August 29, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Much has changed since we first wrote about the Year of Core Vocabulary Words and began publishing monthly word lists, symbol cards, activity ideas, and book suggestions. It is gratifying to see the concept and these resources being used by teachers, clinicians, and parents. Today, we introduce an expansion of that concept with a specific focus on school-based AAC support. Say hello to the School Year of Core Words series. Conceptualized and created by AAC SLP Michaela Sullivan, and two pre-professional SLP students, Beth Lytle and Alisa Lego, the series begins with this introduction to the Level 1 and Level 2 words, and some information about what to expect as the series progresses. It will be followed by monthly posts with ideas, resources, and materials. The series follows a US academic calendar, running from August through June. You can learn more about the School Year of Core Word series creators,... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, Education & Schools
August 27, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
As online instruction and therapy continue to be an important service delivery option, practitioners are growing their skills and expanding their toolboxes. Today, we welcome back PrAACtical AAC contributor Sarah Gregory with more tips and suggestions for how to make these virtual sessions more engaging and productive. Sarah is an AAC SLP and AT Specialist in Ithaca NY where she supports students in public school settings. In this post, she shares tips, videos, and activity downloads for AAC telepractice. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A new and uncertain school year has arrived and many of us will be continuing with some form of remote AAC support. In my last blog post (click here), I shared tips for getting started with AAC teletherapy and now we will look at structuring virtual sessions, creating and using digital materials, and providing Aided Language Input. And although I am sharing many digital activities and tricks, the most important... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: downloads, telepractice, videos
August 24, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
As we prepare to say goodbye to August and flip the page on the calendar, we turn our attention to a fresh set of core words. Are you supporting AAC learners who have SGDs or communication boards/books with high-frequency words? If so, join us as we work to model, practice, and teach these words throughout the day. It can feel overwhelming, so we tend to focus on a subset of words each month. The Year of Core Vocabulary Words approach isn’t a developmental list of words to be introduced in a specific order, but rather a way of gradually exposing learners to more and more words over time. We do that by modeling them on their device or communication aid when we talk and plan specific instructional activities to teach word meanings, play games to help them better recognize and understand the symbols for those words, and, elicit them frequently... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
August 23, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! We have a handful of AAC posts that may be of interest. Monday – PrAACtically Reading: Books Featuring Children & Youth with Disabilities Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Strategies That Support Well-being Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Addressing AAC Intervention Challenges While you are here, check out a wonderful AAC implementation tip graphic by PrAACtical AAC contributor Lauren Gonzales. You can download the full infographic here or by clicking the image below. You can also download this flyer with all of Lauren’s AAC Boot Camp 2020 materials (click here or on the graphic below). And if you are still in the mood for some AAC reading, here are some suggestions. 5+ Ways to Make Page Fluffers and Spacers AAC Vocabulary Lists Make It Monday: Manual Communication Boards with Core Vocabulary Communication Boards: Colorful Considerations
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Books & Book Reading, Intervention & Instructional Strategies, presume potential
August 20, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Supporting individuals with AAC needs can be a complex process. Even when we have access to the full range of tools we need, have used solid assessment data to plot out the journey, and incorporated evidence-based strategies in our teaching, we often encounter speedbumps or have to take detours. Today, we look back on a handful of past posts that can help us think through some of the challenges that arise. Stimming or Learning? Considerations For Kids Who Repeat Themselves with AAC AAC Mythology v2.0: A Few Misconceptions About AAC Intervention AAC Intervention That Teaches More and Tests Less: Thoughts on Implementation AAC Therapy: When the Lesson Plan Fails Things to Try with AAC Learners who Have Short Attention Spans Have you encountered persistent or puzzling intervention challenges that you’d like us to write about? Drop us a note using the contact form or comment below and we’ll try to... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Intervention & Instructional Strategies, Language Intervention/Therapy
August 19, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
How can we help families cultivate well-being in these challenging times? In today’s featured video, Dr. Brenda Smith Myles shares tips for making space in our daily routines for structure, schedules, activities, mindfulness and patience, sleep routines, and other supportive strategies. Many thanks to Dr. Myles and the Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) for creating and sharing this video. Click on the image below to start watching. Direct Link to Video – https://vimeo.com/428624586
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking, Video of the Week
Tagged With: families, Health Hospital & Medical, home
August 17, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, a new school year is starting, and while it will look very different from the previous years, we always get excited for the opportunity to consider new educational materials. In today’s post, we’ve listed books that include characters with disabilities for those who may want to include those in their educational programs. The books in these lists vary in terms of their subject, target audience, and reading level. As with any book that you consider providing to children and youth, be sure to review it first to determine its appropriateness for the individual reader. Some of the books, particularly those for teens, have scenes that are intense and may contain mature content, and/or strong language. Note: If you have others that you would recommend, please reach out to us and we will update the list. Books Featuring Children & Youth with Disabilities AAC Dancing Daisies (2013)... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Books & Book Reading, reading
August 16, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts that you may have missed. Monday – Virtual AAC Training: Teletherapy & Distance Learning Edition Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: AAC Teletherapy Activities & Tips Thursday – Heading Back to School with AAC: Tips & Tools ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: We’ve been doing a lot of learning, making, and doing around the topic of emergent literacy lately. If that topic is of interest, here are some posts that you may want to browse through. Supporting AAC Learners in Emergent Writing: 5 Helpful Resources Using an Alphabet Flipbook for Writing Building Communication Skills During Book Reading A PrAACtical Literacy Activity for Beginning Communicators As They Grow: Books for Beginning Readers of Any Age
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
August 13, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, millions of teachers, therapists, families, and students are planning to return to school, whether virtually, in person, or with some combination of the two. No matter what the format for instruction, one of the most important things for students who use AAC is having their SLPs, teachers, and families on the same page. They each have a different but very intense relationship with the student’s AAC system. Today, we reprise a popular post with some prAACtical thoughts on getting everyone pointed in the same direction. 1. Develop a communication profile of the student: In the initial weeks, try to get a baseline of how the student is communicating at the start of the year. For beginning communicators, we track things like their communicative intents (WHY they are communicating), modalities (HOW they are communicating), and the frequency of their communication. We’ve written about one of our favorite... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: & Tools, back to school, Checklists, Education & Schools, forms, Teaming & Collaboration
August 10, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
We continue to get requests for content that can help AAC practitioners deliver remote support and are happy to oblige. In today’s post, SLP Emily Diaz shares some videos she created on this topic. Emily is a school-based SLP specializing in AAC. She provides virtual training on the topic of AAC implementation both in the classroom and for teletherapy. In this guest post, Emily shares some of her favorite videos. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Virtual AAC Training: Teletherapy & Distance Learning Edition Whether you are providing synchronous or asynchronous services these virtual AAC training videos are a must have in your distance learning toolbox. Emily Diaz of emilydiazslp.com creates virtual training videos to support SLPs, teachers, and families with AAC implementation. Recently these videos have been focused on teletherapy and distance learning as we all try to restructure services during COVID-19 school closures. Check these out! AAC at Home Your child’s SLP sent... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Education & Schools, telepractice, videos