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speech and language teaching concepts for Inky's Amazing Escape in speech therapy
Frequent Speech Sounds:

/nk/ medial (Inky)
/s/ initial and final
/s/ blends

Themes:

ocean
exploration

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

Inky’s Amazing Escape

By Sy Montgomery

Inky had been at the New Zealand aquarium since 2014 after being taken in by a fisherman who found him at sea. Inky had been getting used to his new environment, but the staff quickly figured out that he had to be kept amused or he would get bored. Then one night in 2016 Inky, about the size of a basketball, decided he’d had enough. He slithered eight feet across the floor and down a drainpipe more than 160 feet long to his home in the sea. Acclaimed author Sy Montogmery reminds readers that Inky didn’t escape—but instead, like the curious animal he is, wanted to explore the rest of the vast ocean he called his home.

This exciting ocean book can be used in speech therapy to address character analysis. It is also great for noticing illustrations and for targeting sequencing as well as for describing! Discover more of the speech and language teaching concepts for using Inky’s Amazing Escape in speech therapy below:

Key Teaching Concepts

Narrative Structure:

complex episode

Narrative Concepts:

vocabulary​
character analysis
sequencing
illustration study
inferencing
predicting​
adjectives
prepositional phrases
verbs (regular past tense)
verbs (irregular past tense)
complex sentence structures

Sequencing:

order of events that leads Inky back into the ocean to explore

Vocabulary:

octopus, journey, explore, current, Pacific Ocean, moray eel, exclaim, observe, aquarium, fool, prey, enemies, corals, healed, inched

Character Analysis:

Inky remains determined and overcomes obstacles while exploring in the ocean. Inky also shows his emotions through skin changes.

Figurative Language:

simile (like a banner rippling in the wind)

Grammar:

adjectives
prepositional phrases
verbs (regular past tense)
verbs (irregular past tense)
complex sentence structure

Text Features:

dashes
facts

Inferencing:

How do you think the babies felt when they were blown out to sea right when they were born?
Why do you think he needed bigger meals?
Why did he shoot away from the moray eel?
How did he feel as he kept swimming?
What is he thinking as he is rising up?
What does the fisherman think about the octopus in the lobster trap?
Why did the aquarium keeper name him Inky?
How did Inky feel at the aquarium?
How do octopuses show their emotions?

Predicting:

Where do you think they will go?
Where do you think he could nap safely?
What do you think he will find today?
What do you think will happen when the octopus goes in the box?
What do you think the fisherman will do with the octopus?
What do you think will happen to the octopus at the aquarium?
What do you think Inky will find out of the aquarium?
Where do you think the drain will lead to?

If you are interested in seeing other ocean/beach books to use in therapy, then check out the Themed Key Teaching Points Book List for a printable copy.