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Back-to-school season is here. It’s time to get ready to learn!

Learning readiness is one of the principles of the Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP)™ approach. It applies to all learning situations and AAC solutions. To learn well, an individual must be in an arousal state compatible for attending and learning. Sensory techniques can help students maintain an optimal level of arousal. Following the lead of your learner’s interests with vocabulary and activities can also encourage interactive communication and engagement. With your student’s needs in mind, let’s explore classroom supports to help you both succeed!

Curriculum and Classroom Supports for Back-to-School Success

Curriculum Supports for News2you and Unique Learning Systems

PRC-Saltillo’s training and implementation team offers free support materials for News2you (n2y) and Unique Learning System (ULS) curriculum. With a descriptive teaching foundation, your students will learn and engage with their peers at school with core words – no matter the topic. These tools are complimentary to any AAC vocabulary or device. Learn more about these updated materials available on the AAC Language Lab.

Descriptive Teaching for Descriptive Talking

Core words are generally the most effective and efficient for AAC as a student and throughout life. Descriptive teaching is a valuable strategy to help students learn new content in the classroom. Descriptive talking allows them to use core and other high frequency words to discuss academic material. This teaching method includes asking your AAC learners open ended questions that enable them to talk about concepts and key words using vocabulary they already have. Prepare your AAC learners for classroom learning and a lifetime of strategic communication skills by taking The Descriptive Teaching Method eLearning course with Gail M. Van Tatenhove, P.A., M.S., CCC/SLP. 

Language and Literacy Goal Setting

If you’re looking for practical support to set language and literacy goals for students who use AAC, join us for Minspeak® Academy Master Class with Michele Boruta, M.Ed. on September 18-19. This virtual workshop will give you a set of tools to set robust, meaningful goals and organize your instruction to make teaching more intentional while supporting the generalization of skills across educational and communication contexts. By taking this course featuring the Literacy Based Therapy framework, you’ll discover how to start and end every lesson with a child friendly learning target. Register for Language and Literacy in AAC today!

Getting Ready to Read

Getting Ready to Read is a one-of-a-kind literacy and communication instructional program designed to teach word recognition, decoding, spelling and icon sequencing using an AAC device. This instructional program is the result of more than a decade of collaboration between the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with Dr. Karen Erickson and Dr. Gretchen Hanser, Bruce Baker of Semantic Compaction, and PRC-Saltillo. Lesson plans and support materials are available for several AAC vocabularies. Check out this free literacy resource on the AAC Language Lab!

Emulation Software

If you’re new to AAC, emulation software allows you to run the various AAC vocabularies on your Windows® computer, without having to use a communication device. Teachers, therapists, and caregivers often use this software to create support materials such as Smart Charts to help teach and locate vocabulary. You can also use it to customize vocabulary files to transfer back to your communicator’s device.

PRC-Saltillo has three free emulation software options to help you mirror your student’s AAC solution:

To make the most of your vocabulary files and teaching tools, make sure your Chat Editor, Chat Software, and TouchChat app are all on the same update. If they are on a different version, they won’t work together.

Have a Mac? Don’t worry! With your Mac Computer with an Apple® Silicon Processor, you can copy AAC vocabulary files and transfer them in the same manner as you have previously between iPads®. Learn more about compatibility and how to access with your Apple ID.

IEPs and Assistive Technology

If you’re a school-based speech-language pathologist (SLP) who helps make decisions for students’ IEPs, here’s some additional information to help you in your advocacy. The U.S. Department of Education released a 24-page “myths and facts” document to clarify schools’ responsibilities related to providing assistive technology and services. There are many misconceptions when it comes to AAC that can prevent a student from receiving AAC services. Sayard Bass, M.S., CCC-SLP, recently wrote an article, Federal Guidance Counters Assistive Technology Myths, explaining the document’s “five sections addressing AT’s role in the IEP; definition and use by setting; decision-making protocol; age specifications; and funding sources.” Bass noted, “This new guidance equips us to be even more effective advocates at the IEP table for holistically seeing and meeting our students’ needs.”

AAC Coaching Corner

Advance your communication partner skills through fun, interactive small group learning. Your ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist coach leads groups with extensive experience working with individuals of all ages. Benefit from their implementation knowledge for any AAC solution. Explore the fall AAC Coaching Corner options for parents/family members (AAC Group Coaching) and professionals (AAC Pro Coaching Clinic) and join a group today!

You might also check out these five tried-and-true tips for your classroom. This article includes a downloadable daily device check list as well as a link to lite-tech boards. Prepare your learning spaces and learning mindset, then watch your students excel with AAC!



Educational Resources