Greeting Time in the Pre-K SPED Classroom - and the SLP

1. Greeting Time in the Pre-K SPED Classroom - and the SLP What is it and how do I use it for speech/language therapy?

2. What is Greeting Time in the High Scope Curriculum? • Opportunity for: - Greeting each other - Establishing the tone for the day - Establishing expectations for the day - Learning rhymes and songs - Learning how to deal with stress - Learning how to connect with others and to be aware of others

3. Why would I provide therapy during this time of the Pre-k day? • This is the time of day that allows direct contact with the children on your caseload as well as opportunity for collaboration with the teacher • A great time to help low-language and non-verbal children with accommodations to help them meet their annual goals and begin introducing them to augmentative communication tools and strategies • No child should leave Pre-k without a means of communication

4. How long should Greeting Time last? • Many teachers add phonological awareness activities or shared reading activities during this time. • There should be active and passive activities throughout the Greeting Time. • Greeting Time generally lasts between 20-30 minutes with phonological awareness or Shared Reading included

5. Determining how to provide therapy at this time • First, realize that this is a teacher-directed, highly structured and routine time. - The teacher will established a set routine - This will be a collaboration opportunity - If you are not familiar with the routine, join in and observe for the first 3-4 times before offering suggestions.

6. Observations at Greeting Time • The first 3-4 times, just relax and be a vigilant observer. • Learn the routine established by the teacher • Watch the children on your caseload and note their participation, speech and language skills, understanding, opportunities to engage as typical children can • Make lots of notes about your individual students and their ability to understand and participate actively in the Greeting Time activities; • Think about the “tasks” children are expected to perform in Greeting Time. Look at the Pre-K Assistive Technology Implementation Plan with the teacher, if possible.

7. Using your observation notes to inform therapy during Greeting Time • Determine which things observed are most important their speech/language goals and benchmarks • Think about the activities at greeting time • Identify accommodations that may allow your children to participate or practice target goals more • Go to the Adaptation Station on the Pre-K website for suggestions of accommodations • AAC tools and strategies • Positive Behavioral Supports

8. Using your observation notes to inform therapy during Greeting Time • Determine which things observed are most important their speech/language goals and benchmarks • Speak with the teacher about observations and specific accommodations or modifications you would like to make • Be particularly aware of children who rarely use language in the activities

9. What modifications or accommodations should I suggest? • Anything you and the teacher can agree upon to help the children • Understand what they hear, see, touch • Participate in each part of the activity actively- singing a song, answering a question, offering a comment • Express themselves clearly in the most sophisticated way possible for them- using 1-2 word utterances(verbally or with picture boards or speech generating devices), using sentences (verbally or….), using targeted phonemes with accuracy • Practice skills efficiently

10. What is my role in Greeting Circle Time? • This is your opportunity to foster a language rich environment. This means; • The children will find multiple opportunities and means to initiate • They will not simply be responders • All children will have the methods or modes they need to communicate **see note below • All children will be encouraged to do more each time

11. Why? • Research by ASHA’s NOMs Study indicates: Language is best learned in a group of peers and adults http://www.asha.org/members/research/NOMS/default.htm • Current language theory indicates that language develops through interaction and relationships • Brain research indicates that thinking skills, language growth develops through interaction that allows for agreement and disagreement. Use of protest is very important in everyday activities. • Brain research also suggests that gesturing and modeling of skills within natural context allows children to learn skills more readily - www.interdisciplines.org/mirror (Susan Hurley)

12. What is possible during Greeting Time? • A terrific time to address the goals and benchmarks of children who are low-verbal and non-verbal using assistive technology • A great time to address pragmatic language skills **see note • A time for generalization for those children targeted for dismissal from speech and/or language therapy

13. What is not possible during Greeting Time? • This is not a time to • Teach awareness of targeted phonemes • Teach initial use of new targeted phonemes You are going to have to work within the structure of the Greeting Time. This offers the opportunity to influence carryover and generalization of skills in the classroom.

14. As the year goes on…. • Consider being the lead during Greeting Time once in a while • Make adjustments to modifications, accommodations with the teacher • Make suggestions for songs or rhymes based on language and speech goals and benchmarks • Take a class in Conscious Discipline and learn the tools - these are awesome speech/language tools