1728 Search Results for video of the week
March 9, 2013
by Robin Parker -
Personal narratives are the first story skills that develop. They tell about ourselves and our connection to activities, places, and events. They tell about how we feel about people and experiences. Personal narratives help us structure and organize the events of our lives and even become a way of thinking about ourselves and our identities. We know many AAC users have significant difficulty with narratives. We always wonder though, is it a function of language difficulty or of access, exposure, and PrAACtice or more likely a combination. There are key intervention strategies that help AAC learners be able to tell personal narratives. You probably won’t be surprised by what strategies work but the research from Gloria Soto and colleagues has shown us that when applied to personal narratives, AAC users can be competent story tellers. Some Thoughts on Personal Narrative Assessment Even before assessment of the AAC learner, in all fairness,... [Read More...]
March 8, 2013
by Robin Parker -
We have been out and about in our community these past couple of weeks. We have worked with speech-language pathologists, teachers, resource specialists, paraprofessionals, and families. We love doing AAC facilitator training because the impact is so important for not only our current AAC learners but for future AAC learners as well. There are really great professionals who want to provide the best AAC support possible. They want and need AAC information that will help them integrate AAC facilitation strategies into their already very busy days. Here are 5 AAC facilitation strategies that have made the most impact: Using Aided Language Input (ALI)– Talk AAC to the learner. This strategy is not only a very powerful teaching tool, but when discussed with new AAC facilitators, seems to make perfect sense (many have never heard of it). One key for learning ALI is to practice it in a variety of activities... [Read More...]
March 6, 2013
by Robin Parker -
Subscribe to a blog with an AAC focus– Spectronics Blogs, Uncommon Sense, Jane Farrall Consulting, PrAACtical AAC Program a one hit message device and use it for a new reason– 101+ Things to do with a Big Mac or Other Single Message Communication Devices Follow an AAC topic Pinterest board– PrAACtical AAC, AAC by Katie Ahern, AT/AAC/Adapt/Modify/Accessibility/Accommodations, AT for Communication, AAC by Constantly Speaking, Communication-AAC Print out and hang up or give someone an AAC Awareness Image– 10 Commandments of AAC Devices, AAC It’s as Easy as 1,2,3 Register for a free AAC professional development webinar from Ablenet Print out an AAC Poster– AAC Boot Camp-Getting AAC Users to Communicate, The Periodic Table of AAC, Learn about technology and apps for AAC and learning from Pinterest– Lauren Enders Pinterest Boards, Tech in Special Education Print out song visual supports Read a Tar Heel Reader Book with an AAC learner... [Read More...]
March 4, 2013
by Robin Parker -
World Book Day is just 3 days away. Check out these PrAACtical ideas for celebrating. Just add AAC displays, aided language input, language facilitation strategies, and enthusiasm and World Book Day will be a special celebration. Dia Diversity in Action for 2013 Children’s Book Day- This blog post provides recommendations for a diverse Children’s Book Day (April 30th), but there are some great ideas that can be used for World Book Day. Exploring Children’s Literature through Book Trailers Great blog by K-5 teacher librarian who has been successful using book trailers as a way to connect readers with books. Think of how many learners would be excited and motivated by a video trailer about a book. Caught in the Act of Reading– a photo idea by Pragmatic Mom that we think would be a great classroom or therapy center activity for... [Read More...]
February 25, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
How long did you practice your driving skills before you took your driver’s license road test? A week? A month? A couple of months? We love videos like this one that show kids in the process of developing skills with technology. It’s not usually a quick and easy process, but if we prepare ourselves and the families with whom we work for the process, good things will happen. Little Eva and her family remind us that kids don’t have to ‘prove’ readiness for high tech AAC. They deserve opportunities to use these tools to learn, develop, and grow. The next time that people tell you that one of your clients with complex communication needs ‘isn’t ready’ for AAC technology, you might want to ask them how things might have gone if they had taken the road test a few days after their first time behind the wheel. We needed practice.... [Read More...]
February 10, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
In this week’s video, Dr. Melanie Fried-Oken discusses how AAC can benefit individuals who are losing their language abilities due to Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). She reviews the disorder, provides great examples, and clearly explains AAC strategies that can be used to support these patients. We love the skillful way in which Dr. Fried-Oken balances current research with prAACtical guidelines for goals and therapy in this helpful video.
January 30, 2013
by Robin Parker -
January is (was) a fairly crazy and busy month for us. After a late back to school week, the CARD Conference, the Dan Marino Foundation WalkAbout Autism, and ATIA Conference (hope to see you there), we got a bit of a late start on a few things. To stay ahead of ourselves, we want to end January by being ready for February…… For February, we have a calendar for incorporating AAC into everyday activities (it goes with yesterday’s post 28 things to do). Feel free to print out and share and use anyway you want to promote PrAACtical AAC. A PDF version (free) can be found at our Teachers Pay Teachers site. Our new Strategy of the Month (on Saturday) will focus on Communication & Language Beyond Requesting. There are no pre-requisites to learning and being immersed in ALL of the reasons to communicate (communication functions). For some learners, it... [Read More...]
January 28, 2013
by Robin Parker -
We are extremely proud to be part of the Dan Marino Foundation WalkAbout Autism, which is a large South Florida event. It is a true collaboration between the community, volunteers, sponsors, donors, walk partners, and the Miami Dolphins. The Walkabout helps raise money for organizations that provide programs and services for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. It also promotes a sense of community collaboration and awareness about autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities. We are writing about the WalkAbout, not as a plea for money (although read about the WalkAbout and donate if you are so inclined), but instead to tell you how we continue to try to integrate AAC & visual strategies into community events. We are so grateful to Dan & Claire Marino and their family and Jeff & Rachel Ireland and their family for continuing to dedicate their time and effort for this amazing event. This past weekend was the 3rd WalkAbout Autism. It was a... [Read More...]
January 24, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
We are just delighted to share the AACtual Therapy of Arizona-based SLP, Deanna Wagner. We’ve known Deanna by reputation for a long while, but got to meet her in person at ISAAC this past summer. She has been involved in the AAC world for over 20 years. Her story as an AAC clinician is an interesting one: “I was lucky enough to attend one of the first university AAC courses, at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. My instructor was Dr. Mary Blake Huer, who was a recent president of USSAAC. Because we did not have enough courses in the communication disorders program, I also studied in the special education department and received a graduate degree in severe/profound handicaps. My first job was as AAC evaluator and trainer at Curative Rehabilitation in Wisconsin. I was lucky enough to meet a number of the inspirational team members who made up the model programs for... [Read More...]
January 17, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
Nothing makes us happier than hearing AAC success stories. It’s thrilling to hear of folks who are using AAC tools and strategies to communicate effectively. We love hearing how their language develops and the positive changes that makes in their lives. It also makes us curious as to what made ‘this’ story a success story. One of our goals for the new year was to give PrAACtical AAC followers a look into the experiences of professionals outside their own communities. Last week, we introduced AACtual Therapy, a series of guest posts by SLPs who are willing to give us a peek into their AAC therapy sessions. Today, we introduce How I Do It, a series in which we invite SLPs to share how they tackle common issues, tasks, or problems. We’re excited to launch the series with a post from Lauren Enders, a clinician who supports the AAC community beyond... [Read More...]