February 29, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Today, as we prepare to turn another page in the calendar, let’s take a look at the wonderful resources that guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty put together for the March core words. As expected, this dynamic team has some terrific ideas for your older students who are building their skills with core vocabulary. Their slide decks have a wonderful selection of activities that teachers and therapists can use in highlighting the March core vocabulary words. In the post below, they also share helpful information on using extension, expansion, and elaboration in guiding students toward increased linguistic competence. SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE- Older Student Lessons INTRODUCTION- March 2024 To the Parents, Teachers, Educators, Related Service Providers, Speech-Language Pathologists, Paraprofessionals, Friends, and other curious professionals or communicators – Welcome back to month three of the newest iteration of the SYOC- Older Student Lessons (OSL), March edition. We hope that as... [Read More...]
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February 26, 2024
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...]
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February 25, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts for you to browse. Monday – Black History Month: AAC-friendly Resources for Teaching and Learning Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Getting Ready for March School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Older Student Lessons Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Teaming Up for AAC Support ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Before you head off, take a look at some of these posts from the archives. Alphabet Books & AAC Implementation PrAACtical Guessing: 5 Apps for Interactive Inferencing Supporting Children in the Pediatric ICU 5+ Things to Do to Help AAC Learners Communicate About Illness or Injury “What’s Wrong?” AAC Messages for Negative Emotions and Feelings
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February 22, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
If you’re in a role that requires you to provide support to a team and strengthen their AAC practices, today’s post may have something of value. Take a look. Tech Tools for Supporting AAC Team Collaboration AAC Team Leadership Supporting Young AAC Teams: 5 Considerations for Facilitating Growth Teaming with Related Services to Support AAC Users Strategies for Supporting Team Buy-in and Implementation PrAACtical Research: Meta-synthesis of AAC Team Members’ Voices On AAC Training: Skill Building for AAC Team Members Helping the General Education Team Support Students Who Use AAC How I Do It with Rachael Langley: PODD in the Classroom – Quick Tips for Teams On the Same Page: Helping Team Members Recognize and Respond to Unconventional Communication Signals AAC in Secondary School: Collaborative Teaming for High School Students Who Use AAC AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues #1 (downloadable) AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues #2 (downloadable) AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues #3 (downloadable)... [Read More...]
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February 20, 2024
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...]
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February 19, 2024
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...]
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February 15, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for information on AAC assessment? Here are some past posts that may be of interest. Considerations in Switch Assessment Improving Assessment Practices for Students Who Use AAC: Mobilizing the Power of Social Narratives AAC Assessment for People with Aphasia Feature Matching in AAC Assessment
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February 5, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
It’s prAACtically Valentine’s Day, so we’re reprising this past post with Asome updated AC-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. How about a game of Valentine-themed Jeopardy with these materials from Traveling Talker Time? Print and send these Valentine’s Day cards from CoughDrop Are there any Pete the Cat fans? Weave Chat AAC created this companion vocabulary board for Valentine’s Day is Cool. 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 This AAC Guide on Valentine’s Day for TouchChat Word Power 42... [Read More...]
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January 25, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
It’s prAACtically February! Guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty are back with a lot of wonderful ideas for your older students who are building their skills with core vocabulary. Don’t miss the slide decks full of activities and the data collection forms specific to the February words. In this post, they also share helpful information on recasting, a strategy for supporting AAC learners. SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE- Older Student Lessons INTRODUCTION- February 2024 Welcome back to the School Year of Core – Older student lessons! It is our pleasure to introduce the next wave of engaging resources created for individuals in middle school through adulthood. We hope that this year continues to bring the joy of learning and connecting with others. Thank you for continuing to pursue new ways to support and motivate your students and adult learners to use core (& fringe) vocabulary to discuss the exciting topics... [Read More...]
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January 14, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts for you to check out. Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Fun with Core Vocabulary Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC-friendly Resources for Martin Luther King Jr Day ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Before you go, take a look at some of these past posts from the AACtual Therapy series. AAC, Literacy, & Squishy Books Making Core Words Fun for Students with Autism AAC Intervention for Beginning Communicators: Presume Competence and Be the Fun Building Language and Emergent Literacy Skills with ‘Do You Wear Diapers?’ Informal Assessment Activity with Jeanne Tuthill
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