BOOM Cards...for More Than Just Tele-therapy

Since many of us were thrown into the world of tele-therapy due to this crazy pandemic, by now you’re probably familiar with Boom Cards, but did you realize that they’re for more than just tele-therapy?

I’ve been a school-based, speech-language pathologist for the past 16 years. I LOVE co-treating and crafting with my creative OT friends but coming up with cute crafts is NOT a strength of mine.

As a school-based SLP, between meetings, therapy, medicaid billing, and unexpected things that pop up during the day, I often don’t have as much time for planning and making materials as I would like to. I look for activities that are highly motivating, quick, grab-and-go, no prep and easy to use.

Enter Boom Cards. I discovered Boom Learning a little over a year ago. After listening to a presentation last summer at the Teacher Pay Teachers conference, I was even more intrigued. I decided to make a few of my own decks and try them out with some of the students on my caseload.

What I discovered was that even my harder to engage and to motivate students were LOVING these digital activities and task cards. They enjoyed the immediate feedback, the ability to manipulate the items, and the interactive features Boom Cards provide. I noticed that other students in the classroom were walking over and asking for a turn.

As an added bonus, the teachers I was collaborating with were enjoying the Boom decks too! It made collaborating on goals and objectives so much easier because we were all focused on the same targets, which resulted in faster improvement and better generalization.

My students were hooked, the teachers I worked with were hooked, and I was hooked.

You may be wondering how to use Boom Cards in your therapy room or in a classroom setting. Here are 3 EASY ways I implement Boom Cards into my therapy sessions:

Use Boom Card decks directly with your student in the same manner you would use a worksheet, an activity, or a card deck. I’ve found that my students tend to be more engaged when I pull my iPad or computer out to work on as opposed to that worksheet or card deck. For younger students, I read the prompts and answer choices. I often type in their responses. Once I model how to submit the answers a time or two, my students quickly learn how to do it on their own. For older students who are readers, they typically need a few demonstrations on how to use the deck. Then they are able to use the cards pretty independently. It all really depends on the age and skill level of your students.
For students who are familiar with Boom Cards and more independent, you can assign them the activity you want them to complete while working with another student or during a centers-type rotation.
Once your student is familiar with Boom Cards, have your students practice the same concepts and activities you were targeting in therapy by sending a fast pin to teachers, teaching assistants, or parents/caregivers to increase the number of repetitions or trials and to encourage generalization!

A few things to remember:

You do need a Boom Learning account to use Boom Cards. There are four different account types of accounts depending on what you are wanting to do. The basic account is free and is a great way to try out Boom to see if you and your students like it. Click here to see the different accounts Boom offers.

To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards.

You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with “Fast Pins,” (play provides instant feedback for self-grading Boom Cards). Fast Play is always a free way for students and parents to engage with Boom Cards decks. I use “Fast Pins” and Fast Play ALL the time. I email the link to parents and teachers. It’s a great feature and very easy to use!

For additional assignment options, you’ll need a premium account. Click here if you’re wanting additional information.

Boom Learning™ and Boom Cards™ are the trademarks of Boom Learning Inc. and are used with permission.