Fun Ways To Use Storybooks To Work on Articulation Goals

Want some low prep ways to incorporate storybooks into articulation therapy?

Why should we use storybooks in articulation therapy?

• It makes learning fun
• It makes planning a bit easier
• It makes activities academically relevant since it requires reading/listening comprehension skills
• Perfect for mixed groups
• Makes it easy to incorporate themes/seasons into your sessions

I am going to share with you three ideas that don’t require much prep that you can do to target your speech and language goals using storybooks.  These ideas can be used with ANY storybook, chapter book, article or printable story too.

Articulation Storybook Hunt

Let students try to go or a hunt for articulation words.  They can do this before they read, while they read, or afterwards!  They can make a list on a dry erase board, use highlighter tape to designate when they locate the words (perfect since it won’t ruin the book and can easily be removed), they can even make foldables to show which positions they found the words in. 

Why do this?  This can help them preview and practice words before reading out loud in a group.  It can help them remember to use the appropriate movements and positions of articulators while reading the words approaching with their sounds.  It can give them an auditory bombardment of those sounds while listening to you or a peer read the storybook.

Listen for the Correct or Incorrect Production

Have students listen to YOU read.  When you get to a word with their articulation sound in….switch on and off from producing it right and wrong.  Can they identify when you are wrong and correct you?  Self-monitoring and self-reflecting on others is a good start before doing it on themselves.

Storybook Retell Using Articulation Words

Give your students a cheat sheet that has words with their sound (it can be in the book itself or just ones that could be used to retell the story like transition words).  Make them retell the story with those sounds.  How many words can they use?  Can they use them all?  Make it a competition!

As you can see..you can easily use storybooks in your speech room to work on articulation goals.  It makes learning fun and doesn’t have to require a ton of prep!