I was recently in a classroom with a teacher who loved the article here at Noodle Nook about students with Echolalia and has been working with a particular student on that. She, however, is still struggling with authentic response and this student meeting their writing goal.
‘Ideas?’ She asked…
Of Course!
Try AAC and Sentence Stems!
I was in a LIFE Skills classroom last week and the teacher told me she never used the Communication Boards that came with the adapted stories. I gasped.
What a waste!
There a literally more than a dozen activities you can do with a Comm Board. Don’t believe me? Read on!
Recently we challenged our readers to start using AAC more in the classroom to ensure that every student has choice and voice. Hopefully you had an opportunity to download the freebie associated with that challenge. If not click here to read the article and get a free AAC tool to incorporate into your classroom.
Did you rock out that challenge?
Are you looking for more ways to build vocabulary with students who use AAC devices?
We’ve got some great ideas for you!
You may have read a previous post all about where to start with core vocabulary and communication boards for students who are nonverbal or minimally verbal. I have gotten a some great messages about AAC and core vocabulary success, but also questions on what to do next. Well, I’ve got a great roadmap for you!
If you have not read the post on AAC and Abuse in kids who are nonverbal or minimally verbal, please pop over and do so. There you will find a FREE communication board you can place near the door in your classroom to teach the word “GO”. Recently I was talking to a teacher who had great success using that FREEBIE board. He found his student was able to learn the word and effectively use the board to communicate places to go within one school week.
That’s amazing!
More importantly it shows that with consistent use, communication boards can be successful for students. His question, of course, was what to do next?
To answer that question and give everyone some guidance, below you will find a road map to introducing core vocabulary.Read More »Where to Start With Core Vocabulary
It seems like such a long time between a student entering pre-kindergarten and aging out of high school. The truth is it’s just a fraction of their lifetimes. In the little time we have, our most important responsibility is to equip our students with an effective way to communicate with others. It is essential to make the connection between AAC and abuse so we can intentionally lower the rate of abuse for nonverbal students.
I was in a classroom just last week and a 20 year old young woman was exhibiting some severe behaviors. She, let’s call her Tricia, was a student with Down Syndrome and a severe Speech Impairment. Most of what Tricia said came out as grunts and points.
That day Tricia went through an entire 30 seconds of emphatically grunting and pointing and making facial expressions to the para-educator in the classroom. The teacher was standing next to me and I asked him what Tricia had said.
He replied “Damned if I know.”
Clearly the aide didn’t know either. She looked confused at Tricia and asked her “What do you want?” That was the straw… Tricia punched her arm, pushed her and moved to a nearby table where she proceeded to throw all the papers and materials onto the floor.
The behavior escalated from there.
Later, when calm had returned, I asked the teacher how Tricia expressed her wants and needs. He looked at me and replied, “I guess she doesn’t.”
*Sigh*
Errorless comprehension for Non-Verbal Students: How to include students with complex communication needs in reading comprehension. I wish I could pass out pins to students… Read More »Errorless Comprehension for Non-Verbal Students
Can You See Me? Offering Choice to Non-Verbal Students: Tips, Tricks, and suggestions that work! Offering choice makes instruction meaningful for students with significant disabilities… Read More »Offering Choice to Non-Verbal Students
Communication Boards for LIFE Skills Teachers and Students They are so important to help students develop their own mode of communication and also develop it… Read More »Communication Boards for LIFE Skills
