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using Brave Irene in speech therapy
Frequent Speech Sounds:

/ch/ medial
/r/ medial
/g/ initial
/sh/ initial
/sn/ initial

Themes:

winter
perseverance
bravery
compassion
responsibility

Book Details:
Diverse Characters: N/A
Age Recommendation: Late Elementary, Middle School

Brave Irene

By William Steig

Brave Irene is Irene Bobbin, the dressmaker’s daughter. Her mother, Mrs. Bobbin, isn’t feeling so well and can’t possibly deliver the beautiful ball gown she’s made for the duchess to wear that very evening. So plucky Irene volunteers to get the gown to the palace on time, in spite of the fierce snowstorm that’s brewing– quite an errand for a little girl. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, as Irene proves in the danger-fraught adventure that follows. She must defy the wiles of the wicked wind, her most formidable opponent, and overcome many obstacles before she completes her mission.

This thoughtful winter book can be used in speech therapy to address the theme of perseverance. It is also great for targeting personification as well as inferencing! Discover more of the speech and language teaching concepts for using Brave Irene in speech therapy below: 

Key Teaching Concepts

Narrative Structure:

complete episode

Narrative Concepts:

vocabulary
character analysis
inferencing
figurative language
prediction
theme/message
adjectives
verbs (linguistic)
verbs (regular past tense)
verbs (mental state)
text features

Sequencing:

sequence of events that lead Irene to the palace and back home

Vocabulary:

duchess, splendid, pasture, resented, helter-skeltering, sifted, errand, yield, wrenched, trudge

Character Analysis:

Irene demonstrates compassion, responsibility and perseverance.

Figurative Language:

personification of the wind
onomatopoeias
metaphors
similes

Grammar:

adjectives
verbs (linguistic)
verbs (mental state)
complex sentence structures
verbs (regular past tense)

Text Features:

italics
all caps
ellipses
dashes
exaggerated vowels

Inferencing:

How do you think the duchess will feel when Irene shows up without the dress?
What will the duchess think of Irene’s mom if she does not deliver the dress?
How does Irene feel when she is walking without the dress?
What is Irene thinking when she sees the palace?
How do you think Irene felt when she saw the dress on the tree?

Predicting:

What do you think Irene will do when the dress flies away?
What do you think Irene will do when she realizes she is lost?
How do you think she will reach the palace?

Check out our 17 minute podcast episode, Deep Dive into Using Brave Irene in Speech Therapy for more ideas! 

If you are interested in using Brave Irene and other winter- themed books in speech therapy, then check out these print-&-go cheat sheets. Perfect for when you don’t need a full book companion.