4 Handouts from Conference Presentations on AAC

January 8, 2015 by - Leave your thoughts

4 Handouts from Conference Presentations on AAC

Travel budgets are limited these days and we can’t always get to the conferences we’d love to attend. In case that happens to you, too, here are some presentation handouts on AAC-related topics from ISAAC 2014, ASHA 2014 and other conferences. Gloria Soto, Dan Phillips, and Michaela Sullivan on Strategies for SLPs Working With Students With AAC Needs in Schools Gretchen Hanser on Writing for Students with Angelman Syndrome Penny Hatch and Allison Dennis on  Getting to the Core: Creating a Core Vocabulary for the Common Core Amy Wetherby on the trajectory of development for toddlers with developmental disabilities

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Strengthening the Core: Modeling January Words

January 6, 2015 by - 7 Comments

Looking for some ways to help your AAC learners become more competent in using core words? Here’s an approach you may want to try: Keep it manageable by choosing only a dozen or two core words to focus on each month. In previous years, we shared lists of some core words to help you do just that. 2013: A Year of Core  (12 words/month) 2014: A(nother) Year of Core (16 words/month; Note: These are different than the core words covered in 2013) Those posts have links to downloadable grids with the core words for each month that can be used as a focal point for lesson planning. Rather than introducing new words at this point, let’s take some time to strengthen our core by modeling the words in everyday interactions. Here are some suggested phrases, sentences, and questions for each of the core words from our 2013 list. Click on the... [Read More...]

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PrAACtically Reading: Where’s Spot with Karen Natoci

January 5, 2015 by - 1 Comment

PrAACtically Reading: Where's Spot with Karen Natoci

New years bring new opportunities. Today, we welcome back Karen Natoci, but this time in a new role. Karen will be doing a monthly post sharing ideas for interactive book reading with children who use AAC. In her first PrAACtically Reading post, Karen explains how she used book reading to build language and literacy skills. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: We had a wonderful time reading Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill.  I had both the “big book” and a small, cardboard book.  Most all of the pages contain a predictable line: “no!” Since many of my students were learning to say “yes/no” it seemed like a great way to practice this skill as part of SHARED READING.  The important part is that everyone in the classroom had access to some form of AAC, including the staff. So, while I was reading the story, I paused and the whole class responded together by using their AAC... [Read More...]

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Watch It Wednesday: Viva La Evidence

December 31, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

Watch It Wednesday: Viva La Evidence

“A 21st century clinician who cannot critically read a study is as unprepared as one who cannot take blood pressure or examine the cardiovascular system.” What better way to end one year and usher in the new, than a reminder of the role of scientific study in our profession? In AAC, there isn’t as much research as we would like, but we sure do need to make it our business to evaluate and use the empirical evidence that we do have. P.S. We like Coldplay a little more now. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::  Glasziou, P., Burls, A.,& Gilbert, R. (2008). Evidence based medicine and the medical curriculum: The search engine is now as essential as the stethoscope. The BMJ, 337, 704. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUW0Q8tXVUc  

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