Tag Archive: classroom
May 30, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
It’s such a pleasure to have Angi Pearce back on these pages to share her experiences and passion for teaching students with AAC needs. Angi is a teacher at Kowhai Special School in Hastings, New Zealand, and serves as the team leader for the Junior School classes (ages 5-11). Her initial post (see that here) introduced us to the ways that she embraced AAC and integrated it into her classroom. In today’s post, she talks about how things have evolved. Enjoy the journey! How We Do It: AAC in the Special Education Classroom – Continuing the Journey This is my fifth year teaching in a school for children with special needs. Five years ago, AAC was a new term for me. Core vocabulary boards were the first tools which were introduced to me, which I did not understand the benefit and purpose of until I observed the way it enhanced... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Angi Pearce, classroom, literacy, school
May 12, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends, and Happy Mother’s Day! If AAC is on your mind, we have some reading material for you. Monday – PrAACtically Reading: Over on the Farm with Karen Natoci & Karen Baca Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Classroom-based AAC Thursday – How We Do It: Increasing AAC Acceptance and Making Better Communication Partners In Our School Have time for a little more? Here are a couple of suggestions. AAC Funding Help Building Your AAC SLP Toolkit: Obtaining Free Apps for AAC Evaluations Check Your Knowledge of AT History AACtual Therapy: Making Core Words Fun for Students with Autism AAC Goes to Summer Camp
Filed under: Featured Posts
Tagged With: camp, classroom, funding, reading, summary post
May 9, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
We are pleased to welcome Beth Waite-Lafever, an SLP with over 30 years of AAC experience, back to these pages. She has worked in outpatient rehab, private practice, and public school and has the RESNA ATP credential and LAMP certification from The Center for AAC and Autism. Beth has given many presentations at the state, national and international levels on AAC and related topics. In her private practice, she has provides evaluations, therapy, and training. Beth is the proud co-creator of The Indiana AAC Summit. Currently, she provides monthly online training for PRC as a contracted employee and is an SLP and AT Coach for MSD Martinsville, a public school system in Martinsville, Indiana. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: How We Do It: Increasing AAC Acceptance and Making Better Communication Partners In Our School Each May when I see the Better Hearing and Speech campaign gear up, I wonder what more I can do... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC Acceptance, Better Hearing and Speech Month, BHSM, classroom, partner training, school
May 8, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Given the limited time that SLPs and students who use AAC have together, it is no surprise that there has been considerable interest in classroom-based approaches to AAC support in recent years. Today, we learn about one such approach, Project Core, from Dr. Lori Geist. While you may be familiar with the Project Core website and its free resources, the implementation piece may be new to you. Many thanks to Dr. Geist, Dr. Kathy Howery, the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium, and the Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia for this wonderful presentation. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bS4bu4rp24&index=40&list=PL6P1FySUgEPR1aG-ZRYi363jtaniNJFqC
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, Lori Geist, Project Core
April 14, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Good morning, AAC friends. Here are the posts we published this week. Monday – AACtivity of the Month: Concept Sorts Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Strategies for Supporting AAC Team Buy-In & Implementation Thursday – How I do it: Using Videos & Instructional Feedback to Support Communication Partners ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Have time for a little more browsing? Check out these past posts. When Helping Isn’t Helping-Prompt Awareness in AAC Instruction Administratively Speaking: 5 Considerations for Recruiting and Retaining AAC SLPs AAC In the Classroom: Considerations for Modeling Core Vocabulary How I Do It: A Year of Core Word in Action AAC in the High School Classroom: Where Core Vocabulary Meets Life Skills
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: classroom, modeling, prompting, summary week
April 11, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
As AAC interventionists well know, we can improve learning outcomes by getting key communication partners to use specific strategies to support AAC learning. How can we do that effectively and efficiently? Today, we hear from Laura Hayes, an AAC Facilitator for Special School District of St. Louis County, Missouri. Using her 10+ years of AAC experience, Laura provides support to staff and students across 4 school districts. She has presented locally and at state, national, and international conferences, and has been involved in both inpatient pediatric and educational AAC research. Laura loves providing staff training, implementation resources and guided direction to help students using AAC succeed. In today’s guest post, she shares her experiences and tips for supporting communication partners. (Don’t forget to download the resources she is sharing before you go.) ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: How I do it: Using Videos and Instructional Feedback to Support Communication Partners Prior to the Training... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC partner training, classroom, school
April 10, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Helping teams get onboard in using supportive AAC strategies is a challenge throughout the world. In today’s featured video, we hear from AAC specialist Lauren Enders, who has been a PrAACtical AAC guest author on many occasions. There is a lot of prAACtical information in this presentation, organized and hosted by Dr. Kathy Howery and the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium (ERLC) and the Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC). We are grateful for their wonderful support of the AAC community through this archived webinar and to Lauren for this terrific information. Thanks again to the presenter and to ERLC for making this archived presentation available. Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA9iGljqMOM
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, Lauren Enders, partner training, school, teams
January 16, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
How can we support the language development of AAC learners throughout the school day? In today’s featured video, Erin Sheldon examines ways in which we can facilitate early concept development, build background knowledge, and support vocabulary learning. Many thanks to Kathy Howery and the Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium for making this archived webinar available. You can learn more from Erin here. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILegvpt9bw
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: beginning communicator, classroom, intervention strategies, language development
January 14, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
In the US, poster-sized core boards are displayed in a growing number of special education classrooms. In some cases, the displays match the AAC systems that were selected for the students following a comprehensive AAC evaluation. In others, they are more of a compromise measure which are used in order to get communication teaching started while the AAC evaluation process is still in progress. Either way, we eventually want to move from a one-size-fits-all approach to one where there are more individualized communication tools. Here are some of the key areas to consider in that process. Vocabulary: While there are many benefits of modeling and eliciting a starter set of core vocabulary throughout the day, there is no denying that specific words are very powerful. What other words (fringe or core), would make a difference in his/her/their learning trajectory? For some, we may consider adding things like the names of... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: classroom, core boards, poster
December 5, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Interested to learn more about how AAC is implemented in classrooms at the elementary level? In today’s featured video, Colorado-based special educator Sarah Fischer shares thoughts, examples, resources, and reflection on her journey to support AAC learners. Many thanks to Sarah and to Saltillo for making this video available. In her presentation, Sarah refers to a video about another project that was implemented in her classroom. You can learn more about Twin Powers here. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZHchn6T1z0&t=231s
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, school