Coming back to my blog

 Hello my loves. After so so long, I hope to clear my throat and begin to sing to you again. 

250-217-8123 Speech Therapist in Victoria BC

More magic, now in Victoria BC.

Please call me or contact me by email. 

250-217-8123

nomikaston@gmail.com

www.speechvictoria.com

AAC in classrooms | The Spectronics Blog

AAC in classrooms | The Spectronics Blog

חשיבה חברתית אצל תלמידים, בזמן פרויקט משותף באייפד

ויסות The Zones of Regulation

This is based on the work of Leah Kuypers, The Zones of Regulation. Our children on the spectrum, or truly, all of us, need to be emotionally and sensorily regulated, if we are to function rationally and effectively. We have a session schedule that the kids get used to and love. It begins with "vissut" ויסות

Regulation. We all check where we're at. Tired and sludgy, in the blue area? We need a few jumping jacks, a few jokes, maybe a tickle. We need to get to the green, alert, interested, just right place. Overexcited, edgy, agitated, in the red zone? Maybe a little yoga, a calming song. Each of us has made a slide show of the things that bring us to our ideal zone of regulation, our green. 

Extremely Interesting Work

         "I hear you do extremely interesting work", someone commented to me, and wanted to hear more. Yes, helping kids who have fine "school smarts", and very weak "social smarts" is extreme. The ideas and worksheets presented here are based on Michelle Garcia Winner's Social Thinking Curriculum. 

Michelle was excited to meet me, on her recent trip to Israel. "You should present at our Providers' Conference", she enthused. And she announced to a huge audience, "You have Nomi here! Make use of her. She is the Queen of Visuals". Michelle, in front of everyone, described how I taught her the entire of history of Eretz Yisrael, by holding my arms out straight. Finger tip to top of my head represented Abraham to the Exile. Top of my head to the fingertip of my other outstretched hand takes us to this day. "Queen of Visuals", said Michelle Garcia Winner, and she told the whole audience how I had ordered my coffee the night before. I like it m'forak, a big cup of steamy milk and the espresso in a little jug on the side. Of course I pull out a picture at restaurants. It's tucked into my teudat zehut, my Israeli ID card, for these occasions. I live visual. But even more, I work visual. Kids "on the spectrum".

          So here's to you Mimi, who asked about my "extremely interesting work".  Here's what I do:

*I video the kids in social action, right on the iPad. Right away, we can go over what happened. That part is straight. Here's where it gets fun: next we make a new movie, showing the moments when one of the OyVaavoynikim, socialthinking.com's Unthinkables, has snuck into the scene, and gotten into the heads of the kids, right there on our playground. Not some cartoony fictional playground. Our playground of our school. These kids don't generalize to new situations. They need to be the star in their own movie, if they're going to get the point.

"אני גיבור של הסיפור״"

Oh yes, Mar Sela, RockBrain, got right I to your head, and we show this in our movie. Mar Sela makes you get stuck one idea, want to get your own way, not be willing to budge an inch. A מילימטר, a millimeter. 

        

חשיבה חברתית

שלום חברים וחברות. אני חוזרת לבלוג של פעם, כדי לשתף אתכם חומרים ורעיונות על חשיבה חברתית, ועל עבודה עם ילדים בכיתות הקטנות.

מטרה: 

A curriculum

של מושגים בחשיבה חברתית, בשביל תלמידים בבית ספר יסודי בארץ. 

*כל פעם שאני נמצא עם אחרים, יש להם מחשבות. 

לכל אחד יש מחשבות משלו. 

לי יש מחשבות משלי, ולך משלך.

איך אני יכול לדעת מה האחר חושב?

אני בלש חברתי! 

אני משתמש בעיניים שלי, באוזניים שלי, בראש שלי ובלב שלי כדי לנחש מה הם חושבים. 

אני רוצה שיחשבו מחשבות נעימות עלי.

Work at the top rung

Noy is almost 5. His intelligible words include "ee-a" for Eema, "o" for l'hitra-ot. That is to say, Noy is not yet a talker. We could spend all our time on eliciting bilabial sounds, so "ee-a" can become "eema" and "o" can become "bo" (come!)". But let me tell you something else about Noy. He knows all of the musical instruments. If you call a saxophone a trumpet he will yell at you, and tell you it's an "o". That's how he says saxophone. Noy, who sits for 3 minutes max. for our little speech games, will spend hours, as many hours as you offer him, looking at my encyclopaedia of realistic pictures. He will study the musical instruments, learn them well, study their aerodynamics and the mystical physics of air transforming into music. Aha. The very concept he hasn't grasped with the bilabials. Close off the airstream with your lips, and the sound tells a story. Or calls a person to come close. Noy, you are the musical instrument. Play, Noy, play.
The key here is that so many of these little "delayed" children cultivate an area of expertise. We need to nurture their growth in their areas of strength.
A small orange seed
sprouts and blossoms.
I will not uproot it,
because I had in mind
a cherry tree

Autism Spectrum Disorders

My approach with children on the Autism Spectrum is playful, and respectful of the child's own perception of this world.

Effective Speaking and Accent Reduction

For professionals in Israel, speaking excellent English is a key to success. I help individuals tune up their English pronunciation, and coach them for success in conversation with English speakers. I help people to compose and deliver sales presentations that are dynamic, credible, and grammatically correct. I provide Effective Speaking and Accent Reduction instruction for individuals and also for groups.

Website

Words and Wonder פלה פה
About Nomi Kaston
Language has enchanted me all my life. I graduated with a Master of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from McGill University in 1975. Since then, every child, teen or adult I have worked with has been a source of wonder for me. I am now living in Netanya, a beach town just north of Tel Aviv in Israel, and have opened an office and a bright playroom filled with toys and games. I also travel to the homes of my clients, to work in the very locations where they need to communicate. I have had the wonderful privilege to work with the staff of Meir Autism, Israel's branch of the SonRise program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I provide therapy in the areas of articulation, apraxia, language delay, autism spectrum disorders, stuttering, learning disabilities, auditory processing disorders, voice disorders, accent reduction, and public speaking skills. I use sign language, augmentative and alternative communication systems, and visual picture symbols to supplement speech. Music and play are a major part of my program, and I keep in mind always that growth happens when we are having fun, and love what we are doing.

The Ladder

In Speech Therapy, we look at a wondrous, seemingly impossible goal, such as, "He will talk". And then we build a hierarchy of steps, a ladder of tiny, possible, realistic goals. And then, one by one, we celebrate the minutest of miracles.

Miracles

Miracles are possible,
but you have to work very hard for them.
Clear the way!
Miracle coming!
Don't block its path!!