August 1, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
There are a lot of aspects of AAC service provision, and usually not enough time to address all the things that need to be done. In today’s post, we continue the conversation of things that often take a back seat in AAC services, hoping that it inspires a few of you to action. This time our focus is transitions. Going to nursery or preschool for the first time. Moving from one teacher or therapist to another. Exiting the school system. Transitions always seem to bring a little extra anxiety and a few additional bumps in the road. Here are some things that make some of those changes go a little more smoothly. Entering a New Environment Prepare the individual: Explain what will be happening. Use visual supports, like a picture schedule or calendar, to show when the transition will occur. Keep it in a visible spot and review it periodically... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 28, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Planning 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 of Core Vocabulary Words, authored by... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 26, 2022
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
July 25, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
If you’ve ever engaged the services of a babysitter, housekeeper, or pet sitter, you can probably relate to the thought and planning that went into those initial interactions. Chances are, a lot of care went into building a trusting relationship as you tried to clearly communicate expectations and explain in detail the processes and procedures they would be undertaking in your absence. Having someone else care for that which we cherish and hold dear, is a big deal. We cover the basics – where the diapers are, how to prepare their food, daily routines – and much more. Favorite toys. What it means when they say/do ___. How to do __ in just the right way. We even provide written backup, like a schedule and a list of contacts. The information we share is critical. We can’t imagine trusting a babysitter we’re meeting for the first time to provide a... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 21, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
AAC folks are a creative bunch, and there’s no better time than summer to start a new project. Check out these AAC-related do-it-yourself ideas. Make It PrAACtical: DIY Adapted Make It PrAACtical: DIY Switch-accessible Scanner Make It PrAACtical: DIY Customizable Stylus Make It PrAACtical: Cell Phone Stand Make It PrAACtical: Adapted Writing Tool Make it PrAACtical: Make Your Own Battery Interrupters (without Soldering!) DIY Stand for Mobile Devices Make Your Own Communication Book Stand Building PVC Stands for Eye Gaze & Tablets AT Makers Magic Moments with a Crafty Flashlight Make a Core Vocabulary Folder How I Do It: Building & Using Language Kits How We Do It: Making AAC Videos for Core Word Learning
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 19, 2022
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
July 18, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Whether you are a therapist, educator, or other professional there is a long list of things that people who use AAC need us to do so that they can communicate in ways that help them live their best lives. Today, we begin a series on some of the most overlooked areas that even veteran AAC practitioners often miss. Not because they don’t know about them. Not because they have a philosophical reason to avoid them. Not because they can’t figure out how to implement them. But because there are incredibly frustrating systemic obstacles to providing the kinds of support our clients/students need. In schools, caseload and classroom sizes stack the deck against us. In healthcare settings and private clinics, the funding streams steer us away from a best practice approach. And in almost every setting, the increasing paperwork and organizational demands draw our attention away from what we want to... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 17, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! We have some posts for you to browse through. Monday – When Does an AAC Learner Need More Than Modeling? Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Ramps to Cognitive & Physical Access of High Tech AAC Following Acquired Brain Injury Thursday – AAC & Play :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Enjoy these past posts in honor of my dear friend and PrAACtical AAC co-founder, Dr. Robin Parker. An AAC ‘Funny Area’ Solution AUTISM AND AAC: FIVE THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN by Deanne Shoyer More Cooking Beyond Requesting: Let’s Chat with Peers Begin AAC Now: 10 Things to Do AAC Must-Have’s for the Classroom and Therapy Room RECASTING: A LANGUAGE FACILITATION STRATEGY
Filed under: Featured Posts
July 14, 2022
by Carole Zangari -
It’s time for a little fun! Check out these past posts on AAC, play, and gaming. AAC in Secondary School: Using Games to Support AAC Learning for Older Students From Solitary Play to Interaction: 5 Things to Try With Kids Who Love Their iPad Games Let’s Play! Using Switch-accessible iPad Games for AAC Learning PrAACtical Resources: Structured Play Groups Building Sentence Length through Conversational Routines & Games 5 Quick and Easy Games That Build AAC Skills 5 Adapted Play Resources for Children with Motor Impairment PrAACtical Play: Creating Communication Opportunities with Favorite Toys Video of the Week: Aided Language Input During Play Video of the Week: AAC & Board Games
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
July 12, 2022
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