Wishing you a healthy New Year full of joy, growth, and strength for your AAC journey. “Let our New Year’s resolution be this: That we will be there for one another as finest members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.” (G. Persson) Happy AAC journeying!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
The new year brings hope and promise, something that the AAC community can always use a little more of. Here are some thoughts on strengthening our sustainability as AAC service providers as we embark on the upcoming year. View our role in AAC as a marathon, not a sprint. Supporting AAC learners can be an overwhelming experience and requires staying power. Pace yourselves, AAC friends. We have to be in it for the long haul, and that means we can’t use up all of our energy in the first leg of the journey. It’s okay to go home even though there’s more left to do. Remember the flight attendant’s advice: Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. Keep learning. No matter how much you know about AAC, there is always more to learn. Whether it is reading journal articles to keep up with the latest research, viewing videos... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: advocacy, new year, professional issues
It is just about 2014. Hard to believe another year is finished and we are moving on once again. Our wishes for 2014 are for ALL Learners to have access to: Aided Language Input Communication Displays that meet their needs Role Models Presumed Competence Core Word Instruction Fringe Word Instruction Friends Many Meaningful Language Experiences Frequent Communication Opportunities Fun Learning Our Wishes for ALL SLP’s and Educators to have access to: An Exciting and Stimulating Personal Learning Network (PLN) Appropriate Goals and Strategies Meaningful Language Experiences Role Models Laminator and Laminator Materials Literacy Materials Core Word Highlighter Tools, Page Fluffers & Spacers, Apps for Learning Language An AAC Philosophy Fun Teaching
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: new year
Happy 2013, everyone! It’s hard to believe that we’ve spent a full year of prAACtical blogging. After 375 blog posts, tons of tweets, hundreds of Facebook posts, and numerous resources on our digital curation sites, we are so grateful for all that we’ve learned. Here are some of the highlights. You really DO learn more from your mistakes than your successes. We developed a lot of skills using blog platforms and other resources that we ultimately abandoned in favor of tools that were better suited to our purposes. Walking away from something you’ve invested in is really hard, but it helps to look back on what you learned in the process. In our case, what we learned from those ‘failures’ propelled us toward our goals. It helps to spend time clarifying what you want when looking for new tools/supports. You know that old adage, ‘Look before you leap?’ In hindsight,... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: lessons, new year, plans, reflection