823 Search Results for core vocabulary
July 16, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
In Robin’s honor, we revisit some of her most popular posts. Please share them with people who might find them helpful. Beyond Requesting: Let’s Chat with Peers Begin AAC Now: 10 Things to Do AAC Must-Have’s for the Classroom and Therapy Room The First 12: Getting Started with Core Words Literacy For Everyone with Adapted Books Beyond Requesting: Using Scripts to Teach Conversation AAC Goals That Matter Creating Communication Boards: There are Lot of Apps for That! Join Together: Core and Fringe Vocabulary 30 Ways to Celebrate Autism Awareness Month
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...]
February 2, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
The ATIA 2015 Conference was one of the best ever, with strong presentations, a vibrant exhibit area, lots of fun social events, and great networking opportunities. There were lots of highlights, but here are a few prAACtical ‘finds’ that might interest you. Spanish version of Word Power: The language options for AAC devices and apps keeps getting better and better! I love that you can purchase the Spanish pageset/voices, then configure Word Power so that the user can toggle back and forth between English and Spanish user profiles. Once configured, your client can independently go from English to Spanish words, phrases, grammar, and voices (and vice versa). This will help our prAACtical friends who speak English in school and Spanish at home. I explored it on the Nova Chat from Saltillo but there is also a Spanish add-on to the TouchChat app. Book Bridge: We’re all looking for better ways to make... [Read More...]
October 17, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
“I don’t want to go now. I’m tired.” “Can you be quiet? I don’t feel well.” “My ear is throbbing.” “I have a such a headache.” “Don’t take me in the car. My stomach’s upset.” Imagine not being able to manage these symptoms or even say these things to get someone to help you. Good SLPs get input from families during the goal-setting process. Often, families indicate that they want their son/daughter to be able to let them know when they are sick or in pain. This makes sense, of course, but it isn’t an easy skill set to build. Here are some things that have worked for us. Make sure the right vocabulary is there: Body parts, feelings, words related to injury or illness, modifiers to tell how much, locatives to tell where. How can we expect AAC learners to communicate when they are unwell if we don’t provide... [Read More...]
July 18, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
Today we are revisiting some of Robin’s most popular posts. 30 Ways to Celebrate Autism Awareness Month AAC Must-Have’s for the Classroom and Therapy Room The First 12: Getting Started with Core Words Literacy For Everyone with Adapted Books Beyond Requesting: Using Scripts to Teach Conversation AAC Goals That Matter Creating Communication Boards: There are Lot of Apps for That! Join Together: Core and Fringe Vocabulary Beyond Requesting: Let’s Chat with Peers Begin AAC Now: 10 Things to Do
April 15, 2014
by Carole Zangari -
It’s spring where we live and that means that many of our prAACtical friends are itching to get outdoors. Whether we’re going for a walk, checking out a park, and lingering on the playground there are plenty of activities that provide a good excuse for some AAC practice that’s functional and fun. Here are a few ideas for things to model (using aided language input, if you’re with a beginning communicators) and elicit. Keep in mind that some AAC learners will benefit from additional support to help them generalize skills used well in therapy rooms and classrooms to the great outdoors. Where should we go? Making choices and giving directions for specific locations using core and fringe words (e.g., go there, on swings, under tree) How should we move? Good opportunity to to practice verbs and descriptors (e.g., go, jump, walk, fast, slow, big, little). Practice or introduce higher level... [Read More...]
January 16, 2014
by Robin Parker -
As times goes on in the academic year, we often think that everyone knows their schedules. But remember, knowing and seeing are two completely different things. For this Throwback Thursday, we wanted to go over visual schedules of all types to remind ourselves not to back off with schedules (all types) even if it seems everyone is transitioning well and knows their schedules. We wouldn’t want anyone to take away our day planner…. even when we knew our schedule. What’s the Connection- Core Words & Schedules Visual Schedules 411 Get Organized for the New Year: 5 Visual Schedule Apps Schedule Changes A Myth About Visual Schedules A PrAACtical Myth Lives On.. Again Visual Schedule Myths Live On and On… Power of the Visual Planner Schedules and Choices Riddle Me This AAC at Home: Visual Schedules and Supports Building Complex Schedules Ideas for Teaching the Use of Schedules PrAACtical Mini-Schedules Video... [Read More...]
January 13, 2014
by Robin Parker -
Planning for communication opportunities in every aspect of speech-language therapy helps ensure productive use of time and effort for both clinician and learner. It is not enough to talk to a student, it is not enough to provide fun activities without lots of opportunity for active participation and more specifically communication initiation. Another word for communication initiation/opportunities is communication temptations. Communication temptations are structured situations designed to entice a variety of specific communication functions or semantic relations (Wetherby, 1988). There needs to be lots of times where there is targeted modeling and then a specific, obvious reason for the learner to be the initiator of communication. A temptation to communicate. Take a look at this sample therapy session for frequent and multiple communication opportunities. Please let us know a favorite or creative communication opportunity that you use. PrAACtical Considerations Meaningful AAC Goals– All quality speech-language intervention sessions start with meaningful... [Read More...]
December 31, 2013
by Robin Parker -
It is just about 2014. Hard to believe another year is finished and we are moving on once again. Our wishes for 2014 are for ALL Learners to have access to: Aided Language Input Communication Displays that meet their needs Role Models Presumed Competence Core Word Instruction Fringe Word Instruction Friends Many Meaningful Language Experiences Frequent Communication Opportunities Fun Learning Our Wishes for ALL SLP’s and Educators to have access to: An Exciting and Stimulating Personal Learning Network (PLN) Appropriate Goals and Strategies Meaningful Language Experiences Role Models Laminator and Laminator Materials Literacy Materials Core Word Highlighter Tools, Page Fluffers & Spacers, Apps for Learning Language An AAC Philosophy Fun Teaching