EXPLORE SPEECH & LANGUAGE AT....
Montgomery County
Farm Tour & Harvest Sale
Saturday, July 22th and Sunday, July 23rd throughout Montgomery Couty, MD
Explore participating farms throughout the county, participating in activities from petting zoos to pick-your-own fruits to wagon rides and practicing speech and language skills with your child throughout your journey.
TALKING
EXPLORE: Categorical Knowledge
ENRICH: Expressive Vocabulary
ENGAGE: The ability to name objects within a category
PARENT PROMPT:
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As you explore the environments and activities offered at the farm you are visiting, ask your child to name at least 5 objects in each of the following categories:
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Farm animals (e.g. cow, pig)
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Farm crops - you can explain that crops include fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. (e.g. corn, wheat)
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Farm tools and equipment (e.g. tractor, shovel)
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EXPLORE: Inferencing
ENRICH: Higher-Level Oral Comprehension
ENGAGE: The ability to using inferencing & Background knowledge to solve riddles
PARENT PROMPT:
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As you explore the farm, play "I Spy" and provide clues about animals and objects you see on the farm. Challenge your child to:
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Solve clues about what the item looks like (e.g. I spy something that is pink, short, and fat . . . A pig)
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Solve clues about the function of the item (e.g. I spy something that you use to dig holes . . . A shovel)
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Solve clues about where the item can be found (e.g. I spy something that grows in a field on a stalk . . . Corn)
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LISTENING
WORD PLAY
EXPLORE: Rhotic Vowels
ENRICH: Articulation of Individual Sounds for Clear Communication
ENGAGE: The ability to produce the six forms of vocalic /r/
PARENT PROMPT:
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While exploring the farm, make a list with your child of at least three farm-related words that have each of the vocalic /r/ forms and have your child practice them in the following environments:
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Word in isolation (e.g. tractor)
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Word in a phrase (e.g. big tractor)
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Word in a sentence (e.g. I see someone on a tractor)
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EXPLORE: Polite social interactions
ENRICH: Social Use of Language
ENGAGE: The ability to ask for instructions
PARENT PROMPT:
Most of the farms on the farm tour offer a pick-your-own option for a variety of summer fruits. This is a great opportunity for your child to practice asking for instructions and clarification, a skill which is vital when in a learning environment.
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At the pick-your-own station, have your child interact with the farm staff and practice the following social language skills:
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Initiate the conversation and ask for instructions for the pick-your-own produce (e.g. Excuse me - how does the pick-your-own strawberries field work?)
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Ask a follow-up question (e.g. How can I tell if the strawberries are ripe? How much do the strawberries cost?)
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Politely end the conversation (e.g. Thank you so much for your help.)
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