Grammar
This page is a compilation of my content and my favorite resources available to target grammar in speech therapy – discover tons of ideas, activities, websites, and resources! Bookmark this page or save it to Pinterest with the image at the bottom!
Did you know that students with specific language impairment and developmental language disorder have persistent grammatical deficits? And that poor syntactic structure is one of the main reasons for comprehension difficulties?
Grammar is a critical aspect of language intervention that we need to be knowledgeable about and comfortable treating. It is an essential skill that affects many aspects of communication and academic success, including speaking, reading comprehension, writing, and literacy.
We can group grammar skills into 2 main areas: syntax and morphology.
Syntax is the study of how we arrange words and phrases to form sentences. Syntax requires understanding and use of correct word order and organization.
The English language follows a subject-verb-object word order. For example, “Camille loves the dog.” Switching the word order of this basic sentence can create a much different meaning, “The dog loves Camille.”
Another rule is that each sentence must contain a noun phrase and a verb phrase. Within noun and verb phrases, there are rules and predictable patterns. For example, articles appear before nouns, and adverbs modify verbs.
Morphology is the study of the structure and construction of words. It is the aspect of language that deals with the rules that change word meaning, such as roots, prefixes, and affixes.
A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning. For example, “eat” is one morpheme, while “eating” is two morphemes – “eat” holds its own meaning, and “ing” signifies the present progressive tense. Another example, “watermelons” is three morphemes, “water” and “melon” are two stand-alone words and “-s” is the plural suffix.
Grammatical morphemes, such as “-s”, “–ing”, and prefixes and suffixes such as “pre-”, “-ly”, “-er” are necessary for language development. They aid in expanding vocabulary and using more complex words.
GRAMMAR BLOG POSTS
Teaching Grammar in Speech Therapy
4 Effective Grammar Strategies for Speech Therapy
Grammar Games for Older Students Targeting Syntax
Free Grammar Speech Therapy Resources
23 Grammar Activities for Speech Therapy
A Better Way to Teach Past Tense Verbs
A Better Way to Teach Irregular Plurals
GRAMMAR WEBSITES
The Informed SLP Grammar Guide – If you’ve ever wished for an actual scope and sequence for grammar and syntax intervention, this is it. It lays out a suggested order of targets across morpho-syntactic domains, with examples using the Shape Coding system — a genuinely useful starting point when you’re staring at a language sample and not sure what to tackle first.
The Informed SLP Mini Spanish/English Grammar Guide – You must be a member to access. This is a helpful tool to understand morphosyntax development in native Spanish speakers learning English as a second language.
LEADERSProject SLAM Cards – Free language cards to elicit a language sample or assess goals. Available in 15+ different language options. They have the cards as free Boom Cards with scoring parameters.
SUGAR Language Analysis Method – This FREE program analyzes language samples.
ASHA Practice Portal: Spoken Language Disorders – Not exactly a page you’ll bookmark for fun, but it’s the citation your fellow SLPs expect to see backing up evidence-based claims about language disorders — assessment, treatment approaches, and scope, straight from ASHA.
SHAPE CODING™ – Developed by Dr. Susan Ebbels to teach spoken and written grammar to individuals with language disorders. It is a visual intervention that utilizes a system of shapes (for phrases), colors (for parts of speech), and arrows (for tense) to make spoken and written grammar rules concrete and visible for school-aged children.
Short Videos Pinterest Board – This Pinterest board is dedicated to short videos that I pull up in sessions. Use these videos as an engaging way to target many important skills, including inferences, predicting, emotions, cause/effect, and more!|
Blank Comics Pinterest Board – This Pinterest board is dedicated to blank comics that I pull up in sessions. Use these videos as an engaging way to target many important skills, including inferences, predicting, emotions, cause/effect, and more!
GRAMMAR APPS
Syntax City – An SLP-designed app that turns grammar targets into a series of city locations (bakery, zoo, airport), each tied to a specific syntax skill: subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, pronouns, plurals, and more. $24.99
Syntax Workout – Built by an SLP specifically for preschool and elementary kids struggling with English grammar, with a reward system built in to keep engagement up during drill-heavy targets. $16.99
RESEARCH
The Informed SLP – A subscription-based service that summarizes new research every month! Plus, check out the Grammar Guide mentioned in the “websites” section.
