If there is one thing SLP’s know… it’s that finding a motivating tool, will take your therapy session a long way! This week I’ve been using an angry birds kit I got on Black Friday for $4 bucks! The game comes with cards that describe sets of building set ups worth different points. I get a lot of SLP’s who know how to use games as reinforcers, but sometimes the game itself if worth a second look at it. I have some 3rd grade students who are working on language skills and that includes executive function.
What do we know about executive functioning and language impaired students? Lets take a quick trip through the research. This information is based on a ASHA Poster from 2011 found here from Sarah Lambeth, Jacquelyn Liesen.
Executive functions are comprised of attentional and inhibitory control; working memory; planning and organizing; initiation and shifting; self- monitoring, and emotional control.
Children with specific language impairment (SLI) may have deficits in attention, narrative language skills, and auditory working memory (Hoffman & Gillam,2004; Marton & Schwartz, 2003)
Significant correlation is evident between preschooler’s narrative language abilities and executive functions skills of inhibition, working memory, flexibility, and planning, measured by the BRIEF (Trainor, 2010)
Typically developing adolescents and adolescents with SLI differ in executive functions measured by the BRIEF (Hughes, Turkstra, and Wulfeck, 2009)
So in summary, planning, sequencing & recall are all important executive functioning skills! Those skills match perfectly with the Angry Birds game when used with intention by a SLP. Here’s what we did during each round. 1. Develop a plan. (ie: Jake will build the bottom parts and I’ll add the top parts.) 2. Describe the plan, step by step, which is scribed by the SLP. (First, stand the grey parts in the tall position next to each other. Then add a short grey piece. etc.) 3. Develop questions to request items, using ATTRIBUTES (Ms. Rayburn, may I have the piece that is round, grey and bumpy?) ((We skipped this skill in younger or more delayed students, but it was a perfect way to add those skills for 4th graders!) 4. Build it! (Recalling the steps outlined above.) 5. Use those metacognitive skills! How did we do? Does it look like the picture? Do we need to adjust? What did we miss? 6. Knock it down! (And start again!) The best part is that they think they’re just playing! Have you used any games to work on executive functioning skill in your students?
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SLP Gone Wild says
Love this! I do it with Legos, we plan what to build and students have to describe what they need and ask me for each piece. I love seeing progress from easy Lego projects to more complex!
Jenna Rayburn says
That’s such a great idea! Do you re-purpose your sons lego sets? I gotta get my hands on a little guy to re-use my stuff!
Susannah says
Love it and I HAVE this… I got this for my kid and she lost interest pretty quickly, partly because the card only lets you shoot say, the yellow bird for 1 turn and it stays up! So… I took it to work! We worked on some problem solving as a group about the birds, and had to change the rules about how many times we could shoot each bird to actually knock them all down…
SLP Gone Wild says
Lol, actually I do not repurpose his Legos…those are ‘hands off, Mom’. I buy the Lego city ones, I like using the vehicles the best.
Tammy Wynstra Basel says
Thanks, Jenna! This is great! I’m sharing your post on my facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AutismLanguageLearning?ref=hl
Jennifer Hatfield says
Love it! Great post.
Nicole Allison says
So neat! This activity works on so many skills! And…I’m jealous of your Angry Birds find-what a steal!
Nicole
allisonspeechpeeps.blogspot.com
Jenna Rayburn says
Thanks Nicole!
Lisa Varo says
Love this idea. Great way to use the game to make a plan n work on these important skills.
Jenna Rayburn says
Thank You!
Patti says
I use the apps- Where’s my Water and Where’s my Perry? The students have to tell what they are going to do before they do it. It is hard for them to wait to tell the group.
kbarden says
I use these as well. Cut the Rope is another good one that my kids LOVE!
Pauline says
I’ve done this and it works so well! The reinforcement comes from the game itself. So great!
Just Speechie says
I also love the Casey’s Contraptions app for this. Just FYI…I have never seen research that shows how to directly address inhibition. Actually, if you read the Marshmallow Test, it seems as though this is difficult for researchers to measure and design treatments for….does anyone know of any?
Anonymous says
Look in behavior analysis or psychology journals. You may have to change the name of the target behavior (inhibition) to something more specific. There should be lots of research.
Abby says
I LOVE this idea!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Abby
Third Grade Bookworm
Lauren L. says
This is a great idea! My kids LOVE angry birds! We usually do this with legos too. I may have to go ebay shopping for some angry bird toys! 🙂
whitney says
Amazing idea, I’m ordering the game now! What language cards did you use with the game?
Jenna Rayburn says
I switched out language cards based on needs, but you can see WH question cards from WH Bingo (SD) in the pictures above.
AJJ says
Love this idea. Great post. Thanks for all you do for SLP’s, Jenna!!!!
Jenna Rayburn says
Thank You!
Sasha Marie says
Love this! My guys go crazy for angry birds! We did an angry ‘verbs’ unit in the fall and my students were literally begging me to learn about verbs! This game looks great 🙂
– Sasha
The Autism Helper
Jenna Rayburn says
That sounds awesome Sasha!
SpeechLanguagePirates says
I LOVE those Angry Birds play sets! I used them recently, too. I’m waiting to find them at a thrift store somewhere…
http://speechlanguagepirates.blogspot.com/2012/11/3-weeks-behind.html
CC says
So. Darn. Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!
Jenna Rayburn says
Thanks Cheri!
Jennifer Johnson McCuller says
FYI…Walmart.com has them for 6.97 with shipping! I went to Toys R Us and they were $20.00! Think I am going to return mine.
Elizabeth McGeehan says
I just came across this! I use Marble run for a similar task! I have this game so I may try this out!