1056 Search Results for Core
April 23, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
While we may play a variety of roles, a commonality among those of us on teams serving individuals with AAC needs is that we often struggle with developing goals that are meaningful. Let’s work together to develop a list of potential goals that we can reflect on as we work with our clients and their families on a plan for becoming more competent communicators. There are two sections in this post: Qualifiers (for information applying to all goals) and Goal Areas (for actual goals). This is not meant to be a comprehensive list but rather a starting point for a collaborative document. Please join the effort by adding goals in the comment area below or reaching out using our contact form. SECTION 1: QUALIFIERS Each goal can be prefaced with a description of the communicator’s AAC system or the elements of that system can be named. Terms used in this document... [Read More...]
April 19, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Monday – Let’s Read: Getting to the Core of Earth Day Tuesday – Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month: 5 Videos for Kids Wednesday- Hearing Their Voices: Vic Valentic Thursday – AACtual Therapy with Shareka Bentham: Let’s Get Popping!
April 16, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
We are headed to Barbados with this post, to hear how SLP Shareka Bentham and her prAACtical friends are making popcorn and building language skills. You can see Shareka’s earlier posts here. I love the ease and versatility of this activity which could be a fun way for AAC learners to practice core vocabulary with a manual communication board/book, SGD, or PODD book. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I revisited this activity this week and thought that it would be a great one to share. It’s fun, functional and filling! What more do you need? Making popcorn together is not only one of the best group activities I’ve done, it’s also one of the most fun, and interactive AAC activities I’ve done. It’s a chance to learn and use new vocabulary, take turns using the AAC device and to do some requesting and describing. Initially, when I worked on this activity I only used a... [Read More...]
April 6, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
As SLPs, we know a good deal about autism spectrum disorders. Nevertheless, there’s always some new area to explore. Here are some ideas. Learn about and from self-advocates with ASD. Get inspired to learn more about video modeling and self modeling. Enroll in a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on Autism, like this one by Swinburne University of Technology. Learn more about what makes a narrative a social story as opposed to something else by reviewing the guidelines for sentence types. Take a ‘real look’ at a speech-language therapy session where the focus is coaching a family member to build play and interaction skills. Learn more about the neurodiversity and the neurodiversity movement. Share some of the empirical supports for AAC use. Learn more about DSM 5. Take a ‘real look’ at a family whose child has Down Syndrome and autism. Renew your commitment to theoretically sound and empirically supported... [Read More...]
April 5, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Monday – PrAACtically April: A Month of Core Tuesday – Core Vocabulary Resources for April Wednesday – Video of the Week: AAC and ASD Thursday – How I Do It: Making a Back-up for High Tech AAC by Jeanne Tuthill Friday – Beyond World Autism Day
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...]
March 26, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Many of us have worked with learners who have a special interest in trains, but even kids who don’t give trains more than a passing glance still generally love the Toca Train app by Toca Boca. In this post, we welcome back SLPs Nerissa Hall and Hillary Jellison of Communicare, LLC who share how they use Toca Train in their clinical work with young AAC learners. In addition to their prAACtical suggestions, they generously share a train-themed communication board and their data sheet for the phrases that can be targeted in this activity. iPad applications are fun and engaging, and can be a great addition to any clinician’s intervention toolkit. We use iPad applications to engage our learners in play-based activities that address a range of speech, language, and communication goals. One of our learners’ favorite applications is Toca Train; a bright and colorful application that involves a train moving around a track at different speeds, controlled... [Read More...]
March 22, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
Monday: Core Concepts in Core Vocabulary Instruction Tuesday: PrAACtical Questions: “What Should I Program on the AAC Device?” Wednesday: Watch It Wednesday – AAC Goes to the Library Thursday: Make It PrAACtical: Mounting Board for a Walker
March 17, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
“My client has a new SGD and will begin bringing it to school. What words should I program on it?” We are so fortunate to be practicing at a time when the high tech SGDs and robust AAC apps come pre-loaded with lots of vocabulary. Still, when you sit down to prepare the device for an actual client, it can be hard to determine what needs to be there right away and what can wait. You’ll find lots of forms and checklists floating around, some for children and some for adults. There are lots of right ways to do this. In making these decisions, I typically run through a mental checklist of a few categories, thinking both about single words and longer messages. Single Words Core Vocabulary: In most cases, we’ve selected an AAC tool that has ample core words to choose from. Use what you know about normal language development... [Read More...]
March 10, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
It’s green where we live, but even our friends who’ve been battling snow and ice for far too long (!) have been seeing bits of color…IF you count the rainbows and gold-filled pots in their therapy rooms, offices, and classrooms. St. Patrick’s Day can be a fun, playful holiday to celebrate, and there are plenty of thematic materials around to build language and literacy skills. For some learners, acquiring holiday-related vocabulary. like shamrock and leprachaun, makes sense. But for most of the AAC learners with whom we work, the priorities are elsewhere. That’s one reason that I’m delighted to share Karen Natoci’s PrAACtically Reading for March. As always, Karen is incredibly generous in sharing both information and materials (such as her lesson plan and PowerPoint story). What I love most about her post, though, is that it honors the excitement and traditions of the holiday while keeping focused on the goal of building core... [Read More...]