There is a wealth of information and materials for you on our website, so you may be asking yourself, "Where in the world do I start?" No worries, we've got you! This is the first stop in your training! In this unit we will be answering some primary questions to get you started!
Our specialized training hub dedicated to supporting communication success in Early Intervention in the home and our preschool classrooms
AAC Partner Strategy Kits are engaging posters/handouts, descriptions and short videos explaining and modeling techniques for you to use to help your student be willing, and able to communicate using their AAC system!
5 steps to move from training to talking, give you a clear path for you and your student learner. Learning to communicate is a shared journey between the learner and their partners, and that makes sense! Communication is a shared activity between two people. It is the means for us to make connections, meet our needs, engage socially, participate in shared experiences, and bridge the gap between our experiences and sharing these their partners.
Is it really as simple and being quiet and listening? Yes! Sometimes just waiting 10-15 seconds is all it takes to encourage our student to begin to use their AAC system to tell us something! Make a statement, ask a question, or comment then WAIT for your student to do, say or touch something. Silently count to 10 before you coach, prompt, repeat or encourage. This gives your student a chance to think about what you said, consider whatthey want to say and then figure out how to say it. They need this time as they are learning. Anotherbenefit is that we humans don’t like empty air, we are compelled to do or say something. That little PAUSE might be all your student needs to respond. What if they don’t? Repeat, add a little extra prompt, then count to 10 again! Before you use pause cues, make sure you’ve taught your student what they could say and how they can say it. Say it yourself (“MODEL”), give the a few choices (“you could say this or this.”), tell and show them what to say (“touch...”). Once you know they have the idea, then you can present the opportunity for them to say something and WAIT.When you are talking to a student using AAC symbols, as you talk, point to the symbols, just like you expect the student to, then WAIT! Easy and Effective!!
Communication is a dynamic process, between at least 2 people. It requires us to not only teach our students news skills, but also to learn new skills ourselves!
When a communication partner is speaking, the words are also "modeled" or shown using the AAC system.
Is it really as simple and being quiet and listening? Yes! Sometimes just waiting 10-15 seconds is all it takes to encourage our student to begin to use their AAC system to tell us something!
Keeping the AAC system available at all times is the very first step in making AAC work for your student!
When we are teaching students to communicate, we must ensure that they are interested and engaged so that they will attend, learn and remember how to say what they want to say, when they want to say it!
The easiest words and messages to learn, are ones you are already communicating in other ways! Let's look at how we can target meaningful messages by following our student's lead!
When we consider the process of teaching new skills and language to our AAC users, it is imperative that we remember the role of motivation and fun when teaching. If the student is motivated by a favorite activity, person or toy, they will be much more likely to learn and ENJOY learning! Effective and efficient with a side dish of FUN!
The expansion strategy is a way to help bridge the student's learning, from single word messages to multiple word messages.
In this video, Danielle Brown delves into essential concepts and strategies for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) generalization. It highlights the importance of applying AAC skills across diverse settings and with various partners, providing practical examples and techniques to enhance communication competence and improve the quality of life for AAC users.https://youtu.be/F0jdNWz-3dg
How do you encourage spontaneous communication? Sometimes it’s as simple as setting up a situation that gives your student an interesting reason to communicate!
It’s very easy to get caught in the habit of asking questions that only require a “yes” or “no” response when you are talking to your student using AAC. Let's talk about that!
In this video, Danielle Brown delves into essential concepts and strategies for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) generalization. It highlights the importance of applying AAC skills across diverse settings and with various partners, providing practical examples and techniques to enhance communication competence and improve the quality of life for AAC users.
The Descriptive Teaching Model is a strategy that teaches students to use high-frequency, common words rather than more rarely used words.
Join us in exploring the impactful world of Joint Action Routines (JARs) within Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). This video delves into the essential role of JARs, structured and predictable sequences that facilitate meaningful interactions and enhance learning through repeated practice. Discover why these routines are crucial in providing a consistent context that reduces anxiety and boosts confidence for AAC users.