Between the start of new semester, conferences, and a bit of crazy weather, January has been a busy month. Here are a few posts from our prAACtical week that may be of interest. Monday – AAC and the IEP: 5 Resources to Explore Wednesday – Video of the Week: Helping Learners Build Self Regulation Skills Thursday – PrAACtically February: Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
Here are some posts that you may have missed in your busy week. Monday – PrAACtically Reading: A House for Hermit Crab Tuesday – PrAACtical Ideas: AAC Core Vocabulary Practice for Workshop and Inservice Training Thursday – Video of the Week: Documenting AT in the IEP Thanks for all you do to support children and adults with little or no functional speech.
Storybook reading is rich with potential for building AAC, language, and literacy skills. An added bonus: It’s an activity that educators, therapists, and families can all use and enjoy. In this post, we explore ways to use A House for Hermit Crab, by Eric Carle, for AAC and language learning. Key Instructional Strategies Having an engaging book gives us a good start on the lesson, but the learning comes from the interaction. Shared reading can be done in therapy one-on-one or as a group in class. Either way, the adult leading the activity will need to be well-versed in instructional strategies that facilitate AAC learning. These include: Aided language input RAAP Feedback Goal Areas: Language and Communication There are lots and lots of ways to use this book for literacy learning, but in this post we’ll focus more on the development of communication and language skills. Here are some goal... [Read More...]
The New Year is a perfect time to give your clinical and educational practices a boost of AAC. Here are some posts from the past week that may be useful. Monday – 5 Suggestions for Punching Up the AAC in the New Year Tuesday – Teach Me Tuesday: AlphaCore Wednesday – January Core Vocabulary Calendar by Rachael Langley Thursday – Video of the Week: Developing an AT Implementation Plan Thanks for all you do to support children and adults with little or no functional speech.
Gianna’s teacher uses a visual schedule app successfully in the classroom to support comprehension and reduce problem behaviors. Although she’s shared the strategy and the app with the SLP and OT, neither one consistently use the visual schedule app in their sessions with this student. Jordan’s SLP does her best to use aided language input to provide a competent model of linguistic expression using his SGD when she pushes in to provide services in the classroom. Once she’s gone, classroom staff rarely implement that strategy or create opportunities for Jordan to use the SGD at other times during the school day. Evan’s parents have made an enormous investment in learning about AAC and modeling core words at home to help their son develop stronger skills with his AAC app. They do their best to follow along with the Year of Core Vocabulary Words approach, and are understandably dismayed when the... [Read More...]
The New Year is a perfect time to give your clinical and educational practices a boost of AAC. Here are some posts from the week to get you started. Monday – Ready/Not Ready: 5 Visual Supports for AAC Learners Tuesday – PrAACtically January: Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary Words Wednesday – Video of the Week: Using Structure to Minimize Behavioral Challenges Thursday – The Most Popular AAC Posts of 2015 Thanks for all you do to support children and adults with little or no functional speech.
Goodbye, December! Before we turn the calendar page, here are some of the most popular posts of 2015. Many thanks to Lauren Enders, Rachael Langley, and all of our guest bloggers for being so generous with their time and expertise. I couldn’t do it without you!! 5 Great Resources for Pre-Made Communication Boards How I Do It: Writing IEP Goals for Students Who Use AAC with Lauren Enders How I Do It by Rachael Langley – PODD in the Classroom: Portable, Wearable, & Comfortable How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder Core Samples Teaching Core Vocabulary A Year of Core Vocabulary Words Pivotal Skills for AAC Intervention: Aided Language Input Literacy for Everyone with Adapted Books Communication Boards: Colorful Considerations 30 Ways to Celebrate Autism Awareness Month
Monday – Supporting Language Growth in AAC Learners: Part 3 Tuesday – PrAACtical Resources: High Contrast Core Communication Board Wednesday – Video of the Week: Engineering Environments to Support AAC Thursday – 5 Presentation Handouts on AAC and Literacy
Monday – PrAACtically December: A Year of Core Words Tuesday – Site of the Month: Patient Provider Communication Wednesday – Video of the Week: Communication Access as a Social Justice Issue
Gabriella doesn’t seem to notice what her teachers and peers are doing in the classroom. When offered a choice of toys, she seems to reach for one rather randomly, has little interest in the one she chose, and knocks it to the floor after 30 seconds. Elliot is assertive in greeting visitors to his classroom, and eagerly leads them around the room, vocalizing excitedly as he shows them around. When he needs help with a toy or material, he hands it to an adult with clear intent and expectation. He’s not using actual words just yet, and his interest in PECS has been limited. Alyssa uses a communication board to make requests and answer questions, but only with a lot of prompting. She uses single symbol utterances in planned communication opportunities during a few activities during the school day. Team members have observed spontaneous use of her AAC tools a... [Read More...]