493 Search Results for opportunities
June 6, 2025
by Carole Zangari -
On the first Friday of each month, we publish a post in Spanish by guest author Claudia Marimón to highlight AAC work being done in Spanish-speaking countries and offer translations of material that can help families and service providers. In this month’s post, Claudia introduces us to an important new project, ComuniCAAdos. Please support this effort if you can. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Iniciamos el mes de Junio compartiendo una iniciativa innovadora y profundamente significativa para la comunidad hispanohablante de personas que usan Comunicación Aumentativa y Alternativa: el proyecto ComuniCAAdos. ComuniCAAdos no es solo una propuesta más; es un espacio único, creado por y para personas que utilizan sistemas de CAA, con el objetivo de construir una comunidad virtual donde puedan conocerse, compartir, expresarse y fortalecer su identidad comunicativa. Surge desde las voces de quienes, muchas veces, no han tenido oportunidades reales de conexión con otras personas que se comunican como ellas. Lo... [Read More...]
February 7, 2025
by Carole Zangari -
On the first Friday of each month, we publish a post in Spanish by guest author Claudia Marimón to highlight AAC work being done in Spanish-speaking countries and offer translations of material that can help families and service providers. In today’s post, Claudia introduces us to an exciting project blending AAC and literacy for individuals affected by Angelman Syndrome. Claudia provided an email address for anyone who would like to join or get more information. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Damos la bienvenida a febrero, compartiendo la experiencia a un año de iniciar el Proyecto CAAmigos Angelman, un programa de Alfabetización Emergente y CAA para personas con Síndrome de Angelman en Latinoamérica. Desarrollado e impulsado por FAST Latam (organización sin fines de lucro). www.cureangelman.lat El Programa se desarrolla basado en la evidencia de la Instrucción Integral de Alfabetización Emergente. (Karen Erickson, Erin Sheldon, Caroline Musselwhite) En el proyecto los estudiantes con Síndrome de Angelman ... [Read More...]
January 6, 2025
by Carole Zangari -
It’s a cold, snowy week in much of the US, and that gives us something fun to talk about. It makes a regular appearance at Circle Time and Morning Meetings. It’s part of our casual conversation on a daily basis. We learn about it in Science classes, and it often plays a role in the books we read. Everyone talks about the weather. How can we take advantage of this ubiquitous topic to strengthen AAC learning? Here are a few ideas of language concepts to address. Core Vocabulary: Weather-related discussions offer many opportunities to model and elicit core words, both by themselves and in the context of longer sentences. Single words: Feel, it, like, look, see, that, what Multi-word combinations: I can see rain/snow/sun. Look at that. What is it like outside? Can you feel it? I don’t like when it is ___. More Advanced Vocabulary: Many AAC users have... [Read More...]
January 3, 2025
by Carole Zangari -
On the first Friday of each month, we publish a post in Spanish by guest author Claudia Marimón to highlight AAC work being done in Spanish-speaking countries and offer translations of material that can help families and service providers. In today’s post, she introduces an exciting conference that will be held in Mexico and offered in-person and virtually. You can view the program here: Programa Tercer Congreso Comunicación sin Barreras. Please help to spread the word about this wonderful opportunity for AAC learning. ¡Bienvenido 2025! Comenzamos este año con entusiasmo y nuevas oportunidades para promover la comunicación para todos. Nos complace anunciar el Congreso Internacional de Comunicación Aumentativa y Alternativa “Comunicación Sin Barreras”, que se llevará a cabo en México los días 29 y 30 de marzo de 2025. Un encuentro único para compartir aprendizajes, experiencias y herramientas de comunicación que transforman vidas. ¡Súmate a este evento que impulsa la... [Read More...]
December 30, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Novice or expert Parent or professional Generalist or specialist No matter what our differences, we share a common goal of helping AAC learners move forward on the path to better language and literacy. We can all do a little more to help people with AAC needs achieve their potential. Here are some things ideas to get us moving. Find a new use for a retired, abandoned, or under-utilized tool. Lots of us are cleaning out closets and drawers at this time of year, and we’re bound to find something that has AAC potential. It could be an old magnetic card reader (great for phonological awareness and other literacy activities), a talking switch (adds flavor to ‘word of the day activities;’ great for telling jokes, getting attention and more), or even some random picture cards (add some spice to the sensory table or hide them around to read the room). Someone’s... [Read More...]
