Caffeine & Caseloads: The SLP Life with The Pedi Speechie

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie Podcast, we’re continuing our R sound journey! Last week, we explored how to teach the retroflex R using the “pirate hook” visual. Today, we’re focusing on the bunched R—how it differs, why it’s equally valid, and the exact steps I use to help students find success.You’ll learn:Why we always start with vocalic er in isolation—and why this foundational skill takes time (sometimes months!) to developHow to build lingual-mandibular differentiation, so your students can move their tongue without that pesky jaw helping outHow to use mirrors, hand placement, tongue depressors, and visuals to teach jaw stability and tongue elevationMy favorite visuals for teaching R: the “question mark” hand cue for bunched R and the “pirate hook” for retroflexWhy the typodont model is such a game-changer when demonstrating tongue positioningRemember: R takes patience and consistent feedback—but with the right visuals, cues, and tactile supports, your students will get there.🧠 Related Resources:Read the blog post: Retroflex R vs. Bunched R in Speech TherapyCheck out my Correct That Vocalic R Program on TpT: Speech Therapy Lisp & Vocalic R Articulation Bundle

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie, Karen breaks down how to elicit the retroflex R sound step-by-step. You’ll learn the difference between bunched and retroflex R, discover why starting with vocalic “ER” builds a strong foundation, and explore high-success strategies like the stretch-and-fade method, the slide or tap back technique, and the fun pirate hook visual.Karen also shares how she combines visual, tactile, and auditory feedback for maximum success in her speech room—plus, the exact tools she uses to make tricky tongue placements click for her students.💬 In this episode, you’ll learn:How to explain the retroflex R vs. bunched RWhy vocalic “ER” should be your starting pointVisual and tactile cues that boost successStep-by-step strategies for shaping RHow to combine auditory, tactile, and visual feedback effectively🔗 Resources Mentioned:Typodont Model for Visual Demos (Amazon)Correct that Vocalic R Program: http://bit.ly/4nL1MDI5 Minute R Manual (free): https://thepedispeechie.kit.com/6718f5c346

Not every preschool student is ready to sit through a long storybook—and that’s okay! In today’s episode of Caffeine & Caseloads: The SLP Life with The Pedi Speechie, I’m sharing my favorite quick, interactive books that are perfect for building prelinguistic and early linguistic communication skills. These books encourage imitation of sounds, actions, and exclamations, while keeping even your busiest little ones engaged.📚 Books mentioned in this episode:No No Yes Yes by Leslie PatricelliYummy Yucky by Leslie PatricelliDon’t Push the Button by Bill CotterThe Big Book of ExclamationsDear Zoo by Rod CampbellPeek-a-Who? by Nina Laden✨ Looking for a resource that pairs perfectly with this episode? Check out my Imitating Sounds, Actions, and Core Vocabulary Interactive Book Bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers. It’s designed to target the same early skills highlighted in today’s book recommendations and gives you ready-to-use materials for your preschool sessions.🎧 Tune in to learn how these short, engaging books can transform your sessions with early communicators.

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie, we’re breaking down the difference between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness—because yes, they’re not the same thing. If you’ve ever found yourself second-guessing which is which, this one’s for you.We’ll walk through the hierarchy of phonological awareness skills, from sentences to syllables to individual sounds, and share practical, no-prep speech therapy activities you can use right away. You’ll also get original examples and playful therapy ideas that are perfect for preschool and early elementary students.Whether you’re a new speech-language pathologist or a seasoned school SLP looking for fresh ideas, this episode will help you support your students’ communication goals with confidence.🎙️ Topics covered:What is phonological awareness?What is phonemic awareness?The key differences between the twoEvidence-based, fun therapy ideas for school-based SLPsWhy phonemic awareness is foundational for reading and spelling✨ Looking for ready-to-go materials? Check out my Syllable Segmentation Activity and Phonological Awareness Worksheets on Teachers Pay Teachers for even more support in your sessions.Subscribe for more episodes on all things speech-language pathology—and don’t forget to share this one with your SLP team!

Need a speech session yesterday? This episode is your emergency toolkit. Karen from The Pedi Speechie Podcast is sharing 10 of her favorite low-prep, high-impact activities that can be done in tiny spaces with minimal materials—perfect for school SLPs on the go.From bean bag balancing and sticky note circuits to sound effect games and silly sentence building, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas that support communication goals and get your students moving. These ideas are sensory-friendly, regulation-boosting, and totally doable with what’s already in your speech room.🎧 Listen in to hear:How to use free online sounds to target articulationA simple way to combine movement with expressive languageWhy bean bags and sentence strips might become your new go-to toolsIf you’re tired, overwhelmed, or just fresh out of ideas, this one’s for you. Because sometimes the best therapy sessions are the ones you didn’t spend all weekend prepping.✨ Mentioned in the episode:BBC Sound Effects ArchiveFreesound.orgStory Retell Graphic Organizer: Yoga Mat CompanionStory Retell and Sequencing: Speech and Language Therapy WorksheetsRate & review, and don’t forget to subscribe!#speechtherapy #schoolSLP #speechlanguagepathologist #slpresources #lowpreptherapy

