The number one goal should be effective, spontaneous communication ⭐️📱

No discrete trials here… just play 🫶

There are so many AAC myths that I hear frequently, but these are some of the main ones. Here are 5 FACTS to replace each myth. 
1 FACT - there is no need to start with low-tech. If the child is showing interest in high-tech or has not taken to low-tech there is no research to support that it is “necessary” to start with low-tech. 2 FACT - limiting grid size is another myth, we should be starting with grid sizes that the child can navigate based on their fine motor skills (consult OT!) and make sure the grid size is not visual sensory overload (happens in some cases). 3 FACT - WE DO NOT HAVE TO START WITH PECS. I never recommend PECS. Listen to autistic voices. 4 FACT - it will not - all research shows if anything, is helps with spoken language, though the goal is always effective communication. 5 FACT - the first A is AAC stands for augmentative and it can and should be used to augment communication for children who are speaking but maybe not across all settings and across all topics. We need to stop gatekeeping.

If there is one thing I could change for my AAC users it would be that everyone backs up, focuses on connection & modeling without expectation & stops telling them what to say on their device. It’s worth it — I promise.

One year ago today I opened @competentcommunicatorsllc and I can now say it is the best thing I ever did. I went full time this past July & have never looked back. I fell back in love with the field of speech pathology after feeling drained for the couple of years prior. I have a weekly full-time caseload, have completed a handful of comprehensive AAC evaluations, did a couple of speaking engagements and signed my first school contract. So excited to see where 24 takes my small business & excited for the years to come! DO IT FOR THE KIDS ❤️

Here are 5 considerations when working with GLPs who use AAC - always keep in mind no two children are the same and what works for one may not always work for another -- gestalts should always be customized for the child in front of you. A lot of this information is things that I have tried over the years that has worked for me and information I learned in the @meaningfulspeech and AAC course.

Here are five considerations when working with early-stage gestalt language processors. While all individual children are different, these tips have significantly helped my GLPs make progress across settings! Let me know what you think or what you would add in the comments! 👇🏻

AAC is often overlooked and not used to supplement spoken speech. It is often an "all or nothing" recommendation. AAC is so important for children whose speech can be inconsistent, unreliable during moments of overstimulation, or just for kids who it just HELPS in general. The goal should be overall effective communication and AAC can be one tool in a large toolbox! 📲

One of the first signs I love seeing for AAC interest from my clients is babbling or exploring the AAC device. THIS IS “FUNCTIONAL”. This is how they learn word locations, meanings & how to navigate their devices. Babbling and exploration of AAC devices should be encouraged. 👏🏼

Connection >>>> compliance ✨

In recent weeks I have seen an influx of clients in my speech sessions who are not interested in using their AAC devices — either in sessions with me, at school, or at home. Initially this made me sad (and still does to an extent) but, I decided to get curious and think about the “why”. Here are three tips I try to keep in mind when my clients aren’t showing interest in the AAC devices. Hope they help 🫶

I put this quote on my feed when I first started my Instagram and I think it needs to be re-shared. Verbal speech is not superior. The goal is spontaneous language production.

One of my favorite things is the look on my client’s face when they realize they don’t have to “earn” their favorite things during my therapy sessions & they won’t be taken from them, either. ❤️

STAGE 3 of natural language acquisition is like 🪄 MAGIC ✨ 💥words that were previously “stuck” in scripts become flexible 💥words start to be understood as units of meaning 💥exploration and experimentation with different word combinations starts 💥self-generated language and early grammar soon follows

Here are some quick tips to keep in mind when modeling language for parents of GLPs. Though every child is different, I find these three key points to be important to keep in mind when working with all GLPs.

Here is another peek into a session with a gestalt language processor. These days he is using lots of self-generated language & his AAC device has really helped him get there. Our sessions are low pressure & we have lots of fun together. I am combining what I know from AAC therapy & the @meaningfulspeech course to work with him & he is doing amazing! If you have questions about GLP and/or AAC, let me know. I would love to help 🫶

AAC is progressing quickly in our field and now there are so many applications and devices to consider for communication. Here are five simple, yet important, factors to consider when thinking about which AAC device is the best fit for a child.

