Tag Archive: schedules
March 31, 2019
by Carole Zangari -
Happy Sunday, AAC friends! Can you believe March is almost over?! We’ll have lots to share for Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some posts from our prAACtical week. Monday – PrAACtically April: AAC Resources for A Year of Core Words Tuesday – AAC Link Up Wednesday – Video of the Week: Moving Beyond Single Words with AAC Thursday – When Materials Aren’t Effective in AAC Teaching: 5 Things to Try :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Have a little more time? Here are a couple of additional posts that you might find interesting. Let’s Read! Getting to the Core of Earth Day Let’s Create! Getting to the Core of Earth Day Let’s Go Outside: 5 PrAACtical Ideas Implementing Object-based Schedules in the Classroom Activity Schedule AACtion
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, implementation ideas, Language Learning, schedules
December 19, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Along with special foods, decorations, and gifts, the holiday season brings changes in our daily routines that can cause anxiety and other challenges for some people with AAC needs. In today’s featured video, Peggy Lawrence addresses why these challenges may occur in students with autism, and presents strategies we can use to provide instruction and support. This archived presentation is available through the Tri-State ASD Webinar Series, which receives support from the Kansas Technical Assistance System Network (TASN), the Nebraska Autism Spectrum Disorders Network, and the Colorado Department of Education. You can explore more offerings from this collaborative here. Direct link to “Preparing for Non-Routine Events: Strategies to Support Students with ASD”
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: anxiety, schedules, structure, visual supports
June 29, 2016
by Carole Zangari -
Over the years, we’ve written quite a bit on the prAACtical powers of visual schedules. Activity schedules, known also as mini schedules or task schedules, are great ways to help AAC learners understand what will be happening in a particular activity. Understanding what events will take place helps us all better prepare ourselves for active and appropriate participation in those events. In today’s post, we feature a number of short videos with information on and examples of this strategy. Thanks to the Watson Institute for creating and sharing these videos. Going to the Doctor’s Office Going to the Library Going to Physical Education (PE) Class Going to a Fast Food Restaurant Getting Ready for Bed
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: activity schedule, schedules
September 16, 2015
by Carole Zangari -
While our therapy sessions are highly individualized to meet the needs of specific individuals, there are a couple of strategies that are effective with almost every learner on our caseloads. Topping that list is the use of visual schedules. Whether it is a written agenda, a picture schedule for the session, a mini schedule for the parts of an activity, or an object schedule for the day’s events, this is one of the few strategies that has something to offer every learner. We’ve written before about this topic. In this post, you can find links to many of the topics we’ve addressed about making and using them. Today, we’ll look at a few videos on the use of this strategy. To get us started, here’s a video of Ann Syrstad sharing information about using this evidence-based intervention for individuals with ASD. Next, we head to Malaysia, where the Early Autism... [Read More...]
