ACTIVITY SHEET

Carla Padilla
LEI 4724
Activity File 1
Activity Title: Salad Story
Source: Johannessen, M (2001). Salad Story [Web log post]. Retrieved from
http://exarc.net/manuals/2-story-telling-activities
Equipment: Pencils, 30-40 papers slips or cards, paper
Description of Activity: The objective of this activity is to increase communication
skills, listening skills, comprehension, and attention to detail; approximately 30-40 cards
or slips of paper, each with a different motif written on it. Motifs are the smallest,
simplest recognizable elements in a folk or fairy tale, such as a magic mirror, known
from Snow White and The Beauty & The Beast. Explain that stories are like food, made
up of different ingredients. Often, we already know what we get when we know the
ingredients. For example, if something is made of flour, sugar, cream, eggs, chocolate
end butter, we know it is probably a chocolate cake. If something is made of pasta,
tomatoes, cheese, garlic and mushrooms, we know it is spaghetti Bolognese. If a story
has a magic mirror we know it is Snow White. A stepmother and going to a ball, tells us it
is about Cinderella. This game plays with ingredients from well-known stories, and mixes
them up to make a new story. Ask one participant to draw three cards from the stack, or
ask three participants to draw one card each. Then the three motifs on the cards are read
out loud. Explain that these three motifs are the ingredients for a new story. The motifs
may already suggest who the characters are, where it takes place, and what the plot may
be. If not, leader has to make them up or has to decide what they will be. Then everything
is put together and the story will be told in an improvised manner. Once this has been
shown and explained, the participants make up their own salad stories. They can do so
and draw three-motif card individually, in couples or in groups of three to six persons.
The stories are developed orally. After about ten to fifteen minutes, call the groups
together and ask if anyone would like to share the new story with the entire group.
Individuals can tell these stories, by couples, or groups.
Leadership considerations: This activity works best for groups of 10-12 participants.
The activity requires a setting in which participants can sit down and have a flat surface
area in front of them. The therapist functions as a moderator by explaining the
instructions of the activity, instructing participants to take their place, and by explaining
the activity. Prepare the cards with the written motifs before the activity. Emphasize that
telling the new story to the entire group is entirely voluntary; after the first individuals or
groups tell their story others may be more willing. Be sure to provide positive feedback
and constructive criticism, and encourage the other listeners to do so as well. Explain that
often the cards suggest characters, setting and plot right away, and sometimes they dont.
Motifs examples: troubled heroine, meeting a witch, helpful fox, haunted house, spooky,
castle, magic ship, magic lamp, magic cauldron, journey, helping a queen, fight, beggar,

marriage, magic spell.

Adaptations:
Participants with Apraxia: Apraxia of speech is a communication disorder that impacts
individuals of various ages, including young children (ages 0-7) and adults (Barrington,
2013). Individuals with Apraxia have a difficulty with grammar skills, coordination, fine
motor skills, difficulty stringing syllables together in the appropriate order to make
words, excessive use of nonverbal forms of communication, and distorting of vowel
sounds (Apraxia: Symptoms, Causes, Tests, and Treatments, n.d.). Build up the pencil by
wrapping a thin layer of foam with masking tape to help the participant grasp the pencil
(Practical Strategies for Developing Fine Motor Skills, n.d.). Allow the participant to
choose if he or she wants to share their story. While the partipants is reading aloud or
speaking in front of the class, allow the participant the time and patience to self correct
any articulation errors. It is essential that the therapist creates a zero-tolerance
environment for teasing any kind of speech abnormalities (Teachers- Apraxia &
Dysarthria, n.d.). Permit participant the time he or she requires to express themselves,
without unsolicited aid and filling in gaps in their speech. Don't be reluctant to ask the
student to repeat a statement (Teachers- Apraxia & Dysarthria, n.d.). Allow the
participant extra time to complete the story because of distractions, slow handwriting, or
problems in decoding text (Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs, n.d.).
Allow the participants to work in pairs to in order for the participant with apraxia to help
write the story and if he or she does not want to share, their partner can read it out loud to
the group. Build up the pencil by wrapping a thin layer of foam with masking tape to help
the participant grasp the pencil.
Participants with a vision loss: The initial step is to help the participant feel comfortable
in the therapy space by allowing he or she to explore the room that will be used before
the activity. Providing this, especially for someone with disabilities, is vital as it gives a
sense of control and security in his or her environment (Art Therapy with Visual
Impairments, n.d.). Address safety issues in the setting that may include cords and
placement of furniture that can lead to the participant falling or getting injured. Tack or
tape down scatter rugs or runners as well as any electrical cords (Classroom Design Tips
for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired, n.d.). When the participants gets to
randomly pick a motif, repeat the motif back verbally and ensure the participant has
understood the chosen motifs. A braille slate and stylus could be provided to enable the
participant to write and read the story out loud (Bowes, 2007). It is fairly cheap and
convenient to carry. Just as the pen or pencil is designed to place a visible mark on a
piece of paper, the slate and stylus is designed to punch (emboss) raised, tactile bumps or
dots onto a page (Cheadle, 2007). In order to hand-Braille accurately, there must be a
puncher (the stylus) which, when pressed into the paper, will raise a tactile Braille dot,
and a guide (the slate) which will allow the user to punch the dots into precise positions
(Cheadle, 2007). The product could be purchased through amazon (click website to view
and purchase product). The therapist will need to learn how to use the braille slate and
stylus in order to teach the participant. The participant should attend one on one session
with the therapist to learn how to use the braille slate and stylus before the activity. If
there is not a braille slate and stylus available adapt the activity by having a volunteer or

the therapist to jot down the story for the participant as he or she verbalizes the story. If
he or she would like to share the story make it into a game and allow the group of
participants to retell the story without looking at the paper.
References
Apraxia: Symptoms, Causes, Tests, and Treatments. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11,
2015, from http://www.webmd.com/brain/apraxia-symptoms-causes-teststreatments?page=2
Barrington, J. (2013, May 1). Apraxia: What Interventions can Elementary Teachers use
to Address Communication Skills? Retrieved November 11, 2015, from
http://scholarworks.uno.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=honors_t
heses
Teachers- Apraxia & Dysarthria. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11, 2015, from
http://speechlanguageimpairmentresource.weebly.com/teachers.html
Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs. (n.d.). Retrieved November 11,
2015, from
http://do2learn.com/disabilities/CharacteristicsAndStrategies/SpeechLanguageIm
pairment_Strategies.html