There are so many benefits to child-led therapy. Clients know they are safe, seen, heard and their interests hold value. They are more likely to engage and participate, have fun and build true connections with others. Connection over compliance, always.

Here are four myths I often hear about AAC. Scroll through to see the facts 📱🫶

With October being AAC Awareness Month, I will be posting a lot of information about AAC evaluation, implementation, and training. Starting off with a simple cheat sheet with some DOs & DON’Ts for implementing AAC. As always, there are NO prerequisites for AAC. Everyone deserves a right to communication.

Starting with an AAC device can seem overwhelming at first. There are so many things to learn & progress can seem “slow”. We have to remember that speaking children don’t learn to speak in a day, week, months or six months. Stay the course & model without expectation & progress will come!

There are still some misconceptions about AAC and who can benefit from AAC. Number four on this list is one of my favorite populations to implement AAC with. It is especially important when working with autistic children that we consider just because they can access spoken speech one day, does not mean that they can everyday. It is our job to support them with augmentative communication when needed.

Quick tips for responding to “but they’re just stimming on their device”. Babbling & exploring is part of the process of learning AAC & stimming always serves a purpose. It’s up to us to respond in the best way given the situation. Here are some tips to help guide your conversations on “stimming & AAC”.

Here are some reasons why movement can be helpful during speech therapy sessions. Feel free to add more reasons in the comments. ⬇️

Three quick tips to avoid the overwhelm & get started with AAC at home today. Hope these help! 📱

Here are 6 things that may be happening when “behavior” is labeled as “non-compliance”. It is so important to look for the deeper meaning and really understand the child we are working with to help them best succeed. 💚 what else would you add? Tell me in the comments ⬇️

Here are four tips to keep in mind when working with early language clients and their families. These tips will take off the pressure to produce a response and make interactions fun & fulfilling for the child - typically we see best outcomes for early language clients when we decrease pressure, not increase it. Hope these help! 👶🏼

Here are four ways to measure progress with AAC. These may come before a child is actually utilizing the device for “communication.” I like to keep these in mind when completing AAC evaluations to prove to funding sources that progress is being made and the child is interested in the device. Hope these help!

3 tangible tips to guide parents & SLPs when implementing AAC modeling & intervention. Save this one for when you need a quick glance ✨

Here are 5 tips to keep in mind when working with early stage gestalt language processors. GLPs are drawn to rich intonation & use delayed echolalia (repeat things back exactly as they hear them). Keep these in mind next time you are working with a GLP!

Here’s a little clip from a session with a 4 year old GLP. He uses TouchChat & spoken language to communicate. We do: ✔️model without expectation ✔️use child-led therapy ✔️program gestalts into the AAC device ✔️let him explore & babble on the device ✔️acknowledge all communication attempts We do not: ✔️prompt a specific response ✔️use hand over hand ✔️make him say something a certain way When I met this little guy he had over 200 nouns - now he is moving through NLA so well has many gestalts both spoken vocally & on his AAC device & he is beginning to self generate language more & more each week! 🤗 This is what NLA is all about!

I have been loving the whiteboard feature in TouchChat lately for gestalt language processors and/or hyperlexic clients. I have used it to write out some gestalt models and in this situation, this three year old hyperlexic GLP is using it to initiate social communication which has been really fun to see! The best part was he had the autonomy to choose how he wanted to communicate in that moment & we honored it. ☺️ Have you used the whiteboard feature? What do you like about it? Send me a message if you have questions about how it may help you in therapy sessions.

