January 11, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
In just a few days, people around the US will be taking time to honor the slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. If you are looking for ideas to mark the occasion with an AAC flair, take a look at some of the posts below. PrAACtically Martin Luther King, Jr Day PrAACtically Martin Luther King Jr Day: AAC Learning Suggestions It’s PrAACtically Martin Luther King Jr Day Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday: 5 Resources for AAC Learners
Filed under: Featured Posts
January 7, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts to kick off the New Year. Monday – Ushering In A New Year of AAC Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Supporting AAC During Classroom Instruction Thursday – Growing AAC Professionals: Dialectical Resources for AAC Friday – PráctiCAAmente Conectados: CAA Con Links – Enero 2024 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Before you go, here are some posts to explore from our ‘How I Do It’ series. Pocket Flipbooks for Teens & Adults (Intro), Part 1 and Part 2 A Year of Core Words in Action Addressing the 4 Most Overlooked Operational Skills for High-Tech AAC Users Using Visual Supports to Build Attention and Cooperation Starting AAC with Teens & Young Adults by Angela Adams
Filed under: Featured Posts
January 1, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Hopes and aspirations. Intentions and plans. Acceptance and celebration. Enjoy this next leg of your journey, AAC friends. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing. (J. Raptis)
Filed under: Featured Posts
December 31, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy New Year, AAC friends. If your day calls for some AAC content, we have a few suggestions for you. Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Top AAC Videos of the Year: 2023 Thursday – School Year of Core Vocabulary Words – Older Student Lessons: Resources for January ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Interested in a few more articles to browse? Here’s a selection to choose from. Got Holiday Cards? 5 PrAACtical Suggestions AACtual Therapy with Deanna Wagner: Why Cook When You Can’t Eat? Communication Access Cards Holiday Talk: AAC Conversations Using Partner-focused Questions Holiday Photos in AAC Learning: 3 Ideas for Using Them to Build Language Best wishes for a safe, healthy, and happy start to 2024!
Filed under: Featured Posts
December 28, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome to the first post in the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words – Older Student Lessons Series! In this post, guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty focus on a selected set of words to highlight for the month. In addition to their wonderful slide decks with activity ideas, they also share helpful implementation tips for using descriptive teaching/talking. Finally, don’t miss the data collection forms specific to Level 1 and Level 2 words. SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE- Older Student Lessons INTRODUCTION- January 2024 Happy New Year! Welcome back to a new School Year of Core Series, School Year of Core – Older Student Lessons (SYOC-OSLs), which was created for individuals in middle school through adulthood. We hope that this new year brings joy, peace, and fulfillment to you and your learners. Thank you for continuing to pursue new ways to support your students and adult learners to communicate... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts
December 24, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends, and good Christmas Eve to those who celebrate this holiday. If you have some time, here are a handful of posts that may be of interest. Monday – School Year of Core Vocabulary Words: Introducing “Lessons for Older Students” Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: About School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Older Student Lessons by Michaela Sullivan & Lindsay Dougherty Thursday – January Year of Core Vocabulary & School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Friday – An AAC Christmas Tale ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you have some extra time, stick around and check out these posts from the archives. AAC Devices & Apps Without an Evaluation: A Few Questions to Ask Teaching Prelinguistic Communication to Beginning Communicators 5 Resources for Your AAC Toolkit Text-based AAC Beginning Communicators: Learning Through Touch Cues
Filed under: Featured Posts
December 22, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
With Christmas Eve just around the corner, we thought we’d celebrate the season with an AAC take on this treasured tale. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas A Visit from St. Nicholas ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town Not a creature was stirring, they were all safe and sound. The stockings were hung by their chimneys with care, In hopes that AAC Elves would soon visit there. The teachers were nestled all snug in their beds, With visions of lesson plans banished from their heads. The therapists with data sheets and the strategies they love best, Had just settled in for a good winter-break rest. When outside the schoolyard, there arose such a clatter I rushed toward the window to see what was the matter. Stepping on Legos (does that pain ever fade?) I ran to the window and lifted the shade. With her silvery face, the... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts
December 21, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for resources to support 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, remain popular with 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. Many other contributors added to these efforts over the years. The School Year of Core Vocabulary Words, authored by guest contributors Michaela Sullivan, Alisa Lego,... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts
December 18, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
For over a year, we’ve had an interest in a version of the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words suited for students in middle school, high school, and beyond. Michaela Sullivan and her colleagues have been hard at work at that, and we’re excited to share the addition of those monthly posts starting in just a few weeks. Look for target words for two levels of communicators, symbol grids, activities for teaching and practicing those words, data collection forms, and helpful information on implementation strategies each month. Today, Michaela and Lindsay Dougherty introduce you to their newest version of these wonderful resources. School Year of Core Vocabulary Words: Introducing “Lessons for Older Students” by Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty Welcome back to a new School Year of Core Series – SYOC-Older Student Lessons by Michaela Sullivan, M.A. CCC-SLP and Lindsay Dougherty, M.S. CCC-SLP To the parents, teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists, Para... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
December 17, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts you might enjoy. Monday – Cultural-Linguistic AAC: Bilingual Literacy & AAC Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Collaborating on AAC-friendly Healthcare Information Thursday – Throwback Thursday: AAC & Peer Relationships ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: If you can squeeze in a few more, take a look at some of these posts from the archives. PrAACtically Reading with Karen Natoci: Hello, Holidays! How We Do It: Using AAC to Repair Communication Breakdowns Data Collection for the Beginning AAC User: Essential Things to Measure AAC & ASD: Beyond Scripting More Words, Please! Expanding Our Manual Communication Boards Activity Schedule AACtion Wishing all of you the magic of the season!
Filed under: Featured Posts