I love sharing tips and tricks to help SLPs implement literacy-based therapy, but it’s not always easy to find the perfect book for your mixed group! This series of blog posts will help you find fun, engaging books that also make it easy to target your students’ goals. (I know I am always on the hunt for amazing books to use in therapy!)
First up is…GRAMMAR!
If you’re wondering how to target grammar goals using books, then check out our grammar series.
If you work with older students, then stay tuned for a series of blog posts that highlight engaging texts that can be used to target more complex syntax goals!
Here are the grammar targets we’ll be covering:
• Pronouns
• Auxiliary Verbs
• Past Tense Verbs
• Plural Nouns
• Negatives
• Post Noun Elaboration
• Compound Sentences
• Complex Sentences
Pronouns
I Like Myself – This story about a young girl is filled with “I” statements. A perfect opportunity to model this pronoun!
My Friend is Sad – This story about Gerald and Piggie is filled with “you” and “I” statements. A perfect opportunity to model/contrast these pronouns!
The Biggest Apple Ever – This story about the collaborative effort of two mice is filled with “we” statements.
Auxiliary Verbs
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt – This story about three friends who go on an adventure is perfect for students working on auxiliary verbs. The repetitive structure of the book includes multiple opportunities to model and practice this target.
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee – Mr. Magee and his dog experience an eventful camping trip. They complete several actions along the way, providing students with several opportunities to practice using auxiliary verbs (e.g., He is driving. He is roasting marshmallows. They are sleeping.).
Animal Strike at the Zoo – This is a story about zoo animals who decide to strike. Students have the opportunity to describe the animals’ actions using auxiliary verbs.
Past Tense Verbs
There Was an Old Lady Who… – These stories make repetitive use of past tense verbs, ideal for initial modeling and scaffolded practice.
Little Elliot, Big City – This story about a little elephant in a big city includes simple sentences with a variety of regular and irregular past tense verbs.
Chrysanthemum – Chrysanthemum is a mouse who loves her name until the kids at school make fun of it. This story chronicles her self acceptance and is filled with repeated use of regular (e.g., loved, looked, walked) and irregular (e.g., said, grew, woke) past tense verbs.
Plural Nouns
In The Tall, Tall Grass – This book describes the actions of bugs. The book includes simple two-word sentences (e.g., Caterpillars lunch. Hummingbirds sip.), ideal for targeted modeling and scaffolded practice of plural nouns.
Giraffes Can’t Dance – The story about a giraffe who learns to dance includes a number of regular plural nouns.
Dragons Love Tacos – This story about a dragon taco party includes repeated use of plural nouns.
Negatives
Where’s Spot? – This is a story about a mother dog who is looking for her puppy. She looks for him in several places. Students have the opportunity to “lift the flap” when searching for Spot and practice using negation (e.g., He is NOT inside the clock.).
Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type – This story about unsatisfied farm animals includes repeated use of (“no” + noun).
How Do Dinosaurs Say I’m Mad? – This story about an angry dinosaur includes opportunities for students to practice answering questions. For example, “Does he roar and slam the door?” The SLP can model and/or students can respond with negation (e.g.,, “He does not!” or “He doesn’t roar and slam the door.”)
Post Noun Elaboration
Animal Strike at the Zoo – The story about animals going on strike at the zoo includes several examples of post noun elaboration as the author describes the animals.
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee – This story about Dee and Mr. Magee’s camping trip includes several examples of post noun elaboration as the author describes the adventure.
Happy Like Soccer – This story about a young girl who loves soccer includes several examples of post noun elaboration as the author describes her game day.
Compound Sentences
Big Frank’s Fire Truck – The story about a fireman’s day includes several compound sentences.
Room on the Broom – This story about a witch and her broom includes several compound sentences.
Little Red Riding Hood – The story about Little Red Riding Hood includes several compound sentences.
Complex Sentences
The Little Red Hen – This story about the Little Red Hen includes several complex sentences (e.g., using the conjunction “after”).
How I Became a Pirate – This story about how a young boy became a pirate includes several complex sentences (e.g., using the conjunction “because”).
Family Huddle – This story about the Manning brothers includes several complex sentences.
Here’s a quick overview of all the books we listed:
Looking for more book ideas? Check out the SLP Now Membership! You can search for books that include targets for all of your students’ goals. Try it today (for free)!
I have some students working on “she”, present tense verbs, and possessive pronouns. Do you have an book suggestions for these?
Chrysanthemum, Stellaluna, and the Old Lady books are great for “she”! They’ll also have lots of possessive pronouns. I Like Myself has a lot of “she” and possessive pronouns too!
You can use pretty much any book for present tense verbs! Just describe what the characters are doing in the picture and/or read it in the present (instead of the past tense).