February 9, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, we’ve celebrated Black History Month each February for several decades. It’s a time for learning, reflection, and celebration. Today, we’re reprising a past post with resources that can be incorporated into your AAC teaching or therapy. Learn with BrainPop and BrainPop, Jr which offers videos, writing and drawing activities, graphic organizers, worksheets, jokes, and more. Brown vs Board of Education Civil Rights Fannie Lou Hamer Harriet Tubman Jackie Robinson Jim Crow Malcolm X Martin Luther King, Jr Mohammed Ali Reconstruction Rosa Parks Ruby Bridges Slavery Tuskegee Airmen From BrainPop Jr 2. Read “The Poet Diaries,” a guest post by inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. View a video of her reading her poem, Rise Up as One, California. 3. Explore a virtual exhibition at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
February 7, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Tuesday, AAC friends! Once a week, we invite you to share your own AAC-related content, product news, or anything else that you’d like others in the AAC community to know about. It may be a recent post you’ve written, a slide deck from your AAC presentation, a handout, video, or meme that you’ve posted online, an AAC product you’ve created, an announcement for an AAC course or conference, or any other prAACtical content you developed and want to share with the AAC community. To post your own link, scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post and complete the form. Enter the URL and the name/title in the boxes provided below. If you are on a mobile device, click over to the full website version to do this. The AAC Link Up is moderated to keep us from being spammed, so it may take a little... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, Featured Posts
February 3, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Each month we feature a Spanish version of our AAC Link Up, CAA con Links. If you have AAC-related announcements, materials, or videos in Spanish that you would like others to know about, we’d love to have you add that information below. Also, please share this with anyone who might be interested in contributing to or using the materials that get added to these posts. You’ll find the place to add that information at the very bottom of this post. Organized by Claudia Marimón, these monthly posts also feature AAC work being done in Spanish-speaking countries and offer translations of material that can help families and service providers. Today’s post focuses on AAC support for individuals with Rett Syndrome. Take a look and don’t forget to scroll to the bottom to add your link and see what others are sharing. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Este mes los invitamos a recordar que la Comunicación... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, Featured Posts
February 2, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
It’s prAACtically Valentine’s Day so we’re reprising this past post with AAC-friendly resources for one of our favorite holidays. Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and romance, is just around the corner. We’re keeping up the tradition of sharing ideas for an AAC-friendly holiday so that you can focus your attention on the supportive strategies that facilitate AAC learning. Take a look. Have fun with this animated PowerPoint poem, 5 Little Valentines, from Bloom. Print and send these Valentine’s Day cards from CoughDrop Valentine’s Day Is Here: Enjoy a video sing along with the Swingset Mamas Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR2S1AanFmFOY-W42JGdsuloRizrpmEE9e-YcrqU_Aqmo4McFJpqRfDnokY&v=Rbtgl9n3mJg&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=Swingsetmamas Supporting someone in a virtual platform? Check out these Boom cards From Beautiful Speech Life: I LIKE Activity From Welcome to Words: Cupid, Cupid, What Do You See? Make a bracelet with Valentine’s Day vocabulary and print out fun gift tags with this packet from... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
January 30, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
AAC stakeholders from around the US and beyond are looking forward to the ATIA 2023 Conference in Orlando this week. Those who can’t travel to Florida for this event can participate in the ATIA Virtual Conference. You can see the live-stream schedule for Feb 2-3 here. Here are some of the sessions we’re excited about. 2023 Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecture Ashley Mohesky will speak on The Intersect of Success and AAC on Friday, February 3 (11:30am-12:30pm ET). Everyone can view it live on YouTube here. Spirit Of Joy Awardees The Joy Zabala Spirit Award is awarded to speakers whose sessions have been selected as exemplifying the passion Joy brought to her work in AT and education. Several of the award winners are presenting on AAC and related topics. Lauren Enders and Shaun Pearson for AAC-48: Using Games to Foster Language Development, Connection, and Joy in AAC Learners Jessica Gormley, Maryjan Fiala, and Brittany Steinfeld for AAC-41:... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts
January 29, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed. Monday – PrAACtical Partner Instructions Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Baking with AAC Thursday – PrAACtically February: AAC Resources for a Year of Core Words USSAAC Research Study: Do you recommend, distribute, or provide AAC systems in the schools (any discipline)? USSAAC requests your assistance with a research project conducted through San Jose State University, “AAC Assessment Practices in the Schools” (this study has been approved by the IRB at SJSU). Please consider taking this 15-minute survey https://bit.ly/3Saqr52 . All eligible individuals will be entered into a drawing for one of two $25 Amazon gift cards! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Stick around for some more AAC reading if you can. Here are some suggestions with info and resources from conferences in previous years. Enjoy! PrAACtical Resources: Partner Strategies Handout PrAACtical Fun A PrAACtical Idea for Aided Language... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts
January 26, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
It takes time and effort to plan for comprehensive core vocabulary instruction. The Year of Core Vocabulary Words and The School Year of Core Vocabulary Words, two series of monthly resources for core vocabulary teaching, both have resources that can be helpful to therapists, educators, and families. We’re reprising those posts for anyone interested in following along and utilizing the resources developed by quite a few people in the AAC community. The initial series was based on a small set of core words for each month (see that post here). We followed that with a second set of Year of Core Vocabulary Word resources for a new list of words (click here for that post). Among the many resources are the activity calendars created by AAC SLP and co-founder of Talking AAC, Rachael Langley. There were many other contributors over the years who added to these efforts. The School Year... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
January 19, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome to the first post in a series by BilingüeAAC on supporting individuals with AAC needs in Spanish. In today’s post, they introduce us to the series focusing on ways that monolingual therapists can better support Spanish bilingual individuals who are AAC users. BilingüeAAC is a group of SLPs with a shared belief in providing evidence-based intervention strategies and resources to bilingual Spanish AAC clients, families, caregivers, and professionals. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A Monolingual SLP’s Guide to Demystifying CLD Practices for Bilingual Spanish AAC Intervention If all languages hold unique systematic rules, can we translate English AAC core words to Spanish and begin modeling? What about morpho-syntax? What about inclusive practices? How can monolingual therapists provide culturally linguistically responsive intervention to their bilingual clients? BILINGUAL AAC USERS Currently, there is limited research on the number of Spanish-speaking AAC users and providers. However, according to the Demographic Profile of ASHA Members Providing Bilingual... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts
January 15, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts from our prAACtical week. Monday – AAC Implementation Framework: Steps to Learning Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Aging Without Community – Thoughts from Rick Creech Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC-friendly Resources for Martin Luther King, Jr Day :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Still have an appetite for some AAC reading? These posts from the archives may be of interest. Reducing Prompt Dependence in AAC Learners: 5 Things to Try When Helping Isn’t Helping: Prompt Awareness in AAC Instruction 5 Things to Consider About Prompts in Teaching AAC Creating AAC Implementation Plans Using AAC to Repair Communication Breakdowns
Filed under: Featured Posts
January 10, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Tuesday, AAC friends! Once a week we invite you to share your own AAC-related content, product news, or anything else that you’d like others in the AAC community to know about. It may be a recent post you’ve written, a slide deck from your AAC presentation, a handout, video, or meme that you’ve posted online, an AAC product you’ve created, an announcement for an AAC course or conference, or any other prAACtical content you developed and want to share with the AAC community. To post your own link, scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post and complete the form. Enter the URL and the name/title in the boxes provided below. If you are on a mobile device, click over to the full website version to do this. The AAC Link Up is moderated to keep us from being spammed so it may take a little... [Read More...]
Filed under: AAC Link Up, Featured Posts