Somehow September has slipped away already. It’s time to pull out the Halloween materials! I am resurrecting one of my “oldies but goodies.” One of my favorite ways to introduce word finding difficulties to kids (and their parents) is to use dialogs. I sometimes read the dialogs with another adult and have the kids push a button to indicate their awareness of an instance of a word finding difficulty. Older kids can read them in tandem (or with me) and let me know what they notice. They love to have me video their “play” and watch themselves act out word finding problems. However you want to use this dialog, adapt it to suit your own situation.
Student 1: Hey, guys, let’s get ready for trick or treat day!
Student 2: Trick or treat day? What’s that?
Student 1: You know, that day when we wear costumes and go trick or treating.
Student 2: Oh, you mean Halloween!
Student 1: Yeah, Halloween. I have a big thingamajig to put candy in.
Student 2: A thingamajig? What do you put your candy in?
Student 1: It’s one of those things on your bed.
Student 2: A sheet? A blanket? A pillow?
Student 1: No, the cover to a pillow…a pillow case.
Student 2: OK, so you’ll put your candy in a pillow case. What are you dressing up as?
Student 1: I have one of those things that wraps around your shoulders…like Batman wears.
Student 2: A cape?
Student 1: yeah, a cape. A black cape. And I’m going to wear fake hair.
Student 2: You mean a wig?
Student 1: A cape and a wig. And I think I’ll carry a sweeper thing.
Student 2: A sweeper thing. You mean a broom?
Student 1: Yeah, a broom. Don’t you think my costume will be scary? I want to be a
scary old ghost. I mean, a witch. What is your costume like?
Student 2: I’ll have a black cape, too. Only I won’t carry a broom. I’m going to wear a mask and pretend I have a Batmobile.
Student 1: A Batmobile! You must be dressing up as Spiderman. Oops, I mean Batman!