What better way to learn more about Autism than from autistic people themselves?! Learning about the lived experience of autistic people has been truly transformative for my therapy approach as a pediatric SLP. It has continued to teach me about the importance of AAC (even for kids who are speaking), about sensory needs, about meltdowns vs. tantrums, how to teach kids to advocate for what kids may need to succeed & the list goes on and on. Some of my favorite Facebook groups to read include: Autism Inclusivity, Ask Me, I’m Autistic & Ask Me I’m an AAC User. I have learned SO much from these groups & I encourage you to join, too 🫶♾️

Listening to autistic voices has taught me a lot about play styles and Autism. I have learned that autistic children are often whole-to-part thinkers and processors - they may explore a toy or look at a toy before, or instead of, playing with it in the way that a neurotypical child may. They may also play by acting out scenes they have seen before, sometimes from movies or media. Play may be made up of a variety of types and styles including: dump and fill, cause and effect, in and out, sorting, organizing, characterizing etc. Play may be role-playing favorite scenes from movies and assigning parts. “Functional play” should be re-evaluated - if the play serves purpose for the child, then it is functional. We should be teaching neurotypical kids that not everyone pays like them, and that’s okay. All play is okay.

There are so many benefits to adding movement & sensory tools & play into speech therapy sessions. My favorite is happy & excited kids who love coming to speech therapy. I've learned so much about the benefits of movement & having a basic understanding of sensory processing from @sensory.slp Inside Out course & sensory intensives and the benefits of movement are discussed in the @meaningfulspeech course and in work by Marge Blanc. Regulation always comes before communication so we need to get these little bodies moving!

Looking back before I became informed there are many things I did as an SLP that did not sit right with me, but, I didn't know any better. I went to an amazing graduate program, but was not really taught about neurodiversity. It is difficult to do better when you don't know better. Now, over the last few years, I have been listening to autistic voices to inform my practice and my sessions have transformed. Here are some things I have stopped targeting in my practice to be more aligned with the neurodiversity movement and to be a neurodiversity-affirming therapy provider. #KnowBetterDoBetter

AAC implementation should be done during intrinsically motivating activities. Best practice shows that AAC devices should be "modeled without expectation" - meaning that families, caregivers, staff and peers should be modeling use of AAC for the children that use it without expecting a response. AAC implementation is NOT discrete trial training - using language like "find x on your device" or "can you show me where x is?" or even simple things like showing pictures and making the student use their device to label them. This does not teach children that they have autonomy over their device and their voice and can say what they want to say. This also often leads to device abandonment over time. Keep it fun, child led and stop testing kids on their devices and calling it "language".

A while back I had made a post about adding gestalts to an AAC device but I got sidetracked following up with more examples, so, here are a couple. This first example is a client who uses vocal speech in stages 1-4. AAC helps him initiate communication and use language when he is feeling tired, burnt out or overwhelmed. He has gestalts in a variety of places on his device, mostly on specific fringe pages that go with the activity that they are related to. He also sequences single words for novel language on his SGD and to produce gestalts. The second example is a client who is non-speaking and just starting to attend to modeling on the SGD. He benefits from having some stage 1 gestalts on one page of his device. In recent weeks, he is looking at the device more, attending more to modeling and attempting to activate icons. It's ever a one size fits all approach, it's a lot of trial and error. Both of these clients use TouchChat with WordPower, I also have GLPs who use ProLoQuo2Go and LAMP Words for Life currently. You can learn even more about this in @meaningfulspeech AAC and GLP course!

AAC is NOT a last resort. AAC can and should be used in addition to spoken language approaches for kids with complex communication needs. The research supports using AAC to help build overall communication skills in tandem with spoken language approaches. And friendly reminder there are NO prerequisites to AAC.

Here are four pillars we value when providing neurodiversity speech therapy at my clinic Competent Communicators LLC: ✨we honor autism as being a different brain, not a disordered brain and we understand the idea of neurodiversity that no one brain is superior to another ✨ we honor all attempts at and all modalities of communication - we understand communication can be more or less challenging day to day dependent upon sensory systems and dysregulation, exhaustion levels, motor planning difficulties and more ✨ we incorporate special interests into play, we do not believe in “earning” preferred items, token boards or behavior charts ✨ we value connection over compliance - always

One of my favorite parts of working with autistic children is they often model types of play for me that I would not even think of. I also really enjoy when they become so comfortable with me that they start wanting to incorporate me in their play schemes or giving me a job to do. Here I was the "doctor" when dinosaur kept hitting his head and getting hurt - I also got to be different doctors as the session progressed "shark doctor", "giraffe doctor, etc." The other clip is a matching game one of my clients created when he saw the animals hanging on my wall and matched them with the MagnaTiles. We took turns matching and talking about the letters that each animal started with. Validate autistic play & join in if that is something the child wants you to do.

