tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post5790356975603156562..comments2023-06-09T05:56:08.590-07:00Comments on Let's Talk! with Whitneyslp: SGM Day Five: Personal Story Grammar Marker IdeasAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-54075281014247403172017-02-09T18:32:06.608-08:002017-02-09T18:32:06.608-08:00Hi Kellie! Thanks so much for your question! I act...Hi Kellie! Thanks so much for your question! I actually don't have an EET. I have many SLP friends who have it, and they all rave about how much they love it! They talk about how the EET and SGM can be used together, as the EET works on expanding expressions, and SGM targets story grammar (character, setting, kickoff, etc.) I'm sorry I can't give you more information....if and when I get one (hopefully this summer), I'll be sure to write a blog post about it and how it compares to SGM. Good luck! Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-52018333615151777162017-02-09T18:23:57.947-08:002017-02-09T18:23:57.947-08:00HI, I was wondering if you also use the EET, and h...HI, I was wondering if you also use the EET, and how does that compare to the SGM. Do you prefer one over the other?Kelliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02529286463870159227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-57022208125361440722016-08-25T12:38:51.267-07:002016-08-25T12:38:51.267-07:00Thank you! I really appreciate it :) that was a hu...Thank you! I really appreciate it :) that was a huge helpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-13442937934252008062016-08-24T05:06:36.959-07:002016-08-24T05:06:36.959-07:004.) I love the East Meets West book! I definitely ...4.) I love the East Meets West book! I definitely don't think the books are too young for your students. I use many of those books (Big Al, Miss Nelson is Missing, Gingerbread Baby) for ALL of my students (Kindergarten through 5th grade). I simply make them easier or more complex depending on the group I'm working with. The BEST part about SGM is its flexibility. With the younger kids, you can have them identify characters. With your older students, you can have them working on static and dynamic characters (Miss Nelson is PERFECT for this one!) <br /><br />5.) In order to really know which areas of SGM need to be targeted for each student, data collection is really important. I don't do story retells on each student each month (I currently have 50 students using SGM), but I do try really hard to get a story retell on each student at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. You will be amazed at how much they improve, and you'll be able to easily identify what they are continuing to struggle with. Plus, you'll be able to target specific goals to their needs! (If I were you, before you start teaching SGM, I'd pull students individually and do a quick story retell on each one-I usually use the book Big Al. It won't take long...about 5 minutes for each student...sometimes less!) <br /><br />6.) I often stay on a book for several sessions because there's just too much info to target in only 30 minutes. I start off reading the story to the students, and I usually pair the stories with my corresponding book companions. We then target comprehension, sequencing, and the story elements. Then, I usually have activities planned (a craft, writing exercise, game, etc.) that correspond with the book or theme. It really depends on the age, on attendance, on the length of the book and the number of activities, for how long we stay on a book, but our average is usually 2-3 sessions. And we do re-read the book more than once (usually once per session). I usually read it first, no matter the age of the students. Then, if students are readers, I may let them popcorn read, or we may do choral reading. <br /><br />I really hope this helps! If you have any follow up questions, please ask! Also, I'm currently in the process of updating all of these SGM posts....there are quite a few if you want to do a quick search on the blog for SGM. Check back in the next few days, as there will be some added content and visuals to each one. You will probably also glean some information from the other questions and answers on this same thread! <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-55246948768052088272016-08-24T05:06:20.333-07:002016-08-24T05:06:20.333-07:00Hi!
1.) For my older students, I almost always s...Hi! <br /><br />1.) For my older students, I almost always start off by doing individual lessons on the meanings of each strand. I don't do this with my younger students. It just depends on their cognitive levels and what they can comprehend. I ALWAYS start SGM by doing separate lessons on each icon (character, then character feelings, setting, problem/kickoff, etc.) Sometimes I do more than one lesson on each, depending on how long it takes my students to grasp the meaning of each one. For character, we talk about how each character has eyes, a face, and a head, and how characters have feelings. Then we read several books where I ask my students to identify the characters, we might play a game where I ask my students to think of a well-known character and describe him/her to others so we can guess (i.e. Mickey Mouse), etc. I don't move on until each student understands how to identify characters. <br />2). You can see several lists of my favorite books for SGM on the blog. I listed my favorite "Books of the Month" for SGM in this post, but I've done several other posts as well: 50 Great Books for SLPs (http://whitneyslp.blogspot.com/2012/08/excellent-book-list.html), and my favorite Halloween Books (http://whitneyslp.blogspot.com/2012/10/halloween-booooks.html). I’ll be adding other holidays as well (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.). You can also see book companions I have created for each of my monthly book clubs in my TeachersPayTeachers store (www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whitneyslp). I can use SGM for just about any book....which is why I love it so much!<br /><br />3.) I was VERY blessed to work for a county that was almost like a pilot program for SGM. Mary Ellen and her daughter Sheila came to do several different trainings for the SLPs in my county (there were over 250 of us)! I do know they do trainings and other webinars, so keep checking back to see when they've added new ones. Many of their webinars are free! <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-74957828029548707212016-08-23T13:45:29.922-07:002016-08-23T13:45:29.922-07:00Hi Whitney,
Thanks for sharing all of your wonder...Hi Whitney,<br /><br />Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful knowledge on this blog. I will be doing SGM this year for the first time with my students in grades 2-5. I work at a school for students with dyslexia who all have average to above average cognition. Couple questions:<br /><br />1. In the SGM manual it suggests beginning by doing a lesson on the meaning of each strand (pragmatics, semantics, etc.). Have you done this? <br /><br />2. You mentioned that you like to begin with stories discussing each narrative component beginning with character, then setting, and so on. Do you have specific books you like to use for each of these?<br /><br />3. I would love to take a training but the website does not have any listed. How did you find the trainings you attended? <br /><br />4. I purchased the "East Meets West" book and although it suggests books for grades 2-5, I'm wondering if these books a little too young for the older students. Do you have experience with them? (The books are: The Wednesday Suprise, Big Al, On Mothers Lap, Horton Hatches the Egg, Three Cheers for Tacky, Miss Nelson is Missing, Stephanie's Ponytain, Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, and Gingerbread Baby.<br /><br />5. I'll be doing these lessons with an entire class of about 15 students. Do you think it's feasible to attempt data collection on each student? Seems like it would be a bit much!<br /><br />6. You mentioned staying on a book a few sessions/weeks at a time. Do you re-read the book a few times or what is that you do to focus on the same book for many sessions?<br /><br />That was more than a few questions! I appreciate your time :) Thanks so much<br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-21101474581950246902013-11-07T12:21:19.225-08:002013-11-07T12:21:19.225-08:00Hi Alli! You are very welcome! I have done several...Hi Alli! You are very welcome! I have done several other book companion packets that work well with SGM. You can find them in my TPT store under the category Book Companion Packets, but a few of my favorites are: <br />Turkey Trouble<br />Room on the Broom<br />The Rainbow Fish<br />The Pout Pout Fish<br />Bear Feels Scared <br /><br />I'm also working on several for Christmas as well which will be up soon! My TPT store address is: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Whitneyslp. <br /><br />Thanks! :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-74421548232929916242013-11-06T06:25:53.233-08:002013-11-06T06:25:53.233-08:00Once again...thanks for all of your help and infor...Once again...thanks for all of your help and information! I am beginning to reorganize my own binder as a start and will definitely look for your Turkey Trouble packet. Do you have any other Braidy/SGM story packets on TPT or anything? I would definitely be interested in seeing how you break down a whole book, the different lesson plans you use with each book (e.g. syntax, vocab etc), and any other lessons like crafts etc for a given book. Thanks! Allibeaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05758282178489630162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-5015568693964712722013-10-24T17:40:19.357-07:002013-10-24T17:40:19.357-07:00Hi Alli! I'm not sure that there is really a &...Hi Alli! I'm not sure that there is really a "first" training, now that I think of it. I took the Braidy and SGM training at the same time, and I'm pretty sure that's how they all are. Think of the first training as a SGM overview. There are other trainings based on other materials, such as Data Collection, Autism, Write to Learn, and Common Core. I tend to teach each icon independently, including the icons that are expected for that age level. For instance, I wouldn't teach "kickoff" for Pre-K until they were absolutely ready to move on. It's just personal preference, but I like to explore a lot about each icon and practice identifying the different story elements in stories before we move to the next one. Once they have a general idea about the icons and story elements, we put them all together. I don't think everyone teaches it that way, but its just the way I tend to do it (and the way I have my teacher notebook set up). I did a past post on books I recommend for the different months, but right now, I would try to find the book Turkey Trouble. It is amazing for SGM and identifying the different story elements, and the kids love it. They can act it out, and its applicable to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. I just highlighted a companion packet I made for that book, and you can find that post on my blog as well. Let me know if you have any more questions!