GRAMMAR FREEBIES
Grammar Treatment Strategies List – A two-page list of effective grammar strategies for speech therapists!
Past Tense Verbs Sentences Speech Therapy – Regular and irregular past tense verb sentence formulation cards with real pictures! Use the real picture cards to work on past tense verbs, nouns and pronouns, formulating sentences, syntax, and WH questions.
Boom Cards Sentence Scramble – Unscramble the 3-6 word sentences! Work on syntax, grammar, and sequencing by dragging and dropping the words in the correct order.
Language Sample Checklist – Utilize this if you need help choosing grammar goals and areas to work on with your student. A quick and easy one-page speech therapy language screener. This extensive checklist includes syntax, morphology, narratives, and pragmatics sections for an informal assessment of skills.
Barrier Games – Barrier games are a great way to incorporate many skills: expressive skills (giving directions), receptive skills (following directions), social skills, basic concepts, vocabulary, categorization, sentence formation, and storytelling.
Speech Therapy Handouts – Free speech therapy printables! Developmental milestones, hierarchies, and graphics for SLPs and educators, as well as parent handouts for speech therapy. The printables cover various topics to use as cheat sheets or handouts.
GRAMMAR RESOURCES
Development and Visuals
Grammar Development Handouts – Grammar development handouts and charts! Evidence-based infographics with definitions and explanations. This resource outlines the big picture of grammar acquisition in early childhood. It reviews the different aspects of syntactic structures, why they are critical for communication, and what makes them especially difficult.
Speech Milestones Parent Handouts – These reference pages provide an overview of speech and language milestones at different ages. Great for concise, easy-to-understand handouts to give to parents based on age!
Language Visuals and Graphic Organizers – Speech therapy visual supports for language, vocabulary, grammar, and other basic concepts. A staple for language therapy!
Syntax
Complex Sentences Grammar Bundle – A complete, research-informed syntax framework to help students build stronger complex sentences across speaking and writing. This is a cohesive, research-informed syntax toolkit designed for speech therapy, language intervention, and classroom writing support. These resources help students build syntactic complexity step by step – through sentence expansion, sentence combining, and generalization. Save over 20% by purchasing the bundle! Includes the following 5 resources:
- Coordinating and Correlative Conjunctions
- Subordinating Conjunctions
- Complement Clauses and Embedded Questions
- Passive Voice
- Relative Clauses
Asking Wh Questions Unit – Teach how to formulate questions! This is a leveled resource with generalization activities, visuals, and a development chart.
Morphology
Past Tense Verbs Unit – This unit focuses on high-frequency and earlier developing regular and irregular past tense verbs. It includes over 100 past tense verbs with real photos. All the verbs are separated by verb pattern to teach in a logical, ordered manner.
Irregular Past Tense Verbs Worksheets – This is a great activity to practice irregular past tense verbs for any level of learner. Activities are interactive and broken up into past tense verb patterns so you are able to teach in a logical manner – includes over 100 different irregular verbs!
Irregular Past Tense Verbs Digital BOOM Cards – Irregular past tense verbs BOOM Cards for speech therapy and the classroom. Digital, self-checking task cards for 90 verbs. Teach by verb ending!
Regular Past Tense Verbs Pirate Adventure – Go on a pirate adventure while learning regular past tense verbs! This packet includes different activities to reach a variety of learning needs and generalization. Teach past tense verbs systematically and logically – by verb ending!
Regular and Irregular Past Tense Verbs Fortune Tellers – Target 48 past tense verbs in an engaging fortune teller “cootie catchers” game activity!
Pronouns Bundle + Verbs & Sentence Building – An activity to introduce, practice, and generalize pronouns. Includes activities for nouns, third-person pronouns, possessive pronouns, present-tense verbs, present-progressive verbs, as well as formulating and expanding sentences.
Plurals Comprehensive Unit – This unit includes a comprehensive collection to introduce, teach, and generalize regular and irregular plurals. It has over 100 plurals with real photos. All the plurals are separated by pattern to teach in a logical, ordered manner.
Plurals Sensory Bin – This product was made as a sensory bin activity but can also be used as flash cards with any game or activity. Includes 54 plurals and generalization activities.