Do your speech therapy vocabulary sessions feel a little... sleepy? In this episode of The Pedi Speechie, we’re diving into what Tier II vocabulary really is—and how to teach it in a way that keeps your students engaged (and you sane).Whether you’re a school-based speech-language pathologist working with preschoolers or upper elementary students, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for building robust vocabulary skills during speech therapy. You’ll learn how to:✅ Define Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III vocabulary (with easy-to-understand examples)✅ Teach Tier II words through read-alouds, games like Candy Land and Sorry!, and multisensory activities✅ Use child-friendly definitions, repetition, and fun visuals✅ Grab and go with one easy-to-implement word strategy you can try this week📚 Mentioned in the episode:Read more on my blogBringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Isabel L. BeckLet’s help our students fall in love with language—one Tier II word at a time.Grab this helpful book read aloud and tier II vocab freebie: https://karengoske-gmail.kit.com/452e594266

Struggling to figure out how to start treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech after making the diagnosis? This episode is your guide to Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC)—the motor-based treatment approach developed by Dr. Edythe Strand for kids with moderate to severe CAS.We’ll break down:✅ What DTTC is and who it’s designed for✅ The step-by-step hierarchy you’ll use in sessions✅ Practical tips for adding cues, fading support, and introducing prosodyPLUS—you’ll want to grab the FREE DTTC Data Sheet + Prosody Starter Guide to make your therapy life easier. It’s a simple check-the-box tracker for cue levels and prosody, with visuals and quick reminders built in.👉 Get your freebie here: https://karengoske-gmail.kit.com/365d798600Reference: Strand, Edythe A. “Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing: A Treatment Strategy for Childhood Apraxia of Speech.” American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, vol. 29, no. 1, 2020, pp. 30–48. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-19-0005.🎧 Tune in and feel confident using DTTC in your next therapy session!

What if your students don’t need another worksheet… they just need to move?In this episode, I dive into a fascinating research study comparing visual and movement-based grammar interventions for students with developmental language disorder (DLD). Spoiler: movement-based cues weren’t just effective—they were more successful for one student with attention challenges.You’ll learn:The two simple grammar gestures used in the Springle & Hester (2019) studyWhy grammar taps into motor memoryNew gesture-based ideas you can start using tomorrow for targets like past tense, plurals, pronouns, and conjunctionsHow to use these cues in real-life therapy—no materials required!Plus, I’m giving you a free printable with gesture cues for 8 grammar goals you can use across your caseload.🧠 Based on research✋ Easy to implement📋 No prep needed🎁 Grab the freebie: Grammar in Motion: A Quick-Start Guide for SLPs👉 https://karengoske-gmail.kit.com/66238ea525✍️ Helpful Resources:🧠 Read the full study (Springle & Hester, 2019)🟪 Learn more about Shape Coding✍️ Entire Year of Grammar and Sentence Structure Program (TpT)🧘‍♀️ Yoga Mat Story Retell Companion (TpT)

Ready to make your next speech therapy whole group push-in session actually work? In this episode of The Pedi Speechie Podcast, we’re heading to the farm for a fully planned, engaging, and inclusive speech therapy session that school-based SLPs can use right away.Whether you're a speech-language pathologist supporting students in a resource room or looking for creative ways to target multiple speech and language goals in one session, this episode delivers. I walk you through a complete farm-themed push-in lesson—from hello songs to story time to sorting tasks—and share realistic strategies for managing group data collection without losing your mind.We’ll also chat about simple tech solutions that help you stay on top of data collection during busy group sessions—like Counter+ and Counter Tally Count—two free apps that are SLP-friendly and FERPA-safe.✨ And while I don’t mention it directly in the episode, my Interactive Stories Bundle is a perfect companion resource if you’re looking to build out your themed lessons with no-prep, high-engagement materials.

If you’ve ever evaluated a student in speech therapy and thought, “This isn’t a typical phonological delay… but what now?”—this episode is for you.In this episode of The Pedi Speechie, we’re breaking down the Dynamic Evaluation of Motor Speech Skills (DEMSS)—what it is, when to use it, and how to actually administer it without overwhelm. Whether you’re a school-based speech-language pathologist or a speech therapy graduate student dipping your toe into differential diagnosis, this conversation will help you feel more confident in identifying childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).We’ll cover:What CAS actually looks like in real lifeWhen DEMSS is an appropriate toolHow to cue, score, and take notes using the DEMSS formatSample evaluation report languageHow Dr. Edythe Strand’s DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing) approach can support your therapy planning👉 Watch the free DTTC training videos by Dr. Strand on YouTube: DTTC on YouTube 👉 Purchase the DEMSS manual from Brookes Publishing: https://brookespublishing.com/product/demss/?srsltid=AfmBOopIAHos9Lup1Vt9NLBNPthKxJyvH3n79G2N9Ew9OsLLTnNW5heJ 👉 Read my full blog post on evaluating for CAS: Evaluating CAS Step-by-Step: https://thepedispeechie.com/2023/06/how-to-do-childhood-apraxia-of-speech-evaluation.htmlPlease note: I am in no way affiliated with the DEMSS, Dr. Edythe Strand, or Brookes Publishing. This episode is intended to share tips and insights from a school-based SLP perspective.