Here are some types of play that I see in my treatment sessions often and they are all okay. Play should be chosen by the child and internally motivating in and of itself, or it's not play. Play should not be dictated by an adult and kids should not have to "play a certain way." I see a lot of lining up, dumping and filling, creating movie scenes, pairing objects I would not normally think of pairing on my own, sorting, making patterns, etc. Let kids play their way!

Here are 5 tips to keep in mind when implementing AAC therapy or working with an AAC user 📱 use a robust vocabulary 📱model a variety of pragmatic language functions 📱involve the client with operational competence of the device 📱do not make the AAC user “master” words before modeling/exposing them to others 📱Use adequate wait-time and decrease pressure.

This 4 year old has seen TouchChat with WordPower60Basic three times. This is the third time it was introduced. Presuming competence in regards to AAC is SO important. He was immediately started on a 60 word layout, all words showing. I modeled some during motivating activities and let him lead the way and look at this! He explores the keyboard independently, navigates pages & folders, revises mis-hits and it helps him initiate communication SO much. Yes, he speaks, but this helps him with overall communication. Presume competence, AAC is NOT a last resort.

There are many benefits to customizing an AAC device and adding either POWER FRINGE words or gestalts that are important to the AAC user. Children want to communicate about things that interest them, things that they find meaningful and things that are important to them. By customizing AAC devices (either analytical or gestalt) we are showing our children that their ideas are meaningful to us, which, in turn leads to true connection and meaningful interactions.

Here are 5 tips for true, authentic modeling without expectation. Let me know if you would add nothing below ⬇️

Here are six considerations to start with when staff or family members report that their AAC user doesn't use their device or isn't make progress. 1. MODELING: do it without expecting imitation 2. POWER FRINGE: these words/scripts will be different for every child 3. PRESUME COMPETENCE: often when we don’t, children are placed on smaller grid sizes than necessary 4. GESTALT LANGUAGE PROCESSING: device would need to be customized or them to be successful and for the way they process language 5. TESTING/TRIALS: is the device being used for testing and trials? That is teaching the AAC user they should only speak when spoken to and that the device is used for what others want them to say. 6. OVER-PROMPTING: this can lead to prompt dependency and AAC users who do not initiate conversation After considering these points, then a plan can be made for which point needs revision in order to have more successful AAC implementation.

There are many benefit to child-led play both in the direct therapy environment and the home environment. Child-led play gives children opportunities to problem solve, use language that is actually meaningful to them, narrate the "story", connect with others and feel valued and important during the process. We know children learn through play and by definition play is chosen by the child and done for their own sake and not done for the sake of a reward or reinforcement. Here are six benefits of child-led play to keep in mind next time you are planning your sessions 💛

Here is a little “cheat sheet” or some basic tips to keep in mind when working with kids who use AAC to communicate. Remember to always prioritize connection over compliance 😊

Here are five key points when considering grid size on an AAC device with someone who uses alternative or augmentative communication. As always, it is best practice to consult with OT regarding fine motor skills, however, if that is not an issue for the client than these points are important to consider and keep in mind. Additionally, if alternative access is needed for a more robust system, that should be explored as well.

Here is a peek into how I have recently started customizing an AAC device for a gestalt language processor. This is for an autistic 4 year old who also speaks with mouth words. He can navigate this vocabulary with no problem, he has great fine motor skills & motor memory and he can read. He is in stages 1-2 solidly, however, in recent weeks (especially since we’ve added AAC) his language has taken off. Some things I have done/played around with: 💫 adding gestalts to his vehicles page, he LOVES vehicles and that’s what got him into the device 💫 adding phrases to request & PROTEST & self advocate under toys page 💫 adding song scripts & advocating to add icons under his general scripts - he loves to say NEED TO ADD + noun 💫 scripts for shared joy under kitchen, which might seem random- however, he loves to play a game where he mis-labels various kitchen items, and then he laughs and looks to me to tickle him and laugh with him. ☺️ I can add an update when he gets his own device with more gestalts we’ve added and how it’s going if this is helpful 👏🏼 and of course you can learn about this & SO MUCH MORE by taking the @meaningfulspeech AAC & GLP course!

