ASHA and NCTE 2024

I'm presenting at the ASHA (American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association) Annual 2024 Conference in Seattle on Thursday, December 5, at 5:30pm.  If you are at the conference, I will be in Summit  433-434 on the fourth floor. My topic is "The Write Stuff: Creating Narrative-Based Interventions for Articulation, Decoding, Executive Functions, and More." Even if you can't come to the conference, check out my handout packet using the QR code below. The packet will give you a chance to preview the beginning of my new book, The Raven Remix: A Mashup of Poe Titles. All the activities are based on The Raven Remix Activity Book, coming in early 2025.

Last week I was in Boston for the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference, where I spoke on a panel with Jolene Gutierrez, Beth Anderson, and Debbie Myers on the topic of using Illustrated Narrative Non-Fiction as a bridge to traditional non-fiction. 

While I was at NCTE, I got the chance to go to dinner at a fun Italian restaurant in the Seaport with Leslie Roessing, who wrote a chapter for my book, Story Frames for Teaching Literacy: Enhancing Student Learning Through the Power of Storytelling. Use the code AF on the Brookes website for a 10% discount. Although I have known her for years, this was the first time I ever met her in person. See my interview with her about Teaching Memoir Writing to Kids. Find her books (The Write to Read and more...) on Amazon. She also has a great website, Literacy with Lesley, which lists her books, informative blog posts on a variety of topics, book reviews, and more reading and writing strategies than I could count. Lyn Miller-Lachman was also part of our dinner party. I interviewed her three years ago, talking about her book, Rogue, and her personal challenges with Asperger's Syndrome. Read that blog post HERE, check out all the new books on her Amazon page, and visit her Website. 

I also got to meet some fun new people, including Jo Watson Hackl (see her Website), author of Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe, and blogger Melissa Thom. Check out Melissa's author interviews at the Joyful Learning Podcast. 

Next year NCTE will be in Denver!! No telling who I might run into then.

FIVE TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF SUMMER READING

Tips for Enhancing Leisure Reading

You may find the video above on YouTube.

It's summer and everyone is exhausted from months of pandemic isolation, hunkering down at home, and neverending Netflix. We want to get outside. We want to play. We want to travel. But many of us are concerned that our kids have missed valuable instruction time over the past several months. We know that summer reading is important, but how do we balance that with having fun in the sun and being with friends? Is there anything more that we can do for our kids to enhance the reading experience besides taking them to the library and the bookstore? Does leisure reading end when summer is over?

Today's discussion is about simple ways to make books come alive. Join me and my lively panel of New Mexico children's authors (Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Lois Ruby, and Caroline Starr Rose) to explore tips for getting the most out of leisure/summer reading. These authors and their books are featured in my new resource Story Frames for Teaching Literacy: Enhancing Student Learning Through the Power of Storytelling. The authors begin the video with exciting previews of their books which would all make great summer reads. 

My book is primarily for educators, but the focus of today's panel is on families. If you are a teacher, feel free to send this blog link and the PDF downloads home to families to encourage summer reading.

The authors featured today are also retired educators and librarians. They helped me come up with a list of tips for enhancing leisure reading. The list of our FIVE TIPS is below. To access the expanded and printable version discussed in the video, see the PDF download. 

Five Tips for Getting the Most Out of Summer Reading

1. Be a Book Lover

2. Provide Access to Books and Other Reading Materials

3. Encourage Exploration

4. Read Books Together

5. Make Reading Connections

Amy Miller, Director of the May Center for Learning, was not able to be part of our video as was originally planned, but she and I did hold a separate interview that may be accessed HERE. Find out what inspired her to use superhero stories with struggling learners. 

For further exploration, see my previous blog posts where authors Lois Ruby and Caroline Starr Rose talk about their writing styles and the differences between being a Panster vs. a Plotter.

See author Vaunda Micheaux Nelson's post on her blog - Poetry Break! Enjoy the Moment. During our panel, she also mentions one of her favorite books for encouraging reading aloud Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox, as well as The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared by Alice Ozma who shares her experience of being in fourth grade and making a promise with her father to read 100 books aloud with him in 100 days. The experience was so meaningful that they continued reading books together until she graduated from high school. 

Reading aloud is not just for little kids!

To find out more about the books written by the authors in this video, visit the links below.

Story Frames for Teaching Literacy: Enhancing Student Learning Through the Power of Storytelling by Carolee Dean.

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

A Race Around the World: The True Story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland (She Made History) by Caroline Starr Rose.

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose.

Steal Away Home by Lois Ruby

You may download a complete list of the 32 children's books explored in Story Frames for more great ideas for summer reading.

For suggestions from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Associatin (ASHA) on how to improve language, literacy, and learning over the summer, visit ASHA SUMMER TIPS.

BOOKSTORE COLLABORATIONS

Thanks to the following bookstores for supporting the recent release of

Story Frames for Teaching Literacy

Collected Works Bookstore and Coffeehouse, 202 Galisteo St., Santa Fe, NM 87501 (505-988-4226). Thanks to the bookstore for their generous support of my book and of Amy Miller, contributing author to Story Frames and director of the May Center for Learning. During the entire month of May 2021, CW will donate 15% of all book sales when the purchaser mentions the May Center (unless the publisher's discount to CW is less than the industry standard).

Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Coronado Mall, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505-855-7799). B&N will donate a percentage of sales in the store on May 26 (and online on May 26-30) to the May Center for Learning for scholarships to the Summer LEAP Program which will be held at the Albuquerque Academy. Use the code when 12609863 ordering books. This code may be used at any B&N nationwide, so spread the word. 

Second Star to the Right, 1545 S. Pearl Street, Denver, CO (303-733-3773). On Tuesday, June 1, the bookstore will host a live, online event at 7pm Mountain Time when I travel north to talk with Colorado children's authors/illustrators Andrea Wang, Dow Phumiruk, and Beth Anderson. We will explore writing personal narratives and memoir. Find out more about the event and find the Event Brite Signup HERE.

Watch for more bookstore collaborations coming late summer and early fall.

To receive a FREE writing template PDF for kids, sign up for my newsletter HERE and have fun with summer writing!

Speech-Language Pathologist Summit

I am honored and excited to be part of the PESI Speech-Language Pathologist Summit happening later in November. I'm also thrilled to be pictured above next to my long time mentor, Carol Westby, who has a chapter in my upcoming book, Story Frames for Teaching Literacy coming in March 2021. Find out about her PESI Narrative Seminar HERE.

Many of us were saddened to hear that the annual American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) conference was not only canceled but that there would be no virtual replacement. In response, PESI brilliantly organized the SLP Summit to take place the same weekend, filling an important gap for those of us who need continuing education credit before the end of the year. 

My session is a two-hour presentation on Written Language: Roles, Responsibilities, and Ethical Considerations. It includes evidence based strategies for working with students with reading and writing challenges. ASHA now requires continuing education training in ethics specifically and so I hope this seminar will fill an important gap. My session is appropriate not only for SLPs but also for other educators who are curious about how SLPs can support students with dyslexia and other related reading and writing challenges.

Register for the summit HERE. Hope to see you there!

BETTER SPEECH AND HEARING MONTH

May is Better Speech and Hearing Month and the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association has developed many free resources to educate the public about what speech-language pathologist do as well as the nature of speech and language disorders. The following resources were developed by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

1. Communicating with Baby - Tips and Milestones from Birth to Age 5. Check out this free toolkit for parents with downloadable PDFs in English and Spanish. It outlines the communication skills you should expect your child to have at each age and gives helpful tips for encouraging development through reading aloud and other activities.

2. Signs of Speech and Language Disorders. Learn the signs that a child or adult may be exhibiting if they have a speech and language disorder. There is a link to find a speech-language pathologist in your area.

3. Signs of Hearing Loss. Sometimes hearing loss comes on slowly. It's not always easy to know what the problem is. These signs for adults and children are red flags that the difficulty may be due to a hearing loss.

4. 21 Day Reading Challenge. Reading with your child for just 15 minutes a day can have a profound effect on later reading and learning. Find small, practical tips for enhancing this experience in a reproducible PDF.

HELP WITH HEARING FOR THE HOLIDAYS: 7 Tips for Being a Better Listener

In last week’s post, I talked about Tips for Communicating with your Hard of Hearing Relatives and Friends, but what if YOU are the one who is hard of hearing (at least some of the time)?

If you are over 18 years of age, there is a 15% chance that you have some degree of difficulty with your hearing according to The National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDOCD). The risk of suffering “disabling hearing loss” increases as you age. The prevalence is 2% for ages 45-54, 8.5% for 55-64, 25% for 65-74 and 50% for 75 and older. However, in the age group of 20-69, only 16% of people who might benefit from hearing aids have ever used them at all. 

With those statistics in mind, my first suggestions for being a better listener is to get your hearing tested.

TIP #1 - Get Your Hearing Tested by an ASHA Certified Audiologist 

If you suspect that you might have a hearing loss, get your hearing tested as soon as possible. A study conducted by John Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging showed that the brain naturally tends to shrink with age, but those with hearing loss appear to suffer more brain shrinkage and also more dementia. The “impoverished” auditory center may be shrinking due to lack of stimulation. Because of this, Frank Lin, MD, Ph.D, advocates for getting your hearing tested early.  “You want to do it sooner rather than later. If hearing loss is potentially contributing to these differences we're seeing on MRI, you want to treat it before these brain structural changes take place."

An audiologist can do more than just test your hearing. Many offer Aural Rehabilitation Strategies. These will help you make the most of your hearing whether you use hearing aids or not. I have outlined a few of these strategies below but you may find more at the ASHA page for Adult Aural/Audiologic Rehabilitation.

Note - I'm a speech-language pathologist, not an audiologist. This post contains tips from ASHA but also my personal observations. If you have concerns about your hearing, contact ASHA to find a certified audiologist near you.

TIP #2 - Learn to Watch Faces for Visual Cues

Formal speechreading training teaches you how the lips form speech sounds but you can learn a lot by simply watching people’s lips and becoming more aware of the difference between words like cat/cab, pit/pig, ham/hand. Facial expression and gestures also help us know if someone is “mad” or “glad.”

