Site of the Month: TASN

August 13, 2015 by - Leave your thoughts

August’s Site of the Month is chock full of resources for professionals and families working with individuals who have ASD. The Kansas Autism Spectrum Disorders website is maintained by the TASN Autism and Tertiary Behavior Supports. Among the highlights: Over 150 social narratives Downloadable materials for communication 50+ classroom resources, including data forms, visual supports, and more Summary sheets on things like The Incredible 5-point Scale, motivational assessments, and reinforcer preference assessments. Dozens of examples of visual tasks A wide variety of archived webinars  Hope you enjoy exploring this site!

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PrAACtically Reading with Karen Natoci: I Like Myself

August 11, 2015 by - 3 Comments

PrAACtically Reading: I Like Myself with Karen Natoci

Karen Natoci is back with some wonderful ideas for building AAC skills using the book, I Like Myself.  Check out her lesson plan and suggestions for some prAACtical reading ::::::::::::::::::::::: Book:  I Like Myself!, by Karen Beaumont; Illustrated by David Catrow  (Scholastic Inc.) Core Vocabulary focus: I, WANT, LIKE, ME/MY, SAME, DIFFERENT, GO, IN, DO, Fringe Vocabulary focus- Body Parts: eyes, ears, nose, fingers, toes,  head, Opposites Vocabulary use: wild/tame, fast/slow, Core Vocabulary focus: I, LIKE, ME/MY, Fringe Vocabulary focus- Abstract VERBS: Think, say, COMMUNICATION Matrix (Rowland, 2009) Level:  I-VII ——————————————————————– School is just around the corner and the planning begins!  Our school year started in mid July. During the first two weeks, we decided to focus on the shared reading of:   I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont.  This book is thoughtful, has great rhyme and rhythm, and is illustrated beautifully.  It is a great way to think about the... [Read More...]

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3 Things to Consider in Implementing Core Vocabulary

August 10, 2015 by - 1 Comment

3 Things to Consider in Implementing Core Vocabulary

The power of core vocabulary is only realized when AAC is being utilized throughout the day. A key benefit of having core words on an AAC system is that they apply to any situation, in any location, with any communication partners. But unless we’re actually teaching and using the AAC under those conditions, we haven’t really tapped into the power that they offer. It would be like upgrading to a powerful ‘gamer’ laptop, then just using it to check email. Core vocabulary is a powerful concept, but it only becomes a powerful tool when it gets used throughout the day by anyone who speaks to the learner. It may take some time to get there, but it’s critical that we keep striving for this. Otherwise, we’re checking email on a super-charged computer. While powerful, core words can’t do everything. AAC learners also need words that reflect their own lives and... [Read More...]

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How I Do it: AAC Inservices by Tabi Jones-Wohleber

August 6, 2015 by - 9 Comments

How I Do it: AAC Inservices by Tabi Jones-Wohleber

Many SLPs involved in AAC service provision are called upon to provide inservice training on implementation strategies. In this post, we are very fortunate to have Tabi Jones-Wohleber back to share both her thoughts and training materials. Tabi, an SLP on the AT Team for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland, wrote two previous posts for us. In those posts, Tabi shared her All-in-One Visual Support Tool and Classroom CORE Tool. Today, we hear about her experiences with professional development for teachers, aides, and therapists who serve students with AAC needs. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::   Implementing AAC:  A Picture…AND…A Purpose   As I work with staff and students to support implementation of AAC, I’ve learned 2 important things about making it work: 1) Folks need to know what it looks like “in their classroom/life” AND 2) effective implementation does not emerge from directives, but rather evolves from understanding, engagement and ownership of the WHAT... [Read More...]

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AAC Therapy: When the Lesson Plan Fails

August 4, 2015 by - 2 Comments

AAC Therapy: When the Lesson Plan Fails

We’ve all been there. You have meaningful goals, engaging materials, and a solid lesson plan for our therapy session. Five minutes into the session, it’s clear that the AAC learner has little or no interest in what we’ve prepared. Now what? Our choices are limited: persevere with the plan, modify it somewhat, or scrap it entirely. What’s a clinician to do? Take A Breath The first thing to do is breathe. Know that you are not the first one to struggle to engage this learner, and you won’t be the last. Think of it not as an excuse for an unproductive session but as a problem-solving challenge. Previous clinicians may have justified the session’s difficulties and atttibuted them to the learner’s lack of engagement, limited attention span, or behavioral problems. Personally, I feel sad for those clinicians because when we take that approach, not only do we fail the client,... [Read More...]

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