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: object schedule, picture schedule, schedules, visual schedule
October 4, 2013
by Robin Parker -
We love to start planning for holidays early. It helps facilitate conversation before, during, & after exciting activities and events. When we begin using core and fringe vocabulary early, frequently, and authentically the learner has the most opportunity for success. Use Schedules: Use a monthly calendar to have a Halloween countdown, Use mini-schedules to make food recipes, spooky science concoctions, or even to plan the trick or treating routes. Use a small talk app like Fat Cat Spooky Chat to prAACtice what you will SAY (October core words) on Halloween. Use a social narrative to prepare everyone for what to expect on and around Halloween. More Halloween social narratives can be found at Autism Community, One Place for Special Needs, Katherine Sanger You Tube, & Kentucky Autism Training Center Prepare a choice board of Halloween costume options and let the learner decide on the costume. PrAACtice a script to be... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Halloween, Meaningful Language, schedules
July 8, 2013
by Robin Parker -
Make a Plan – Schedule a time to ‘talk about the past event (July 4th). The plan can include a ‘talk time’ or a time to collect remnants, photos, or related items from the event. Use a calendar or schedule to plan AAC style. Put Together A ‘Talking’ Photo Album– Gather all the photos from the activity and put together a talking photo album. You can use any talking photo album where you record a voice or use a story creation app that has recorded (digitized) or computer generated speech (synthesized). The process of making the photo album can be the ‘past event’ conversation and/or a review/reading can be the ‘conversation’. For some learners, turning the pages is the beginning of talking about past events while for other learners the pictures will be the opportunity for the conversation. It is helpful to use text and speech as you create the... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: calendars, Conversation, July 4th, past events, schedules
May 16, 2013
by Robin Parker -
It’s PrAACtically Memorial Day! Memorial Day is prAACtically here. We remember, appreciate, and honor the people who have protected our freedoms. Getting ready so EVERYONE can participate is important. We wrote about memorial day last year and had found some good gluten-casein free Memorial Day recipes. There are even more resources today. Check out Gluten Free Memorial Day Weekend Menu and Recipe Ideas or Gluten Free Casein Free Applesauce Muffins. Cooking and baking provide meaningful language experiences as well as just plain fun. There are symbol based recipes on Pinterest at Picture Recipes and Visual Recipes for Children with Autism, and at Specialty Chef. There are also prAACtical AAC ways to teach about Memorial Day’s meaning as well as the typical memorial day vacations, activities, and events. Learning about Memorial Day Memorial Day Activity Board Memorial Day Vocabulary Cards Memorial Day Bingo Memorial Day Adapted Bingo Summer Pack Memorial Day After learning about Memorial... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: calendars, meaningful language experiences, Memorial Day, resources, schedules, social stories, talking photo albums
January 28, 2013
by Robin Parker -
We are extremely proud to be part of the Dan Marino Foundation WalkAbout Autism, which is a large South Florida event. It is a true collaboration between the community, volunteers, sponsors, donors, walk partners, and the Miami Dolphins. The Walkabout helps raise money for organizations that provide programs and services for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. It also promotes a sense of community collaboration and awareness about autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities. We are writing about the WalkAbout, not as a plea for money (although read about the WalkAbout and donate if you are so inclined), but instead to tell you how we continue to try to integrate AAC & visual strategies into community events. We are so grateful to Dan & Claire Marino and their family and Jeff & Rachel Ireland and their family for continuing to dedicate their time and effort for this amazing event. This past weekend was the 3rd WalkAbout Autism. It was a... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: community, schedules, social stories
July 20, 2012
by Robin Parker -
We need to continue to talk about scheduling…..especially as we talk about tools for positive behavioral supports. We know that having monthly, daily, and mini-schedules make us ALL feel more competent and calm. We have written a lot about visual schedules and visual schedule resources because we have seen schedules reduce or eliminate so many behavior challenges. They have helped with transitions, wandering away during activities, activity completion, asking repetitive ‘‘when are we going ________ questions, and with meltdowns during a less preferred activity. We also continue to write about schedules because there are still myths suggesting schedules might hinder independence when exactly the opposite is true. We personally continue to use a combination of no-tech to high-tech visual schedules, but we are loving mobile schedules especially during the summer when we are traveling and moving around from place to place even more frequently than usual. We gathered together... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: Apps, behavior management, calendars, daily schedules, mini schedules, schedules, visual schedules
April 30, 2012
by Robin Parker -
Nooooo, not again. A myth about visual schedules continues to rear its ugly head in a prAACtical situation (maybe we can reframe it into a learning opportunity??). Some history- A parent of twin girls with autism (age 15 and two other younger children– yes total 4) stopped by our office to pick up some autism awareness materials yesterday (a super busy mom in so many ways —going out of her way to help our community). As we were exchanging pleasantries and getting updates on how the girls were doing, we heard something that continues to surprise us–(and not in a good way). What did we hear? We heard that the girls were doing relatively well (not the surprising comment) but that mom was extra busy because the girls were no longer independent in taking their showers. They could do it by themselves but didn’t like the sensory input of soap... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: mini schedules, myths, schedules, visual supports