Having recently been inspired by her appearance at the 2012 ASHA Convention, I've decided to add this fabulous book to my reading list. It's an inspiring story about Gabby Gifford and her husband, Mark Kelly, and their journey through life after Gabby's traumatic brain injury. It's a story about love, struggle, courage, hope, the journey, and SPEECH THERAPY!
Put it on your reading list - and you can thank me later.
Enjoy Speechies!

November & December Events

Thursday, November 29 @ 6:00DC 140
Jennifer Thompson "Autism: A Practical Approach"

Thursday, December 6 @ 5:00 - 7:00Clinic Lobby (Upstairs DeVos)
NSSLHA X-Mas Party Potluck
---Bring a plate to share (appetizer, dessert, beverage) and a $2-$3 donation to go towards funding the speakers we bring from the greater Grand Rapids community

Friday, December 7 @ 10:00AM - 4:00PMLibrary Lobby of Hiemenga Hall
Annual NSSLHA Bake Sale!
***Proceeds go to keeping NSSLHA vibrant.
---Sign up to bring a baked good or man the table with us via email.

Wednesday, December 12 @ 4:00PM - 9:00PMNoodles & Co. 5070 28th Street, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546
Calvin NSSLHA Fundraiser
--- Come support NSSLHA at Noodles! 25% of the proceeds from business we bring in go toward our chapter! Bring your friends, family, and strangers off the street! We will have tables set up at the restaurant the night of the event with sign up sheets and information for you! Come have a delicious meal of brain food to power through the rest of exams! Details to follow. :)

How to become a Speech Pathologist

Here's any interesting summary of what it takes to be a speech language pathologist!

CLICK HERE

Accelerating Early Literacy

Today I am finishing up an intervention critique paper on a study by Laura Justice and her research team.  The results are extremely applicable to us as speech pathologists, especially when working with kids who are in the early stages of learning how to read.  Here's some of the most valuable information I took away with me after reading the article:

-A print referencing style, implemented by teachers throughout an academic year in group reading sessions, brought significant gains in print concept knowledge, alphabet knowledge, and name writing ability when compared to a control group (that listened to an everyday shared reading style)
-This print referencing style used a set of specific objectives to focus in on book conventions and details
-Examples of objectives:

-  Print organization: Where do you begin reading on this page?  What direction should I read the words in?

-  Letters: Point to a word that contains the first letter of your name.  Count all the letters in this word.

- Words: Point to the longest word on the page.  Find the word ‘cat’!

This study reinforced the importance of doing more with a child than just reading a storybook straight through.  Asking questions and creating activities makes the reading interactive, and is more engaging and informative for kids.  Teaching children these things young can start a good foundation to help bolster their more complex reading skills in the future.  The next time you read a book with a child, I challenge you to use some of these techniques!

If a Tree Falls

If a Tree Falls: a family's quest to hear and be heard.  By Jennifer Rosner.

I'm beginning this week with a book recommendation to all of you speechies.  This book follows the story of a family adjusting and adapting when both of their daughters are born deaf.  Bill and Jenny are forced to make really complicated and difficult decisions about both of their daughters' hearing and communication in the modern world of deafness.  Along the way, Jennifer discovers a hidden history of deafness in her family that goes back generations.  Her story of her daughters' deafness centers around the theme of the book: will they, as hearing individuals, ever be able to truly hear their daughters?  And, will their daughters ever be able to truly hear them?

This book really allows a reader into the hearts and minds of hearing families that are faced with deafness.  I encourage you to check it out!

Upcoming Opportunities for November & December

Service Learning: 

What: Christmas decoration at Holland Home. 

Who: We are looking for 8 students for each date.
When & Where:

Monday, November 26 at 9:00 a.m.
2500 Breton Woods Drive
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Tuesday, November 27 at 9:00 a.m.
2772 Pfeiffer Woods Drive
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Guest Speaker: 

Date: November 29th.

Topic: Autism (specifics to follow)

Speaker: Jennifer Thompson, currently employed at Spectrum Health Blodgett Acute Center for Rehabilitation

Time: TBD

Location: Classroom in DeVos, TBD

NSSLHA X-Mas Party Potluck

Date: Thursday, December 6

Time: 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Style: Come and go as you are available

Location: DeVos Clinic Lobby

What It Is: To celebrate the end of a long semester, NSSLHA will be hosting a christmas party potluck. We request that you sign up to bring either a main dish, appetizer, dessert, or beverage to share and a donation or $2 to $3 to support NSSLHA's efforts to bring in professionals from the community to educate us. NSSLHA Leadership will all be brining main dishes, so if you are concerned about not having the resources to bring a main dish, no worries. Anything you have to contribute will be welcome - from a 2 Liter of pop to a bag of chips. 

RSVP Deadline: November 30

NSSLHA Bake Sale

Date: Friday, December 7

Time: 10:00AM - 4:00PM

Location: Library Lobby of Hiemenga Hall

Proceeds go to NSSLHA - so that we can continue to host events and speakers for you. 

Description: Due to the success of last year's NSSLHA bake sale, we will be hosting the very same event this year! There are several ways you can participate in this fun day:

1. You can sign up for times to man the table with NSSLHA Leadership

2. You can sign up to bring baked goods to sell to help support NSSLHA.

3. You can stop by our table to purchase a baked good.