As a speech language pathologist, it’s no surprise how much I value language and literacy. I’ve had a passion for reading ever since I can remember and I can often be caught in the middle of one (or two or three) books! I began building my children’s book library when I was in graduate school pursing a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders. I quickly figured out that not only are books fundamental to learning, but they also make wonderful activities for speech therapy. I incorporate books into my lesson plans on a daily basis, and my children’s book library has grown to reflect that, so I was beyond thrilled when Literati reached out to invite me to become an ambassador.

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Macy's Must ReadsMacy GilsonMay 10, 2021literati, literati kids, book club for kids, book club, kids books, children's books, children's book club, kid litComment

School With Special Education | Everything You Need to Know

Here is a list of the most important things you should know if your child attends school with special education. If your child qualifies, they will be placed in special education, which is “specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability…”

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Disability EducationMacy GilsonApril 9, 2021school with special education, private school with special education, special education, teacher in special education, job special education, quote on special education, what is idea for special education, what is a special education, laws about special education Comments

Literati Kids x Macy Gilson Part One

As a speech language pathologist, it’s no surprise how much I value language and literacy. I’ve had a passion for reading ever since I can remember and I can often be caught in the middle of one (or two or three) books! I began building my children’s book library when I was in graduate school pursing a Master’s degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders. I quickly figured out that not only are books fundamental to learning, but they also make wonderful activities for speech therapy. I incorporate books into my lesson plans on a daily basis, and my children’s book library has grown to reflect that, so I was beyond thrilled when Literati reached out to invite me to become an ambassador.

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Macy's Must ReadsMacy GilsonApril 5, 2021literati, literati kids, book club for kids, book club, kids books, children's books, children's book club, kid litComment

6 Tips to Increase Your Child's Social Emotional Skills

This week is Social Emotional Learning Week and schools across the country are implementing activities to help foster these crucial skills in their students. Of course, children go to school to develop academic skills, such as reading, writing, and math, but what about their social and emotional skills? There is a huge movement right now encouraging educators to implement social and emotional learning activities in their curriculum, but this is also something you can help support at home, too!

Parent Resources, Child DevelopmentMacy GilsonMarch 23, 2021empathy, social emotional skills, mindfulness, positive self talk, journaling prompts, freebie, free activities, journaling prompts for kids, diversity, emotional regulationComment

My Favorite Books About Disabilities - Part Two

Today I am sharing my favorite books that portray characters with disabilities! Reading stories about children with disabilities is a great way to reinforce inclusion in your home. The more a child is exposed to people that are different from them, the more likely they are to celebrate those differences.

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Macy's Must ReadsMacy GilsonFebruary 12, 2021talking to your children about disabilities, talking about disabilities, parenting, parenting advice, different, inclusive literature, diverse literature, inclusive children's booksComment

ScriptSpeak x Macy Gilson

Last fall I had the opportunity to partner with ScriptSpeak, a text-to-speech software company uses AI to convert written content into verbal speech. Trent and Clay Martin, the founders of Script Speak, are helping companies reach a larger audience by making written content more accessible and I am so impressed with their innovation and attention to detail. After using ScriptSpeak for the past few months, I can assure you that it is the best feature on my website, for a variety of reasons.

Parent Resources, Educator Resources, Speech/LanguageMacy GilsonJanuary 11, 2021text to speech, audio software, ScriptSpeak, AI, artificial intelligenceComment

A Letter to Mom from Your Daughter with Down syndrome

Dear Mom…

Parent ResourcesMacy GilsonJanuary 3, 2021letters to mom, down syndrome, nothing down about it, special needs parenting, special needs families, up syndromeComment

My Instagram Fam | Down syndrome

I have met so many amazing people through social media, so I have decided to start a new series on the blog called My Instagram Fam. I am constantly inspired by these accounts and I want to share them with you all today in the hope that you will be inspired, too! If you’re looking for great Down syndrome resources, ideas, tips and information, follow these accounts!