Meal Times
Meal times are an excellent time for communication. Food is often motivating. Requesting, statements and answer questions are a great place to start. Some examples of communication opportunities are:
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Are you thirsty?
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I am all done
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Time to clear the table
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I want more
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Can you get me my drink?
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I need help to open my food
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Open my lunchbox
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Provide choices - do you want Goldfish or Oreos?
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Yes/no questions
Lanyard Visuals
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Lanyard visuals are a portable way in which adults and AAC users can communicate with each other on-the-go! They are often kept on a ring and have predominantly core words on them. Personally, I try to use visuals which correlate with my students AAC device to keep them consistent.
Lanyard visuals reduce the verbal output while still providing guidance to students. Using visuals without words can reduce processing times, overstimulation, and limit confusion. All staff should be consistent with the visuals they are using in their classrooms.
Transitions
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Personally, I find modelling AAC easiest when it is a part of our classroom's daily routine. One way I do that with my students is through transitions. Every time we leave the room, we say "I go to the ______" to practice making statements. We practice the question "Where are we going?" Some students have begun requesting locations. This image below is found on our classroom door. The fringe vocabulary was made on Lessonpix and is in my students' lowtech flipbooks.
Calendar SMARTBoard
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An area where I incorporate AAC into my daily routine is during calendar. I created a calendar board based on screen shots from the WordPower42 flipbook. Each page has a button with voice output to practice modelling using emotions, greetings, days of the week, months of the year, weather and the seasons. I also provide opportunities for movement songs where the students can request to have a turn to come to the SMARTboard.
The video on the left shows how you can add voice output to any visuals on SMART Notebook to support your AAC users.
To download the calendar board, you will need to have SMART notebook downloaded on your computer.
Giant Communication Boards
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A great way to model AAC in your classroom is by blowing up Communication Boards to display in your classroom. The 48"x36" boards on the right were printed on foam core by Print Calgary.
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Please see the core word section for suggestions on how you can use core vocabulary.
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Some additional ways you can use these communication boards in your classroom are:
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asking for a turn "take a turn," "I want a turn" "take
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modelling 'wh' questions
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first-then
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feelings
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reading a story
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math (eg. more, all)
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"come" to the board
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"tell me"
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praise such as "I like that" "good" "happy"
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Some locations in Calgary where you can print poster boards are linked in the buttons below.
Games
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The game on the left is called Flippity. It is designed to be supported by flipbooks or SGDs. Use the icons on the screen and the flip books to play (i.e., respond to the questions, roll the dice, and then move the playing pieces accordingly). You can access the questions by selecting the '?' on the screen.
Some questions may be difficult depending on the student you are working with. If you get a tricky question, just hit the ‘?’ icon again and it will give you a new one.
The link attached below has a set of prompts for where you can access the vocabulary that can be used in the game. The prompts are based on WordPower visuals.
Daily Routines
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Structuring and scheduling communication is a strategic way to implement modelling and conversation with AAC users. One way my team and I plan language activities are by brainstorming all the ways we can chat about what we are doing. I break it down into descriptive words (adjectives), core words, pronouns, statements, questions, and verbs.
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Arrival routine
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Departure routine
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Washing hands
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Meal time
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Transitions
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Playing in the park
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Visual schedule
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Toileting
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Gym class
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Choice time
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I have attached the planner I use in the button below. ​
Communication Bill of Rights
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National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC)
All people with a disability of any extent or severity have a basic right to affect, through communication, the conditions of their existence. Beyond this general right, a number of specific communication rights should be ensured in all daily interactions and interventions involving persons who have severe disabilities. To participate fully in communication interactions, each person has these fundamental communication rights:
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The right to interact socially, maintain social closeness, and build relationships
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The right to request desired objects, actions, events, and people
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The right to refuse or reject undesired objects, actions, events, or choices
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The right to express personal preferences and feelings
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The right to make choices from meaningful alternatives
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The right to make comments and share opinions
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The right to ask for and give information, including information about changes in routine and environment
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The right to be informed about people and events in one’s life
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The right to access interventions and supports that improve communication
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The right to have communication acts acknowledged and responded to even when the desired outcome cannot be realized
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The right to have access to functioning AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) and other AT (assistive technology) services and devices at all times
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The right to access environmental contexts, interactions, and opportunities that promote participation as full communication partners with other people, including peers
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The right to be treated with dignity and addressed with respect and courtesy
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The right to be addressed directly and not be spoken for or talked about in the third person while present
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The right to have clear, meaningful, and culturally and linguistically appropriate communications
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Information taken directly from: https://www.asha.org/njc/communication-bill-of-rights/ (link in button below)
Visual Schedules
All children benefit from a visual schedule. They provide a sense of routine and predictability. Being able to visually see what is coming up in their day provides clarity. Visuals provide comprehension for struggling readers. Visual schedules increase independence and help students feel more prepared for the day. They reduce the feeling of anxiety and increase student's confidence when they arrive at school.
LAMP WFL has a visual schedule available which supports their vocabulary sets. An example is on the right and I will link the Powerpoint in the button below.
Pre-made visual schedules are available on websites such as Twinkl or Teachers Pay Teachers and there are direct links below:
If you need to customize your visual schedule, you can create your own on websites such as Board Maker or LessonPix:
