Hot off the Press with Language Chef!

It’s been a great summer!

I hiked…

…and savored the serenity of a mountain view…

I kayaked…

I enjoyed a good beach mountain read….. (I’m a sucker for a book with my name in the title–plus, I love Dolly Parton!)

And I finished a little project that I started, stopped, started, stopped, and started again—I won’t even tell you how many years it has taken me to finally complete this! Other priorities in life (job…family….kids….health….) have a funny way of distracting us from those personal goals we set for ourselves. My culinary hero, Julia Child, was in her 50’s when she wrote her first cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”, so I guess I’m in pretty good company!

When I started my blog (11 years ago!), I had the idea to write speech and language posts that combined my passion for cooking and my profession. I wrote about cooking with kids in the classroom and at home, and ways to incorporate speech and language concepts into the recipe-making process. The more I posted, the more I realized that I should put these ideas into an organized, tangible format. So, I began creating a recipe book with (mostly) healthy, kid-friendly, classroom-friendly ideas inspired by my blog posts. Although it took a little lot longer than I ever anticipated, I am excited to share the end product: Language Chef—The Ultimate Language Concepts Recipe Activity Book (fall edition). It’s filled with simple, healthy, fun snacks and recipes that are practical enough to make in the school setting (basic cooking tools and some microwaving are required). I wanted this program to appeal to a wide range of ages and ability levels so using photo visuals makes it less juvenile, more realistic, engaging, and age-appropriate for older students, and younger students alike. (WINTER and SPRING/SUMMER editions of Language Chef are in the works!) You can find the Fall Edition in my TeachersPayTeachers store. If you have questions/comments, you can leave one at the bottom of this post or send me an email at speechsnacks@gmail.com. I can’t wait to start Cooking Up Good Speech and Language with you and your students! Want to know more details about Language Chef? Here are a few FAQ’s…….

Who can benefit from the recipes and activities in Language Chef?

Language Chef is a highly versatile program designed to be used with a wide range of age and ability levels including:

•Special education

•Regular Education 

•Speech /Language therapy

•Life skills classes

•ASD Students (autism spectrum disorder) 

•Family/consumer science classes

•Homeschoolers

•Second language learners

What makes Language Chef unique?

•Language Chef is a comprehensive, language-rich recipe curriculum created by a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist with over 28 years of experience working with the PRE-K through high school age population and a LIFETIME of experience as an avid, health-conscious home cook and baker!

•Language Chef uses FULL-COLOR photos and HEALTHY recipe activities that have been personally field tested in the kitchen and classroom.  Many of the recipes are inspired by the blog posts that I have written over the past 10 years (“Cooking Up Good Speech with a Side of Speech Snacks” www.speechsnacks.com)

•Language Chef recipes may contain ingredients that are new and unfamiliar to some students. Introducing children to new tastes and textures expands their exposure and encourages interest in a variety of foods while instilling healthful choices.

•The program is divided into LEVEL 1 (eleven recipe activities/no microwave required) and LEVEL 2 (seven recipes/microwave required).

•Each recipe includes a Lesson Plan Page which lists ingredients, kitchen tools, and “Suggested Language Concepts to Target”  (recommended vocabulary and other language concepts that should be addressed while preparing the recipes.)  

•Each recipe also includes a follow-up, language-rich activity called “Speech Snacks Activities.”   The therapist/teacher should use their discretion when deciding which of these activities are most suitable based on the student’s ability level.  Language areas addressed in these activities include comprehension, vocabulary, written language, grammar, cause/effect, compare/contrast, auditory recall, and phonemic awareness.

•Language Chef includes many supplemental materials to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience. For example, “WH” comprehension &  conversation cards,  VISUAL support cards of the ingredients (noun cards) and cooking actions (verb cards), and graphic organizers for supporting written and verbal recipe recall.

•Language Chef also includes a student data collection form, a “Note to Parents” explaining the benefits of cooking in the academic setting with an attached student participation permission form,  a “Make and Take” recipe booklet to create and bring home for carryover purposes, and a personalized Language Chef hat, so students can feel like a real-life chef while they make their creations!

What communication skills are addressed when you cook?

•SEQUENCING skills for the steps in a recipe (first, next, then last)

•FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS: this skill is naturally addressed as you complete steps in a recipe.

•VOCABULARY for exposure to names of ingredients and kitchen tools.

•DESCRIBING foods as you talk about taste, texture, smells, and appearance.

•ANSWERING WH QUESTIONS before, during, and after the food preparation process.

•CATEGORIZING by sorting the types of ingredients needed (i.e. dairy, meat, shape, size, color).

•LISTENING COMPREHENSION for recalling what is remembered about the recipe.

• PROBLEM-SOLVING by addressing critical thinking skills for issues and situations encountered throughout the recipe.

•EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING namely for time management, task initiation, persistence, and working memory, which are crucial for learning how to successfully start and complete a recipe.

•SOCIAL SKILLS for turn-taking, conversation skills, and etiquette while preparing the recipe with a group of peers and adults. 

•ARTICULATION SKILLS at the word, sentence, and conversation levels by targeting the words (foods, kitchen tools, etc.)  containing the student’s speech sound(s) throughout the recipe process.

•MATH CONCEPTS for measuring wet and dry ingredients, estimating the amounts of some ingredients, telling time for estimating the amount of time needed to complete recipes, and the number of servings (yield) produced from the recipe.

What kitchen tools do you need to make the recipes in Language Chef?

The tools required for the recipes are listed (visually and in writing) for each recipe, and range from simple utensils like a knife, spoon, and cutting board to basic electrical appliances, including a blender and microwave.  All recipes have been adapted to avoid the need for an oven, which may not be accessible in many classrooms/therapy settings.  

Are the recipes allergy-free?

Substitutions can be made and are recommended in the recipe selections. For example,  SunButter® (made with sunflower seeds) is recommended as a substitute for peanut or almond butter.  Nondairy milk/cheese can be substituted for cow’s milk products.  ALWAYS check with your student’s teachers, school nurse, and parent/guardian prior to letting them handle and consume any of the ingredients used in the recipes. A “Note to Parents”/permission form is included which addresses allergies/food sensitivities. Parents/guardians should fill out and return the form prior to beginning this program.

**None of the recipes in Language Chef (fall edition)are prepared with food coloring.  Evidence supports a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children, both with and without pre-existing behavioral disorders.  Additionally, the FDA acknowledges that “some published data suggest that for certain susceptible children with ADHD and other problem behaviors, their condition may be exacerbated by exposure to several food substances, including, but not limited to artificial food colors, due to a unique intolerance or sensitivity.”