Say THIS, NOT THAT to Reinforce Vocabulary Learning!

Part of TEACHING vocabulary to AAC users (or any learner) involves reinforcement. Reinforcement is more than just facilitating positive self esteem. It is also about providing feedback that will help increase the skill you are trying to teach. It’s even more than  learning specific new words but also about strategies to attack learning  new words outside of the therapy or classroom environment. Below are some examples of ways to make the most of your reinforcement and some ways to NOT.

 🙂 SAY THIS…

General Principles of Reinforcement for Vocabulary:   Be specific to the goal. Use words that explain the skill you want to occur more often.  Use excited positive vocal inflection, Be impressed!

We are continuing with the example of teaching the word consumed from Carole’s post on Monday, What Makes A Good Vocabulary Teaching Activity.

‘Wow you discovered a NEW WAY of saying  take in, you used consumed’!
‘Awesome giving so many different examples of consumed’!
‘Great using such descriptive words, I can really SEE what you are saying’!
‘Super finding so many words that can MEAN the same thing’!
‘Good thinking about our new word in DIFFERENT WAYS!’
‘Great FINDING ALL of the concepts/words that can be consumed’’!
‘Wow, you understood that with such depth,  It’s like you are a 6th grader instead of a 5th grader’.
‘Love how you found all the opposite words, you really know what  consumed is different from, what it is not’!
‘Wow, you really figured that one out, you asked for help’!
‘Awesome, super awesome, you used the clue guide’!
Extra Bonuses– Give a written note of reinforcement for student to give to their teacher or parent, etc. with specific reinforcement.
Wow, you are learning so many words, you get a certificate for being a ‘word helper’ for your friends (classmates, teacher, parents, etc.),

🙁   NOT THAT…
Stay away from non-specific reinforcement. Stay away from reinforcing the activity. Stay away from reinforcing only correct vs incorrect responses. Remember to reinforce the learning process.
‘Good job’!
‘Great painting’! (unless there is an objective for painting)
‘Awesome’!
‘Wow, that is so good’!
‘Nice work’!
‘Nice turning the page’!
‘Super job’!
‘That’s right’!
‘Nice working hard’!
‘Good saying ______.’
Extra Not’s – ‘OK’, ‘Good’, ‘NO, that’s not right’, ‘Really’,