5 Back-To-School Tips For AAC In The Classroom

School’s in session! Check out these five tips from your PRC-Saltillo classroom. Get ready to communicate and watch your students excel with AAC! 

Equip your learners – make the communication device available

As soon as your students arrive, make sure they take out their speech-generating device (SGD) and always have it within reach. Ensure your students take their device with them to specials like art or music.

Keep their SGD close by for class participation and spontaneous conversations to learn about the movie they watched over the weekend or their upcoming birthday plans. Connecting in personal ways fosters further communication from your AAC learner.

Post the daily device checklist near your student’s backpack as a visual cue for all communication partners. Pro tip: Laminate the checklist for everyday use.

Echo their words by modeling AAC often

You simply can’t model AAC too much. Incorporate it into greetings, instructions, story time, and affirmations. Even jokes! Modeling teaches your AAC learners how to use their language and it helps them feel included.

When you talk to your students, activate buttons on their AAC system. Say the words verbally, and then echo the words with their device. Your AAC learners need to see and hear their language in action to best understand how to use it themselves.

Consider projecting PRC-Saltillo’s companion software on your classroom whiteboard so everyone can model and speak AAC! Download PASS Software, Empower®, or ChatEditor™ for free on your PC computer to access all PRC-Saltillo vocabularies including Minspeak® and WordPower®.

Excite with lite so everyone can speak and be heard

Lite-tech communication boards are an amazing resource when devices are broken or batteries run out, but lite-tech is far more than a back-up! It allows everyone to model language using the student’s vocabulary no matter the activity or location.

Give your AAC learners every opportunity to communicate with their words. Post lite-tech boards wherever you might have a conversation—your classroom, the hallway, the cafeteria, the library, and more. Download free lite-tech boards from the AAC Language Lab today!

Embrace the wait - give your learners time to participate

Be curious about what your AAC learners have to say. Wait with anticipation for them to respond to your question or comment. Count to 10 (or longer) in your head to give them ample time to reply.

Take a deep breath and embrace the wait. Your patience will encourage your AAC learner’s heart and voice. Their response will encourage you.

Explore new content with core vocabulary

Try descriptive teaching to introduce new school subjects using core words. Rather than asking questions that require a single-word response with content-specific vocab, let AAC learners talk about something new with familiar words.

Pro tip: Avoid the urge to immediately add all the academic vocabulary to an AAC learner’s device. Use core words they recognize and watch their confidence grow!

New curriculum resources featuring descriptive teaching for any AAC system are coming to the AAC Language Lab. Materials complement lesson plans from News2you® (n2y) and Unique Learning System™ (ULS).