Speech Suitcase: Main Idea
Hello again! It’s Speech Suitcase time. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, check out my previous posts on describing, synonyms/antonyms, and listening comprehension. This time, my focus is on main idea. This is one of the most difficult skills for students in my therapy room.
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Here are my favorite things to work on this skill:
- Secret Message for Main Idea: This is a good starting point because there are short paragraphs and choices for the students. There is also an added element of finding the secret message (which are all idioms – hello, more language!) and my students are very motivated by this. Of course, you can always differentiate and just read the passage to students, rather than presenting them with choices.
- Flip & Clip Independent Work: This flip book actually has a lot of other skills, but has a main idea section. Like the first activity, it has choices, but again you could just read the passages to the students.
- Main Idea Monsters: Hallie from Speech Time Fun has a bunch of main idea activities. This is one of them that I’ve used.
- Main Idea Task Cards: These cards from Rachel Lynette are really great! They are also differentiated. I love that they are focused on non fiction topics, which my students often find interesting.
- Super Duper Story Retell Fun Deck: I like to use this fun deck for retell and listening comprehension, but also main idea!
These are my most used main idea activities! What’s in your suitcase?