Do you remember graduate school when your supervisors made your write out detailed lesson plans for every student? It was a pain but such a valuable learning tool (at least for me). It allowed me to really look at all of my students and plan activities to target their unique goals while also being engaging and fun. When I became a full time SLP in the schools, I definitely didn't have time to continue that (nor did I want to LOL).
I do think it is important to have a therapy plan "outline" Here are some tips to make your planning easier:
Plan by themes: This is the easiest way to organize your brain when thinking about therapy activities. I typically choose 2-4 themes per month and build lessons around that (activities, crafts, books, game, etc...).
Plan by book units: One of my supervisors in graduate school did a book unit every month with all students and it was such a wonderful learning experience. I choose 2-3 books with a similar theme (different levels for different ages) and then I plan supplemental activities based on the book. For example: Camping themed books, camping themed crafts, camping toys, etc...
I created a FREE themed therapy checklist that gives you EASY themed ideas for every month of the year! I also included some blank templates for you to jot your own ideas on. Click here to get it.
I also have this blog post that lists fun activities (with links to freebies) for August-December. Click here to read it.
I also have a Monthly Cheat Sheet for you to jot down important meeting dates, therapy plans, due dates, etc.. Click here to get it
I received this question in the past: "How do you do interest led therapy if you have a plan?"
My answer: I have found over the years that planning therapy based on themes that the children can relate to or are interested in makes child led therapy easy to implement even with a plan. I usually have a few options within the theme so if a child is not meshing with my plan I can see what they gravitate towards with my other items. For older students, I usually don't have any issues with my themed lessons but keep alternatives handy just in case.
How do you plan for therapy sessions?
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