Customizing AAC devices to include gestalts is not a one size fits all approach and it can be a lot of trial and error, however, here are some ideas for types of gestalts I have found to be beneficial to include in AAC customization. Just as a reminder, even if these topics are the same of every child, the actual gestalt should be specific to that child. Hope this helps! ☺️

Five signs/types of children that may benefit from use of an AAC device. #5 is my favorite 👏🏼

Here are some basic considerations when working with ACC users who are gestalt language processors. 💕START WITH ROBUST AAC: GLPs need access to many, many words for modeling and exploring purposes, just like our analytic language processors. Additionally, the larger the grid size, the more gestalts that can be programmed onto one made. 💕ADD GESTALTS IN PLACES THAT "MAKE SENSE": this will vary based on the device and how vocabulary is programmed: semantic relationships, semantic compaction, pragmatic organization, etc. This will also vary based on what make sense for each individual child. 💕ADD IN MEDIA: for children that are very interested in songs/media/videos, consider this when choosing the application and think about applications that allow for embedding videos or clips into the AAC device. 💕MODEL GESTALTS WITHOUT EXPECTATION: similar to our ALP kids, we should be modeling gestalts in fun, motivating, contexts. Language should be fun and communication should be fun! Also, considering the NLA framework; we want to follow the child's interest when modeling language. 💕HAVE FUN!: most of all, have fun. If you're having fun and the child is having fun, there will be many more opportunities for true language modeling!

There are many signs that an AAC user may be a gestalt language processor. Here are some of the more classic signs I have noticed doing AAC therapy over the years. This is not an exhaustive list, but, these are some signs to look out for. If your AAC user does any of these things, it would likely be beneficial to add gestalts to their device and start using NLA alongside AAC intervention. 📱

5 simple steps to start implementing during play-based therapy sessions 🧸 🚂🪁🪀 child-led, play-based therapy = genuine progress ☺️

5 TIPS FOR MODELING AAC ⬇️ MODEL DURING GENUINE INTERACTIONS — Modeling on an AAC device should be just like talking to a friend or family member. We don’t need “sabotage” or to contrive fake scenarios for modeling and in fact, we shouldn’t. Model during genuinely interesting and motivating contexts. MODEL WITHOUT EXPECTATION — modeling on the AAC during without expecting your child or client to use it. That’s it. Normalize talking with AAC. USE VERBAL REFERENCING — reference what you see the child or clients body language or other means of communication telling you and model what they MIGHT want to say on the device. WE NEVER KNOW FOR SURE WHAT SOMEONE IS THINKING. MODEL MAKING MISTAKES/SEARCHING WORDS — this takes the pressure off our AAC users. It teaches them that we are learning with them. It also shows them how to find words when they aren’t sure where they are. USE DIFFERENT PARTS OF SPEECH — don’t just model nouns for requests, model telling jokes, complaining, protesting, making comments and being silly. Whatever the child likes, model that. ☺️

5 options for AAC device funding ⬇️ DEDICATED DEVICE VENDORS— Depending on what insurance the child has, there will be dedicated device vendors that are “in network” and can fund an AAC device for the child. PROS: dedicated (not always a pro), durable, ongoing tech and damage support, etc. CONS: Long waiting lists, extended trials, large out-of-pocket co-pays (for some) INDEPENDENT IPAD PURCHASE — This is becoming more and more popular for good reason for some. PROS: family can acquire this immediately, they can customize the device to their liking with the support from an SLP. There is no months of waiting, there is no need to “prove” a child needs a device to insurance. Ability to access media/YouTube for GLPs. iPads are familiar technology for many people so many families feel very comfortable with the hardware and software of an iPad. NONPROFITS — There are some nonprofits out there that will help acquire AAC devices for kids in need. These typically have long waiting lists, but are a good option for children who do not have access to SLP services, families who cannot financially afford other options and families who have, unfortunately, been told their child “does not need an AAC device” by their school or clinician. @lillysvoice is a great one doing amazing things 💜 GRANTS — different states have local grants through different companies who will also find a device if they find it medically necessary. This is dependent upon location. Reaching out to local boards/nonprofits/various companies can help to brainstorm different options available. USE TOOLS YOU ALREADY HAVE — While this is definitely a short term solution, there are some free applications that can be downloaded to cell phones, for example, that can assist with communication. Additionally, using text-to-speech is a viable option for children with more advanced literacy skills or a special interest in writing/typing. While a robust application is always the goal, this could be a temporary solution to assist with communication breakdowns while working more toward a long term resolution.

