April 8, 2015
This is an update to a popular post we wrote in 2015 on our favorite sites for teletherapy. If you'd like to be kept up-to-date on our telepractice resources, please check back often and consider joining our mailing list to receive our monthly SLP newsletter. Thanks for all you do for kids!
When we put the 10 Sites for Telepractice post on our annual “to be updated” list months ago, we had no way of knowing that telepractice would be vaulted into the limelight this Spring due to the coronavirus. We’re feeling thankful that we have an update to share now that the need is so great!
We commented back in 2015 on the overwhelming number of online resources, and that issue has only grown over time. The internet is a big, overwhelming place, especially when you’re under pressure to come up with quick solutions that serve students. And just like a brick-and-mortar therapy room, the best therapy tools are those that are flexible and fun for all different kinds of kids.
10 Websites for Telepractice That We're Loving Right Now
So, with that in mind, here are ten of our current favorite sites for teletherapy, chosen by our Hello telepractice clinicians. We hope these will be a good start to a toolbox if you are one of the many clinicians facing telepractice for the first time or a way for experienced telepractitioners to refresh and add to their toolbox.
1. Everyday Speech
Everyday Speech is a full video modeling curriculum package, providing hundreds of hours of video lessons and video modeling on a subscription basis. Some of their videos are posted on YouTube and can be used for free. Our own Magdalene says, “I love these social videos for my middle schoolers. There are strategies and therapy tools in every video, plus available worksheets and questions”
Pricing: 30-day free trial; $199/year for videos only; $299/year for complete curriculum package. Visit their site for more details.
2. LessonPix
LessonPix is a massive library of pictures and templates for all kinds of materials. Kira says, "I thought I would use LessonPix mostly with my AAC users and pre-readers, but I love it for creating articulation materials and activities! I love being able to search the image library by target sounds or sound patterns."
Pricing: You can use LessonPix for free (your materials will have a watermark) or subscribe for $36/year.
3. Internet Archive
Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library offering free universal access to millions of books (and also movies, music, software, and archived webpages). I searched for Brown Bear, and came up with entries that allowed me to borrow a digital version of the board book that I could page through with students, and a variety of audio recordings to listen to and use with students.
Pricing: Free! Create a free account to borrow digital books.
4. Wheel of Names
Enter names, words, or phrases to be displayed on a random picker wheel. When you click the wheel, it spins and picks a random winner. You can even save and share wheels with others! Sharon says, “My students love it for activities and it’s easy to edit for different targets.”
Pricing: Ad-free and free to use online.
5. Simon’s Cat videos on YouTube
These are short, simple, black and white, wordless cartoons that follow the adventures of a mischievous cat. They’re great for targeting all sorts of goals, from artic carryover to story retell to perspective-taking and expected/unexpected behaviors.
Pricing: Free on YouTube
6. NYTimes A Year of Picture Prompts
The NYT offers a variety of content for students, and these picture prompts are among our favorites. Our clinician, Jordan, loves to use these for describing, and they’re also great for expanding language, asking and answering questions, facts vs. opinions, or just getting kids talking.
Pricing: Free
7. Storyline Online
Content: This is the one and only holdover from our original list! This site offers videos of famous actors reading popular children’s books with the original artwork animated in subtle, fun ways. Use this in any of the same ways you’d use a “real” book! We love this option for online book reading because it allows us, the clinician, to stop and start the book to ask questions and take data. Plus, the actors are great at what they do!
Pricing: Free
8. Bingobaker
BINGO is a timeless game, and with good reason—it’s endlessly expandable and customizable for whatever your students are working on, and everyone thinks it’s fun! We love this online generator because we can use words, pictures, or a combination of both, customize the grid size, and generate a unique URL for students to play on their own devices.
Pricing: Free
9. Articulation Word Lists Home Speech Home
This is exactly what it sounds like. A site organized by phonemes dedicated to thousands of words, phrases, sentences, and reading passages. It’s invaluable for students of all ages and all levels of articulation therapy.
Pricing: Free
10. Kahoot
Kahoot allows you or your students to create and participate in quizzes and trivia games, earning points and bragging rights. Your quiz can incorporate pictures and videos if you like, and you can host a game live or create one for home practice. We like to use it for vocabulary, answering questions, social skills practice, figurative language, icebreakers, reviewing what you’ve previously taught, and so much more.
Pricing: Free Basic Plan, paid Pro and Premium versions available as well.
Good luck out there on all of your telepractice adventures!
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