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Communication Opportunities is # 4 in our TOP 4 Implementation Strategies
Marlene
7/29/2016 7:28 AM
We can provide a robust core vocabulary, a powerful AAC system, aided language input by all of the communication partners and explicit vocabulary instruction, but without OPPORTUNITIES galore we are not going to get very far. Communication and language learning opportunities are one of the keys to building communicative competence. The communication environment should allow for hundreds and hundreds of communicative exchanges and create a platform for even more.
If you have been in the field of AAC very long you probably have seen this powerfully stated truth about opportunities, or the lack there of, for students using AAC.
“The average 18 month old has been exposed to 4,380 hours of oral language at a rate of 8 hours/day from birth. A child who has a
communication system (AAC) and receives speech/language therapy 2 times/week for 20-30 minutes will reach the same amount of language exposure (in their AAC language) in 84 years” - Jane Korsten
While communicating using AAC, it's all about the opportunities and the words. We want to create opportunities that are meaningful and engaging for the communicator while also providing peer to peer communication with lots and lots of turn takes.
Opportunities to learn about:
- The reasons to communication (pragmatics)
- Word meanings (semantics)
- The communication dance (discourse)
- Word building (morphology)
- Sentence building (syntax)
It is important in the implementation process to ask yourself how you are doing. We often hear the phrase, “this is my story and I’m sticking to it! But then there is the reality. Sometimes they are the same. Other times not so much. During one of our “reality checks” a new team was asked to share one challenge and one “aha” moment. Here is what they shared:
My Challenge: “I wanted you to give me activities to use to practice core all through the day and you didn’t.”
One solution: “The next time we met you walked our team through a process of looking at our routines and daily activities and when and how to implement our new “go to” strategies: core vocabulary, aided language input and vocabulary instruction. I didn’t need to do all kinds of new things I just needed to think a little differently about what we were already doing.”
My “aha” Moment:“ I was profoundly shaken upon hearing the statement by Jane Korsten and thinking about how many opportunities we don’t give our students using AAC. I really have to wrap my head around how to get started and not feel guilty about what I haven’t done.” :)
One Solution: ” Remember! We have to take this new learning one step at a time.” We took a deep breath pulled out the Action Planning Form and Opportunities Scale. We then chose some doable actions and picked activities where we could get started.
I have included the Oakland Schools "AAC Communication Opportunity Scale". It is a tool we use to assist teams in determining the communicative opportunities available in the already occurring classroom activities and routines. Teams have found the tool useful in seeing what it really looks like to apply all of the implementation strategies they have just learned about. For many is has become a useful part of their lesson planning routine.
Special Recognition: I want to thank the Oakland Schools AAC Team for the passion, tireless determination and joy they bring to this initiative. The "Framework For Success" would not exist without the talents and gifts of each member of this team. From left to right: Sandy McIntyre, Dawn Jones, Janet Hamblin, Marlene Cummings and Stacy Fox.
Resources:
PrAACtical AAC Opportunities search: http://praacticalaac.org/?s=opportunities
Oakland Schools Opportunities Self-Assessment Checklist PDF
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Teachers:
Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging