My SLP Love Affair with Highlights Magazine
During the pandemic, I was looking for additional materials for one of my patients, and on a whim, I subscribed to Highlights Magazine. When I got my first issue I realized it wasn't your mother's Highlights Magazine. For one thing, there are diverse children represented, and even bi-lingual stories in Spanish and English. I fell in love. It supports so many goals -— story grammar, problem-solving, receptive and expressive language, social thinking — and it is a no-prep time saver.
Tex and Indi
Each issue features a story about Tex and Indi, five-year-old twins who live in San Francisco with their big sister Arizona. The consistency reduces the working memory load because kids don't have to remember the character names, background, and setting. I use this story feature to teach story grammar, vocabulary, summarizing, and -Wh (who, what, when, where, why) questions. The story arc helps develop episodic memory. (“Do you remember what happened last month to Tex and Indi?”)
That’s Silly
Another great feature is “That’s Silly” which is a developmentally-adjusted version of the “expected or unexpected” concept that is part of the social thinking curriculum. Each colorful two-page spread depicts people and things out of the norm hiding within a typical social scenario. For instance, can you find a moose sunbathing on a lounge chair wearing sunglasses? It is a rich format for eliciting language, teaching social referencing (point to the moose and put an incredulous expression on your face), teaching the "expected and unexpected" framework, and giving children an opportunity to share their experiences.
Hidden Pictures
I remember loving the hidden pictures feature of Highlights as a child. Flash forward, I still love it! Of all the sections in the magazine, it is perhaps the most powerful and flexible in terms of supporting language goals. It is a treasure trove of vocabulary. I can use it to teach basic concepts such as positional concepts (“on,” “under,” “over,” “behind”), shapes, and colors. I can use it for picture descriptions. It is good for teaching pattern recognition and problem-solving. (“What shape is the pizza?” “Let’s look for a red triangle somewhere.” “Where was the ruler last time?”) I enjoy hearing an excited “I FOUND IT!!” when my patient finds a hidden object.