December 26, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or some combination of holidays, these events offer rich opportunities for building language in people who use AAC. There’s a good chance that someone took photos which can be a terrific source of motivating materials. In this post, we’ll look at a few ideas for using those to strengthen language and communication skills. Collect them into a photo album: Use PowerPoint, Keynote, or an app to pull the photos together into a collection that can serve as a highly motivating context for language learning activities. With these albums we can: Page through them together to practice making comments (e.g., cold; I see tree, That is pretty), Co-create a narrative about the picture, Work on morphological goals such as pluralization and verb tenses, and, Build longer sentences (e.g., ‘hot chocolate’ becomes ‘drink hot chocolate’ or ‘make more hot chocolate’). Create a photo collage: Work with the... [Read More...]
November 25, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Before we turn our attention to the Thanksgiving holiday, let’s take a look at the wonderful resources that guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty put together for the December core words. This dynamic team continues to share some terrific ideas for your older students who are building their skills with core vocabulary. Their slide decks have a wonderful selection of activities that teachers and therapists can use to highlight December’s target core vocabulary words. In the post below, they also share helpful information on customizing and personalizing the student’s AAC device. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE – Older Student Lessons Access & Copy below: Weeks 1-2 Google Slides Weeks 3-4 Google Slides INTRODUCTION- December, 2024 We hope the School Year of Core (SYOC-OSL) resource has supported you and your students in learning and using core vocabulary through thematic activities, icebreakers, and daily life. This colorful, joyful, and magical time... [Read More...]
October 31, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
It’s prAACtically November, which means we’re ready for some fun ideas for supporting core vocabulary learning in older students. Guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty put together some helpful resources for you to use with your AAC learners. Don’t miss the great information they share on customizing AAC devices/apps. Enjoy! SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE – Older Student Lessons Access & Copy below: Weeks 1-2 Google Slides Weeks 3-4 Google Slides INTRODUCTION- NOVEMBER 2024 We hope that the School Year of Core (SYOC-OSL) resource can provide you and your students with support in learning about core vocabulary through thematic activities and icebreakers. This crisp and magical time of year provides opportunities for learning core vocabulary. In November, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and reflecting on Native American History. We will also be diving into themes including art, cooking, weather, clothing, household items and discuss why we turn back our clocks for... [Read More...]
September 26, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
It’s prAACtically October, AAC Awareness Month! Guest authors Michaela Sullivan and Lindsay Dougherty are back with wonderful ideas for your older students who are building their skills with core vocabulary. Don’t miss the slide decks full of activities and the data collection forms specific to the October core words. In this post, they also discuss how the the importance of following the AAC user’s lead. SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE- Older Student Lessons Access & Copy below: Weeks 1-2 Google Slides Weeks 3-4 Google Slides INTRODUCTION- OCTOBER 2024 We hope that the School Year of Core (SYOC-OSL) resource can provide you and your students with additional support in learning about core vocabulary through thematic activities and icebreakers. This busy and fun time of year provides opportunities for celebration as we learn core vocabulary. In October, we celebrate holidays and celebrations across various cultures such as Halloween, Day of the Dead/Dia De... [Read More...]
August 2, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Happy August, CAA friends! Each month, we feature a Spanish version of our AAC Link Up called CAA con Links. If you have AAC-related announcements, materials, or videos in Spanish that you would like others to know about, we’d love to have you add that information below. Also, please share this with anyone who might be interested in contributing to or using the materials that get added to these posts. You’ll find the place to add that information at the very bottom of this post. Claudia Marimón organizes these monthly posts, which feature AAC work being done in Spanish-speaking countries and offer translations of material that can help families and service providers. In today’s post, Claudia tells us about the activities of ISAAC Español, a chapter that represents many parts of the world where Spanish is spoken. Learn about this group’s activities, and see how you can get involved. Don’t... [Read More...]