Another mistake I have been guilty of in the past is over-prompting AAC use. This leads to prompt dependency and a lack of autonomous communication. Here are some strategies I have learned over the years from other AAC users themselves, AAC SLPs, research and trial and error. These five strategies are much more beneficial than prompting AC use and they will help lead to autonomous communication. 1. Model during motivating activities: this will look different for every child, based on their interests. 2. Use parallel talk: talk it out while searching for words together, navigating the device, and share your general thoughts when modeling. 3. Ask open ended questions (& give enough wait-time for your child to respond!!) 4. Give up the idea that you know what the child wants to say. You truly don't. The only person that knows what the child wants to say is the child. 5. CONNECTION OVER COMPLIANCE. ALWAYS.

Sometimes during AAC evaluations or device trials, we are pressed for time and they would, ideally, be longer. Sometimes that is not an option, and we may not see a child independently use the device during the trial/evaluation. Here are some other ways you can measure AAC progress and success during a trial, evaluation period or even general therapy. I hope this helps when making recommendations so that there's no longer kids who "aren't ready" for AAC, as EVERYONE actually is "ready". Keep this list in mind next time you may be completing an AAC evaluation, trial or tx session that may not be very straightforward. What would you add to the list? Tell me below!

A mistake I made when first stepping out into the AAC SLP world, was prompting AAC use and prompting it quite frequently. I was guilty of saying: "tell me with your device" even though, a lot of the time, I knew what the child was trying to communicate. I didn't know better at the time. Now that I do, here are some things I like to say/do instead: 1. "It looks like you might want to say ___" and then model a POSSIBLE OPTION. Again, this is just an option. The child does not need to imitate this and they should not be required to. 2. Make a comment on what it looks like they are trying to communicate with gestures and/or body language. 3. "I wonder what you think about ____" this open the floor for a great conversation and the opportunity for the child to think critically and share their opinion. 4. "I wonder if ___" and finish this statement off with an open ended prompt. "I wonder if you want to do something different?" or "I wonder if you have any plans this weekend?" or "I wonder if you had a good day today?" 5. "It looks like you might want to talk about ___." Again, "looks like" and "might" are not definitive. We are always leaving room for our children to say: "NO, I don't want to talk about X, I want to talk about Y!" 6. This is the most important. If you know what is being communicated by your AAC user, don't make them say it again.. even if they didn't say it on their device. I hope this one helps! What is your favorite way to encourage autonomous communication?! Tell me below!

Connection is always the ultimate goal.

This is the number one goal of AAC therapy: AUTONOMOUS COMMUNICATION. 🚫drilling 🚫compliance based therapy 🚫answering questions 🚫saying what other people want them to say. ✅saying what they want to say ✅how they want to say it (AAC, gestures, focalization’s, mouth words, body language, facial expressions, body proximity) ✅when they want to say it ✅who they want to say it to and where they want to say it

AAC is a topic of conversation that comes up in the pediatric SLP world often. I could talk AAC with families and parents all day, and I have for years, however, it can still be a challenging conversation to navigate. Many families have ideas of what AAC means and some of these ideas are accurate and some are not based in evidence; this is where it’s our job to educate them in a respectful way if they are open to having the conversation. The use of AAC can benefit so many children for so many reasons. AAC is not just for kids who do not use mouth words. If AAC helps your child communicate, then, it’s a good fit! Let’s break the stigma and start recommending more AAC 👏🏼

There’s a lot of information and research out there on the benefits of using AAC to supplement, increase and even improve verbal speech..which is great.. but, it’s definitely not everything. For many, many AAC users, verbal speech may not come and this is truly okay. The ultimate goal of AAC use should be for it to improve effective communication. This is how progress should be measured. Effective communication should always be the goal. No matter the modality.

