November 20, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, we’re getting ready for Turkey Day. If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, these resources may be of interest. Activities & Materials Sweet Potato Pie Poem by Bloom PCS SymbolStix Regular Turkey Waffle No-Bake Thanksgiving Activity by Preschool Speechie Plus Thanksgiving Book by Speech Brain Build a Scarecrow by Speechie Adventures Thanksgiving Questions by Amy O Speech Language Pathologist Peppa Gives Thanks Adapted by Meredith Rus from Weave Chat Thanksgiving Lunchbox Note Jokes by Southern Mom Loves Thanksgiving Wh- Question Board Game by Speech Time Fun Roll a Turkey Game by Unoriginal Mom Communication Boards/Materials Thanksgiving Dinner Table Tent by AAC for ALL Thanksgiving AAC Communication Board by Just SLPeachy Thanksgiving Communication Board by Adventures in Behavior Thanksgiving Communication Board by Breezy Special Ed Thanksgiving Picture Core Word and Communication Board by Susan Berkowitz
November 19, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts that you might enjoy. Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Executive Function and AAC Thursday – Throwback Thursday: Teaming & AAC ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, check out some of these previously published posts. 5 Ways to Tell If Your Students are Becoming Competent Communicators A Look at PODD Books Using Visual Supports to Bring Music Alive Supports for When Modeling AAC is Hard AACtual Therapy: Use Your Best Spud to Teach Vocabulary With Tanna Neufeld The Critical Nature of Literacy in AAC
October 23, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for some resources to make Pumpkin Day a little more AAC-friendly? Here are some from previous years that might come in handy. Holidays are special and Halloween is a favorite among many. As much fun as it is to dress up and get candy, though, there are lots of ways that Halloween can be stressful for AAC learners. From the change in routine, to the costumes and scary decorations, to talking with neighbors and other less familiar communication partners, to the overabundance of sugar, there are lots of ways in which Halloween can trip us up. If the AAC learners in your life celebrate Halloween, Fall Festival, Harvest Parade, or any other celebration with similar traditions, we SLPs can help them to have a positive experience. Here are some ideas. Use a social narrative to prepare everyone for what to expect on and around Halloween. Read them often in the... [Read More...]
October 9, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Established in 2007 by ISAAC’s LEAD Committee, AAC Awareness month invites us to spread the word about all things AAC, and it’s pretty exciting to think back on all we’ve done and also to plan for the current year. Each week during AAC Awareness Month we’ll share suggestions for things to do to help others learn about a field that emerged to support children and adults with complex communication needs. This week, we’ll focus on hands-on activities. A popular approach to AAC Awareness Month is to invite a group of colleagues or families to come together and communicate only through AAC for the event. Some years, we’ve held ‘Silent Snack’ events before class where we put out a variety of board games and invited some of our AAC clients to come in and play along. They enjoyed serving as our AAC Ambassadors, meeting new people, and ‘wow-ing’ the crowd with... [Read More...]
October 2, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
AAC Awareness Month is here, and we join ISAAC in celebrating people across the globe who communicate with AAC. If you’re on a mission to help people with complex communication needs get access to AAC, join our efforts to boost the presence of AAC on your social media feeds. Today’s post has a selection of AAC Awareness Month graphics to choose from. These are not branded or watermarked so you can use them freely. Download some Facebook banners and profile images for AAC Awareness Month by clicking on the images below. Facebook Banner Image Prior Images Facebook Profile Image Facebook Banner Image Facebook Profile Image You can grab another style of Facebook banner here. Is Instagram your jam? We’ve got you covered. (Click on the images below to download.) Twitter Are you more of a Twitter fan? No worries. We’ve got something for you,... [Read More...]
September 16, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
About This Week Welcome to Week 13 of your Stepping into AAC journey! Literacy is critically important to all AAC users, and they can all improve their skills in this area. This week, we do a deep dive into how to support reading in AAC learners. You will explore the following concepts this week: AACtion Steps Week 13 AACtion Steps Signposts Get the Handout Reading with AAC Travelog Week 13 Travelog Print the Week Want all of the resources shared in this week of Stepping into AAC? Download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
September 16, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
About This Week Welcome to Week 14! Reading takes center stage for a second week of our Stepping into AAC journey. You will explore the following concepts this week: AACtion Steps Week 14 AACtion Steps Signposts Get the Handout Descriptive Talking Travelog Week 14 Travelog Print the Week Want all of the resources shared in this week of Stepping into AAC? Download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
September 11, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Across the world, AAC teams are looking for ways to strengthen their support of multilingual individuals with complex communication needs. In this article, guest authors Hsiao-Ting Su and Wen-Hsin Ku, who are both bilingual Mandarin-English SLPs, share their thoughts. AAC Intervention for Multicultural Families – Similarities and Differences Across Cultures Though there are limited AAC resources in minority languages at this time, SLPs should make every effort to meet the needs of multicultural families. It is crucial for SLPs to keep cultural differences in mind when working with multicultural families. As two bilingual English-Mandarin-speaking SLPs who have worked with both families in the U.S. and Taiwan, we have first-hand experience navigating similarities and differences across cultures. Here, we describe some of the similarities and differences we have encountered most frequently. Similarities: Families worry that AAC will hinder verbal communication development Families need reassurance that it is okay for children to... [Read More...]
September 7, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
We are excited to continue our series on multilingual AAC support, guest-authored by BilingüeAAC. In today’s post, one member of the team, Melissa Tapia, addresses ways to use specific instructional materials with bilingual individuals. BilingüeAAC is a group of SLPs with a shared belief in providing evidence-based intervention strategies and resources to bilingual Spanish AAC clients, families, caregivers, and professionals. Inclusive Practices Using Tell Me Program & Other Materials How can we effectively conduct inclusive practices in our work settings? What are some approaches or materials that we can use to integrate the culture of the home and community? Why are inclusive practices essential for the success of our students/clients? These are fundamental reflective questions I have found to guide me in collaborative therapy and lead to better participation with and from my clients and their caregivers. We are Bilingue AAC, and we are here to provide helpful tools to... [Read More...]
August 10, 2023
by Carole Zangari -
Adolescents are a fun and exciting group to work with. In today’s post, we reach into the archives for some past posts that address some of the issues that arise in serving this age group. Starting AAC in the Teen Years: 3 Considerations for Families & Practitioners How I Do It Starting AAC with Teens & Young Adults by Angela Adams Pocket Flipbooks for Adults & Teens Pocket Flipbooks for Adults & Teens, Part 2 Pocket Flipbooks for Teens, Part 3 Conversation Practice with Teens and Young Adults by Angela Adams Faces of AAC – Zainab Omar Let’s Hit the Town, AAC Style Bridging Literacy and AAC for Adolescents Communication Strategies for Adolescents as They Transition through Adulthood AAC in Secondary School: Defining Age Respectful Video of the Week: AAC Intervention for Teens