Watch This- Learning Expressive Language with the iPad & AAC Device

August 20, 2013 by - 4 Comments


Here is authentic AAC teaching by the AAC Chicks.  Watch for the combined use of AAC language facilitation strategies. Can you see: aided language input, wait & signal/time delay prompt, specific reinforcement, expansions, scaffolding, modeling, and more.  Also, for the SLP’s, notice the data collection that does not distract from the session.  

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PrAACtical Uses for QR Codes

August 19, 2013 by - 2 Comments


PrAACtical Uses for QR Codes

In some of our posts, we talked about using QR (Quick Response)  codes as a way to share information.  If you are new to QR codes, they are like bar codes in that you scan them with some kind of device (like a smart phone or tablet) that has software or an app that reads the code. Then what? Then it takes you to whatever the author wanted you to see or hear. For example, a QR code on an SGD in a loan library might take you to a quick start tutorial on the manufacturer’s website. A QR code on a handout might take you an electronic copy of that handout  that is stored on someone’s website or a cloud service, like DropBox or Google Docs/Drive. A QR code on the student’s picture card ring might take you to an audio recording of directions for how to complete a... [Read More...]

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7 Writing Apps & Activities for ALL Levels of Writers

August 16, 2013 by - 3 Comments


7 Writing Apps & Activities for ALL Writers

These are some ‘non-traditional’ but really fun apps and activities that can be used to help improve writing, choice making, & AAC skills for all levels of writers.  These apps allow you to create meaningful language experiences through the process of creating the written documents, by talking about &  printing out the finished product, as well as by using writing specific reinforcement so that the learner knows they are really a writer (“wow, you are an author”, “great writing”, “awesome using many different words”, “excellent poetry”, etc.).  Have fun and write. Type Drawing– TypeDrawing allows you to enter text or choose from a text word bank to draw lines or pictures. The text is repeated each time you begin drawing or touch and drag on the screen with your finger.  We used this to make text pictures and then sent the pictures as notes to friends,  birthday cards to a... [Read More...]

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5 Ways to Use Sequenced Message SGDs and Apps

August 15, 2013 by - Leave your thoughts


5 Ways to Use Sequenced Message SGDs and Apps

We’ve been having fun with sequenced message communicators and apps this summer. Yes, they’ve been around for a long time, but that doesn’t mean we use them to capacity. You just can’t beat those simple technologies for flexibility and ease of use. Here are some of the things we’ve been trying out. 1. Say hello: Record a variety of age appropriate greetings so that each time the AAC learner uses it, they greet their peers in different ways (e.g., Teen: “What’s up? Hey, how’s it going? Lookin’ good! Nice to see ya! Hey, what’s goin’ on?”). 2. Get the group’s attention: Allow AAC learners to help get their classmates’ attention (e.g., “Listen up, everyone! Mrs. Martinez has something to say”. “Hey, room 113-Mrs. M is ready for us to move on.” “Eyes forward, room 113.”). 3. Give instructions: Record steps to an activity so that the AAC learner can give... [Read More...]

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Watch It Wednesday: AAC Core Word Vocabulary Teaching by Gail Tatenhove & Robin

August 14, 2013 by - Leave your thoughts


Watch it Wednesday- AAC Core Word Vocabulary Teaching by Gail Tatenhove and Robin

Thanks so much to Gail Tatenhove & Robin for showing us an authentic language based activity with talking and core word teaching/learning as the main focus. You can watch and clearly see the goals and teaching strategies. For more great teaching examples, subscribe to Gail Tatenhove’s You-Tube Channel  Direct Link to the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9hZ5rH03ow

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One Can Never Have Too Many Visuals

August 13, 2013 by - 2 Comments


One Can Never Have Too Many Visuals with Robin McCallister & Jane Rairden

Today, we are so excited to have our new friends from the awesome blog lunchbuddiesplus sharing how and why they incorporate visual supports into their sessions.  In their lunchbuddiesplus group sessions, the focus is on social skills and they find that visual supports make a huge positive impact.  So as you get ready for back to school, think about the visual supports that will help make your goals and activities go smoothly. Robin McCallister is a Speech/Language Pathologist working at Mary Munford Elementary School in the Richmond City School district in Richmond, Va.  She has 36 years of experience in the public schools.  Currently, she spends most of the school day working withchildrenwho experience autism.  She especially enjoys  the social skills groups known at Mary Munford as “lunch buddies”.  Visuals are a big part of social skills coaching and Robin knows that one can never have too many visuals!  You are invited... [Read More...]

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Magic Moments with Tellagami

August 12, 2013 by - 3 Comments


Magic Moments with Tellagami

Looking for ways to engage older learners with age appropriate materials? Searching for fresh ideas for AAC and language practice? Tellagami (“tell-uh-gah-mee”) is a free iOS app that allows you to create short animations, save them to your device, post to Facebook, and share them by email, SMS text, or Twitter. Best part about it, in this busy SLP’s opinion? Super easy to learn and use! The animations are called ‘Gami’s’ and are short and fun to make. The app has a good amount of flexibility and you are only limited by your imagination. Here are some ideas for putting it to use in your AAC work. 1. Choice making: The AAC learner can work collaboratively with a peer to create a Gami. In doing so, he/she can make selections of things like the gender of the character, hair, clothes, and the background. 2. Peer interactions: Many of our AAC... [Read More...]

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5 Reasons to say ‘Yes’ to “No”

August 9, 2013 by - 4 Comments


We had a ‘situation’ yesterday which really was sign of progress and not a ‘situation’ at all.  We know a  young adult who is non-verbal and communicates primarily with an object communication system.  He is typically happy and at the very least passive. Usually this learner will participate in any activity even if he does not like it.  He will follow the sequence, follow instructions, and do what is expected but with minimal communication if it is an undesired activity. Of course, we try to do things he likes, but sometimes it is not so clear, it can change, or it just may be too much of a good thing. Back to the story….we had a special session planned with many of his favorite things. Awesome things, things we had been waiting to do with him. We even had a special guest who had special things. However, when we started... [Read More...]

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5 Free Resources for Making Communication Boards & Visual Supports

August 8, 2013 by - Leave your thoughts


5 Free Resources for Making Communication Boards & Visual Supports

Because sometimes you need something quick, simple, and free.  1. Quick Pics from the Patrick Ecker AAC site 2. ConnectAbility’s Visual Engine 3. Picto4Me: An app for your computer that you can install to Chrome 4. PhotoSYMS program 5. Aragonese Portal of AAC: Over 14,500 symbols that you can download and use    

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5 Great Music Apps & AAC Language Goals

August 7, 2013 by - Leave your thoughts


Great Music Apps & AAC Language Goals

We love music, we love apps, we love great language opportunities and with these apps we can combine all these loves. These awesome music apps were  selected because they have great choice making and commenting opportunities. You can use no tech, low tech, or an extra high-tech device to make choices and comment while you play with the app. Core words work great for choice making and commenting.  Whenever I play or sing, my kids love to say “stop that” or “don’t do that pleeeeease”. When they play, I love to use aided language input (ALI) to say “good”,  “more”, “again”, “love it” . We play the music “fast” and “slow”. We “find” our “favorite one”. We all like to say “let’s play with that one” or “let’s do it together”.  The possibilities are really endless (and that is one of the reasons we love core words). These apps sound... [Read More...]

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