Word Power
After carrying the heavy boxes, Luis was exhausted. What does exhausted mean?
Very tired.
Goals: Understanding grade-level vocabulary from context
Nora brought her library book to school. Who brought a book? Answer in a complete sentence.
Nora brought a book. Accept speech, sign, AAC, pointing, writing, or a picture choice.
Goal: Answering a who question using Total Communication
Choose the correct pronoun: Mia and Zoe finished the poster. He, she, or they hung it on the wall? Answer in a complete sentence.
They hung it on the wall.
Goals: Using an appropriate pronoun
Say these words clearly: lamp, lemon, light. Then use one word in a sentence
Accept accurate initial /l/ productions and a grammatical sentence.
Goals: Producing initial /l/ in words and a sentence
Say sun, pencil, and bus. Is /s/ at the beginning, middle, or end of each word?
Sun: beginning. Pencil: middle. Bus: end.
Goals: Producing /s/ in all word positions
Say bath, teeth, and moth. Where do you hear the quiet /th/ sound?
At the end of each word. Accept accurate voiceless /th/ productions.
Goals: Producing voiceless /th/ at the end of words
You need help with your work. What could you say or communicate?
Accept speech, sign, AAC, gestures, pointing, or writing, such as: Can you please help me?
Goals: Asking for help using Total Communication
What does protect mean? Use protect in a complete sentence.
Protect means to keep something safe. Accept any correct sentence, such as: A helmet helps protect my head.
Goal: Defining vocabulary and using it in a grammatical sentence
The students planted flowers beside the playground. Where did they plant the flowers? Answer in a complete sentence.
They planted the flowers beside the playground. Accept any clear Total Communication response.
Goals: Answering a where question in a short grammatical sentence
Fix the sentence so it tells about yesterday: The students study the water cycle.
The students studied the water cycle.
Goals: Using correct word endings and past tense
Use salad, pillow, and ball in three short sentences. Say each /l/ clearly.
Accept three grammatical sentences with clear medial /l/ in salad and pillow and final /l/ in ball.
Goals: Producing medial and final /l/ in sentences
Say these /s/ blend words clearly: star, spoon, skate. Then use one in a sentence.
Accept accurate productions and a grammatical sentence using one word.
Goals: Producing /s/ blends in words and a sentence
Say this, those, and them. Where do you hear the buzzy /th/ sound?
At the beginning of each word. Accept accurate voiced /th/ productions.
Goals: Producing voiced /th/ at the beginning of words
You did not understand the directions. What could you say or communicate?
Please explain the directions again. Accept any clear self-advocacy message.
Goals: Self-advocacy and communicating needs
The class chose Maya to care for the plants because she is responsible. What does responsible mean?
Responsible means dependable or able to be trusted to do what is needed.
Goals: Identifying vocabulary using context clues
Eli wore a raincoat because dark clouds filled the sky. Why did Eli wear a raincoat? Answer in a complete sentence.
Eli wore a raincoat because it looked like it might rain.
Goals: Answering a why question using information from a sentence
Join the sentences using and: I opened my notebook. I wrote the date
I opened my notebook, and I wrote the date.
Goal: Making a compound sentence with and
Use red, carrot, and star in three short sentences. Say each /r/ clearly.
Accept three grammatical sentences with clear initial /r/ in red, medial /r/ in carrot, and final vocalic /r/ in star.
Goals: Producing /r/ in different word positions in sentences
Say sip, zip, and ship. Which sound begins each word?
Sip begins with /s/. Zip begins with /z/. Ship begins with /sh/.
Goals: Producing and telling apart /s/, /z/, and /sh/
Put your hand on your throat. Say think and this. Which word begins with a buzzy /th/?
This begins with the buzzy, voiced /th/. Think begins with the quiet, voiceless /th/.
Goals: Telling apart voiced and voiceless /th/
Your partner is speaking. What should you do before taking your turn?
Listen and wait until your partner finishes speaking.
Goals: Following conversation turn-taking rules
Use the word unusual in a complete sentence that shows what it means.
Accept any grammatical sentence showing that unusual means not common or different, such as: Snow in July would be unusual.
Goals: Using grade-level vocabulary in a grammatical sentence
Read: Bees carry pollen from flower to flower. This helps many plants make seeds. What do bees carry, and how does it help plants?
Bees carry pollen. It helps plants make seeds
Goals: Answering comprehension questions with grammatical sentences
Join the sentences using but: Lena wanted to play outside. It was raining.
Lena wanted to play outside, but it was raining.
Goals: Making a compound sentence with but
Tell two connected sentences using at least two of these words: bird, chair, car.
Accept two related grammatical sentences with clear vocalic /r/ productions.
Goals: Producing vocalic /r/ in connected speech
Say this sentence slowly and clearly: Zoe sees a shiny pencil on the bus.
Accept careful production of /z/, /sh/, and /s/ at the beginning, middle, and end of words.
Goals: Producing /s/, /z/, and /sh/ in a sentence
Say this sentence clearly: Those children brush their teeth.
Accept careful production of voiced /th/ in those and voiceless /th/ at the end of teeth.
Goals: Producing both kinds of /th/ in a sentence
If talking feels hard or bumpy, name one choice that may help.
Accept: slow down, pause, take a calm breath, or begin the word gently. The student may demonstrate the choice.
Goals: Using fluency strategies in easy-to-understand language
Scientists observe animals to learn how they behave. What does observe mean, and what is one thing you could observe at school?
Observe means to watch carefully. Accept any logical school example in a complete sentence.
Goals: Defining, explaining, and applying vocabulary
Read: During science, Ava placed one plant near a window and one in a dark cabinet. She wanted to learn whether light helps plants grow. Who did the experiment, where did she place the plants, and why?
Ava did the experiment. She placed one plant near a window and one in a dark cabinet to learn whether light helps plants grow.
Goals: Answering several WH questions about fourth-grade content
Join the sentences using so: The class finished its work. The teacher started the game.
The class finished its work, so the teacher started the game.
Goal: Making a compound sentence with so
Tell two connected sentences using one /l/ blend and one /r/ blend: blue or clock; green or truck.
Accept two related grammatical sentences using one word from each group with clear /l/ and /r/ blends
Goals: Producing /l/ and /r/ blends in connected speech
Tell two complete sentences about recess. Try to use at least two words with /s/ or an /s/ blend
Accept two grammatical sentences with clear target sounds, such as: I race my friends. We play on the swings.
Goals: Using /s/ and /s/ blends in conversation
Make one sentence using one word from each group: this or those; bath or teeth.
Accept any grammatical sentence with accurate target sounds, such as: This bath is warm.
Goals: Producing initial voiced /th/ and final voiceless /th/
Take turns with a partner. Tell three complete sentences about your favorite class or activity using your smoothest speech.
Accept three relevant grammatical sentences. Allow speech, sign, AAC, gestures, pointing, pictures, or writing as needed.
Goals: Fluent speech, grammatical sentences, and turn taking