Plurals around the house

Appropriate Population: 

• Preschool or earlier. 
• Could easily be adapted with a switch linked to the pause button, or pre-recorded voice on the computer for a non-verbal client. 
• Could also use a pre-prepared fringe (coreboard) or activity specific core board for a non-verbal client. Paid option below  ($2.50)

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wheels-on-the-Bus-Activity-Communication-Board-Aided-Language-AAC-ASD-Speech-7581108?st=50a4fc4a17b0391028bf19fd0747e16e

Goal: 

• Increase awareness of plural -s.
• Use plural -s appropriately within predictable, repeated activity. 
• Following single step instructions. 
• Using correct articles with plurals. 

Steps:

1. Explain to the client that today we are working on the difference between one thing and two or more things. Explain that there is a special /s/ sound we add to the end of words when there are two or more of something. 
2. You can also explain the difference in articles you use for plurals vs singulars i.e you can say a or the when it is one thing but you cannot say a if you are asking for two things, or using the special -s.  Do not worry if this is too complex, you will be demonstrating it a lot across this activity.  
3. Go on a Treasure hunt! With the client, find things around the house where there is more than one of them. (try and get a mixture of pairs and also groups of three or four) as you go you want to be talking about the plurals i.e  “oh lets get your shoes. Let’s get three forks”. (Some ideas: Shoes, Socks, Blocks, Pencils, Forks, Apples, Books.) 
4. As you hunt you can also make mistakes and fix them. “Oh I will get the two sock, oh wait.. Not two sock, two socks! See we need to remember our -s on the end. I will get the socks!”
5. Put all of the things in pairs in a pile. Go through them, pointing to one object and say the singular word e.g “sock” Then point to all of the options together and say the plural version of the word “socks”
6. On the second time through the objects, start to include pause. Point to the item, (or items) and have the client say what it is. 
7. Ask the client to pass you things, use a mixture between plural and singular.
8. Have the client ask you for items. 
9. Return everything to where it belongs.
10. Write down the words that you worked on and leave with the family, talk to the family about how they can prompt for plural (S) in daily routines, using the strategies from this activity. 

Step up: 

• Include some anomalies, i.e pants, shorts (explain how these are different from the others).
• Include articles in step 5. 
• Include a wider variety of articles. I.e  a, one, some, that

Step down: 

• More modelling. Focus on adult input rather than child output.  
• Repeat step 5
• Only use simple plurals, i.e pairs.sock vs socks shoe vs shoes.

Resources:

• Youtube video of the wheels on the bus song. 
• AAC specific activity board (for a non-speaking client)