The Speechie Connection: Holiday Jeopardy

In spirit of speech therapy and Christmas (and the fact that I LOVE that I can incorporate holiday's into my job), I just wanted to share a fun activity that I did with both our aphasia and dementia group this week.  It's called "Christmas Jeopardy!"  Sure your fellow coworkers or classmates (in my case) may make fun of the idea (and the fact that you know too much), but it was a great activity to promote conversations and language!

Jeopardy Board made of: construction paper, foam board

Lesson Plan:

Goals/Objectives:

·      Enhance topic initiation and maintenance among group members

·      Target both asking and answering questions to maintain active participation in a conversation

·      Encourage any opportunity to expand off of game questions

Activities:

·      Reminiscing/Sharing:  Clients will be asked how their week went.  Ask client to share one thing with other members.

·      Bring in baked goods for “Christmas Party”

·      Discussion

o   Share a Christmas /New Year/Holiday tradition that is unique to your family.

o   Do you have a new years resolution?   What and why?

·      Game

o   Holiday Jeopardy

§  Choices will also be provided.  This will be a good opportunity for clients to prepare for upcoming holiday events and occurrences and become familiar with everything.

·      Purpose:  Group members will be using language to perform creative thinking, solve problems, and reminisce of traditions from their past /present.

Rationale:

·      Group treatment for individuals may facilitate generalization of functional communication to natural environments.  A group environment promotes interaction among members, which in turn should foster pragmatic skills including improved turn-taking and communicative functions or speech acts.  The group environment also provides the opportunity for more natural tasks.

o   Discussing current and past events is a very common conversational topic that many people discuss.  Allowing group members to share important events in their life and their opinions on what goes on in the world today and in the past are natural tasks that everyone should have the freedom to express.

·      Exchange of information can be enhanced by several techniques including gestures, drawing/writing, or graphic choices.  Members can also bring in props, such as photos or souvenirs to facilitate discussion.  Conversation can be facilitated by asking group members to lead a topic, directly requesting that a member participate, or by encouraging peer volunteers.

o   These methods can be used throughout the session to encourage communication and solve communication breakdowns.

·       All above information gathered from: 

(Elman, R.J. & Bernstein-Ellis, E., (1999). The Efficacy of Group Communication Treatment in Adults with Chronic Aphasia. Journal of Speech, Language, And Hearing. 42, pp.411-419). 

Questions for Game:

 Holiday Jeopardy

Christmas Carols

1.  This Song Speaks of a Red Nosed Deer.

Choice:  Is it Rudolph or Frosty

2.  In the “Christmas Song,” Folk’s are dressed up like ____________.

Choice: Eskimos or Elves

3.  This song speaks of walking in a winter _______________.

Choices: Wonderland or Blizzard

4.  Complete this song, “We wish you a Merry Christmas and a _______________.”

Choices: Happy Valentines Day or Happy New Year

5.  This song is about a snowman, who is a happy jolly soul, what is his name?

Choices:  Frosty or Jack Frost

Christmas Food

1.  This food is a famous bird also served at Thanksgiving.

Choice: Turkey or Swan

2.  Name one hot drink we have a Christmas Time.

Choices: Hot Cider/Hot Chocolate or Green Tea

3.  Many people give this type of food as a gift at Christmas time:

Choices: Christmas Candy or Popcorn

4.  This Christmas candy represents a Shepherd’s staff and has red and white stripes.

Choices: Lollipop or Candy Cane

5.  People make houses and cookies out of this type of cookie dough:

Choices:  Gingersnaps or Gingerbread

New Year

1.  What drops at 12 pm on New Years Eve?
Choices: Ball or Animal

2.  What do many people make every new year?
Resolutions or Travel Plans

3.  What is the most commonly sung song for New Years? 
Choices: Auld Lang Syne or We Wish you a Merry Christmas

4.  Which city broadcasts a live countdown every year?
New York City or Chicago

5.  Some people eat this every New Years Day because it represents money in the New Year:

Choices:  Greens or Black Eye Peas

Christmas Characters

1.  He has a red nose that guides Santa’s sleigh:

Choices: Rudolph or Comet

2.  He delivers presents to children all over the world Christmas Eve night

Choices: Santa Clause or Tooth Fairy

3.  Who helps Santa in his workshop: elves or eskimos

4.  This character is a penny-pincher visited by the Ghosts of Christmas

Choices: Grinch or Scrooge

5.  This mean green character stole Christmas in Whoville.

Choice: The Grinch or Abominable Snowman

Christmas Traditions

1.  Selecting the perfect Christmas ____________ to decorate in the family home.

Choices: Snowman or Tree

2.  Children leave these special treats for Santa.

Choices: Popcorn and Orange Juice or Cookies and Milk

3.  Many people hang these by the fire, in hopes that Santa will fill them full.

Choices: Stockings or Shoes

4.  This type of precipitation/weather is associated with the Holidays:
Choices: Rain or Snow

5.  When people go from house to house and sing Christmas songs

Choices: Christmas Visits or Christmas Caroling

*Feel free to supplement any question with your own!  Have fun:)