557 Search Results for a year of core
October 15, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
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 over-abundance 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 weeks leading up to the school dress-up parade, party, and the big day itself. More Halloween social narratives can be found at Therapics,... [Read More...]
October 4, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
It’s been a wonderful week to launch a month of activities for building AAC awareness and acceptance! Monday – PrAACtically October: Year of Core Word Resources Tuesday – PrAACtically October: A Core Word Calendar Wednesday – Video of the Week: AAC in a Shared Reading Group Thursday – AAC Awareness Month
September 23, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Looking to support a family who is new to AAC? Working with a teacher or SLP who is ready to boost their implementation of AAC across the day? Do we have a resource for you! The Angelman Syndrome Foundation has put together a truly amazing set of videos and support materials to help us get started in AAC implementation. While developed in support of children and adults with Angelman Syndrome, the information has much broader applicability and is appropriate for a wide range of developmental disabilities. The first one, From Goals to Growth: The Essential Elements Of An AAC System, is presented by SLP Maureen Nevers, an AAC Consultant from Burlington, Vermont. It covers the components of an AAC system and learn specific practices to increase the quality of an AAC system. You can get the handout for this presentation here. In the second video of the series, Maureen addresses the... [Read More...]
September 9, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
There is a short list of presenters that I like go see, no matter what topic they are speaking on. Dr. Caroline Musselwhite has been on that list for a very long time. In this video, she provides an insightful discussion of a pivotal intervention strategy, aided language input. If you appreciate hearing from clinicians who have been doing this work for many years, you will love this engaging and prAACtical presentation. You can get the accompanying handouts here and here. Please note that you will need to register in order to view the presentation. Many thanks to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation for making this available. Direct Link to Video: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7139066695959986690
August 11, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Karen Natoci is back with some wonderful ideas for building AAC skills using the book, I Like Myself. Check out her lesson plan and suggestions for some prAACtical reading ::::::::::::::::::::::: Book: I Like Myself!, by Karen Beaumont; Illustrated by David Catrow (Scholastic Inc.) Core Vocabulary focus: I, WANT, LIKE, ME/MY, SAME, DIFFERENT, GO, IN, DO, Fringe Vocabulary focus- Body Parts: eyes, ears, nose, fingers, toes, head, Opposites Vocabulary use: wild/tame, fast/slow, Core Vocabulary focus: I, LIKE, ME/MY, Fringe Vocabulary focus- Abstract VERBS: Think, say, COMMUNICATION Matrix (Rowland, 2009) Level: I-VII ——————————————————————– School is just around the corner and the planning begins! Our school year started in mid July. During the first two weeks, we decided to focus on the shared reading of: I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont. This book is thoughtful, has great rhyme and rhythm, and is illustrated beautifully. It is a great way to think about the... [Read More...]
August 6, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Many SLPs involved in AAC service provision are called upon to provide inservice training on implementation strategies. In this post, we are very fortunate to have Tabi Jones-Wohleber back to share both her thoughts and training materials. Tabi, an SLP on the AT Team for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland, wrote two previous posts for us. In those posts, Tabi shared her All-in-One Visual Support Tool and Classroom CORE Tool. Today, we hear about her experiences with professional development for teachers, aides, and therapists who serve students with AAC needs. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Implementing AAC: A Picture…AND…A Purpose As I work with staff and students to support implementation of AAC, I’ve learned 2 important things about making it work: 1) Folks need to know what it looks like “in their classroom/life” AND 2) effective implementation does not emerge from directives, but rather evolves from understanding, engagement and ownership of the WHAT... [Read More...]
July 6, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
One of the things that I love most about where I live is the rich mix of cultural heritages and linguistic backgrounds in the clients we serve. It can be challenging to do a good assessment, though. Today, we hear from Lindsay Oesch who shares her thoughts on AAC assessments with children from bilingual environments. Don’t miss clicking through to get the parent questionnaires and other resources she shares in her post. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Beginning the AAC Assessment Process with Bilingual Children As a clinician in New York City, it is so exciting to be working with children ages 5-12 as a speech-language pathologist in one of the most culturally and linguistically dynamic places in the world. It has also remained a major challenge to assess and treat children with speech and language impairment/delay who speak more than one language, in order to accommodate their specific language needs. Assessment for a communication... [Read More...]
June 22, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Today, we welcome back Angela Adams, a Washington-based SLP. She currently works with students aged 11- 21 years in a small school district in the Pacific Northwest. Angela has 14 years experience, in both private practice and public school settings. She has a passion for helping adolescents and young adults with AAC needs develeop their communication skills. In this post, she shares some thoughts on getting older students started on AAC. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: What do you do when the new user of AAC is a teen or young adult? Core vocabulary, phrase-based communication, category- and topic-based pages….so many options for the new AAC user. THE CHALLENGES ARE REAL: What happens when the new user is a teen or a young adult? When in the public school system, what happens when this teen or young adult will only be our student 5 more years or 3 more or 1 more? What about our new AAC users... [Read More...]
May 18, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
In honor of ASHA’s Better Hearing and Speech Month, we’ve invited clinicians who use AAC in their schools to share a bit about their work here on PrAACtical AAC. Today’s post is from Kaitlyn Connors and Rachel Egbert, two school-based SLPs in New Jersey. For the past 8 years, Kaitlyn has worked with children who use AAC. She earned her Master’s degree from Ithaca College and remains passionate about AAC, and helping each student communicate to the best of their abilities. Rachel earned her Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2013. She eagerly keeps abreast of the latest advances in AAC, which help her to deliver the most positive outcome possible for her students. Both Kaitlyn and Rachel currently serve students at Larc School. Beyond Requesting: PrAACtical Ideas for Building Language in the Classroom To take one student beyond requesting during snack time we implemented a core language board... [Read More...]
April 2, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night sweating over one of your AAC clients who doesn’t have a back-up communication tool, then this post is for you. Jeanne Tuthill is back with another prAACtical suggestion, this time on the importance of ensuring that people with AAC needs have communication options when their technology isn’t available or appropriate. In keeping with the generous spirit of the AAC field, Jeanne also shares her files for this project. Enjoy! How I Do It: Making a Back-up for High Tech AAC Each time I teach my graduate class I try to invite at least one AAC user in as a guest speaker to share their story with the students in the class. It never ceases to fill my students with awe and appreciation for the challenges that AAC users face on a daily basis. My students often list it as... [Read More...]