We’re back for another engaging session from CoughDrop’s AAC in the Cloud conference. In today’s video, SLP Rachel Jones shares her tips for supporting core vocabulary learning in classroom settings. Enjoy! Many thanks to CoughDrop for hosting the conference and making these videos available.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, core vocabulary, school
Looking for ways to up your game in implementing core vocabulary? Here are some presentation handouts that may give you some additional ideas. Jennifer Ro and Amy Thomsen on core in the classroom Megan Brazas on the Core Vocabulary Exchange System Gail Van Tatenhove on core in the classroom Were there AAC-related presentations or resources that inspired you recently? We’d love to hear about them!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, good implementation, handouts
Today, we’re welcoming back Vicki Clarke, a Georgia-based SLP who has been specializing in AAC for over 25 years. Her practice, Dynamic Therapy Associates, serves children and adults with significant communication challenges in clinical and educational settings. Most of Vicki’s guest posts have been on the topic of assessment (click here to view them), but in this post, she shares her thoughts on the role of core vocabulary in AAC systems. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I’ve enjoyed listening to the wonderful presenters at the AAC In The Cloud sessions last week. It’s exciting to see AAC knowledge being shared to such a wide and varied audience! Core vocabulary was a hot topic last week so I thought it would be a good time to chat about it! At conferences, in blogs, all over the internet and from your AAC specialists, you may have gotten the memo that Core Vocabulary is an important component... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, vocabulary selection
Cloudy with a (big) chance of AAC? The weather was fine at AAC in the Cloud conference, an online event hosted by the wonderful team at CoughDrop. Over two days, there were three tracks of AAC presentations and a fun keynote by Kate Ahern. Many thanks to Brian Whitmer and his colleagues for inviting me to participate. You can download the handout for the session here.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: AAC in the Cloud, core vocabulary
Here in the US, many schools just let out for summer vacation but some special education teachers and SLPs are already thinking about things they want to prepare over the school break so they’ll be ready for fall. Some are contemplating changes to the ways they support AAC in the classroom. We’ve heard from several who are planning to prioritize modeling of core vocabulary using aided language input. Before we start making large core boards and other support materials, though, it’s helpful to stop and think through some important issues. A little planning now will save time and effort in the long run. If you’re planning to do this kind of prep work over the summer, here are some questions for your team to consider. Does each student with complex communication needs have access to an AAC system that includes core vocabulary? If not, why not? In some cases, the students... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: aided language input, classroom, core vocabulary
Today, guest blogger Sarah Mueller, a special education teacher in Rochester Michigan, shares her thoughts on supporting core vocabulary learning while working on functional life skills. Sarah teaches high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities and strives to embed language and communication throughout her students’ entire school experience. Sarah helps her students become strong self-advocates as they prepare for adult life. Marlene Cummings, Sarah’s colleague and mentor, introduces the post. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I (Marlene Cummings) had the pleasure of meeting Sarah 2 years ago as a new teacher in one of my districts. She immediately engaged in our county level professional learning opportunities in AAC and Literacy. The AAC focus presented strategies to support AAC and language learning including: core vocabulary, aided language input, vocabulary instruction and opportunities. The literacy focus was designed to create and implement a comprehensive literacy program taught by Drs. Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver. The outcome:... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: classroom, core vocabulary, education, high school, teacher
Having trouble getting AAC integrated throughout the classroom day? Veteran SLP Maureen Castillo took a creative approach to this common problem in the classrooms she supports. In this video, she discusses a project she created to foster AAC learning and use in the context of literacy activities. Learn how she combines the teaching of core vocabulary and Dolch sight words using aided language input, peer modeling, anchor books, and more. The video was made possible by Saltillo and is part of their free webinar series. Many thanks to Maureen and to Saltillo for making this available. Direct Link to Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQ3QlBg0hs
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: core vocabulary, intervention, literacy, reading, sight words, video
When we first started writing about core vocabulary, it was largely due to the fact that most SGDs, AAC apps, and communication boards/ books had two big deficits. At the time, most of them lacked the words needed to function throughout the day and/or didn’t have the kinds of words that allow for progression of syntactic skills. Now things look very different. Over the years, the pendulum has moved quite dramatically and now core vocabulary permeates AAC systems that are considered to be ‘robust.’ That’s a lot of movement in a short period of time. When big changes happen rapidly, it stands to reason that there will be some cracks that open up. Misunderstandings, misinterpretations, misconceptions. Here are some of the ones we’ve observed in the recent past. Core words are all that are needed in an AAC system. (Not in most cases. We all want to talk about the... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, misconception, myth
Ensuring that AAC systems include high frequency words sets the stage for us to teach language that is flexible and functional across a variety of settings. For whom is that appropriate? How many words? Which ones? In today’s featured video, master clinician Gail Van Tatenhove tackles all of these issues and more. This video and the accompanying resources (which can be found here) were part of the Power AAC series Gail created for PaATTAN to support their efforts in building capacity for high quality AAC services. We’re indebted to them for making this available so all can learn from it.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: core vocabulary, PaTTAN, vocabulary selection
Have you ever thought of making short videos to illustrate the meaning of the core words you are teaching to your AAC learners? If so, this post is right up your alley. Teacher Angie Sheets and SLP Nicole Wingate have teamed up to bring the power of video to core vocabulary instruction and are here to share the fruits of their labor. For the past 17 years, Angie has been teaching Intense Interventions to students from kindergarten through grade 4 at Bluffton Harrison Elementary School. Her AAC experiences range from “DIY on the fly” (anything that can be made in a classroom at little to no cost and meets an immediate need) to high tech. (You can follow her on Twitter @asheetsroom14). Nicole also works for the Bluffton Harrison school system, servicing pre-k through 12th grade students. Her AAC experience includes no tech (e.g., picture boards, PECS), low tech (e.g.,... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, video, video modeling