While making your list of New Year’s resolutions, remember to build in time for self-care. As educators, therapists, or parents—especially when supporting those with special needs—our day-to-day lives can be stressful and focused on meeting the needs of other people over ourselves. There’s a good reason for the statement, “Put on your own oxygen mask…
Read MoreI was recently at a party where the birthday girl couldn’t hide her disappointment when a certain gift was unwrapped. The boy who had given the gift was visibly shaken up, and I thought about how this drama could have played out so differently. Whether it’s a birthday, the winter holidays, or any other time…
Read MoreWe recently asked our therapists about their favorite resources for building speech, language, and social communication skills. Jennifer Wayman’s pick was Barrier Games, which can be easily used at home, in the classroom, and in therapy sessions to provide a fun and useful way to easily tailor goals and objectives to your child’s needs. Barrier Games…
Read MoreHands-on crafts activities offer great practice for following directions and sequencing (completing tasks in a specific order with a goal in mind). Here’s a seasonal activity with modifications for different skill levels to enjoy with your child. Here’s what you need: Paper Glue Leaves that have fallen to the ground Scissors Pen, pencil, crayons, or…
Read MoreHalloween is a thrilling event for many kids, but it can be overwhelming for those who face challenges with social communication and self-regulation. It can stir up anxiety, confusion, giddiness, and fear. There are many hidden social rules and norms associated with Halloween. Some kids understand hidden rules without explicit teaching and don’t need to…
Read MoreRecently we asked our therapists to recommend resources for building speech, language, and social communication skills. We wanted to share some of these activities that parents, teachers and other therapists may find fun and useful and that can be easily tailored for specific children’s needs. Therapist Kevin English recommended using Pixar short films (or any…
Read Moreby Jillian LeVos-Carlson, M.S., CCC-SLP I recently attended my company’s end-of-year party, where we were encouraged to reflect on the recent school year and think of the growth and challenges we’d experienced and what we’d learned and might want to store in our memory for the future. The first thing that came to mind was…
Read MoreProviding Tips and Tools to Support Great Communication and Connection Did you know that May is Better Hearing and Speech Month? We’re eager to raise awareness about the importance of speech, language, and hearing, the foundation of our ability to communicate and connect with others. Making oneself understood and understanding other people through words, gestures,…
Read MoreAt CW, we often teach the skill of “perspective taking,” or putting oneself into another person’s shoes/mindset. To build awareness and acceptance for autism, I decided to turn the tables. I asked some of our clients to describe for those who don’t have autism what it’s like and provide suggestions about how we can build…
Read MoreOur therapists often adapt commonly used games as tools for building speech, language, and social communication skills. We wanted to share some of these activities that teachers and caregivers may find fun and useful and that can be easily tailored for specific children’s needs. The first is Jenga, recommended by CW therapist Theresa Christiansen. Jenga…
Read MoreFor kids who need to settle and focus, the answer may be a fidget or what are also know as “focus tools”. Many teachers use “fidgets” (small objects that keep the hands or body busy) to help with self-regulation and boost focus and attention. Research shows that allowing students to fidget can increase their ability…
Read MoreSummer offers a welcome break from the school routine, but time off doesn’t mean putting social learning on hold. Summer vacations can be the perfect time to embrace teachable social moments and can even make your travels more enjoyable. As you plan a trip, hit the road, and visit new places, kids can also build their…
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Read MoreHere at CW, we’re delighted to announce that two good books have been made better. Whole Body Listening Larry At School and Whole Body Listening Larry At Home teach children to improve their listening, attention, and social skills through the concept of Whole Body Listening (WBL). Although this might seem simple, WBL is actually very…
Read MoreAs adults, we spend an extraordinary amount of time thinking we’ve got our students’ and children’s problems figured out: “I know why he’s mad…it’s because he can’t get the Legos to fit together!” “She must be sulking because her friends left her out during recess today” Grown ups certainly have more life experience than kids, and sometimes…
Read MoreBy Hanna Bogen, M.S., CCC-SLP When hanging out with friends, we may joke, act silly, or sometimes tease one another. While these actions can start out as playful, the teasing can sometimes become unfriendly and turn into bullying. Knowing when you or a friend’s actions are turning into bullying behavior can be challenging. First, let’s…
Read MoreBy Hanna Bogen, M.S., CCC-SLP “Back to school” time means back to packing lunches and sifting through snacks. One critical pillar of the development of self-regulation skills is sub-cortical regulation: management of sleep, movement, hydration, and eating. When you feed your body healthy foods, you are simultaneously feeding your brain. If children don’t eat a sufficient…
Read MoreBy Elizabeth Sautter, M.A., CCC-SLP “Pay attention!” and “Are you listening to me?” are common refrains spoken by teachers, parents, and caregivers. Adults often complain that children struggle to pay attention, but some children do not fully understand what is expected of them, or they may not be able to meet the expected demands when…
Read MoreBy Hanna Bogen, M.S., CCC-SLP Picture this: a child loses his temper during a math lesson at school and rips up his homework assignment at the end of the lesson. In an effort to provide support, his teacher assumes the math is too hard and modifies his assignment to be shorter and less complex. Meanwhile,…
Read MoreBy Lee-Anne Bloom, M.S., OTR/L, with Elizabeth Sautter, M.A., CCC-SLP As an occupational therapist who focuses on supporting an individual’s occupations, I am thrilled to work at Communication Works, where we support the whole person and an important job/occupation that he/she has– to regulate, communicate and connect with others. Without the ability to self-regulate and…
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