Tag Archive: aided language input

AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues – PrAACtical Tool #2

August 27, 2015 by - Leave your thoughts

AAC Teamwork: Encouraging Colleagues - PrAACtical Tool #2

Even when everyone has good intentions, AAC implementation doesn’t happen overnight. Strengthening our resolve to learn the student’s AAC system, model it as we speak to them, provide instruction, and give ample opportunities for practice takes commitment and leadership. In the past, we’ve talked about strategies to get the team onboard with skills like aided language input, using no-tech communication boards to build language, and shared training materials. In this series, we’re sharing some printables to recognize the efforts of our team members, and keep them energized to keep going. Here is the second set of tags/bookmarks to share with your teams. You can download them here. If you missed the first set, you can get those here.

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How We Do It: S’MORRES and Partner Augmented Input with Dr. Jill Senner & Matthew Baud

April 9, 2015 by - 1 Comment

How We Do It: S’MORRES and Partner Augmented Input with Dr. Jill Senner & Matthew Baud

Mnemonics are such a great memory aid, so when Dr. Jill Senner and Matthew Baud offered to share the visual support that they use in their clinical work, I knew it would be of interest to many of you. Combine that with content on partner training, and we have a real treat for you: S’MORRES. Dr. Senner is the owner of Technology and Language Center where she specializes in providing AAC and AT services including assessment, consultation and training, and workshops/lectures.  She has presented at numerous national AT conferences and has taught graduate courses in AAC and swallowing disorders.  Matthew Baud is the Assistive Technology Coordinator at Niles Township District for Special Education, performing evaluations, trainings and coaching communication partners.  Matthew also has his own AAC private practice, and is an adjunct professor at Saint Xavier University where he teaches a graduate course in AAC. In this post, they share S’MoRRES, a strategy for building... [Read More...]

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Video of the Week – Lilly Gets New Words!

March 25, 2015 by - 3 Comments

Video of the Week - Lilly Gets New Words!

  There is so much to love about this wonderful video from Lindy McDaniel, preschool teacher and author of the fabulous blog, The Considerate Classroom. It is such fun to watch her introduce little Lilly to a new communication aid and assist her in getting comfortable with expanded vocabulary options. From the way she engages with her student, to her use of aided language input, to her skill in behavior management, to the way that she supports the student in interacting with unfamiliar partners, this is a video to savor. Enjoy!    

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Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary: March Words

March 3, 2015 by - Leave your thoughts

Resources for A Year of Core Vocabulary: March Words

  Our list of resources is growing!  Let’s add a few more resources courtesy of SLPs Alison Wade and Heidi LoStracco. We’ve uploaded some additional printables for the Year of Core words (2013 list with 12 words per month)represented in PCS, Symbol Stix, and Smarty Symbols. Thanks, Alison, Heidi, and all who contributed to this effort! Templates for you to plug in your own symbols: 2013 words, 2014 words Minspeak/Unity version: 2013 PCS versions: 2013; 2014 Speak for Yourself version: 2013, 2014 Symbol Stix version: 2013 Use these materials to remind yourself which words to highlight this month, with using aided language input and focused language stimulation. What else? Print them and hang them on a bulletin board or refrigerator. Laminate, cut them apart, and put them on a binder ring that you keep handy so that you can show just one symbol at a time. Use them to create... [Read More...]

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Super-Size It! 5 Ideas for Making Large Communication Displays

January 26, 2015 by - 9 Comments

One of the coolest things about 2014 was that it seemed like the field of AAC reached a tipping point regarding the idea of aided language input. There are some differences in terminology (e.g., aided language stimulation, aided modeling), but the Big Idea is this: To teach AAC, be a speaker of AAC. Learners need competent language models, and if we’re not using the AAC ourselves, chances are that no one else is easier. If you don’t think that’s a problem, try learning a foreign language from a teacher who doesn’t speak it to you. Not the most enjoyable, effective, or efficient way to learn. I had such a great visit to schools in Oakland, Michigan this fall, and one of the (many) highlights was being in classrooms where teachers and SLPs are taking this to heart. True, they have some great AT leadership and had lots of training, but... [Read More...]

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A Year of Core Words: Sentences We Can Model

January 20, 2015 by - 2 Comments

A Year of Core Words: Sentences We Can Model

Gone to an AAC conference presentation lately? Seen an AAC webinar? Read an article on AAC therapies? Chances are that they’ve at least mentioned some of the benefits of teaching  core vocabulary. Teaching a relatively small set of powerful words is a strategy that empowers language learners and allows them to communicate across contexts. If you are following along with our A Year of Core Words (2013) or A(nother) Year of Core Vocabulary (2014), you may have printed out some of the word cards to use with the AAC learners in your life. Thanks to the kindness of PrAACtical AAC readers we have posts with a variety of resources: Minspeak/Unity version: 2013 PCS versions: 2013 , 2014 Speak for Yourself version: 2014 SymbolStix version: 2013 Once you have them, the idea is to use those to plan learning activities that focus on those particular core words for the month. Let’s... [Read More...]

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Video of the Week: Aided Language Input in Conversation

November 16, 2014 by - Leave your thoughts

Video of the Week: Aided Language Input in Conversation

It’s a great day to see AAC strategies in action. Today, the AAC Chicks from Dynamic Therapy Assoiates are back with another prAACtical video about using aided language input in conversation. You can see more of  their work here.   Direct link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUl8kD53NQg  

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How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder

August 28, 2014 by - 19 Comments

How I Do It: Using PODD books and Aided Language Displays with Young Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Today, we turn to the UK in a guest post by Laura Tarver. a London-based Speech and Language Therapist working with children with ASD and other complex needs. She previously worked in a primary school for children with ASD, where PODD and Aided Language Displays were introduced as part of a school wide approach in order to enhance the communication-friendly environment for all pupils. In this post, she shares how they used PODD books and aided language input to build the students’ communication skills. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: PODD (or Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display) communication books were developed in Australia by Gayle Porter, originally for children with cerebral palsy. As their use becomes more widespread throughout the world, practitioners are considering the benefits of using them with other clinical populations. Their structured organisation and emphasis on visual communication means that they are also a valuable tool for developing the communication of those with... [Read More...]

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