PrAACtical AAC Goals

We can not say enough about writing AAC goals that are meaningful to the AAC user, but sometimes this is easier said than done.  During discussions in a graduate seminar class, it was apparent that goal writing is not necessarily intuitive or even specifically taught.  Goals are also the foundation behind any toy, app, or materials we use to set the stage for meaningful language experiences. Sample goals can serve as inspiration to develop specific, measurable, individualized AAC goals.

For comprehensive information on a range of AAC goals, check out our PrAACtical Goals That Matter or How I Do It- AAC in the IEP by Lauren Enders.   But to get started,   here are some selected expressive language goals written AAC style.

Expressive Language

Using Prestored Messages (i.e., multiple words/sentences on one cell/button; E.g., a button with “I want music”)

1. Request a turn using prestored messages (e.g., “Hey, don’t forget me! I want a turn.”)

2. Request desired objects/actions using prestored messages (e.g., “Turn the page, please” or “I want more”)

3. Protest (or reject) undesired objects/actions/activities using prestored messages (e.g., “No, thank you. I don’t like that.”)

4. Gain attention using prestored messages (e.g., “Excuse me. I need you for a minute.” “Look at this!”)

5. Express a repeated line in a book, chant, or song (e.g., “All around the town!” “Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere”)

6. Use greetings appropriate to the context (e.g., “Hello” “See you later”)

7. Show off (e.g., “Look at me!” “I made it.”)

8. Make a contextually-appropriate comment (e.g., “That’s just crazy!”)

9. Tell about a prior or planned event (e.g., “We played Hungry Hippos in speech today!” “Jenna’s class is having a pizza party on Friday.”)

10. Tell a personal narrative (Note: this can be prestored in one cell/button or distributed across several)

11. Retell a story or event (Note: this can be prestored in one cell/button or distributed across several)

12. Ask a question (e.g., “What’s that?” “What do you think?”)

13. Express agreement or disagreement (e.g., “That’s right.” “I don’t think so.”)

14. Give directions (e.g., “Red Group, line up” “Put it in my backpack, please.”)

15. Use interjections (e.g., “Awesome job!” “No way!” “Wow! That’s crazy!”

16. Use introductory messages (e.g., “Hi. How are you?” “Good to see you”)

17. Use continuers (e.g., “I see.” “Hmm. That’s interesting.” “Okay”)

18. Using termination messages (e.g. “Okay, see you later.” “I gotta run.”)

19. Provide partner instructions (e.g., “It’s going to take me a minute. Please hang with me.” “Say each word as I point to it. If you’re wrong, I’ll shake my head and show you the right one.” “Ask me yes/no questions.”

Using Single Words That Can be Combined into Sentences (i.e., 1 word per cell/button; e.g. I+want+music=”I want music”)

20. Given an array of preferred activities/objects/people, request a desired activity/object

21. Given a field of ___ to ___  options (some preferred, some non-preferred), choose a preferred object/activity/person

22. Request recurrence with single words (e.g., “more,” “again”) or short sentences (e.g., “more tickle,” “Read it again.”)

23. Use short sentences to request preferred objects, actions/activities, or people

24. Use short sentences to request help or attention

25. Use short sentences to protest or reject undesired objects, actions/activities, or people

26. Use contextually-appropriate action + object sentences (or agent + action + object sentences)

27. Use contextually-appropriate agent + action sentences

28. Use contextually-appropriate action + modifier sentences

29. Use contextually-appropriate descriptors/modifiers/attributes in sentences

30. Use contextually-appropriate prepositions and locatives in sentences

31. Use subject pronouns correctly (e.g., (I, you, we, it)

32. Use object pronouns correctly (e.g., me, her, us, them)

33. Use indefinite pronouns correctly (e.g., all, another, someone, anybody)

34. Use time-related words(e.g., ‘yesterday’, ‘now’, ‘soon’, ‘later’)

35. Ask  relevant ‘What’ questions or ‘What doing’ questions

36. Ask relevant ‘Where’ questions

37. Ask relevant ‘When’  questions

38. Ask relevant ‘Why’ questions

39. Ask relevant ‘How’ questions

40. Request clarification (e.g., “Can you explain?”“Huh?” “What did you say?”)

41. Ask relevant partner-focused questions (e.g., “What do you think?” “How was your weekend?” “What’s new?”)

42. Use adjectives correctly to modify nouns based on color, size, amount, shape, and temperature (e.g., warm, tiny, bright, round)

43. Use adjectives and adverbs correctly to modify nouns based/verbs on distance and time (e.g., far, sometimes, early, never, short, always, immediately)

44. Respond to ‘What’ and ‘What doing’ questions with appropriate answers

45. Respond to ‘Where’ questions with appropriate answers

46. Respond to ‘When’ questions with appropriate answers

47. Respond to ‘Why’ questions with appropriate answers

48. Respond to ‘How’ questions with appropriate answers

49. Respond to ‘yes/no’ questions to denote choice

50. Respond to ‘yes/no’ questions to provide information

51. Tell or retell a story with ____ number of critical elements

52. Take several turns in a conversation

53. Construct utterances about future events

54. Construct utterances about current events

55. Construct utterances about past events

56. Use non-literal language (idioms, figurative language) appropriately

57. Request an explanation or elaboration

58. Use existing vocabulary to describe new word/concept

59. Use at least __ new words per week

60. Use correct morphological endings for verb conjugations and tenses (e.g., I am, you are; I am, I was)

61. Use modal and auxiliary verbs (e.g., could, would, may, might) correctly

62. Use words to indicate spatial locations (e.g., in, on, over, above) correctly

63. Use words to indicated spatial relationships (e.g., with, next to, between, among ) correctly

64. Use coordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, for, but, or) correctly

65. Use subordinating conjunctions (e.g., because, while, though, since, after, although)correctly

66. Initiate interaction

67. Respond appropriately to partner-initiated communication

68. Maintain conversations with acknowledgements (‘Cool,” “So interesting”)

69. Maintain conversations by providing new information about the topic

70. Re-direct the topic of conversation using cohesive messages (e.g., “That reminds me of…” “I forgot to tell you about…” “I remember…” “Another thing that…”)

71. Use topic setters to alert partner of the topic/subject

72. Terminate conversation using socially-appropriate language

73. Complain or vent about a situation

74. Use polite social forms (i.e, “please”, “thank you”)

75. Compliment others about concrete attributes (e.g., “I like your hair.” “Nice dress”) or abstract characteristics (e.g., “You’re so nice!” “That was a smart thing to ask.”)

76. Respond  to requests for clarification by rephrasing misunderstood messages

77. Respond to requests for clarification by repeating misunderstood messages

78. Tell appropriate jokes or humorous anecdotes in social interactions

79. Provide relevant reasons and rationales

80. Convince or persuade with logical reasoning