Tag Archive: core vocabulary
December 10, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
We’re so glad to share the work of Sarah Mueller, a special education teacher in Rochester, Michigan, who returns to talk about AAC with older students. Sarah teaches high school and works with many students who have developmental disabilities. She strives to embed language and communication throughout her students’ entire school experience and help them become strong self-advocates as they prepare for adult life. In this post, Sarah talks about supporting AAC learners who are working with AAC systems rich in core vocabulary as they prepare for their weekly trips into the community. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Core in the Community Core vocabulary is often embedded in the typical instructional tasks of the school day: communication exchanges, calendar time, literacy, etc. Like most high school teachers for students with intellectual disabilities, community-based instruction (CBI) is a component of my classroom program. My classroom becomes the community every single week! It is yet another setting where I... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: community, core vocabulary, high school
August 2, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
It’s Throwback Thursday and today we’re revisiting some past posts on making AAC materials that include core vocabulary. Getting Ready for a Core Vocabulary Journey Manual Communication Boards with Core Vocabulary Make It Monday: More Words, Please! Expanding Our Manual Communication Boards Super Size It: 5 Ideas for Making Large Communication Boards
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary
July 19, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Poster-sized communication boards with core vocabulary have become popular additions to many classrooms and therapy rooms. Having these AAC options so readily accessible made it easier for some therapists, educators, paraprofessionals, and families who were relatively new to AAC, begin to embed it in conversations, lessons, and naturally-occurring routines throughout the day. And that’s a good thing! But…it’s just the beginning. Effective AAC service providers know that there are many more steps on the path to communicative competence. Let’s keep going! One important thing to do at this stage is to customize the AAC display to meet the specific needs and abilities of our individual students. One size doesn’t fit all. If you’re ready to move forward in your own AAC support practices, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to identify some potential next steps. How can I ensure that my beginning communicators have access to words... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, precision AAC
June 20, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Looking to improve the AAC implementation practices in your school? Today, we hear from Kelly Key, the Assistive Technology Coordinator for Barrington School District in Illinois, who discusses the ways in which their schools boosted AAC use by focusing on core vocabulary. Many thanks to Kelly and the Kansas Technical Assistance Network (TASN) for offering this presentation. You can learn more about TASN here. Direct Link to Video – https://www.ksdetasn.org/resources/1628
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: core vocabulary, schools, TASN
May 24, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, we’re preparing for a holiday weekend and getting ready to flip the calendar to a new page. That means it’s time to prepare to highlight a new set of core words to keep our AAC learners moving forward and expanding their use of AAC throughout the day. If you’re helping an AAC learner become more capable in using high-frequency words to express themselves, we hope you join us in highlighting the June words and creating opportunities for our AAC learners to use them throughout the day. Whether you are following along with the 2013 Year of Core (Set 1-12 words/month) or the 2014 A(nother) Year of Core: (Set 2-16 words/month; Different than the previous year’s core words), or just getting started, here are some helpful resources. Our June words are listed below. Set 1 List: after, am/be/is, because, can, cold, fast, fun, have, hungry, let, need, talk Set... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, downloads, resources
April 26, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
It is just about time to flip the calendar to a new page, and that means it’s time for a new set of core words to model, elicit, and practice. In this post, we have a number of resources for those who are ready to try their hand at implementation. Thanks to all who’ve reached out with questions, comments, and words of appreciation for the Year of Core Vocabulary series. Here are some helpful resources for those who are using the words in Set 1 ( Year of Core Words) or Set 2 (Another Year of Core Words). If you are contemplating this approach, feel free to jump in at any time. The best time to start (or re-start) is right now. Don’t worry about retracing steps, or not ‘doing it right.’ The best way to get better at core vocabulary instruction is just to keep at it. It takes... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, implementation ideas
January 29, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
As 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 and... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, downloads, resources
January 3, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Curious about how other professionals support AAC core vocabulary in their classrooms? Today, we have a range of videos from Macomb ISD in Michigan. Enjoy! Modeling Core Vocabulary Core Word Rap Core Vocabulary in Shared Reading Modeling Core Words While Building Self-Help Skills Vocabulary Instruction
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, core vocabulary, school, video
October 5, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
We’re back with Georgia-based SLP Jennifer Ro to hear more about a district-wide rollout of AAC in which they established (and have maintained) a core vocabulary focus. Jennifer is currently the lead AAC-SLP on Forsyth County Schools’ Assistive Technology Team where she provides AAC implementation support and trainings for staff and families and conducts individual AAC student consults. You can see Part 1 of the post here. Today, Jennifer shares some of what they learned in the process of creating AAC materials for the classroom and supporting the implementation of those materials. Let’s continue with more ‘lessons learned’ from this AAC experience. ================= How We Do It: Developing, Implementing a District-wide Focus on Communication & Core Vocabulary (Part 2) How we did it. And keep doing it … 😉 Create and develop supplemental materials that can be utilized universally and then modified, if needed, for individual student or teacher... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, education, school
August 28, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Are you supporting AAC learners who have SGDs or communication boards/books with high-frequency words? If so, join us as we work to model, practice, and teach these words throughout the day. It can feel overwhelming, so we tend to focus on a subset of words each month. The Year of Core Vocabulary approach isn’t a developmental list of words to be introduced in a specific order, but rather a way of gradually exposing learners to more and more words over time. We do that by modeling them on their device or communication aid when we talk, and plan specific instructional activities to teach word meanings, play games to help them better recognize and understand the symbols for those words, and, elicit them frequently from those who are just learning their AAC systems. Our AAC friends need practice, practice, and more practice. Over time, they will gain more fluency and automaticity with the words in their AAC... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Words, core vocabulary