597 Search Results for tell me about it
November 9, 2013
by Robin Parker -
Vocabulary instruction involves a systematic TEACHING process. Core vocabulary words are harder to represent with pictures but still need to be taught with direct instruction. Many of the strategies and activities are part of general vocabulary teaching. Decide your core word vocabulary to teach and begin with strategies, steps, and fun activities. Teaching Strategies Teach in Meaningful Language Experiences– Create activities about the words but also about the communication behind the words. Develop activities that are meaningful to the learners. Provide Active Participation Opportunities- Develop many, many (many) opportunities for the learners to use the vocabulary as an expressive communication tool as well as for receptive language. Have the learner interact with the core word vocabulary rather than just listen to explanations. Give the vocabulary communicative power for the learner. Use Aided Language Input– Model AAC style. Use Focused Language Stimulation – Highlight new words and use them repetitively. We like... [Read More...]
November 8, 2013
by Robin Parker -
The holidays are prAACtically here and depending upon the holiday traditions you celebrate they may be closer than you realize. Chanukah begins the day before thanksgiving and we never think it is too early to shop for Christmas or any other holiday, so here are some great companies to help you get started. We will update this holiday shopping list a few times throughout this holiday season. Please send any additional companies you feel should be included. Paper Clouds Apparel– Get t-shirts, hats, and totes featuring artwork designed by individuals with special needs. Paper Clouds apparel also hires individuals with special needs to package all of the products. and more. Paper Clouds Apparel was formed to showcase the creative minds and artistic abilities of individuals with special needs while raising funds to provide financial support for special needs schools and organizations. Fifty percent of the net proceeds from the sale of... [Read More...]
November 2, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
Teaching new words is something SLPs plan for in almost every service delivery setting. This month, we’ll focus on vocabulary instruction for core and extended vocabulary. Thoughts on Teaching Core Vocabulary In Advance Plan ahead. Make a rough plan of the core words you will teach and when you will introduce them to the AAC learner. Make sure there is plenty of variety, especially pronouns, verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and determiners. Words for talking about time (e.g., now, later), asking questions (e.g., what, where), and negation (e.g., not) are important, too. Here’s a link to our post on A Year of Core and A Year of Core, Unity Style. Ensure that the AAC learner has access to communication aids with an adequate base of core vocabulary. What if the learner doesn’t have an SGD or AAC app that is core language based? If you can update that to something with good core... [Read More...]
October 31, 2013
by Robin Parker -
We are so pleased to have connected with Deanne Shoyer from Small But Kinda Mighty and even happier that she is our guest blogger today. Deanne is a mom of twin boys who both are on the autism spectrum. Deanne successfully fundraised to buy iPads for her boys and has been active for more than 3 years in social media and in the special needs app community. She has written about many things but often focuses on implementing AAC in a very PrAACtical way. Please feel free to share this very important post as she highlights AAC, what she has learned, and how it may help others. by Deanne Shoyer at Small But Kinda Mighty (original post at Small But Kinda Mighty) In the title of this post I’ve linked autism and AAC for a specific reason. A lot of the points here are equally applicable to people who have a... [Read More...]
October 30, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
We love writing posts about AAC topics, but we also love hearing about the AAC experiences of SLPs, both experienced and new to the field. In honor of AAC Awareness Month, we thought it would be fun to reach out to you and find out what is happening in your part of the world. Today, we’re asking our PrAACtical AAC friends to comment below to tell us about a positive AAC-related experience that you’ve had recently. It could be learning about a new SGD, an experience with a client, a webinar you attended, working with a family or colleague, of anything else related to AAC. We’re calling it ‘What Went Well.’ We’d love it if you took a moment or two to share your WWW news below.
October 29, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
Work with someone who uses AAC but not as consistently as you would like? Here are some thoughts on how to make an impact in that area. 1. Write goals that help you fight this battle. E.g., Janie will use her AAC system to ask for help at least once per activity; Jimmy will use his AAC system to answer 2-3 curriculum-related questions in each class period; Given her AAC system, Jenny will use the correct morphological endings for plurals and past tense at the beginning or ending of each group activity. 2. Be an AAC cheerleader. In most settings, it is the adult who sets the tone for how communication will proceed. If it isn’t important to US, then it will never be important to the AAC learners. So, we try our best to use AAC every time we see the learner. It takes some work to build... [Read More...]
October 26, 2013
by Robin Parker -
Community participation and communication for AAC users is an integral part of of developing, growing up, and having inclusive opportunities. We often relate community participation to quality of life indicators. Community participation for AAC users begins from the… beginning. Young children can order in restaurants, use picture menus, and have access to many inclusive events. As children grow into adolescents and adults, community participation involves post secondary options, employment, and community living. Perspectives from AAC Users Have communication displays and devices available at ALL times– You need access to a communication system(s) to participate in all situations. Remember to take AAC with you. The sooner the AAC user becomes responsible for taking or telling someone to take the device/displays with them the easier it becomes. For mobile technology systems, there are rugged cases that withstand wind, water, even medical waste (see Lauren Enders Pinterest boards for case and accessory options).... [Read More...]
October 21, 2013
by Robin Parker -
More core word prAACtice ideas. Whether you are just getting started or have been working with core word vocabulary for a long time, the teaching strategies you use to TEACH, helps turn regular words into real communication and language. Provide Aided Language Input- ALI in Meaningful Language Experiences. PrAACtice USING core words in many, many opportunities. Authentic, meaningful prAACtice is fun for everyone. This core word prAACtice is for November. There is a lot of food, leaves, changes of weather, thankfulness, sharing, and holiday spirit. Here are some ideas of activities that can go with the core word words, phrases and sentences: Do art project– Make a turkey because there are many opportunities to use body. From asking for the ‘body of the turkey” and asking for “feathers of the body” there can 50-100 opportunities for prAACtice. You can do this with a beginning communicator who can ask for a... [Read More...]
October 19, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
How can SLPs support students who use AAC and help them communicate more frequently in the classroom? Collaboration with the teacher is, of course, central to making this work. If you’re paired with an educator who knows, loves, and supports the AAC needs of her students, then you are in for a real treat. Collaborating with someone like that is fun and energizing. But what if your partner is new to AAC or one who doesn’t really know (or care to know) much about it? What if there is a bit of resistance to change or a passive-aggressive style? No match for a committed clinician! Ah. The ART of being an SLP. Take equal measures of creative problem-solving, wonderful pragmatics, and tenacity, and solutions will be found. In really sticky situations, we’ve seen colleagues make breakthroughs on the strength of brownies and iced coffee. You know how to make this... [Read More...]
October 14, 2013
by Carole Zangari -
That’s a question we hear from time to time, and it often stops us in our tracks. The good thing about this question is that is signals that the clinician recognizes a stumbling block and is searching for a way around it. Like many things in our lives as SLPs, it’s all about problem-solving. So, how DO you make learners like their AAC? Well, for starters, we don’t like ‘making’ people do anything. Offer, entice, tempt? Yes, frequently. ‘Make’? Not our first, second, or third choice. If we have a really strong rationale and we’ve run out of other options, we may go there. When it comes to helping our clients learn to like their AAC systems, here are some things we think about. 1. We like what we’re good at: Until someone is proficient at aspects of their AAC system, it will feel like work. Why? Because it is... [Read More...]