<br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-52744309746018827822013-10-21T09:49:12.615-07:002013-10-21T09:49:12.615-07:00Thanks Whitney! I really appreciate the help. I&...Thanks Whitney! I really appreciate the help. I'll definitely do that...start by organizing my own notebook and go from there. Which is the first training...Braidy or SGM? I saw they were in Boston which isnt terribly far but not sure manageable for me right now. One question does come to mind...do you teach every icon independently first or as a reaction to a story? Also, can you recommend any easy/quick read stories to use it with for kids in second grade who are lower cognitively? Most of them know what each icon is by name at this point and they know character and setting. Thanks again for all your help!<br />Alli:)beaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05758282178489630162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-90959642260796619532013-10-19T20:06:49.585-07:002013-10-19T20:06:49.585-07:00Hi Alli! Thanks so much for your comment. I can un...Hi Alli! Thanks so much for your comment. I can understand how you may feel overwhelmed. There is a ton of information in the manuals, and without having taken the trainings, I would probably feel the same way. I have been very blessed to have taken all of the trainings from MaryEllen; however, I too found the manuals difficult to wrap my head around. I think I mentioned this in one of my SGM posts, but after I took the trainings and before I began implementing SGM with my students, I took the manuals, made copies of the worksheets, etc., and re-organized them into my own teacher notebook that was a little bit easier for me to work with. I personally like the worksheets organized by icon in the order than I teach them. For instance, I start of teaching character, so all of the character worksheets are in one section of my notebook, then setting, then kickoff, etc. Then I have a section for writing and a section for assessment data. This allows me to see exactly what worksheets are available and not forget about them. Does this make sense? It might help for you to do the same thing. I would also try to read through the manuals if you get a chance, watch the videos on the mindwing website, check out the mindwing blog, read through my previous SGM posts, and if you ever get a chance, take the first SGM training. But most importantly, don't give up! MaryEllen and her team are very approachable and helpful. I'm sure they would be happy to answer any questions you have, as would I. There's really no right or wrong way to start implementing it. You'll learn as you go and perfect your implementation. The kids will love using the icons, and I'm sure you'll get more comfortable with it the more you use it. If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to try and answer them! <br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-51777328045115832242013-10-15T08:19:28.502-07:002013-10-15T08:19:28.502-07:00HI Whitney,
Thanks for all your posts. I will def...HI Whitney,<br />Thanks for all your posts. I will definitely read through all of them so I dont ask all of the same questions. My district recently purchased the Braidy and SGM for me. However, I am extremely overwhelmed with implementation. I find the manuals extremely cumbersome to get through and am sort of winging it. I am thinking of putting it aside at this point until I can figure out the best way to implement it. I will keep reading your posts as I try to figure this whole thing out...but I wanted to let you know that I appreciate all of your information!<br />Thanks!<br />Allibeaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05758282178489630162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-28413126140144570712013-03-11T04:37:22.173-07:002013-03-11T04:37:22.173-07:00Hi Sarah. I completed a "Complete Episode Map...Hi Sarah. I completed a "Complete Episode Map" on Just a Snowman last year. However, I only did the first episode in the story. If you remember, this story actually has a spin-off story at the end, when the characters make hot chocolate. I stopped after they finally built the snowman. One more note: This book is more than a complete episode, because there are conflicts to his original plan of building a snowman. For my younger kiddos, I read the conflicts (such as I wanted to build a snowman next, but so-and-so wanted to do...., but I don't include them so much in the story retell. For the older kids, we talk about the different conflicts. I did not include the conflicts here, but only the attempts to making a snowman. The Complete Episode Map is found on page 134 in my SGM Manual; however, it may be a little different in yours. This is what I have: <br />Main Character-Little Critter<br />Setting-at home, outside in the snow<br />Initiating Event (Kick-off)-It snowed, and school was cancelled. <br />Internal Response (Feeling)-Happy, Excited, Amazed, Thrilled<br />Plan: Build a Snowman<br />Attempt: Rolled a big ball for the bottom. <br />Attempt: Rolled a medium ball for the middle. <br />Attempt: Rolled a small ball for the top. <br />Attempt: Added eyes and a nose. <br />Attempt: Dressed it in a scarf, hat, and sunglasses. <br />Direct Consequence: He built his snowman (finally!)