LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

Have you heard our new story?

Click here to download: "The Limerig"

Have you devoured anything lately? 

Personally, I devoured a Banana Cream Pie this week, 

but no one captured a picture of that, thank goodness! 

Send us your visual definition of devour to nightlightstories@gmail.com! 


I would like to send out a special "THANK YOU" to Leslie, Jeannette, Becka, Meghan, Andrea, Mark, Krepe Kraft, Elizabeth, and Dana for suggesting such great "D" words on our Facebook Page!  
We are always inspired by our incredible listeners.

As always, we look forward to watching the 

glow grow brighter with the many words we can share together.

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

Have you heard our new story?

Click here to download: "The Limerig"

We are curious to see what you are curious about! Send us your visual definition of curious to nightlightstories@gmail.com!  

As always, we look forward to watching the 

glow grow brighter with the many words we can share together.

Episode 34: The Limerig

Click here to listen to: The Limerig


May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. As you might remember, Mr. Chris is a speech language pathologist and one of his responsibilities is to help children learn how to say words using the right sounds.  Sometimes children switch sounds around when they are learning to talk.  Some common sounds to mix up are sounds that are made in almost the exact same way in your mouth. For example, the /p/ sound and the /b/ sound are almost exactly the same.  Try saying, "Puh, Puh, Puh."  Now try the /b/ sound "buh, buh, buh."  Notice how you make both of those sounds by putting your lips together? The only difference between those sounds is that for the /p/ sound you don’t use your voice and for the /b/ sound, you do use your voice.  Try it again placing your fingers on the front of your throat. Do you feel those vibrations when you're making the /b/ sound? That is larynx making those vibrations on the /b/ sound!



Another set of sounds that are close together are the /k/ and /g/ sounds. It’s fun to think about how we make different sounds.  Mr. Chris thought it would be fun to think about what would happen if we swapped the k's and g's in different words and this poem was born.  As you listen to the poem, consider the following: “What can you do to help people communicate better?"


Suggestion: Mr. Chris recites this poem pretty rapidly. If it is a little too fast for you just listen to it again and again!

VORACIOUS VOCABULARY

What did you say? A word of the day! In our story there are many

juicy words that are fun to use and say.

exist: to continue to be or live.

nod: to bend (the head) in a short, quick downward movement

JUST ADD IMAGINATION!

Try these activities to keep your imagination glowing after hearing the story.

1. Record a message for us using http://vocaroo.com. 

If you have never heard of it, Mr. Chris and I made a quick audio clip together describing how to use it on his podcast, the A.T.TIPSCAST.  To learn more about http://vocaroo.com, click the direct link to the audio: http://bit.ly/vocarooideas. Once  you record the message, send it to us at nightlightstories@gmail.com!  

Here is my recorded message: Miss Mel's example Vocaroo message.  

Once you record your own message, there are a couple of options. You can "Send to a friend" or you can "Post to the Internet".  "Sending to a friend" will bring up a space to put in the email of the friend you want to send your recording to. "Post to the Internet" will bring up a link to your recording and the HTML code.

2. Say each of the sounds in your name with your fingers on the front of your throat. Which sounds make the vibrations?

3. Do the exercises in this video made by Mr. Chris, Two Minute Mouths, to practice moving your tongue, lips, and jaw! 

COMPREHENSION CHALLENGE

After listening to the story, can you recall the details to 
answer these questions?

1. If wing became wink, what would certainly fall?
2. What would happen if your voice cracked by the sink? 
3. When you awake from dreaming of drings, your mind is all filled with what types of things?

Don't forget to squeeze your Mom tight on Sunday, May 8, 2011!

Have you heard our Mother's Day story? 

My Mom, My Hero

A poem we dedicated to our Mom's for Mother's Day.
Free audio download: My Mom, My Hero
Blog with activities: My Mom, My Hero

We want to send out bright birthday wishes to:

Jacob C of Virginia

Riley G of South Dakota

Morgan B of Hingham, Massachusetts

Chris L of Massachusetts

Jessi S of Louisiana

Kim of the Musing Mommies podcast

We hope your day SPARKLED!

MORE BETTER HEARING AND SPEECH MONTH STUFF!

Listen to these special episodes of the

A.T.TIPSCAST

 for even more

Better Hearing and Speech Month Fun!

Episode 74: Contextualized Communication

 When a student is a successful communicator 90% of the time, what can 

be done to help him increase that percentage?

Listen: http://www.cyberears.com/cybrss/12173.mp3

Episode 54: The Small Mermaid

An original short story fairytale about a mermaid who loses her voice to a sea witch and how she finds a new way to communicate.

Listen: http://www.cyberears.com/cybrss/9232.mp3

Episode 33: Voice Feedback Modulators

 My family helps demonstrate a strategy for teaching appropriate volume.

Listen: http://www.cyberears.com/cybrss/6159.mp3

Episode 19: Sabotage!

 Have you ever been chased by the ASHA police? Not fun.

Listen: http://www.cyberears.com/cybrss/3142.mp3

As always, we look forward to watching the glow grow brighter with the   
many stories and strategies we can share together!

*Select fonts used in this post were found at http://www.flamingtext.com/

LIGHTING THE WAY WITH WORDS

Don't forget to squeeze your Mom tight on Sunday, May 8, 2011!

Have you heard our Mother's Day story? 

"My Mom, My Hero"

A poem we dedicated to our Moms for Mother's Day.

Free audio download: My Mom, My Hero

Blog with activities: My Mom, My Hero

I always have known our two kids have a very strong bond with each other. I have treasured watching the bond between our son and daughter grow. The day I realized how strong it was is a moment I will never forget as long as I live. 


Our son was almost four. Our daughter was almost two and toddling. We were in the gymnasium of the local elementary school registering our son for Pre-K. There was a play area about ten feet from me circled by chairs. All the kids were playing with the trains, dinosaur figures, and blocks that were set in stations in the middle of the room. Our son asked me to go to the nearest station to us and I agreed. He is extremely passive and so I was thrilled that he wanted to take this step! He clasped his baby sister's hand and together they excitedly went over to the dinosaur figures. It was then that I noticed there was another little boy at this station. Our daughter squealed with delight as she found one of the dinosaurs and started playing with it. This other little boy at the station walked around the table and grabbed the dinosaur out of my daughter's hand. Our son, who was watching this whole situation, picked up a dinosaur figure and threw it at the boy, missing him completely, but getting his attention.  He then yelled, "Hey you! Don't touch my sister!".  I stood there in awe. He then grabbed her hand and brought her over to me. He looked up at me and said, "Someone was mean to her so I protected her.". Although I didn't condone the throwing of the dinosaur, I couldn't help the feeling of pride that swept over me at the expression of the bond that exists between our two children.