Tag Archive: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
April 26, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
It’s almost May so we’re back with another post in the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words Series by guest authors Michaela Sullivan, Alisa Lego, and Beth Lytle. This series focuses on a selected set of words to highlight for the month along with a suggested order in which to teach them. Therapists and teachers will appreciate the Activity Packets, containing suggestions for highlighting these words in a variety of activities. Their Data Collection Forms and tips on using shared reading in our AAC teaching are appropriate for AAC learners of various ages. If you are new to this series, you may want to review the introduction that our series and check out the first 9 months of the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words using the links below. You can find posts for previous months in the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words below. Introduction to the School Year... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, core vocabulary, school
March 29, 2021
by Carole Zangari -
Whether you are a parent trying to keep your child’s AAC skills up or a professional who is providing AAC support, we hope that our monthly Year of Core Vocabulary posts help you stay focused and keep your learners using their AAC skills. In today’s post, we share some ideas for boosting core word learning throughout the week, focusing on a small set of words. Whether you are following along with the Set 1 (12 words/month) or the Set 2 words (16 words/month; Different than the previous core words), or are just getting started, this post has some helpful resources. Our words for this month are as follows. Set 1 List: big, busy, do, drink, feel, he, in, make, out, some, tell, who Set 2 List: blue, brother, close, family, head, last, long, no, old, right, scared, soft, thing, top, wash, whole We have some specific ideas for how to build a learning... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, core vocabulary
November 23, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
With Thanksgiving just around the corner here in the US, it’s time to look ahead to the month of December. A few years ago, we suggested that one way to help strengthen learners’ abilities with core words is to take a different set of 12-20 core words each month and focus on them for a few weeks. How? By modeling those words, making resource materials (like word cards with the symbols), creating activities in which those words figure prominently, posting them in the classroom/therapy room, reading books that have heavy use of these words, sharing them with families, write stories using them, etc. Core words are a great addition to the highly motivating, learner-specific words that many AAC users start with. If you are looking to expand to more robust language, this approach may be of interest. Here are the specific words we are focusing on in December. Set 1... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
October 29, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome to the November post in the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words series! Each of these posts, guest authored by Michaela Sullivan, Alisa Lego, and Beth Lytle, focuses on a selected set of words along with a suggested order in which to teach them. The Activity Packets, containing sheets on highlighting these words in a variety of activities, and Data Collection Forms. In addition to these resources, they share ideas for customizing AAC systems. New to this series? Check out the guest authors’ overview here. Enjoy! A SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE WORDS: NOVEMBER by Michaela Sullivan, Beth Lytle, & Alisa Lego To the parents, teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists, Paraprofessionals, friends, and other curious professionals or communicators – welcome back to the monthly School Year of Core Words- November Edition. If this is the first time you’re visiting this posting, we welcome you and hope that you find our resources helpful... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, core vocabulary, downloads, Education & Schools, Language experiences and activities
October 26, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Are you looking for some ways to help your AAC learners become more competent in using core words? Need to get staff on board with modeling core vocabulary? Trying to get familiar with where core words are stored in a particular SGD or AAC app? Here’s an approach you may want to try: Choose a dozen or so core words to focus on each month. In previous years, we shared lists of some core words to help you do just that. It’s just about time to turn another page on the calendar, and that means we’re busy preparing materials and activities for our November core words. In today’s post, we’ll share resources from our original Year of Core Vocabulary series that you can print and use. If you are in a school setting, stop by later in the week when we share resources for November words in the School Year... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, core vocabulary, downloads
October 15, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Welcome to a new post in the School Year of Core Vocabulary Words series! Each of these posts, guest authored by Michaela Sullivan, Alisa Lego, and Beth Lytle, focuses on a selected set of words along with a suggested order in which to teach them. The Activity Packets, containing sheets on highlighting these words in a variety of activities, and Data Collection Forms. For October, they’re discussing a third key intervention strategy, following the learner’s lead. If you are new to this series, you may want to review the introduction that our series authors created before delving into this month’s target words. You can see the guest authors’ overview here. Let’s get started! A SCHOOL YEAR OF CORE WORDS: OCTOBER by Michaela Sullivan, Beth Lytle, & Alisa Lego To the parents, teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists, Para Professionals, friends, and other curious professionals or communicators – welcome back to the monthly School... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, core vocabulary, downloads, Language experiences and activities
September 28, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Do you know any AAC learners like these? Jeremiah has an SGD with thousands of core and fringe words, but he uses less than 100 of them in day-to-day life. Bella used an AAC app with visual scene displays to interact at playtime and during daily routines for the past several months. Her team just added an app with a grid-based vocabulary so that she can begin to create novel sentences and expand her language abilities. Mason was recently evaluated for an AAC device, but it will likely take a few months to get the funding situation straightened out. In the meantime, his team created a manual communication board that mirrors the main screen of the SGD’s language software. Each of them needs lots of practice to become fluent with the core words in their AAC systems. Are you looking for resources to support your use of core words in... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words
September 25, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Though we are wrapping up the month of September, the core words selected for this month are high-frequency words that will live on throughout the year. Our new Year of Core Words School Edition is in development and the team is working hard to get these helpful posts to you prior to the start of each month so that you can plan and prepare your lessons and materials. Please bear with us for the first few posts as we get up to speed. As with the previous post, these will each highlight a selected set of words along with a suggested order in which to teach them. We know that you’ll appreciate the Activity Packets with information sheets on highlighting these words in a variety of activities, and the accompanying data collection forms. A key intervention strategy is also discussed in each of these posts, with September focusing on the... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, Education & Schools
September 23, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
Many of you have written to share how much you appreciate the resources we’ve shared as part of the Year of Core Vocabulary Words series. If you are new to that series, you might be interested in today’s featured video. We were thrilled to discover this overview created by SLP Brenda Del Monte from the Special Education Technology Center. Brenda shares her thoughts on using this approach in educational settings. Thank you, Brenda! Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWZCmT_r42k&ab_channel=SETCSpecialEducationTechnologyCenter
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, videos
August 31, 2020
by Carole Zangari -
August may be on the way out but the words for this month are useful all throughout the year. The new Year of Core Words School Edition is in development and the plan is to get these monthly to you prior to the start of each month so that you can plan and prepare. Please bear with us for the first few posts as we get up to speed. Each of the monthly posts will highlight a selected set of words and a suggested order in which to teach them. You’ll also find resources, such as Activity Sheets for each word and data collection forms, and information on a key intervention strategy. The series authors, Michaela Sullivan, Beth Lytle, and Alisa Lego, created an introduction that you may want to review before digging into this month’s target words. You can see that here. Enjoy Month 1 of the School Year... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: A Year of Core Vocabulary Words, Education & Schools