347 Search Results for aided language input
February 25, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Do the AAC users in your life use only a fraction of the core words in their SGD, AAC app, or communication board? One way to help them move forward is to make a concerted effort to use, highlight, and provide additional teaching on a variety of words. It’s hard to do this without getting overwhelmed, so find a strategy that works for you. A few years ago, we decided to approach this by focusing on 12-16 core words each month. (If this is too much for the teams with whom you work, that’s not a problem. Just cut it back to 4-6 words/month.) Each month, we can highlight those words in our conversation (aided language input), direct intervention, and home programming activities with AAC learners. The repeated experiences with those 12-16 (or 4-6) words helps our AAC learners develop new skills, and keeps the team focused on the same destination. It’s... [Read More...]
January 31, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Engaging activities and materials are important in AAC instruction, but the real magic happens when we implement appropriate intervention strategies with fidelity and on a consistent basis. For Throwback Thursday, we raided the archives to revisit some previous posts on several key intervention strategies. Aided Language Input: How Much Language Should We Model? Aided Language Input in AACtion “I’m Using Aided Language Input. Now what??” From Referential to Descriptive Teaching with AAC Learners Recasting: A Language Facilitation Strategy F is for Feedback
January 24, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
As we prepare to bid January a fond farewell, we’re looking ahead to ways we can highlight more of the core vocabulary words in our clients’ AAC devices and communication aids. One approach to boosting practice opportunities is to select a dozen or so core words to focus on each month. Throughout the month, we can then pay special attention to that small group of words by highlighting them with focused language stimulation, aided language input, and specific activities designed to teach or practice those words. In previous years, we shared lists of some core words to help you do just that and every month we share some ideas for prioritizing a small set of words. You can use these materials to remind yourself which words to highlight this month, with using aided language input and focused language stimulation. What else? Here are some ideas to get you started. Print them... [Read More...]
December 26, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
As the end of the year approaches, we’re looking back to see which posts you liked best. Here are the most popular videos from our 2018 posts. AACtually Doing It: Core in the Classroom Aided Language Input: How Much Language Should We Model? Using Apps to Engage Young AAC Learners Strategies for Helping Early AAC Users Engage and Interact iPad Apps for Learners with Complex Needs Make a Core Vocabulary Folder Teaching Peers to Interact with Young Children Who Use AAC Putting Aided Language Input Into Practice Be More with Core Getting Started with PODD Do you have a suggestion for a video we should feature in 2019? We’d love to hear about it.
December 3, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
How can we best support learners with complex communication needs who come from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds? Today, we turn the reins over to Arizona-based SLP Deanna Wagner who shares her thoughts on embracing and encouraging multilingualism and diversity in our AAC work. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: My latest article on cultural diversity has just been published in the ASHA Special Issue on Cultural and Linguistic Diversity and AAC, guest edited by Gloria Soto! That means that ASHA members who have a Special Interest Group affiliation can access it and receive CEU credit for studying the content and answering a few questions. Since not all readers are members of an ASHA SIG, I would like to take a moment to share my experiences in preparing the manuscript that I submitted for this article. Most importantly, as people who serve the needs of those who benefit from AAC, we all need... [Read More...]
November 12, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Think back on some of the meals that you’ve shared with others recently. What did people talk about? In most cases, there’s a lot more that ‘Pass the peas,’ ‘What’s for dessert?’, and ‘Can I go now?’ Mealtimes are social experiences in many cultures and it can take some work to ensure that our AAC learners can take part. Here are some ideas for supporting the development of social communication during shared meals. Build a routine that includes social communication: AAC learning takes time and lots of prAACtice. We can support the march to AAC proficiency by incorporating specific kinds of social exchanges into our mealtimes so that AAC learners know what the expect and have practice opportunities for this skill set at mealtime. Some examples: Sharing Time (i.e.., everyone shares something that happened to them that was funny/interesting/memorable), Question of the Day (e.g., “What’s your favorite __?” “Where’s the... [Read More...]
October 1, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Let the celebrations begin! October is more than pumpkins and Halloween. It’s internationally recognized as AAC Awareness Month and it offers a wonderful opportunity for spreading the word as to how we can support people with complex communication needs. Looking for a few ideas that you can use in celebrating AAC Awareness Month? Here are a few to get you started. Light up your social media feeds with AAC Awareness messages. We’ve got some graphics to help you out. Here are some from previous years. You can also grab our 2018 Facebook banner here. Is Instagram your jam? We’ve got you covered. (Click on the image below to download.) Are you more of a Twitter fan? No worries. We’ve got something for you, too. (Click on the image below to download.) Make plans to attend ATIA 2019 for lots of AAC content. Early Bird conference registration closes on October 5 at 5 p.m.... [Read More...]
September 17, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Once a month we like to turn the tables and see how PrAACtical AAC readers respond to a quick question. Our first AAC Question of the Month asked: What AAC skill is your biggest strength? Here’s how readers weighed in. Aided language input 38.1% Coaching communication partners 9.5% Assessment 8.3% Creating visual supports 7.1% Programming SGDs/AAC apps 6% Teaching early communicative functions 6% None, I don’t feel strong in any of these areas. 4.8% Collaborating with other service providers 3.6% Supporting AAC families 3.6% Report-writing and documentation 2.4% Supporting eye gaze users 2.4% Signing 1.2% PECS 1.2% Today, we turn our attention to AAC teams and who is one them. In the textbook, there are lots of disciplines listed but there is probably wide variability in which ones actually participate in AAC teams in different parts of the world. Take a minute, if you can, to tell us which... [Read More...]
August 30, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
It’s a good day to talk training and we’re incredibly grateful to SLP Tabi Jones-Wohleber for sharing her partner training resources with us. In addition to her work with the AT Team for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland, Tabi serves young children and their families at West Virginia Birth to Three programs. In the initial post, Tabi introduced the overview module and its accompanying resources. Today, we move onto Module 2 where the focus is on aided language input. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Modeling AAC is unquestionably a key component of teaching AAC. Most frequenters of PrAACtical AAC understand that modeling is a naturalistic strategy that functions to support language development by SPEAKING YOUR WORDS. However, misconceptions abound, which often results in modeling opportunities characterized as imitation or compliance tasks. This module unpacks the imperative of modeling to provide a common understanding of what it is (and is not), and why it is a... [Read More...]
August 23, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Are you… Hoping to train team members to be better communication partners for their AAC students/clients but overwhelmed by the thought of all the preparation? Relatively new to AAC and not sure what content to share in your training? Looking for additional resources to utilize in your existing training sessions? Good news, AAC friends! This post is for you. We’re so happy to have SLP Tabi Jones-Wohleber returning to the blog to share more of her wonderful AAC resources. Tabi works with young children at the West Virginia Birth to Three program and serves on the AT Team for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland. Today, she launches a new series on partner training that focuses on the use of aided language input and other facilitative strategies. There are 11 modules in all (1 overview for administrative discussions and 10 for communication partners) and each one includes slides, handouts, discussion prompts, links... [Read More...]