<br />Resolution: Proud, happy, impressed<br /><br />Hope this helps! Feel free to let me know if you have anymore questions!<br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-49669571500117209462013-02-27T12:37:42.878-08:002013-02-27T12:37:42.878-08:00Thanks for the book suggestions. I ordered Just a...Thanks for the book suggestions. I ordered Just a snowman and its a great book. I am new at story grammar markers. Do you have a completed analysis form (main character, setting, initiating event, etc..) for this book? i would appreciate it. Sarah Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00621534784933616169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-91139997941494305142012-12-02T19:16:49.050-08:002012-12-02T19:16:49.050-08:00Thank you!!!! I really appreciate you took the tim...Thank you!!!! I really appreciate you took the time to answer my many questions. You have helped me so much, it was so nice of you. <br />I'm looking forward to receiving the manual.<br />Thanks again!<br />Rachel:)Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723916994471566559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-75857962854878401032012-12-02T17:46:11.939-08:002012-12-02T17:46:11.939-08:00Rachel, I really do not mind your questions at all...Rachel, I really do not mind your questions at all! Collaboration is what this blog is all about...and your questions are sure to help others as well! I do not believe that any posters come with the manual if you order the manual by itself. If you order a complete set, I think the posters come with it. You can see exactly what comes in each set on the Mindwing website. Both manuals are nice to have, as they are somewhat different and have different printables. (The Braidy worksheets are more basic and the printing is bigger for the little kids). Each manual also has sample lessons and a list of books for each level in the back. You can get by with just one book, but if you had the option, I would recommend getting both. Tip: There is SO much information and SO many different worksheets in each book, that I couldn't wrap my mind around it all at once. I actually took several days to re-organize the books in the order that I teach SGM. I made copies of the worksheets I used the most, and organized them in my own teaching manual based on the story element (all character pages first, then setting, then kickoff, etc., and all assessment pages in the back.) Its just my personal preference, but may help you utilize all that is offered more effectively! Hope this helps!<br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-28871260905416864562012-12-02T15:49:05.916-08:002012-12-02T15:49:05.916-08:00I hope you don't mind, I have more questions. ...I hope you don't mind, I have more questions. Which posters would you recommend I order with the manual? or are they included in the manual?. I would also like to know ideally, would you recommend ordering both manuals or do they overlap and it's not necessary? I'm thinking to go with Braidy manual since my 6 year old really needs basic narration, but figured if it's really worthwhile I'll do both. Thanks again for your assistance with this. I truly hope it's not a bother.Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723916994471566559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-81731393503939354402012-12-02T15:04:08.878-08:002012-12-02T15:04:08.878-08:00Thank you so much for all your help!!Thank you so much for all your help!!Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723916994471566559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-57564668248020302862012-12-02T14:42:10.381-08:002012-12-02T14:42:10.381-08:00Hi Rachel, you're not making me crazy at all! ...Hi Rachel, you're not making me crazy at all! Doing research before spending that kind of money is always a good idea! Whether to order SGM or Braidy is really a judgement call. If you think you'll be using it more with older kids, order the SGM manual, and you can simplify it for the younger kids. If yout think you'll be using it more with your younger kids, order the Braidy manual, and you can make the lessons harder for the older kids. Either way, you really can't go wrong. The lessons and worksheets are similar, they just go along with either the Braidy doll or the Story Braids. There really isn't a "doll" for SGM. They are called story braids and you can order a teacher braid (a little bigger), or the student braids (smaller). Braidy is the big doll and he is used more for the younger kids. If I had to choose, I'd order the teacher story braid since your funds are limited. The older kids don't really like using the Braidy doll as much! Let me know if you have any more questions!<br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-8024023490873222972012-12-02T09:44:24.084-08:002012-12-02T09:44:24.084-08:00I will, thank you! I plan to order today. I think ...I will, thank you! I plan to order today. I think there is a 20% off coupon:). I just want to make sure, between the two, I am better off ordering SGM over Braidy? Would SGM help with narration (telling about his day) as much as Braidy?. Sorry, to make you crazy, I'm just not sure which of the two to order. I can only afford one. I am also ordering the SGM doll. sounds right?Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723916994471566559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-69429626440398347562012-12-02T09:33:50.070-08:002012-12-02T09:33:50.070-08:00You are so welcome! Yes, your 6 year old student c...You are so welcome! Yes, your 6 year old student can most definitely benefit from SGM! I even use SGM with my Pre-Kers! If I ever show up to do a language circle without Braidy, they are asking where he is! No matter how young, they can learn the story elements and how to tell a story...they love the visuals. I sometimes take pictures of the different parts of the story we are reading and velcro them to that part of the Braidy doll (i.e. if we are reading a Franklin book, I velcro a picture of Franklin on Braidy's face, and a picture of Franklin's classroom to the star for the setting) so they can remember the specific elements to that story. They love it! SGM is great for teaching Syntax also...keep me updated on how he is doing!