TIP #3 - Tell People What You Need and Be Specific

Simply telling someone that you can’t hear them may not help them be a better communicator. They will probably just talk louder or even yell. Being specific gives them a productive strategy to focus on. My husband frequently reminds me, “If you can’t see me, I can’t hear you,” because I have a tendency to start conversations from another room or with my back turned. “Could you slow down? I don’t want to miss what you’re saying,” is something else you could say. You may want to talk with your friends and family members about a catch phrase that will help “gently” remind them of your hearing difficulties. 

TIP #4 - Ask the Speaker to REPHRASE vs. Repeat

If you have asked someone to repeat themselves and you still don’t understand them, ask instead, “Could you say that a different way,” or “Could you rephrase that?” There are many reasons why rephrasing may be better than repeating which I discussed at length in last week’s post.

In addition, it helps the speaker if you let them know specifically what you missed. Having spent many years in classrooms, I know how frustrating it is for a teacher to give ten minutes of directions and then have a student say, “What?” or “Huh?” The student may have actually heard most of the instructions and really only needs one small part repeated. “What page did you say the assignment was on?” or “What book did you say we are reading next week?” Likewise, in a conversation with family or friends, instead of asking them to repeat everything, try to get them to fill in the blanks. “Who did you say was in the hospital?” or “What was it you wanted me to bring for dinner?”

Be especially cautious about contractions, words like “can’t, don’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t.” Many people soften the final /t/ sound so much that it can’t be heard. Clarify with questions like, “Did you say you can watch my dog or you can NOT watch my dog?” or “Did you say I should try Aunt Rita’s cheese casserole or I should NOT?” These small distinctions may save you from getting food poisoning or missing Christmas dinner altogether because you did NOT get a dog sitter and DID miss your flight to Texas.

TIP #5 - Watch Where You Sit

In your own home you can rearrange the furniture and the lighting to better see the faces of those you are talking to, but if you are in someone else’s home, you may want to ask to sit at the end of the table so you don’t have conversation coming at you from every direction. When you are eating out,  you may want to ask for a quiet table in a corner or ask to sit with a wall behind you. Carpet also tends to absorb background noise, so if you have a choice of rooms or restaurants, consider that as well.

TIP #6 - Educate Your Friends and Family

Be open about your hearing difficulties. Share my post from last week with friends and family by emailing the link or posting on Facebook. This may help you open up an honest conversation about your frustration and theirs. Talk about strategies that will help you hear them better. Tell them that you will be giving them gentle reminders about what is helpful to you because your relationship is important and you value what they have to say. Some audiologist provide recordings that simulate hearing loss. Sharing these with family and friends can be an eye opener as well as a conversation starter.

TIP #7- Be Kind to One Another

Above all, remember that communication breakdowns are difficult on everyone involved, not just the speaker...not just the listener. We are all bound to make mistakes in this area, but love covers a multitude of these errors.

Your family members may seem insensitive to your challenges and perhaps even uncaring, but if you assume good will, your remarks will come off as gentle reminders instead of rebukes. You are helping to educate them about your difficulties, not shame them for being a poor speaker (even if they are). Phrases like, “Why does everyone your age have to mumble?” are probably not going to help them know how to speak to you more effectively, but gentle and specific suggestions made with a smile will go a long way.

As for one additional tip for the SPEAKER, someone with a hearing impairment made a suggestion on last week’s post that I think is worth sharing. 

“Please try to be patient, although I understand that it's annoying to deal with someone who isn't all together tuned in. And please don't ask with that edge in your voice, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HEARING AIDS IN??? This question sounds/feels more of an accusation than a genuine query.” 

Patience and kindness go a log way. Communication is about Connection!

Writing Video Game Stories

free images from pixabay.com

When I worked at a local high school, many of my students wanted to become video game designers. Video games often contain great story plots! I created the powerpoint below to give struggling writers a simple way of creating a story using the format of a video game. Ideally the powerpoint would be downloadable for each student and they would write directly on the slides. I'm still working on a way to make that more accessible, so sign up for my newsletter on the CONTACT page if you want updates. In the meantime, you may share the link below to the power point/YouTube video with your students. You will have to pause each image or it will automatically move forward since it is a video.

A few years ago, I conducted a writing workshop with a group of dyslexic students, grades 5-12, at the Annual Conference for the Southwest Branch of the International Dyslexia Association using this same power point. I spent 90 minutes talking to students about story structure using my story plotting technique called The Secret Language of Stories. Megan Shanley, Occupational Therapist and Assistive Technology Specialist, downloaded my powerpoint below onto iPads for each student and showed them several strategies for recording their ideas, such as the voice-to-print feature of the device along with apps for word prediction. Her husband, Dan, a high school English teacher, then helped us go around the room and assist students with creating original stories for the last half of our session. The results were phenomenal. By the end of our workshop, several students stood up and shared their insightful and funny stories. It was exciting to see students who struggled with the written word be so successful and creative with stories.

So try it out and let me know how it goes. I love finding new ways to inspire struggling writers.

How to Create a Video Game Story