Monday – Laugh It Up: 5 Resources for Using Jokes and Riddles in AAC Therapy Tuesday – PrAACtical Resources: Presume Competence Guide Book Wednesday – Video of the Week: Apps Across the Curriculum
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
What’s better than a team who believes in the notion of presuming competence in AAC learners? One who knows how to translate that belief into action. In today’s post, we share a resource from the Hussman Institute for Autism. Presume Competence, A Guide to Successful, Evidence-based Principles for Supporting and Engaging Individuals with Autism, is full of prAACtical suggestions appropriate for a range of individuals with developmental disabilities. Enjoy!
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Looking to add some laughter to your therapy session? Here are some ideas and resources that may be of interest. UKloo Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game Teaching about Jokes by Ashley Sheehan via Boardmaker Online Christmas Riddle by Jennifer Holvoet and Knock-knock Jokes by The Dream Team, both via Boardmaker Online Riddle Poems by Melissa Taylor Silly Pirate Song Communication Board by Ashley Haber via Boardmaker Online
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Monday – Supporting Language Growth in AAC Learners: Part 3 Tuesday – PrAACtical Resources: High Contrast Core Communication Board Wednesday – Video of the Week: Engineering Environments to Support AAC Thursday – 5 Presentation Handouts on AAC and Literacy
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Wouldn’t it be great to have an unlimited budget for travel to conferences and workshops?! Until then, here are some presentation handouts to enjoy. Communication using graphic symbols: Challenges and solutions for classroom contexts by Kerstin Tönsing Inclusive Reading Practices that Benefit Students with Intellectual Disabilities and their Classmates by David Koppenhaver Inclusive Writing Practices that Benefit Students with Intellectual Disabilities and their Classmates by David Koppenhaver Rett Syndrome: Avenues for Building Communication Low and High Tech by Susan Norwell Rett Syndrome: High Tech and Writing by Susan Norwell Note: Presentation handouts may be available for a limited time.
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Tagged With: handouts
Many of our AAC learners struggle with vision issues which makes it a challenge for us to create effective communication and visual supports. So when SLP Rachael Langley offered to share her high contrast core vocabulary, we jumped at the chance. You can download her board here. Thank you, Rachael!
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Tagged With: core vocabulary, download, Rachael Langley, resources, visual impairment
In some earlier posts, we looked at conversations with AAC learners who communicate with single words or short utterances, and began thinking about ways to stretch their language learning. In this post, we’ll continue to explore ways in which our intervention can facilitate language growth. Let’s start with an example of a typical conversation between an AAC learner and his/her therapist. Activity: Book reading [with aided language input] SLP: Look at all these animals! [Expectant pause] Marcus: Bird. SLP: Yes, lots of birds there. Those are seagulls. What else do you see? Marcus: Fish. SLP: It looks like a fish. That’s a dolphin. Dolphins are mammals. Remember from Ms. Louis’s class when you read Day of the Dolphins? Marcus: Swim SLP: Yes, they are really good swimmers. From the standpoint of shared meaning, this conversation has some good features. But even just reading the dialogue online, I bet you... [Read More...]
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Tagged With: language intervention
Monday – PrAACtically December: A Year of Core Words Tuesday – Site of the Month: Patient Provider Communication Wednesday – Video of the Week: Communication Access as a Social Justice Issue
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Doctor appointments, feeding tube placement, ear check, blood pressure, suctioning, IV medication, oxygen through a nasal cannula, trach changes, blood work No matter what the age or type of disability, almost all AAC learners face the challenge of communicating effectively during encounters with healthcare professionals. People with AAC needs are among those who are considered to be communication vulnerable and do best when there are planned supports in place. The Patient-Provider Communication (PPC) website hosts projects and resources to improve interactions between people with communication challenges and their healthcare providers. It is also the online home to a group of professionals across the globe who share information and collaborate to improve communication at physician offices, clinics, emergency rooms, acute care and rehabilitation hospitals, intensive care units, home health services, and hospice facilities. It is funded by the Central Coast Children’s Foundation and directed by AAC pioneer Dr. Sarah Blackstone and... [Read More...]
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Tagged With: healthcare, patient provider communication, Sarah Blackstone
The recent ASHA 2015 Conference in Denver provided even more validation that core vocabulary is now a widely accepted practice in supporting language development in AAC learners. Presentation after presentation discussed the rationale, research support, and strategies for implementation. A few years ago, 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. Set 1 (2013): ask, favorite, goodbye, hear, of, please,silly, surprise, these, use, way, work Set 2 (2014): already, clear, doctor, fix, great, grow, her, high, jump, outside, ride, room,... [Read More...]
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Tagged With: Year of Core Vocabulary