Core Words for February: Putting Together Sentences

The recent ATIA 2015 Conference in Orlando served as validation that core vocabulary is now a widely accepted practice in supporting language development with AAC learners. Presentation after presentation discussed the rationale, research support, and strategies for implementation.

In 2013, we suggested that one way to help strengthen learners’ abilities with core words is to take a different set of 12-20 core words each month and focus on them for a few weeks. How? By modeling those words, making resource materials (like word cards with the symbols), creating activities in which those words figure prominently, posting them in the classroom/therapy room, reading books that have heavy use of these words, sharing them with families, write stories using them, etc.

In this post, we share some sample sentences to model for our February 2013 and 2014 core words. The target words for this month are in CAPS.

2013 Year of Core

1. again
2. eat
3. get
4. go
5. happy
6. here
7. I/me
8. on
9. play
10. put
11. this

SAMPLE SENTENCES

• Let’s GO PLAY.
• GET ME that.
• I am HAPPY.
• PUT THIS ON.
• HERE you GO.
• GO GET it.
• PUT it HERE for ME.
• You want to EAT AGAIN??!

2014 A(nother) Year of Core

1. afraid
2. father
3. girl
4. how
5. hurt
6. many
7. myself
8. new
9. school
10. sing
11. stuff
12. thirsty
13. trouble
14. watch
15. wet
16. will

SAMPLE SENTENCES

• HOW MANY?
• What’s NEW?
• HOW was SCHOOL?
• Get your STUFF, GIRL!
• Grr! HOW MANY times WILL I have to tell you?!
• WATCH out. You WILL HURT him.
• Thirsty? Okay, I WILL get you some WET STUFF.
• I HURT MYSELF MANY times.
• Your FATHER is in TROUBLE.
• Are you AFRAID that I WILL SING?
• That GIRL went to a NEW SCHOOL.

Looking for these words with symbols plugged in? Here are some posts with resources made possible by PrAACtical AAC readers. You guys are terrific!

1. Minspeak/Unity version: 2013
2. PCS versions: 2013 , 2014
3. Speak for Yourself version: 2014
4. SymbolStix version: 2013