Chain Letter Link-Up

Teach Speech 365 started the Chain Letter Link-Up as a way for all of us SLPs to connect! Feel free to check out the first post here. To start, she interviewed four SLP bloggers who then had to each interview two SLP bloggers. Carrie, from Carrie's Speech Corner, interviewed me! Check out her post about me!

You'll have to follow the link above to get the freebie that I offered, but here's a sneak peak. :)

Here are the two SLP bloggers that I interviewed:

Practically Speeching

1. What is your name, email, blog, and TpT store if you have one?
My name is Alexis, and my blog's name is Practically Speeching.
Blog = www.practicallyspeeching.com
TpT = My TpT store is called Practically Speeching Blog (http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Practically-Speeching-Blog).

2. When and why did you start blogging?
I started blogging during the summer as a way to catalogue everything I was making/doing in graduate school. I found that I was loving the feedback I got from other SLPs, and I really enjoyed sharing my materials!

3. What is your favorite population to work with?
I love all students and all populations; however, I would have to say my favorite kids are those with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I find that working with these children is an honor, and that while each child with autism is different, I enjoy the time spent with all of them.

4. How much time per week do you spend blogging and/or creating materials?
I typically spend an hour to two hours a day creating materials. I only blog when my schedule allows, which is often Tuesdays and Thursdays (when I am off!). I am constantly creating though!

5. What's your favorite topic for which to create materials?
I love making anything interactive. A lot of the inferencing and drawing conclusions work is a lot of fun to make! I also enjoy making fun articulation games and grammar activities!

6. What's the best thing about blogging?
Reading other blogs and speaking with other SLPs. The feedback and the information you get from others is priceless. I learn so much from other bloggers and SLPs every day. It's unbelievable.

7. Do you have any blogging tips?
Blog often! Tag your work! "Blog labels" are your best friend! Don't publish anything without putting your name on it! Take time to read other blogger's work! Be nice :)

8. Add a question and answer of your own.
What is your favorite material you have made to date?
My favorite material to date is my Who-Dun-It Mystery!

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Communication Station: Speech Therapy, PLLC

1. What is your name, email, blog, and TpT store if you have one?
Communication Station: Speech Therapy, PLLC
Blog: http://communicationstationspeechtx.blogspot.com/
e-mail: communicationstationspeechtx@gmail.com
(No TpT store)

2. When and why did you start blogging?
I started blogging in July 2012 as a means to help close the gap of understanding between parents, educators, and other speech-language pathologists, with the ultimate goal of making parents their child's best communication partner.

3. What is your favorite population to work with?
Pediatrics. I LOVE early childhood and LOVE LOVE LOVE working with children diagnosed with ASD.

4. How much time per week do you spend blogging and/or creating materials?
I couldn't even count the number of hours I spend blogging and creating materials. It's whenever I am not with clients or my 2 1/2 year old son who keeps me pretty busy as it is.

5. What's your favorite topic for which to create materials?
I don't know that I can pick one particular topic... I love talking and creating anything speech and language related.

6. What's the best thing about blogging?
I feel I can share the insights I have learned over the last decade working in various settings and with various populations.

7. Do you have any blogging tips?
Write what you know, ask other specialists for help, and don't be afraid to share your knowledge and experience. What you think might be obvious or elementary may be just what someone else needs to learn.

8. Add a question and answer of your own.
Do I feel that sharing my tricks of the trade will make us obsolete as SLPs?
Absolutely not. I feel quite the contrary. The more we share with parents and educators what are considered developmental behaviors, simple cutting strategies and materials they can try with their own children, the fewer referrals we will have and the more appropriate the referrals will become. Parents will become better communicators with their own children, and teachers will understand our discipline in a more in-depth manner. In addition, sharing our ideas and experiences with other SLPs will make us better therapists. Our skills of clinical decision making, reasoning, evaluating, diagnosing and treating various communication disorders cannot simply be substituted by other disciplines and show be provided to those children who are truly disordered. Speech-language pathology is not just about "fixing the "L"s and "R"s". Knowledge is power. The more we know, the better we can do for our children and ourselves.

Communication Station: Speech Therapy, PLLC was nice enough to include a freebie for us!

Download it for free here: Christmas Trivia


Now watch for the continuation of the chain at Practically Speeching and Communication Station: Speech Therapy, PLLC.