Tag Archive: school
March 29, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for a learning resource that goes beyond a quick overview and covers some of the details about providing AAC to school-aged children? Today, we visit an online learning site by the UK Department for Education called Communication-Augmentative and Assistive Strategies. It has wonderful information on a variety of AAC topics and downloadable resources for topics such as low tech AAC, vocabulary selection, and becoming a good communication partner. Take your time to explore this learning module and all of the resources it has to offer.
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: downloads, education, resources, school
January 17, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
How can we better support AAC learners in general education classrooms? With great teaching and appropriate supports! In today’s video, Erin Sheldon discusses the rationale and implementation of an important educational/clinical strategy, descriptive teaching, that can be used in a variety of settings. We are so grateful to Erin and others who willingly share what they know and make that available for all of us to learn from. Enjoy! Direct Link to Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQA5RpVXGQo&list=PLlsAGwcMnu5pRo7HCpy77ZqVQEtEqEgbh You can learn more from Erin here and here.
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: descriptive teaching, school
January 8, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Moving from early intervention to preschool is a big step. Going from elementary school to middle school can be intimidating. Entering post-school life can be scary and overwhelming. Transitions require planning and coordination, but when the individual uses some form of AT there is an even greater need for organization and forethought. In today’s post, we share a guidebook developed by The Family Center on Technology and Disability with helpful information that will benefit families and service providers alike. Enjoy!
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: school, transition
January 3, 2018
by Carole Zangari -
Curious about how other professionals support AAC core vocabulary in their classrooms? Today, we have a range of videos from Macomb ISD in Michigan. Enjoy! Modeling Core Vocabulary Core Word Rap Core Vocabulary in Shared Reading Modeling Core Words While Building Self-Help Skills Vocabulary Instruction
Filed under: Video of the Week
Tagged With: classroom, core vocabulary, school, video
December 14, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Today, we hear more from Colorad0-based SLP Kimberly Walker who explains more about how they use the Treat Cart activity to support the communicative development of her students with AAC needs. You can see the first part of her post here. ——————————————————— The Treat Cart has made our co-treating planning so simple. The first Thursday of the month we take inventory to see what things we need to buy to restock our cart. We have done this by making a graph with paper and also doing an actual object graph with the products and sticky notes to simulate the products gone. We target the language of more and less and also work on making a list to take to the store. On the second Thursday of the month, we work on identifying environmental print of the products we are selling and practice selling to each other targeting the skills in... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: AAC activities, classroom, education, school
December 11, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
As AAC practitioners well know, children who use some form of augmentative communication need a wide array of supports in order to be successful. In this post, we share a useful tool to systematically gather information about those supports to help teams with educational planning. Developed by Drs. Charity Rowland and Melanie Fried-Oken and Ms. Sandra Steiner, The Communication Supports Inventory – Children & Youth (CSI-CY) is designed to make goal writing easier for teachers and SLPs who work with students who have AAC needs. It is a wonderful way to build collaboration and get the team pointed in the same direction. Learn more about the CSI- CY here. You can access it online or download it for a hard copy.
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: assessment, assessment tools, classroom, downloads, education, school
December 7, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
Looking for ways to give your AAC learners the opportunity to communicate with a broader range of communication partners? Interested in practicing AAC skills outside of the classroom? When I saw this fun learning experience that SLP Kimberly Walker and her colleagues developed, I knew it would spark the imaginations of some of our prAACtical friends. I am continually amazed by the creativity of teachers, SLPs, OTs, and others who are passionate about helping students become more proficient with their AAC and language. Based in Colorado, Kimberly works with students in kindergarten through grade 5 at Tarver Elementary. In this post, she explains how they set up a Treat Cart in order to spice up the opportunities for AAC, language, and literacy learning. ——————————————————— Finding ways for our AAC users to see the power of communication by using their AAC device is hard at times. My Occupational Therapist and I... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: education, generalization, school
October 5, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
We’re back with Georgia-based SLP Jennifer Ro to hear more about a district-wide rollout of AAC in which they established (and have maintained) a core vocabulary focus. Jennifer is currently the lead AAC-SLP on Forsyth County Schools’ Assistive Technology Team where she provides AAC implementation support and trainings for staff and families and conducts individual AAC student consults. You can see Part 1 of the post here. Today, Jennifer shares some of what they learned in the process of creating AAC materials for the classroom and supporting the implementation of those materials. Let’s continue with more ‘lessons learned’ from this AAC experience. ================= How We Do It: Developing, Implementing a District-wide Focus on Communication & Core Vocabulary (Part 2) How we did it. And keep doing it … 😉 Create and develop supplemental materials that can be utilized universally and then modified, if needed, for individual student or teacher... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: core vocabulary, education, school
September 28, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
One of the best parts of blogging is getting to connect with talented professionals who are committed to meeting the needs of people who use AAC. In today’s post, SLP Jennifer Ro shares some of the ‘lessons learned’ in implementing a core vocabulary approach to AAC throughout an entire school district. Jennifer is part of the Assistive Technology Team at Forsyth County Schools in Georgia. Focusing much of her 20+ year career in the field of AAC, Jennifer has provided AAC and speech-language services through the public schools, private clinics, early intervention programs, and community-based adult group homes and workshops. Jennifer helped develop Forsyth’s Core Word Board utilized district-wide. Her current interests include collaborative models of service delivery and staff development in the area of AAC. She has presented at the state and local level with a focus on communication related to AAC, core vocabulary, and language development, social-emotional engagement, visual... [Read More...]
Filed under: Featured Posts, PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: education, implementation, school
August 23, 2017
by Carole Zangari -
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