Expressive Language/Grammar
WORD-BUILDING EXERCISES: Oral Expression
1. Surprise Box
Objective: Child will label an object and describe its characteristics.
Exercise: Place a variety of objects in a box. (Examples: toy car, scissors, pen, book, etc.) Ask Child to choose one object and tell what it is. Then say, "Tell me three things about the _____ [object]."
2. Brainstorming
Objective: Child will identify objects in a category.
Exercise: Think of a category. (Examples: clothing, fruits, colors, animals, etc.) Say to Child, "Name as many _____ [pieces of clothing] as you can."
3. Guessing Game
Objective: Child will provide clues about an object not in view. Exercise: Ask Child to think of an object. Then have Child describe that object for you without telling what it is. You are to guess the object.
4. Comparing Objects
Objective: Child will describe how two objects are the same and different based on their characteristics.
Exercise: Tell Child two words that are different but belong to the same category. (Examples: pants and shirt; carrots and beans; apples and oranges, etc.). Ask Child, "How are _____ [pants and shirt] the same?" "How are they different?"
GRAMMATICAL/SYNTACTIC EXERCISES: Oral Expression
1. Sequence Story
Objective: When presented with a series of pictures, Child will tell a short story about the pictures.
Exercise: Show Child three or four pictures that demonstrate a sequence of events (for example, carving a pumpkin or planting a seed). Have Child tell a story about the pictures.
2. Silly Pictures
Objective: Child will describe what is wrong with a picture. Exercise: Show Child a picture with several things out of place. Ask Child, "What is wrong with this picture?" If Child responds with only one word, ask her to tell you more. Model and expand if necessary.
3. Story Chain
Objective: Child will create and tell a story about a series of unrelated pictures.
Exercise: Place a series of unrelated pictures face down in front of Child. (Example: a boat, a flag, a boy, etc.) Have her turn over one picture and say a sentence about it. (Possible response: The boat is in the water.) Then have Child turn over the next picture, repeat the first sentence, and add a new sentence about the new picture.
(Possible response: The boat is in the water. The flag has stripes.) Continue until all pictures are turned over.
4. Telling Familiar Stories
Objective: When presented with the beginning of a familiar story, Child will complete the story.
Exercise: Begin a story that Child is familiar with and ask her to finish it. For example, say: "Once upon a time there were three little pigs. Now you tell me the rest of the story." If necessary, provide Child with appropriate pictures.
FUNCTIONAL LANGUAGE EXERCISES: Oral Expression
1. What Would You Say If . . .
Objective: Child will demonstrate the ability to give an appropriate answer to a situational question.
Exercise: Ask Child a question and ask her to think of an appropriate answer. (Examples: What would you say to your best friend if he told you that he was moving to a different state? What would you say to your sister if you accidentally broke her favorite toy?)
2. Feelings
Objective: When presented with an emotion, Child will identify a situation in which she experiences that emotion. Exercise: Say to Child, "Tell me something that makes you feel _____." (Examples: happy, sad, jealous, scared, embarrassed, nervous, etc.)
3. Role-Play Interactive Situations
Objective: When given a topic, Child will verbally role-play the situation appropriately with a peer.
Exercise: Ask Child and a peer to role-play one of the following situations:
a. Pretend that your friend comes over to play. Talk about how you will decide what to play.
b. Pretend that you and your friend both want to play with the same toy. Talk about how you will work it out. Make sure to talk about how you feel.
c. Pretend that you have three cookies and your friend asks if she can have some. Talk about how you will share them.
4. Table Manners
Objective: Child will demonstrate appropriate and inappropriate verbal and nonverbal table manners, including turn-taking, politeness, and body language.
Exercise: Give Child a specific situation such as the following: "You are at the dinner table and you would like some more potatoes. The potatoes are next to your uncle. Your sister and your uncle are talking. Tell me one thing that you should say or do so that you can get the potatoes." (Possible response: Excuse me, Uncle Dan; please pass the potatoes.) "Now tell me one thing that you should NOT say or do." (Possible response: Hey, gimme the potatoes NOW!)
Irregular plurals
Has and Have
Pronouns
Synonyms
Antonyms
Following directions
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