Language Experience Surveys: 3 Ideas for AAC Implementation

Language experience surveys are versatile tools with considerable applicability to AAC learning. These involve creating an informal survey based on a single question that was selected specifically to support communicative development. They can be used to give AAC learners more opportunities to learn from others in focused and specific ways. They also offer ample opportunities to practice emerging skills and generalize those skills from the therapy space or classroom to real-world contexts. You can learn more about them here.

How can we use language experience surveys in our AAC work? Here are a few ideas.

1. Introduce new words or concepts: We often precede direct instruction on a new word or concept with experiences that provide exposure to those. Using a language experience survey can be a powerful way to introduce AAC learners to a new vocabulary word in ways that are engaging, enjoyable, and memorable.
   • Examples: “Can you tell me about a time when you ___-ed?” “What’s the best/worst ___ you ever saw/had?” “Did you ever ___? Tell me about that.” “How would you describe ___?” 
2. Practice using alternative access skills: It takes us months or years to develop certain motor skills, even when no disability is present. Think about how the handwriting changes between first and fourth grades to get a sense of this. When someone with complex communication needs is unable to point/touch to select messages on an AAC device, it can take tremendous effort and a great deal of time to learn to be effective with alternative access strategies like 2-switch scanning or eye gaze. At the beginning, there is a lot of practice either alone or with very familiar communication partners. Later in the process, language experience surveys can be helpful in giving AAC learners an opportunity to use these emerging skills with a variety of communication partners. 
3. Become more fluent with core vocabulary they don’t use often: Do you work with AAC learners who use core words quite often but neglect many others that they know? We can help them become more fluent with those words by offering extra opportunities for practice. Keep it engaging and contextually relevant with activities like language experience surveys.
   • Examples: “What are SOME of your favorite movies?” “What CAN you do now that you could NOT do last year?” “HOW did you meet your partner?” “What would you do IF you won the lottery?”

If you haven’t used language experience surveys in a while, this may be the week to get creative and incorporate them into your AAC teaching. And if you stumble onto ideas that the rest of us might appreciate, come back and tell us about them.