842 Search Results for core vocabulary

AAC in Secondary School: 5 AACtionable Steps to Support the Transition Process

April 5, 2021 by - Leave your thoughts

AAC in Secondary School: 5 AACtionable Steps to Support the Transition Process

We’re back with another post in our series focusing on supporting students to use AAC during their high school years. AAC SLP Ashley Larisey, an SLP at Community High School District 218 in Oak Lawn, Illinois, is here to discuss ways to support students who use AAC as they prepare to transition out of school. Ashley, who is also an Adjunct Clinical Supervisor and Instructor at Saint Xavier University, has some prAACtical suggestions that will be of interest to SLPs, OTs, teachers, and parents alike. Enjoy! 5 AACtionable Steps to Support the Transition Process Do you have a student on your caseload who uses AAC and will be aging out of special education services soon? This can be an incredibly exciting time, but it can also be full of feelings of uncertainty. Hopefully, we have put in a lot of time and effort into supporting AAC users, their families, and... [Read More...]

Video of the Week: Language Learning AACtivities

March 17, 2021 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Language Learning AACtivities

Looking for brief activities to build language? Today, we happily share these short videos from AAC SLP Maggie Judson. Maggie is a co-author of our TELL ME About It series, and always has prAACtical suggestions for ways to engage students in learning new vocabulary and language concepts. Enjoy! Describing Leaves  LAMP Words for Life   TouchChat with WordPower   Compare/Contrast Leaves LAMP Words for Life   TouchChat with WordPower   Pumpkin Describing  TouchChat with WordPower   Tobii Dynavox Snap Core First   You can see more of Maggie’s work here: Teachers Pay Teachers https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bookish-Slp  Boom Learning https://wow.boomlearning.com/store/authorId/Nd7amc36zQyizWurG/?collection=Decks&sort=publishDate&order=-1  Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBookishSLP  Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the.bookish.slp/   

PrAACtically Valentine’s Day: AAC-friendly Activities and Resources

February 11, 2021 by - Leave your thoughts

PrAACtically Valentine’s Day: AAC-friendly Activities and Resources

Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love and romance, is just around the corner. We’re keeping up the tradition of sharing ideas for an AAC-friendly holiday so that you can focus your attention on the supportive strategies that facilitate AAC learning. Take a look. Have fun with this animated PowerPoint poem, 5 Little Valentines, from Bloom.   Print and send these Valentine’s Day cards from CoughDrop   Valentine’s Day Is Here: Enjoy a video sing along with the Swingset Mamas Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR2S1AanFmFOY-W42JGdsuloRizrpmEE9e-YcrqU_Aqmo4McFJpqRfDnokY&v=Rbtgl9n3mJg&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=Swingsetmamas Supporting someone in a virtual platform? Check out these Boom cards From Beautiful Speech Life: I LIKE Activity   From Welcome to Words: Cupid, Cupid, What Do You See?   Make a bracelet with Valentine’s Day vocabulary and print out fun gift tags with this packet from The Alternative Way to PreK   Style it up with this Valentine-themed bracelet from The AAC for ALL Read... [Read More...]

PrAACtically Martin Luther King, Jr Day

January 14, 2021 by - Leave your thoughts

PrAACtically Martin Luther King, Jr Day

It’s a good day to expand our resource toolkit. Here are some links to explore if you’re looking to integrate AAC and language learning with content about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King Jr Song (Video) Martin Luther King Jr BrainPop Video & Activities Martin Luther King Jr Reader Make a Mini Book: Martin Luther King Jr Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Mini Unit Martin Luther King Jr Close Reading Comprehension Passages Martin Luther King Jr Flipbook Martin Luther King Jr Activities on Google Slides I Have a Dream Activity & Printable Martin Luther King Jr Acts of Kindness and Justice Martin Luther King Jr: Venn Diagram: Great for practice of core and fringe vocabulary, as well as information-giving (e.g., name, birthday) and comparing/contrasting Martin Luther King Jr I Have a Dream Speech: Wonderful for older learners and those focused on Tier 2 vocabulary, more complex sentences, main idea,... [Read More...]

Dreams of an AAC Christmas

December 24, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts

Dreams of an AAC Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town Not a creature was stirring, they were all safe and sound. The stockings were hung by their chimneys with care, In hopes that AAC Elves would soon visit there. The teachers were nestled all snug in their beds, With visions of lesson plans banished from their heads. The therapists with data sheets and the strategies they love best, Had just settled in for a good winter-break rest. When outside the schoolyard, there arose such a clatter I rushed toward the window to see what was the matter. Stepping on Legos (does that pain ever fade?) I ran to the window and lifted the shade. With her silvery face, the moon shone from the night sky, Illuminating the landscape from her perch way up high. And what to my sleep-deprived eyes should appear But an accessible sleigh, and 8 AT reindeer.... [Read More...]

