How to Practice Language Skills Over the Holidays
Holidays may mean more conversations and potentially a break from formal therapy sessions. Here are 5 ways to continue practicing your language skills, even when you aren’t in therapy, over the holiday.
1. Digital Word Games
There are plenty of applications that offer word games for people to play on their phones. For example, Words with Friends is a digitized version of the tabletop game Scrabble. Using games like Words with Friends, your client can practice language skills such as verbal memory and verbal fluency. Other digital word games that we love include Wordfeud, WordCross, and Wordathon. Other word exercises are available on digital cognitive therapy platforms, such as HappyNeuron Pro. Some popular word exercises on HappyNeuron Pro are Split Words, Writing in the Stars, and Root it Out!
2. Have your client Subscribe to a Daily Mini Crossword
You do not need a newspaper to do the New York Times crossword. Large newspapers such as the NYT offer crossword puzzles on their apps. Your client can download the app and access a daily mini-puzzle that challenges their deductive reasoning, verbal memory, and problem-solving skills. Other crossword apps include CodyCross, Fill-in Crosswords, and One Clue Crossword.
3. Worksheets
We offer a large library of cognitive worksheets that work on language skills. From verbal recall to connecting fragments of words to make a complete word. We have something for all areas of cognition that are involved with language. Explore our library today!
4. Read Holiday Books Outloud
During the Holiday Season, many families and friends gather to celebrate another year’s end. A tradition often found in family gatherings is Holiday Story Time. A time when everyone gathers around a book and someone reads it out loud. Reading out loud not only improves your pronunciation of words, but some studies showed it might improve your memory, comprehension of ideas, and social connection.
5. Have a Daily “3 Good Things” or “3 Funny Things” Conversation
3-Good Things and 3-Funny Things are positive psychology activities used during cognitive behavioral therapy. The idea is that it helps individuals not dwell on negative experiences but to focus on the positive aspects of their lives. This activity is great for managing emotional well-being. Additionally, it requires you to tap into your long-term verbal word bank and explain what happened around you. By challenging yourself to not use the same word twice you may improve your word retrieval skills. Additionally, if you start to journal your good thing and funny things, you can practice your sentence structure and writing skills.
Holiday breaks do not mean that therapy has to stop. You can continue practicing language skills throughout the season. From downloading fun apps, reading stories, completing worksheets, and journaling practicing there are countless ways to practice your language skills during the holiday.
