208 Search Results for core boards
January 20, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Well, hello, AAC friends! If you’re looking to catch up on some AAC content, you’re in the right place. Here’s what we’ve been up to. Monday – Core Boards in the Classroom: 3 Ways to Individualize to Meet Student Needs Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Language Development Across the School Day Thursday – PrAACtical Resources: Social Stories and Narratives :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re here, could you do us a favor? We’re trying to get input on AAC terminology from the people who use it most. Click here to complete a quick survey. It’s all multiple choice (checkboxes) and shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes. No names or emails are collected. Thank you! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Still have an appetite for some AAC reading? These posts from the archives may be of interest. Reducing Prompt Dependence in AAC Learners: 5 Things to Try When Helping Isn’t Helping: Prompt Awareness... [Read More...]
March 12, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Lauren Enders, an amazing AAC SLP from Pennsylvania, graciously shared this list of professional development opportunities that may be of interest. Lauren works as an Augmentative Communication/Assistive Technology Consultant for Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22. In the list below, she shares resources for AAC learning in both online and face-to-face formats. Enjoy! You can see more of Lauren’s guest posts here. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS FOR AAC IMPLEMENTATION ONLINE SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING OPTIONS: Power AAC modules: a FREE training series developed by The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)with Gail Van Tatenhove, CCC-SLP. This series of brief modules can be used for professional development by individuals or groups who are supporting students with complex communication needs and who need or use AAC. The POWER AAC modules are intended to build the capacity of school personnel to improve communication skills and provide flexible, generative vocabulary for students who need or use AAC. AAC Institute... [Read More...]
December 5, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
At the ASHA Convention last month, I chatted with an SLP about her secret longing: To take a sabbatical and travel the world to see AAC in action. Wouldn’t that be exciting?! In the meantime, we’ll have to live vicariously and peek into AAC practices through the words and pictures of dedicated professionals. Angi Pearce, a teacher at Kowhai Special School in Hastings, New Zealand, was kind enough to help us out and share her experiences in increasing AAC use in her classroom. Angi is the team leader for the Junior School classes (ages 5-11) and graciously prepared this post with support from SLP Michelle Roberts. As you’ll see, Angi is a highly experienced educator but new to the world of AAC and not afraid to take risks and embrace change. Let’s take a look at how a veteran teacher stretched herself to incorporate more AAC into her classroom. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: AAC IN THE CLASSROOM My... [Read More...]
October 31, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
We are pleased to have a return visit from special educators Lauren Pawlowski and Amy Devin with ideas for supporting AAC learners in the classroom. Amy and Lauren, who work in the public school system in Michigan, taught in resource rooms for years and have been teaching in self‐contained ASD elementary classrooms since 2009. At that time, there were few classrooms who were integrating core language instruction, but they didn’t let that stop them. Currently, they use manual communication boards, large instructional core boards, and individual AAC devices with their students. They are passionate literacy teachers and, in today’s post, tell us about their approach to shared reading lessons. Their video is chock full of tips to help you make these lessons successful. Enjoy! Shared Reading: It’s Not What They Know, It’s What They THINK! Happy Fall AAC users and facilitators! This month we would like to share some of our tips for... [Read More...]
August 8, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Here in the US, many SLPs who work in educational settings are getting ready to head back to school. In today’s post, we hear from Elizabeth Levy, an SLP at Wasatch County School District in Utah. Elizabeth, who earned her Bachelors and Master’s degrees from Towson University in Maryland, worked in early intervention for several years before joining the team at Midway Elementary two years ago. She has always had a passion for working with children who are nonverbal and require AAC, and is a member of ASHA’s Special Interest Group 12 (AAC). She also serves as part of her district’s AT team. In this post, Elizabeth shares a little bit about how she used the summer to gear up for an initiative to provide additional AAC support for students with significant learning challenges. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: This year, with a new team, I have a great opportunity to go big and... [Read More...]
June 10, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Have you been following our series on using Stepping Into AAC as an on-ramp to start an AAC journey or reboot one that has stalled out? Post 1 – A PrAACtical Guide to Stepping into AAC Post 2 – Starting a Journey with Stepping into AAC Post 3 – Building a Foundation with Stepping into AAC (Weeks 2-5) In today’s post, we step away from some of the foundational concepts and early practices in AAC to take a little detour. Up until now, we’ve focused on using a communication board with generic high-frequency words that align with popular AAC programs such as Proloquo, Wordpower, Project Core, and others. For the next three weeks, we will focus on ways to customize these communication boards to better meet the needs of individual AAC learners. Week 6 – Adding words that are relevant to your AAC learner During Week 6, you’ll learn... [Read More...]
June 3, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Ready to continue your Stepping into AAC journey? Now that you have your communication board (or an AAC device), we can dive into some of the key information you’ll need to support a beginning AAC user. Over the next four weeks, you’ll build or strengthen a foundation of critical AAC concepts. More importantly, you’ll begin daily use of AAC with quick and easy hands-on activities. Here’s what to expect. Target words for Weeks 2-5: different, go, good, like, look, me, not, some, stop, want Hands-on activities: Try your best to complete the 5 daily activities, each of which takes less than 10 minutes. While they are short and simple, these AACtion steps guide you in building the new habits of AAC use that will help your AAC learner be successful. Each day, you will be interacting with your communication board (or AAC device, if you have one) to Find, Look,... [Read More...]
May 23, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome back to our series on using the Stepping Into AAC program materials, a self-study program for families seeking to learn about and begin using AAC with their child, teen, or adult. In today’s post, we explore some of the things to do in preparation for starting an AAC journey and move into the first week of AAC learning activities. As you begin your Stepping Into AAC journey, there are 3 main things to do. Think about how you will organize your AAC learning materials and make a plan for incorporating AAC into your life. Starting in Week 1, you’ll do hands-on learning with your communication board (or device/app), watch informational videos, and read through documents. Prepare to select a communication board to use throughout this program. LINK to coom boards If you’re unsure of which one to use, don’t let that stop you. We’ll give you some guidance on... [Read More...]
May 19, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. We have some posts that you might enjoy. Monday – PrAACtical Groups: AAC Let’s Have a Weekly Social Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Eyegaze & ALS Thursday – A PrAACtical Guide to Stepping into AAC ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: While you’re at it, here are some previous posts that may be of interest. Helping Beginning Communicators Expand Their Sentence Length 5 Ways to Make Semantic Maps More Effective in AAC Therapy PrAACtical Questions with Vicki Clarke: What’s the Role of Core Vocabulary? Communication Boards: Colorful Considerations Zooming, Masking, Distancing, & More: AAC-friendly Resources for Managing Coronavirus Challenges Let Me Tell You Something- Narratives for the Beginning Communicator
May 16, 2024
by Carole Zangari -
Parents of children, teens, and adults who are learning to use AAC often find themselves in need of more support than they typically receive. Today, we are excited to launch a new series that addresses this need. This series is built around a unique collaboration between PrAACtical AAC and the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF), bringing together our expertise to create a set of training materials that caregivers can use to build an AAC presence in their lives or expand its use in daily living situations. These materials are now available on both of our websites, ready to empower and support you in your AAC journey. In today’s post, you’ll learn about the Stepping Into AAC program and how to access the materials. Future posts will focus on the implementation of AAC by families who want to enhance communication at home and in the community. Who is the target audience for... [Read More...]