AACidental Mentors: 8 Ways AAC Practitioners Can Help Others Grow Their AAC Skills

Though I’ve participated in several of them, the truth is that I have never been a big fan of formal mentorship programs. Whether arranged by an employer or offered by a professional organization, formal mentorship programs just never seem to live up to their promise. 

In my experience, informal mentorships that emerge organically are more appealing and effective. In the field of AAC, there are too few mentors, too many people who need mentorship, and too few opportunities for them to connect. But if we think about mentoring more broadly and characterize it as a learning relationship, solutions start to emerge. 

In the spirit of the holiday season and the feelings of generosity and gratitude that it inspires, we offer a few ideas for how each of us can contribute to the AAC learning and growth of others.

1. Notice the positive. Draw attention to it so that others see those small successes and tiny victories.
2. Teach by example more often than through instructions and directives. 
3. Make your processes explicit. Use the think-aloud strategy as you problem-solve or discuss the way you handled a situation.
4. Foster a growth mentality. 
5. Normalize mistakes and missed opportunities. Talk about your own experiences. It can strengthen others when we share what we did wrong, what happened, how it got resolved (if it did), or how we recovered.
6. Be generous with your time, patience, and resources.
7. Give second, third, and fourth chances.
8. Join the journey. Learn alongside your mentee.

Happy holidays, everyone. Soak up the spirit of the season and spread the support for AAC however you can.