
How much do you love these brain teasers? Word plexer puzzles are especially addicting, right? For each one, you either solve it, or you HAVE to know the answer before you do anything else. Luckily for SLPs, these word plexers are sound-loaded so you'll get articulation practice with each one!
Hexagon Articulation Game
I may be a fan of digital therapy activities, but there's something about the simplicity of a paper/pencil game that I am drawn to as well. As players take turns connecting dots (and of course, practicing the target words), they're working to avoid completing a triangle. Simple, yet strategy-filled!
This articulation game is fun for small groups and individuals, but students also love to teach it to a parent or sibling for homework. Oh, and we tele-SLPs can still use the PDF digitally using annotation tools. Hooray!
Peg Game
This Articulation Peg Boom Card game takes more strategizing than I personally may be capable of. Oh well. Students enjoy scheming their moves to eliminate pegs, with the goal to have only one remaining at the end of the game. This is a great one for individual students to play, or for small groups to work together on.
Four in a Row Game
Another older student favorite is this four-in-a-row game! Most kids already know the premise of the game, so the addition of artic targets makes it a quick go-to for therapy, a warm-up, early finishers, and homework.
Articulation Ships
Here's another game that most students know (and love) from previous experiences! And because students must use the word targets to take their turn in this Articulation Ships game (for Google Slides), it's easy to make it a therapy activity. This digital version is even editable so you can change or add your own targets.
Dots and Boxes Articulation Game
This game takes me back to my childhood (more specifically to when a friend and I would entertain ourselves during sermons at church). Similar to the hexagon game, this strategy-filled dots and boxes game makes a great therapy or homework activity! The premise is simple (players take turns trying to complete boxes), but it elicits so many trials.
Articulation Logic Problems
When completing these articulation logic problems, students read sound-loaded clues and organize the information by completing a chart. The nature of this activity gives students plenty of opportunities to use the words, all within a functional activity!
As SLPs, we often have to get creative in treating articulation goals with older students. Activities with an element of logic can draw students in when they may have otherwise lost interest in speech therapy. Try one next time you feel like your students need something new!
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