As a school therapist with limited planning time, I'm always looking for activities addressing speech and language goals, working well in small groups, providing adequate repetition of articulation targets and keeping children enthusiastic about coming to therapy. Here's a game you can create, and it won't cost you anything.

Most likely you have 8.5 x 11-inch articulation picture pages on hand, each target with a different goal, such as the initial /k/ or final /r/. Using the final /r/ page as an example, lay out the page in a 5 x 4-inch grid showing 20 pictures of final /r/ words such as deer, hair, door and bear. Label each picture. If you don't have one of these pages, you can create a grid by laying out cards.

You also will need colored place markers. I use dime-sized red, blue, green and yellow disks that came with a game I already have. If you don't have any, you can make your own from construction paper.

I introduce the game by saying, "We're going to play a game. I'll give the definition of a word. If you know it, say the word out loud. You must say it; don't just point to the picture. The first person who answers wins that word."

Before beginning I usually review all the words so the children aren't thrown off by unfamiliar vocabulary. I often have them repeat the words for extra articulation practice.

The first clue in a game played by Kaityln, Brandon and Cody may be "likes honey." The students will eagerly scan the pictures looking for a word fitting the clue. If Kaitlyn says "Bear!" she is the winner, and I put a marker on the word so we know we have done it. The markers are color-coded so we can keep track of the winner of each word.

An easy way to color-code the markers is to have them correspond with the children's clothes. If Kaityln, who gave the answer, is wearing a yellow shirt, I put a yellow marker on "bear."

The children can keep track of who has the most words by counting the markers on the page. This introduces a competitive element that subtly changes the activity from "stuff I gotta do" to "fun." There's something about the human spirit that loves a game.

If one of the students doesn't have the processing speed to compete, I announce the next clue is "just for Cody." Nobody has ever been bothered by this. If everyone is eligible to answer, I announce it's a toss-up.

Two or more children often will answer simultaneously. In that case, each one gets a marker on the picture. The game continues until all the pictures are covered by markers.

When the game is over, I usually pick up the sheet quickly and dump all the markers back in the cup before anyone has a chance to count who got the most.

The game hits both articulation and language skills as the children produce final /r/ words, process definitions and produce target words.

I typically use this game with articulation students who are capable of producing target sounds at word level with little or no immediate cueing, other than when I remind them at the beginning of the game to use their best /r/ sound. Sometimes after the correct answer is given, I ask one or all of the students to repeat the answer several times for some extra drilling.

The game is endlessly interesting because the clues can be varied to suit the developing comprehension level of the students. More advanced clues for "bear" may be "omnivorous mammal" or "it hibernates." When someone gets it, we can discuss the terms and define them for everyone's benefit.

I have been using this game for years and have yet to get bored with it, so take a look in the articulation drawer of your filing cabinet and have fun playing this game with your students!

Randolph Walker is on staff at Willis Elementary in Floyd County, Virginia. He can be contacted at walkerr@floyd.k12.va.us.