For my second objective of my internship, I created a therapy material and co-facilitated a therapy activity using this material. Because I learned that songs and singing are a great way to provoke a child's use of language and imitation and because my supervisor expressed a need for a prop for this specific song, I decided to make a school bus to go along with "The Wheels on the Bus" song. The bus was big enough that the children could handle it and play with it, but small enough to fit into my supervisor's bag of materials she uses with her clients. The bus had detachable pieces that the children could place on and off as the song went along (wheels, people, doors, horn, wipers etc). 

    I also made a choice wheel that could be used for children to scan the choices of activities/songs and choose which of the 3-5 choices they would like to do. I made 8 different options for songs that can be put on the board for the client to choose from. "The Wheels on the Bus" was one of the 8 options, so when a child chooses to sing that song, they can use the therapy material that I created. This wheel can also be used to any types of choices if more cards are made. Children can make choices for activities, food, etc.

    Below you will find pictures of the song wheel that I created as well as 2 pictures of the school bus therapy material. The first picture of the bus shows the white cut outs of where the pictures should be stuck on. Showing the spaces where the pieces go makes it easier for the child to use the material and practice matching the shapes. Below that is a picture of the bus with all of the laminated pieces stuck on. 

    I was also able to use this therapy material on the child I chose to focus on this semester, "Jenna." Although I was only able to use the bus with her once, she really seemed to enjoy the activity and the prop. I will be handing off my therapy material to my supervisor to continue to use with her clients and I am hoping that the more Jenna is introduced to this song, the hand movements, and the bus, she will begin to imitate the words and gestures. Although she was never a fan of songs or singing and got upset every time my supervisor or I sang, Jenna was very intrigued by the bus, its pieces, and the Velcro and listened nicely to me singing the song and observed the gestures I made to go along with the song. She did play well with the bus and the pictures, matching them up to their places with little assistance and pulling them on and off the bus. She also imitated me holding the bus up and driving it while making a car sound. Next to the picture of the buses you will find a picture of me using the bus with a client while singing "The Wheels on the Bus" and using the hand motions. I also used the song wheel before this and gave her 3 options for songs, of which she chose this particular song. 

     In addition, I put together a handout for my supervisor to give to families of children who are using singing and songs in their therapy. The handout contains cited research and gives parents an understanding of the uses of songs and benefits they will have on their child's language progress. You can get a glimpse of the handout, which is located below the therapy material pictures.