I recently added a friend to keep in my classroom at school. Not only does he provide my room with some style (he lives in a beautiful plant), but he also motivates my students and elicits language! Full disclosure: This is actually Jello Wizard the II (the original Jello Wizard died a few years back and I recently adopted his successor).

How I use Jello to motivate my students:

• My students get to feed Jello when they work hard on their objectives or have good behavior in speech! We feed him 2-3 times a week so the students work hard to get a chance at feeding him!

• Jello is also feisty! If you put your finger on the vase (I don't let them tap it) he will try to bite your finger!!! The students think this is fun!

How I use Jello to elicit language:

• My little ones are encouraged to say hi to Jello and ask if he is hungry!

• We talk about what kind of animal Jello is.

• We also talk about what he look likes and how he moves (descriptive vocabulary)!

If you are wondering where the name came from, my son had the honor of naming him!

Fish themed resources: I have a few "fishy" resources in my Teachers Pay Teachers store and I also LOVE using the book "Rainbow Fish" in therapy.

Fishy Speech Thumbprints (pictured above): Grab a colored ink pad and this resource for some fun articulation art. The students will make a fish with their thumbprints (the thumbprints are the scales with the articulation pictures on them) while practicing their sounds.

Articulation Aquarium: This is a simple cut & paste craft that is super EASY when you have no time to prep. The students will fill the aquarium with their speech sounds (regular and easy cut versions included).

The Rainbow Fish: This is a visually beautiful book with an equally beautiful message. It is a MUST have. Click HERE see it on Amazon (affiliate link).