AAC Resources: A Look at Google Action Blocks

November 12, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts

AAC Resources: A Look at Google Action Blocks

We’re always excited to see innovations in assistive technology and AAC, and today, we welcome Charlie Danger of The Children’s Trust to tell us about one of them. Charlie is an OT and ATP who has been working with people with disabilities for over 20 years. In this post, he introduces us to Google Action Blocks and discusses some of the ways it can benefit those with AAC needs. A Look at Google Action Blocks When most of us consider the use of modern portable devices as communication aids we’re likely to refer to iPads running popular apps such as LAMP Words for Life or Proloquo2go. It is relatively rare that people first consider Android AAC apps, most likely because there are so few of them. Android Worldwide, Android devices outsell Apple by a factor of 3 to 1. In South America and Asia this is as high as 10... [Read More...]

How I Do It: Functional Ideas for AAC Use at Home

October 22, 2020 by - 1 Comment

How I Do It: Functional Ideas for AAC Use at Home

Speech-language pathologists who serve individuals with complex communication generally have less time than they’d like to support families in implementing AAC at home. In today’s post, guest author Jesse Kleinman shares her ideas for using functional activities to support AAC learning. As an SLP in Brooklyn New York, she provides in-person and remote therapy to students with AAC needs. Enjoy! ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: How I Do It: Functional Ideas for AAC Use at Home During this time, we have all been spending a lot of time at home to stay safe. It has been a trying time in these past couple of months, but as therapists, we are always adapting. As a speech-language pathologist, I was thrown into the world of teletherapy for about 6 months, and I’m now doing a hybrid approach where I see some of my students in person and others remotely. I’ve been seeing a majority of my... [Read More...]

How I Do It: Supporting Spanish-speaking AAC Learners

October 19, 2020 by - Leave your thoughts

How I Do It: Supporting Spanish-speaking AAC Learners

We’ve been on a mission to add our support to the population of AAC users from Spanish-speaking communities, so when AAC SLP Deanna Wagner shared this piece she wrote on strengthening her Spanish language skills, we knew we wanted to share it. Here in the US, where speaking a second language isn’t as highly valued as it should be, many professionals struggle to become confident in languages other than English. In this post, Deanna shares her tips for strengthening her Spanish so that she can better serve the families she supports. In addition, she provides a helpful table of AAC apps that are available in Spanish that you won’t want to miss. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Building Spanish Language Skills As an AT professional who supports families who speak Spanish at home, I am always looking for ways to brush up on my AAC vocabulary and Spanish terminology.  I am not a native... [Read More...]

Growing AAC Professionals: AAC-friendly Books

September 3, 2020 by - 1 Comment

Growing AAC Professionals: AAC-friendly Books

Today, we welcome back Vicki Haddix to these pages. Vicki is an AAC SLP who has had a variety of experiences and is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis. She joins us periodically to share some of the fine work that her graduate students. In today’s post, Vicki shares the work of students who created AAC-friendly books and other resources on important topics, like water safety.  You can learn more from Vicki and her students here. Make sure to check out the link at the bottom to access the full array of materials that these talented students created. Enjoy! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: As a professor, it’s always exciting when you see the great work that graduate students are doing and think about the potential that they are bringing to the field. I’ve taught the AAC class at the University of Memphis’s SLP graduate program for 5 spring semesters.... [Read More...]

AAC Implementation from a ‘Communication World’ Perspective

July 16, 2020 by - 1 Comment

AAC Implementation from a 'Communication World' Perspective

AAC SLPs are a creative bunch and would do anything to help teams get on board with appropriate supports and services. In today’s post, we hear from Elena Feder, who introduces us to the ‘Communication World’ approach. Elena is an AAC SLP at the New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Center in Connecticut and has a lot to share about AAC implementation. Don’t miss the wonderful planning tool that she shares at the end. Before we get to that, though, take a look at the AAC Summer Bash that she runs with her colleague and fellow SLP Sarah Brink. In normal times, this is a face-to-face experience but due to the novel coronavirus, it has migrated to an online event. There are a few other things that you might like to know about the AAC Summer Bash. It’s free! You’re invited! You must register by July 17th. The AAC Summer Bash... [Read More...]