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184 ACQ Volume 11, Number 3 2009 ACQuiring knowledge in speech, language and hearing
Resource reviews
Speech pathology resources
Goodwin, J., & Prince, A. (2005). MagneTalk Match-up
Adventure Kit (with barrier). Greenville, SC: Super Duper
Publications. $109.00;
Nicole Watts Pappas
The Magne Talk Match-up
Adventure Kit is a commercially
produced set of barrier games
for use with children from 3 - 9
years of age. The feature that
makes this resource particularly
motivating for children is its use
of colourful magnets as the
items to be manipulated. The kit
includes five different scenes:
‘camping’, ‘grocery store’,
‘outer space’, ‘under the sea’
and ‘picnic’. The kit includes a
collapsible magnetic stand
which can also be used as a portable white board. Both the
barrier game stand and the adventure kit are sold with handy
carry bags, so whilst the resource is bulky, it is easily
transported.
The adventure kit includes a reproducible workbook that
outlines activities for each of the scenes. The activities focus
on a number of different language skills including: vocabulary
(receptive and expressive), basic concepts (e.g., take the fish
out of the stream), rhyming (e.g., Do boat and coat sound
the same?), deductive reasoning (point to/name the animal
that has feathers and flies
in the air), auditory memory
and storytelling, and
categorising (which things
go in the water?). Many
of the activities can be
adjusted to allow the child
to work on either following
or giving directions. The
workbook also includes
ideas for extension of the activities.
The activities can be used in a number of ways: a) with
one adult giving directions to a child, b) with one child
and one adult giving directions to each other whilst using
identical scenes and magnets on opposite sides of the
barrier stand, c) with two children using the barrier stand
and, d) with a group of children directed by an adult using
photocopied versions of the materials. The reproducible
worksheets in the workbook are appropriate to be given
to parents as a take-home activity, thus extending the
learning from the therapy session to home. The workbook
is also provided on a disc in PDF format so the individual
worksheets can be printed out as well as photocopied.
Some of the scenes and activities contain vocabulary that
may be unfamiliar to Australian children such as ‘cooler’,
‘soda’ and ‘shopping cart’. However, the worksheets could
easily be modified to include Australian terms for most of
these items. Overall, the kit is a useful tool for language
therapy that is appealing to children and includes good
resources for home follow-up.
Harper-Hill, K., & Lord, S. (2007). Planning to learn:
Creating and using a personal planner with young
people on the autism spectrum. Suffolk: Printwise
(Haverhill). ISBN 978 1 84310 5619; pp.160. $51.95;
Beverley Joffe
Young people on the autism spectrum
stand to benefit from assorted practical
strategies described in this book. The
many useful suggestions highlight, in a
user friendly way, how to help such young
people learn functional skills to deal with a
variety of situations.
There is valuable advice on ways to
reduce tension in situations and thereby reduce disruptive
behaviours related to inflexible responses. Logical coping
devices are recommended such as becoming aware of
physical sensations and actively using breath, exhalation and
touch. These are explained and supported by cue cards
and short helpful, ‘visually rich’ messages. Demonstrations
of individualized planning and sheets for photocopying are
included. Aspects of the material are portable.
The clear manner in which the book is written, (including
uncomplicated grammar, informal phrases and manageable
chunks of information to process, together with a consider­
able number of uncluttered line drawings), is likely to assist in
understanding and imparting particular concepts. Many of
the ideas shared by the authors in this important workbook
appear to have been put into action in actual settings.
Notwithstanding sparse coverage of theoretical issues
in this book, the authors have accomplished much in
producing such a constructive resource to guide young
people with autism and their caregivers in taking a proactive
approach to being prepared for and dealing with real life
challenges. The book also offers meaningful insights, as
well as worthwhile and sensible ideas, for professionals and
students working with people with autism.
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