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A few months back I posted about on-line resources for book reading. Here is an expansion based upon the books we have done this year in school. Your kids will be familiar with a lot of these. I hope you will enjoy them.
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My previous post scratched the surface when describing the vocabulary expanding strategy called "Aided Language Stimulation." As I mentioned before, it was originally created and used with individuals that used AAC or Augmentative Alternative Communication systems. Using an AAC device, whether it be low tech (communication book, PECS) or high tech, is a lot like learning a new language. Think back to when your child was an infant. You spoke to your child for over a year without expecting any output on their part. While you were talking you were teaching them how to use their voice. That is a lot of teaching!!! When introducing a communication device to a student, staff and family need to teach the individual how to use it. Teaching using the natural environment and within natural contexts leads to quicker learning. Aided language stimulation does just that. It teaches the AAC user "how" to communicate. Here is a bit more information that will hopefully provide more clarity and enable you to more confidently utilize the strategy, whether you are using it to increase vocabulary or to teach your child how to use a communication devise. "During aided language stimulation, a therapist or teacher points to a graphic symbol while simultaneously producing the corresponding spoken word during natural communicative exchanges. Research clearly states that using this approach increases comprehension, motivates children to communicate and assists children with understanding expectations and timelines. The behavioral, communicative and social deficits in individuals with delayed language skills are significant stressors on their families. Aided language stimulation is a method to “take the stress out” of communication while students learn to use spoken language. Parents often ask if this approach is needed for their child with autism or severely delayed communication. Providing a means to communicate immediately is essential. It reduces frustration and allows students to let others know their basic wants and needs. From an academic standpoint, giving students a way to communicate allows the teachers and therapists to know what students understand. That is key to providing an effective treatment plan.
Some Key Points, Guidelines and Recommendations (based on Carol Goossens)
Before I get started I need to confess that I prefer Apple products; therefore, the tablet I use is the iPad. The iPad has also been used and purchased by Howard County Public Schools for use in some classrooms. So through your child's years in our school system they will probably have more contact with the iPad than other tablets. Excuse my bias to Apple products...please feel free to use my suggestions and activities with any tablet. Although I do not know if the apps I describe here are also available on other platforms. Apps can be used for a variety of educational and non-educational purposes. I've previously listed some apps that lend themselves well to be motivators. The harder a task is the higher the motivator must be. Think of it from your own experience....if something is not easy for you, then you will probably avoid the activity. Same thing goes for your children. And lets face it, if communication was easy for them they would have developed it at the same rate (within a range of typical) as their same age peers. So we as your child's teachers need to find something highly desirable for which they are willing to "work." This post will focus on using a language stimulation strategy called, Aided Language Stimulation, in tandem with fun and engaging apps (to be listed at the end of the post). Aided Language Input is an approach to vocabulary teaching created by Goossens, Crain, and Elder (1992). It was first used with individuals who use a assistive tech device (AT) or an alternative augmentative device (AAC). Although, it has been found to be useful for more than AAC learners. It can also increase the language of children and adults who are visual learners. "This technique provides the communicator with the opportunity to visually process words and symbols being concretely combined to form functional utterances within meaningful routines. Since the printed word accompanies each symbol on the display, Aided Language Stimulation also may assist some children in the development of reading skills. Aided language stimulation is primarily good verbal language stimulation (emphasis removed) with visual augmentation" (taken from Portland Public Schools website). Other names the strategy goes by include: focused language stimulation, partner assisted language, verbal language stimulation, aided language immersion, aided language, and aided language input. For the remainder of the post I will use the term aided language stimulation to describe this vocabulary teaching strategy for the sake of consistency.
Below are some other apps I have used topic boards with. If you need some further ideas or clarification with using them for aided language stimulation, please email me. Enjoy!!
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Kristin Meadows, M.S. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist at Rockburn Elementary School in Elkridge, MD. In the past, she has taught at Ducketts Lane Elementary, Worthington Elementary, Gorman Crossing Elementary, and Elkridge Elementary. She is a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and obtained both a B.A. and M.S. from Loyola University in Maryland. Archives
December 2015
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