How Do You Use It?! February: Index Cards! (Linky Party)

The time has finally come...I am hosting my first linky party!  What is that?!  Well...I have created a theme/concept and I will have monthly themes.  Other SLP bloggers will have the opportunity to share their ideas related to my concept.  They will "link" to their blog posts at the bottom of my original blog post.  This way...you can access IT ALL from one spot!!

You seem to LOVE when I share how I use various "toolbox items" in my therapy room, DIY, and easy to implement therapy ideas.  Well..that was what inspired my linky party concept.  Each month, I will share how I use an item found in most therapy rooms and will allow other bloggers to share their ideas too!!  This month's item...INDEX CARDS!!

Are you thinking any of the following?!:

• "Well of course everyone uses index cards!"
• "That isn't anything new!"
• "What new ways could there possibly be to use index cards?"

Well..I will share with you some ways that I use index cards.  You may already use some of them, maybe all of them, maybe none!  Either way..I hope to share a new idea of some sort with you!  Or it may just inspire you to use those index cards again!  

I always try to grab index cards from the dollar store or from Staples (using coupons of course!).  I always have 2 sizes: small and large.  I have bulks in white but I also sometimes grab the ones in various colors.  

Memory Matching & Go Fish Games
One way I use index cards is to make quick and easy games using any target I need!  If I am working on vocabulary, I print out two copies of that images and glue it onto index cards and students must find the match.  Once they find the match they must label the image (and if the goal fits: say category, describing feature, name object function, etc.).

As you can see above, I was working on adjectives!  Students had to find the matches of the adjective word and then tell me a noun that can be described using that adjective!  With the help of Boardmaker, anything is possible!!

Easy, Ready To Go Visuals
I am always grabbing an index card to quickly make a visual!  Whether it is for a sentence strip/carrier phrase, quick strategy, or image to represent a preposition, it is a great tool to have near your therapy table!  You never know when a student could benefit from extra supports!!

Where Is My Sound?! Articulation Or Phonological Awareness Activity!
I took each of my students' articulation targets and wrote them on clothespins.  I color coded each sound with a different marker color.  Then I wrote a variety of CVC and multi syllabic words on index cards.  I used the target in the initial, medial, and final positions.  I made a ____ where the target sound would go in the word.  I chose to use the same color marker on the clothespin on the index card to help my students (and me to grab and go!).   Students are able to practice their targets while creating words on my index cards!!  Cheap and easy therapy idea!!

You can easily use this same idea with vocabulary words.  Just write vocabulary words on a clothespin or smaller index card.  You can write cloze sentences on larger index cards.  Students can have fun inserting their vocabulary words into the sentences to demonstrate understanding on how to use the words!!

Producing Clusters Articulation Idea:
I have several students working on producing clusters.  Some have trouble producing the first sound and some with difficulties in the second.  I wanted to make an easy way to work on drilling.  I cut a square in an index card.   Then I cut a piece of construction paper the same length as that square.  I wrote one word without the difficult sound position on the index card.  Then I wrote the second sound on the construction paper.  Just by pulling the paper through, we can now work on this tricky consonant cluster!!  You can have students make their own as a following directions activity, this way they can bring them home to practice!  

Those are just several of the MANY ways I use index cards.  Are you wondering how your other favorite SLP bloggers use index cards?!  Check out their blog posts on it by clicking the buttons at the bottom of this post!!  Stay tuned to next month!  The topic will be using dry erase!!!