In this episode of The Pedi Speechie Podcast, we’re diving into beginner-friendly ChatGPT tips for school-based speech-language pathologists. Whether you're deep in special education paperwork or looking for a faster way to write IEPs and evaluations, this episode will show you exactly how ChatGPT can support your speech therapy workflow.You’ll learn how to use ChatGPT to write SMART IEP goals, generate themed articulation word lists, draft professional parent and teacher emails, and even complete Section 6 of the IEP. If you’ve ever stared at a blank document trying to write an evaluation summary or progress update, these prompts are about to be your new best friend.⚠️ Important Reminder: When using ChatGPT, do not enter identifying student information—that includes names, initials, dates of birth, or student ID numbers. For added privacy, go to your ChatGPT settings and turn off “chat history & training” to keep your prompts from being stored.💻 All prompt examples below are available in the show notes so you can copy and paste them directly into ChatGPT!✨ Prompt Examples from This Episode:Assessment Reports:“Write a school speech-language evaluation summary based on the GFTA-3 for a student with vocalic R distortion and reduced intelligibility. Use professional and objective language. Make it sound like a typical SLP report draft. Make sure to explain normative scores, a description of the GFTA-3, and a blank table or chart I can fill in to input observed articulation omissions, errors, or distortions.”“Write a school speech-language evaluation summary using the CELF-5 for a student with receptive language delays. Use school-based SLP terminology. Make sure to include a description of the CELF-5, a description of the Receptive Language Index, the Expressive Language Index, and the Core Language Index, a description of each subtest, an explanation of normative scores and percentile ranks for both index scores and subtest scores, a fill-in-the-blank template for me to add in my student's scores and percentile ranks, and an area to explain observed strengths and areas of weaknesses during testing.”Emails to Parents & Teachers:“Write a professional email to a parent explaining that I have completed their child’s speech evaluation, and that we will be scheduling an ETR meeting to discuss the results. Keep the tone warm and supportive.”“Write a brief, friendly email to a teacher requesting input on a student’s classroom participation for a speech re-evaluation.”Articulation Word Lists:“Give me 15 articulation practice words for initial /s/ for a student. Keep them age-appropriate.”“Generate a themed articulation word list for Valentine's Day with initial /k/ and final /t/ words.”“Give me 10 short sentences using initial /r/ words for articulation practice. Make them silly and fun for elementary students.”SMART IEP Goals:“Write a SMART speech-language goal for a student targeting accurate production of vocalic /r/ in structured tasks. Include a percentage accuracy criterion and a time frame.”“Write three SMART language goals for a student with receptive and expressive language delays. Include objectives for following directions, vocabulary, and sentence formulation.”“Write a SMART goal for a student working on using regular past tense verbs in connected speech, with 80% accuracy over 3 consecutive sessions, with minimal visual cues.”IEP Section 6 / Present Levels:“Write a 2-3 sentence IEP progress update for a student working on reducing final consonant deletion. The student is making moderate progress in structured tasks with visual cues.”“Write Section 6 of a school-based IEP for a student with articulation delays, specifically vocalic /r/ distortions. Include details on how this impacts classroom participation, communication with peers, and academic performance. Use school-appropriate language and keep it objective.”“Write a present levels summary (Section 6) for a student with receptive language delays. Include classroom impact, observed strengths, and support needs.”Bonus Prompt Tip:“Write a measurable articulation goal for a student working on eliminating a lateral /s/. Include accuracy criteria and cueing supports.”This is the perfect listen for any SLP looking to streamline documentation and make life a little easier in the special education world. ChatGPT isn’t here to replace you—it’s here to back you up.👉 Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and check out my TpT store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/the-pedi-speechie

If you’re a school SLP who's spent months targeting "ER" in speech therapy and your student finally gets it—this one’s for you. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the highs, lows, and hilariously relatable moments of articulation therapy, especially when it comes to treating vocalic R.You’ll learn why ER is the foundation of all other R-controlled vowels, how to use lingual-mandibular differentiation to your advantage, and exactly how to shape AR, OR, AIR, EAR, and IRE once ER is solid.Perfect for school-based speech-language pathologists looking for practical, tried-and-true articulation therapy strategies and a little reassurance that yes, it really does take this long sometimes.Grab the vocalic R program available in my TpT store: http://bit.ly/3I8sSoJ3d mouth model: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/mouth-fdbda2b6e59d4c75b77f8997b1f944cb