Babies' Brains Show Social Skills Linked to 2nd Language Learning

Ability to Manage Emotions Falls on a Spectrum

[Source:  Psych Central]
 

New research suggests emotional control is a normal challenge. Therefore, individuals experiencing an emotional instability diagnosis fall on the extreme of the normal population continuum.

That is, if you are at the far end of the spectrum then you will probably have trouble managing emotions.

Special Olympics Underway In Los Angeles

[Source: Disability Scoop]

LOS ANGELES - Tens of thousands turned out Saturday for the opening ceremony of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
 

The event got underway about 6:30 p.m. with stilt walkers and tumblers leading the parade of athletes into the noisy stadium. The delegation from Greece arrived first, as is traditionally the case in the Olympic Games.

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Maternal language Has Strong Effect on Children's Social Skills

[Source:  Science Daily]
 

Psychologists at the University of York have revealed new evidence showing how specific language used by parents to talk to their babies can help their child to understand the thoughts of others when they get older.
 

Selective Imitation Shows Children Are Flexible, Social Learners

[Source:  Science Daily]
 

Psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin found that children flexibly choose when to imitate and when to innovate the behavior of others, demonstrating that children are precocious social learners.

First Ever Bilateral Hand Transplant on a Child

[Source:  Your Therapy Source]
 

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has completed the first bilateral hand transplant on a truly STRONG, well spoken eight year old boy.  Wait until you watch the end just two weeks after surgery. It is so amazing.
 

Featured Job of the Week:  Pediatric Clinic SLP - Gilbert, AZ  

Placement of the Week:  School Based SLP in Greater Houston

Congratulations to Rebecca A., on her new position as a School Based SLP in one of PediaStaff's long term clients in the Greater Houston area!

Great job, Rebecca!!  Enjoy your new position!

Featured Job of the Week:  School Based Contract SLP - Elgin, IL

Ped Tx Activities of the Week: Kids Activities on a Vertical Plane  

[Source:  Lalymom]

 Welcome to another week of Fine Motor Fridays! Today I'm sharing a collection of kids activities on a vertical plane.   Recently I watched anEdWeb educational webinar about Fine Motor Skills by Marianne Gibbs of Write Out of the Box and found it so informative. In one part she was describing how kids today develop the muscles in their hands differently than kids did before the advent of video games and handheld electronics. One of the things she talked about was working on a vertical plane and how this helps strengthen so many muscles and get back on track with proper development.

Back To School Activities of the Week: All About Me!

Pediatric Tx Activity of Week: Paper Helicopter

Editor's Note:  This is a great idea for both fine motor and following directions!
 

[Source:  Therapy Fun Zone]
 

It is always fun for kids to be able to take home a fun item that they created, and the paper helicopters are a nice finished project. They are pretty quick to make, but you can have the kids do more things to them before they are finished. I am going to have my students do some coloring on them, and practice their pencil control, and some of the kids, I will have write things that they like about themselves on the helicopters.

Literacy Activity of the Week: Emergent Reader for Back to School

[Source:  Arlene Sandberg via Classroom Freebies] 

It's hard to believe that it's that time again when teachers are getting their classrooms ready and students will be heading back to school. Here's a fun Emergent Reading Book, "My Things at School" to get your students excited about school and reading. There are 7 pages plus a New Words page included.