1056 Search Results for Core
May 11, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Better Hearing and Speech Month is in full swing and we are excited to see SLPs talking about tools and strategies for supporting people with AAC needs. Many individuals with AAC needs have difficulty using language in expected ways, particularly in social interactions. In this post, we welcome back guest authors Jill Senner and Matthew Baud to discuss ways in which they target pragmatic language in their clinical work. They have a prAACtical approach to this subject and are generous in sharing AAC resources, including vocabulary/pagesets for some popular AAC apps/SGDs. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Chat with Me: Pragmatic Skill Intervention in AAC with Jill E Senner, PhD, CCC-SLP & Matthew R. Baud, MS, CCC-SLP Pragmatic skills, commonly referred to as social skills, play an important role in the successful integration of individuals with disabilities. People with disabilities need adequate social skills to live and be educated in the least restrictive environment, to be... [Read More...]
May 10, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Better Hearing and Speech Month (#BHSM) is all about reaching out and advocating for access to communication supports. As professionals, advocacy is part of our core roles, though we generally struggle with finding the time to do as much as we’d like to. Few of us, however, have the opportunity to speak about behalf of AAC on the floor of the United States Senate. In today’s post, we share the recording of Rick Creech, lifelong user of AAC, speaking to the Special Committee on Aging. In the first part, we hear Rick’s prepared remarks to the Senate. Rick takes questions from the committee in the second video. Aging Without Community: The Consequences of Isolation and Loneliness Rick Answers Senators’ Questions
May 8, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Where can I go to get AAC-friendly resources for preschool children? Join us as we explore the Wiki sharing space by the Exceptional Student Education Program of Orange County Public Schools in the Orlando, Florida area. Over the years, their AT team and others have compiled an impressive group of materials that can be used by teachers, therapists, and parents. You can see guest posts on Essential Tricks for Supporting AAC in Schools by some of the team here and here. In this post, we feature one of their webpages that is used for resource sharing. Many of the files are in Boardmaker format, but there are also some in Word and PDF document formats. Most of the resources are available from the menu on main page (click here). Highlights from this site include: Unit-based Resources (including classroom and therapy materials, parent letter, & more) are accessible from the main page Me &... [Read More...]
April 30, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Just when it is time to say goodbye to April and wrap up Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, we have another reason to celebrate. May is Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM), and that gives us a powerful opportunity to spread the word about supporting people who use AAC. Stay tuned for BHSM ideas and resources. In the meantime, though, why not catch up on some of last week’s posts? Monday: Using Adapted Books with AAC Learners: 3 Important Questions to Ask Wednesday: Video of the Week: AACtually Communicating Thursday: PrAACtically May: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
April 19, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Having trouble getting AAC integrated throughout the classroom day? Veteran SLP Maureen Castillo took a creative approach to this common problem in the classrooms she supports. In this video, she discusses a project she created to foster AAC learning and use in the context of literacy activities. Learn how she combines the teaching of core vocabulary and Dolch sight words using aided language input, peer modeling, anchor books, and more. The video was made possible by Saltillo and is part of their free webinar series. Many thanks to Maureen and to Saltillo for making this available. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQ3QlBg0hs
April 9, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends. Here are some posts you may have missed. Monday: 5 Misconceptions About Core Vocabulary in AAC Wednesday: Video of the Week: From Presence to Contribution – A Family’s Journey Towards an Inclusive Life Thursday: PrAACtical Resources: Behavioral Supports for Young Children
April 2, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
The start of April is always a busy time. We launched Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month by learning more about how to differentiate instruction in ways that let kids with autism and other communication challenges grow and shine. Thanks, Phyl Macomber and UM-NSU CARD for a great day of learning and connecting! Hope your start to the month was equally enriching. Monday: PrAACtically April: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Words Tuesday: PrAACtical Alert: AAC App News (Throughout the month, we’ll keep updating this with news of AAC app discounts and other sales on autism-related materials). Wednesday: PrAACtically April: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Words Thursday: 30 Ways to Support Autism Awareness & Acceptance Month
March 28, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
NOTE: Scroll down for the latest update on AAC app discounts and other sales. —————————————- Many of you know the work of Pennsylvania-based SLP Lauren Enders, whose contributions here and on Pinterest, Facebook, and other social media have been invaluable in our clinical and educational work. Lauren does a terrific job of identifying AAC, AT, and related resources and goes the extra mile in sharing them with others. Today, we feature a graphic that she developed to alert us of AAC apps that are discounted in support of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month in the US app store. The discounts may be available in other areas as well. The graphic is not interactive so if you wish to purchase an app, you’ll need to visit the iTunes App Store and search for the app you’re interested in or visit the company’s website. OR you can scroll down to the bottom... [Read More...]
March 26, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
It’s hard to believe that March is almost over! Anyone else busy planning for Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month? In the meantime, here are a few posts from last week. Monday: Using Metaphors to Support Vocabulary Teaching Wednesday: Video of the Week: Make a Core Vocabulary Folder Thursday: How I Do It: Addressing the 4 Most Overlooked Operational Skills for High-Tech AAC Users
March 23, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Like many of you, the best part of the work week is when I get to teach language. As amazing as it is to help people with AAC needs become more linguistically competent, we have to be sure not to shortchange some of the operational skills that allow AAC learners to be successful. In this post, SLP Rachel Madel helps us think about supporting the development of operational competence in our AAC learners. The 4 Most Overlooked Operational Skills for High-Tech AAC Users When I first began helping children use high-tech AAC systems, I focused all of my energy on building strong communicators who could navigate through complex systems and use powerful language. I quickly realized that if I wanted to optimize the use of AAC I also needed to teach my students the mechanics of the machines they were using. Once I began teaching basic operational skills, I noticed... [Read More...]