SLP Essentials for Back to School
To make sure we kick speech off with a bang, I've put together a list of essential items for the speech language pathologist that will make our lives a breeze during those first few weeks back in school. Check 'em out:
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Binder Rings for storage
1. Binder Rings: I use these ALL the time! I have my speech sound cue cards on them for on the go access to the visuals. My students love to flip through them to find “their sounds”. I also use them to hang visuals around the classrooms on plastic hooks.
Life is too short to have to cut velcro!
2. Velcro Dots: Using velcro for visual schedules, adapting books and them for behavior charts is key! I no longer have to cut my velcro with these time saving dots!
Copy Paper (because, duh!)
3. Copy Paper: Let's face it, we can never have enough of this stuff. Gonna be printing out activities, resources and screening record forms like crazy!
Laminating Pouches
4. Laminating Sheets: I laminate SO MUCH! I can keep activities year after year and kids can’t rip the pages! I use 5 mm sheets for even more durability for my visual sentence strips and books (check out my printable Back to School book for preschoolers!)
5. Plastic Sleeves: Slip those printable resources into these sleeves for use with dry erase markers when don’t have the time to laminate!. Plus, they're super easy to wipe clean. Score!
Mesh Storage bags to help organize and store toys and resources for speech therapy
5. Mesh Storage Bags (the big ones): I used these to store my games paired with books in one place! I have a fun S’mores speech activity that includes articulation marshmallows that can all be stored in one bag..
All the Play Doh!
6. Play Doh: I love this bundle of play doh with colors for every holiday and theme plus there is play doh with sprinkles in it and metallic play doh. I know I start every year opening a dried out container of play doh, happy to have a bag of new containers near by!
8. Nice Pens: Treat yourself to some smooth writing action with good quality pens. They make note-taking way less boring!
Dry Erase markers for Apraxia and Worksheets
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
9. Dry Erase Markers: I always have a stash of these for making on the spot speech sound visuals and they are perfect for writing on whiteboards or laminated materials.
Plastic Containers with attached Lid or latching lids with Sensory Materials
10. Plastic Bins with Attached Lids: Seems like I always need one to make a sensory bin for a new theme, and the bins with the attached lids work the best for me in my therapy bag since they don’t open unless I want them to.
11. Water Bottle: My goal for this year is to drink more water and even though I have SO MANY water bottles, I want to motivate myself, so I’m buying a new one!
Dot Markers to mark of target words
12. Dot Painters: These bad boys can be used for all kinds of cool therapy activities, dot articulation comes to mind and can be used with little prep and kids love to use them!.
13. Glue Sticks: Never can find my glue sticks, so this year I am putting one in every pocket of my therapy bag. I like the clear ones to use with the small pieces that I laminate. I stick inside the laminating sheet to hold the pieces in place while they run through the laminator.
Clip Board with Storage
14. Clipboard with Storage: This was a game changer for me last year! I keep each child’s daily sign in sheets inside the storage portion and the child’s sheet that I am working with on top plus my monthly time sheet.
Now that we're armed with these essential speechie necessities, we're all set for an amazing start to the school year.
Here's to a fantastic school year ahead!
