PrAACtically January: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Words

It’s almost time to switch to a new calendar so we’re looking ahead to January and gearing up to model and teach some more core words to our AAC learners. If you have some prep time this week, join us! This is a great time to get the word cards and other materials for the Year of Words (Set 1; Set 2) ready to use with the AAC learners in our lives.

Thanks to the generous spirit of PrAACtical AAC readers we have posts with a variety of resources:

1. Templates for you to plug in your own symbols: Set 1 words, Set 2 words
2. Minspeak/Unity version: Set 1 
3. PCS versions: Set 1, Set 2
4. Speak for Yourself version: Set 2
5. SymbolStix version: Set 1
6. Lesson Pix: Set 1
7. Smarty Symbols: Set 1 words, Set 2 words
8. CoughDrop: Set 1 words; Set 2 words
9. WordPower: Set 1 words (Note: This is a large file that contains the resources for several versions of WordPower)
10. WordPower: Set 2 Words in Symbol Stix and PCS (Both are large files that have sets for different versions of WordPower)

Thanks to Brian Whitmer, Barbara Fernandes, Nancy Inman, Deborah Lesher, Beth Erwin, Bill and Lori Binko, Heidi LoStracco, Alison Wade, Russell Cross, Gail Van Tatenhove, Eric Sailers, Rachael Langley, and others who contributed to this effort.

The Set 1 January words are: again, all gone/all done, different, help, mine, more, not/don’t stop, that, want, what, you

The Set 2 January words are: are, boy, but, clean, house, look, made, open, problem, see, slow, stand, to, wait, when, yes

Eager to get started? We can begin by modeling these words in sentences as we move throughout our day.

Reading is another way to get in some core word practice. Here are some suggestions for books that you provide lots of opportunities to emphasize the January words.

• Herman the Helper by Robert Kraus and Jose Aruego: again, help, that, what, you; are, boy, but, house, look, made, problem, see, slow, to
• A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle Crab: different, mine, not/don’t, want, what, you; are, clean, house, look, see, to, when, yes
• The Mitten by Jan Brett: again, help, more, not/don’t, stop, that, want, what, you; are, boy, but, house, look, made, open, problem, see, to
• More, More, More, Said the Baby by Vera Williams: all done, mine, more, not/don’t, stop, that, want, what; are, boy, but, clean, look, made, open, see, slow, stand, wait,yes
• It’s Mine! by Leo Lionni: again, all gone/all done, different, mine, not/don’t stop, that, want, what, you; are, boy, but, house, look, made, problem, see, to, wait, when
• Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? by Dr. Seuss: different, that, you; boy, look, made, open, see, slow, stand, to, wait, when, yes

Thanks to Rachael Langley, who tirelessly creates these wonderful resources, we have a new calendar of suggested activities to practice January Year of Core Vocabulary Words. Hang it on the fridge, tack it to the bulletin board, send it home in a backpack…let’s talk!

Click here or on the image below to download a copy of the perpetual calendar for Set 1 words.

Need some ideas for how to highlight Set 2 words? Rachael Langley’s calendars are just the thing. The dates are off but the activities are just as relevant as ever.

Looking forward to another AAC-filled year!