<br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-34146865342083487602012-12-01T20:14:58.506-08:002012-12-01T20:14:58.506-08:00THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!! I'm so glad I found ...THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!! I'm so glad I found your blog. I really appreciate your advice and willingness to help. I've also found your response to others very beneficial. Just to clarify, the 6 year old I'm working with can benefit from SGM? He's young, but really needs work on narration, organization, creativity, and SYNTAX. The SGM can help me with that, right?? Thanks again, you are too kind!Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723916994471566559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-34108388186712371392012-12-01T17:38:03.508-08:002012-12-01T17:38:03.508-08:00Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for reading the blog. I&...Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for reading the blog. I'm so glad you found in useful! In case you haven't noticed, I'm a HUGE SGM fan! The best part of SGM is that it is so flexible. You can use it in so many different ways for so many different students! I would normally tell you to choose which book to buy based on the ages of your students. (I use the Braidy manual for the younger students and my students in the Autism classes and the SGM manual for my older students.) But if I had to advise you on one, I'd say get the SGM manual. It can be modified to make it easier for your younger students, and many of the things in the manuals are similar or the same to the other. You can most definitely use the story braids with the Braidy manual or the Braidy doll with the SGM manual...it is really that flexible! As for the two students you mentioned, SGM sounds perfect for them! You will be so surprised at how many different ways you can use it. To name a few, we work on identifying the story elements, story retell, vocabulary, describing, grammar, complete sentences, perspective taking, social skills, planning, inferencing, predicting, sequencing, wh questions, and much, much more!!! If I were you, I'd start off by purchasing the SGM manual and a set of the story braids. Plan on spending some time diving into the manual-there's a lot there. And don't be afraid to just jump right in with teaching it...there really is no wrong way! If you need any help or have any questions along the way, let me know. I'm happy to offer my advice (for whatever it's worth!) :)<br /><br />Good luck! <br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-76045356413376930652012-12-01T17:07:13.596-08:002012-12-01T17:07:13.596-08:00Hi Whitney,
I just found your blog and thank you f...Hi Whitney,<br />I just found your blog and thank you for all the helpful advice regarding SGM. I'm actually thinking of ordering Braidy or SGM manual and not sure which one to purchase (I'm buying it on my own with a limited budget). Can you guide me as to what's the most crucial to spend on? I have a 6 year old student with difficulties in word retrieval, story retell (narration), and syntax. His stories are often choppy and lack content. He also struggles with critical thinking (very literal). Would this program help me? If so, which manual am I better off purchasing? Also, can I use the story grammar marker doll with the Braidy manual? The braidy doll is pretty expensive? Additionally, I also have a 5th grade student with theory of mind issues (I have been working with her using Michelle Winner's products). She struggles with narration -leaves out the background information in a story. Would SGM help her??<br />Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01723916994471566559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1760627621027270333.post-16444874350373855792012-11-05T17:16:24.250-08:002012-11-05T17:16:24.250-08:00Hi Stef! Thanks again for your great questions. I&...Hi Stef! Thanks again for your great questions. I'm not sure all of my answers are "official SGM answers," but I'll just share my opinion! First of all, you will love Turkey Trouble. It is so cute and one of my favorite stories to teach all year! I understand about sometimes getting into a rut. In order to avoid those times, I try to do additional activities for each story instead of just reading the book and having the students retell the story. For instance, we might do a writing activity or craft inspired by the story. (For Pierre the Penguin, we make penguins, for Turkey Trouble, I have the students write a plan on how they would keep themselves safe if they were a turkey on Thanksgiving (their plan has to be different than in the book.) As for jumping your kiddos from the reactive stage to a complete episode stage, I do that all the time! The complete episode or more is the eventual goal, so if they can handle it, jump on! For your questions, this is what I would suggest: <br />1) If I have trouble identifying the stage, I use the breakdown chart from the manual (teachers checklist). I try to write down the parts myself to see where it leaves me. I'm not always right either, so don't be too hard on yourself! I utilize my colleagues for help too!<br />2) I sometimes ask my colleagues about this, too. I also try to use some of the charts in the manual to help breakdown each piece. <br />3.) To keep it engaging, I try to take my time really analyzing each story element, using the worksheets, diagrams, etc. I also use crafts and writing activities too. And there is also an SGM game set that comes with the Autism kit that the kids love. You can order the game set seperately, also. <br /><br />Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions, or if it something doesn't make sense!<br /><br />Whitney :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09040650199495677945noreply@blogger.com