About Week 2
Welcome to the second week of your Stepping into AAC journey! Now that you have a communication board (or other AAC tool) to use and an idea of what to expect over the next 19 weeks, we’re going to dive into some concepts that will help you begin using this with your AAC learner.
We will explore the following concepts this week:
- Word List: Get a preview of all the words that we’ll be focusing on over the course of this program.
- Shared Attention: Gain an understanding of the crucial role that joint attention plays in learning and communication and how to maximize it for the benefit of your AAC learner.
- Multimodal Communication: Learn about different forms of communication and how to incorporate them when supporting a beginning AAC user.
- Modeling Language with AAC: Consider how to help your AAC learner expand their language abilities by giving them models to learn from.
Words Used in Stepping into AAC
AACtion Steps
Week 2 AACtion Steps
Signposts
Shared Attention, Part 1
Shared or joint attention is the shared focus of two people on an item or activity. It plays a crucial role in learning and communication. Joint attention can take various forms and may vary in frequency. Learners may exhibit unique ways of showing joint attention, and it’s important to have open expectations and flexible support strategies.
Shared Attention, Part 2
Establishing joint attention can be challenging for some learners, but there are guidelines to help. Decreasing demands and building trust are key strategies. The goal is genuine and joyful connection as we work together to strengthen joint attention.
Multimodal Communication
Multimodal communication encompasses both aided and unaided modalities. Non-symbolic and symbolic communication are differentiated to explore how efficiency and effectiveness are key factors in integrating communication modalities. Notably, non-symbolic communication provides a foundation for introducing AAC and teaching symbolic communication. Accepting and utilizing multiple communication modalities empowers communication!
Model Language with AAC
This video discusses the importance of providing ample language input for AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) learning. It highlights the role of modeling in authentic interactions, introduces opportunities for modeling AAC, and discusses the positive impact it can have on AAC learner’s expressive language development.
Get the Handout
Travelog
Week 2 Travelog
Print the Week
Want all of the resources shared in this week’s Stepping into AAC? You can download the entire digital bundle by clicking the download button below.
