January 28, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
15-year-old Jodi has cerebral palsy and significant intellectual disability, among other things. In the most recent assessment of her motor, cognitive, communication, and self-help skills, scores ranged from 6-15 months. She spends most of her school day in her wheelchair. Jodi’s teacher affixes interesting toys to the lap tray so that she can explore them, but has become discouraged that Jodi mostly bangs them, puts them in her mouth, or tosses them to the floor. Her team struggles to find ways to teach Jodi to communicate more effectively. 10-year-old Nathaniel’s team notes that he shows little awareness of his classmates or teachers throughout the day, though he will smile and laugh when they take his hands and clap with him. As a younger child, he demonstrated more awareness of his surroundings but after his seizure activity spiked, it became more and more difficult to get him to engage. 6-year-old Jarrod... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: beginning communicator, deafblind, Touch Cues
January 27, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – Book Adaptations: Resources and Materials Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Important Considerations in the AAC Selection Process Thursday – PrAACtically February: AAC Resources for a Year of Core Words ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: And while you’re here, check out some of these past posts. 5 Ways to Promote Consistent AAC Use Twin Powers Unite: Teaching AAC and Sight Words Pragmatic Skill Instruction and AAC with Matthew Baud and Dr. Jill Senner Parent Collaboration in AAC Therapies PrAACtical Questions with Vicki Clarke: What’s the Role of Core Vocabulary? Finally, here’s one last chance to weigh in on a prAACtical question. Look for the results to be posted soon. Loading…
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC terminilogy, parent collaboration, pragmatics, summary post
January 24, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
As we prepare to bid January a fond farewell, we’re looking ahead to ways we can highlight more of the core vocabulary words in our clients’ AAC devices and communication aids. One approach to boosting practice opportunities is to select a dozen or so core words to focus on each month. Throughout the month, we can then pay special attention to that small group of words by highlighting them with focused language stimulation, aided language input, and specific activities designed to teach or practice those words. In previous years, we shared lists of some core words to help you do just that and every month we share some ideas for prioritizing a small set of words. You can use these materials to remind yourself which words to highlight this month, with using aided language input and focused language stimulation. What else? Here are some ideas to get you started. Print them... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Words, Another Year of Core Words
January 21, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
This is an updated version of a post originally authored by Dr. Robin Parker in 2013. We hope you find something of value in the resources that were shared. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: To integrate reading and writing into communication and language learning we need to have lots of books that are easily accessible. Books should be accessible physically as well as through content and interest. This holds true for ALL learners even those that don’t like books but do like…… wheels. We have made literacy accessible for a young girl who only liked elevators, and a boy who only liked balls, and a young adult who liked Barney books but not much else. It holds true for ALL disabilities and ALL levels of reading and writing. Today, we share resources for making and using adapted books to make literacy more accessible. Check out these awesome resources for making your own adapted books... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: accessible materials, adapted books, robin parker
January 20, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Well, hello, AAC friends! If you’re looking to catch up on some AAC content, you’re in the right place. Here’s what we’ve been up to. Monday – Core Boards in the Classroom: 3 Ways to Individualize to Meet Student Needs Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Language Development Across the School Day Thursday – PrAACtical Resources: Social Stories and Narratives :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, could you do us a favor? We’re trying to get input on AAC terminology from the people who use it most. Click here to complete a quick survey. It’s all multiple choice (checkboxes) and shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes. No names or emails are collected. Thank you! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 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... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: prompting, social narratives, summary post
January 17, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Social narratives are a promising intervention for people with autism and others who need assistance in understanding the expectations for various situations. The term Social Story, coined by Dr. Carol Gray, refers to one specific type of social narrative that has particular rules for its structure and development. Social narratives, a broader term, includes other kinds of stories that help AAC learners and others better understand the expectations of various situations. They are often used when building an understanding of various life experiences, such as how to respond in a fire drill or what to expect on a trip to the doctor. Here are some helpful resources with more information on social stories and social narratives. AFIRM Module for Learning About Social Narratives (comprehensive tutorial) Carol Gray: What are Social Stories? Overview of Social Stories About Social Stories Social Stories and Behavioral Issues Making Social Narratives with iMovie Sample Social Narratives and... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Carol Gray, social narratives, social stories
January 14, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
In the US, poster-sized core boards are displayed in a growing number of special education classrooms. In some cases, the displays match the AAC systems that were selected for the students following a comprehensive AAC evaluation. In others, they are more of a compromise measure which are used in order to get communication teaching started while the AAC evaluation process is still in progress. Either way, we eventually want to move from a one-size-fits-all approach to one where there are more individualized communication tools. Here are some of the key areas to consider in that process. Vocabulary: While there are many benefits of modeling and eliciting a starter set of core vocabulary throughout the day, there is no denying that specific words are very powerful. What other words (fringe or core), would make a difference in his/her/their learning trajectory? For some, we may consider adding things like the names of... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: classroom, core boards, poster
January 13, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts from our prAACtical week. Monday – PrAACtical Resources: Explore AAC Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Raising a Child Who Uses Eye Gaze AAC Technology Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Engaging AACtivities for AAC Learning :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Ready for a few more posts to browse? Here’s a sampling that you might enjoy. Does AAC Really Work with Infants and Toddlers? Research Tuesday: Photos Versus PCS – Babies Weigh In AAC & AT Supports in Early Intervention AAC Mythology v2.0: A Few Misconceptions About AAC Intervention PrAACtical Intervention Ideas: AAC Learning with the Toys, Websites, and Apps You Love
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: babies, early intervention, summary post
January 10, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Today we’re digging through the archives and revisiting some posts on activities that your AAC learners may find engaging. Enjoy! Teaming Up to Build Communication with a Treat Cart: Part 1, Part 2 AACtual Therapy: Use Your Best Spud to Teach Vocabulary With Tanna Neufeld PrAACtical Supports for AAC Learners: AT Recipes for Success – Sensorimotor Activities AAC Intervention: 5 Activities with PrAACtical Potential Vocabulary Activities: 5 Sites for Learning with Avatars PrAACtical Teaching in the Autism Classroom: Instructional Activities for Core Vocabulary Why We Love AAC Language Experience Activities
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: activities, engagement, therapy
January 7, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a clear way to introduce people to AAC? Check out the Explore AAC website developed by Prentke Romich and Saltillo. You can access the first learning module here. Browse the site for information, downloadable communication boards, videos, and more. Have fun, AAC explorers!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: PRC, Saltillo, website