Literacy is a huge piece when we’re doing AAC intervention. Some simple ways to incorporate literacy into AAC intervention with our littles include: 🌸 looking at books together 🌸 talking about sounds, letters & syllables 🌸 searching for words together on AAC devices 🌸predictable chart writing 🌸making silly rhymes What are some of your favorite ways to incorporate literacy either at home or in therapy with littles?

If you are just starting AAC, you have likely heard about the importance of having a “robust” AAC application/vocabulary, but.. what exactly does that mean? For a device to be robust, it must have the following: CORE VOCABULARY: these words are used consistently across settings. they are general words like verbs, prepositions, pronouns, etc. there is research that shows these words make up a lot of what we actually say. FRINGE VOCABULARY: these are words that are specific to an activity. they are usually used less commonly than core; think about nouns here. for many clients, “power fringe” is important which is likely some of their favorite words. KEYBOARD: if you don’t have access to a keyboard, you won’t be able to say everything you want to say at any time. literacy skills are so important for our AAC users. COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS: the device MUST be able to communicate a variety of pragmatic functions. much more than just requesting; our kids need to be able to protest, comment, ask and answer questions, where a story, complain, yell, talk to friends, etc.

The best mantra I’ve ever adopted. Also, they’re not giving you a hard time. They’re having a hard time. And it’s our job to figure out why. I truly believe all of this and it has changed my practice as a clinician.

This is the first tip I like to share with parents. Make AAC a fun, shared experience. Teach your kids it’s okay to make mistakes. Normalize the learning experience. 🥳

Instead of making device use a demand, we can normalize use of the device by modeling it ourselves. This shows our children where the vocabulary they may want to use is located while also connecting with their communication partner while exploring the device simultaneously. 📲

There’s been a lot of talk lately about stopping stimming but let’s talk about stopping scripting. I totally used to be guilty of this. 😥 I never felt fully informed or educated on what to do about scripting until I found @meaningfulspeech and the Natural Language Acquisition framework. We can’t do better until we know better. Now that I know so much more, my kids are making so much progress. Therapy is never about stopping their scripts.. instead, it’s about offering them a variety of scripts they can mitigate and use about a variety of topics. It is always child-led and strengths based. Stop stopping stimming & stop stopping scripting. Scripting IS communication. Scripting IS functional.

💥This one goes hand in hand with “kids do well if they can”. 💥I truly believe that “challenging behavior” is just a signal that we as adults need to change something. Our approach, our activity, our expectations, etc. 💥Behavior is so much more than what’s on the surface. We need to give our kids the tools and skills to be successful.

🟣It can be challenging sometimes to accept that AAC isn’t always a “quick fix”. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time. 🟣If you’re working with an AAC user or a parent of one, I think it’s important to keep in mind that communication is a choice. If the child isn’t using their device, we need to re-evaluate what we are doing. 🟣Is it being seen as work? It it being seen as a demand? Is it a really contrived situation? These are all examples of things and situations that may turn a client away from wanting to use their device. 🟣It’s our job to model without expectation, make it fun, talk about their interests and build language in to meaningful interactions. If fun and connection are at the forefront of our therapy/interactions, more often than not, our kids will want to use their devices and they will want to communicate with us.

🌀This past year or so has been a big year of learning and unlearning for me. There have been so many things I have done in the past and ways I’ve measured success for AAC users that I need to unlearn. 🌀It’s definitely a work in progress. When I go into meetings with families now, I discuss the importance of a genuine connection. 🌀I truly believe if we are genuinely connecting with our kids, the words and language will follow. It doesn’t matter how many symbols they combine or how many items they can request. 🌀What matters is they have shared experiences, connecting with others learning & growing! 🌀What’s something you’ve had to unlearn? ⬇️

Verbal speech is not superior to AAC. Communication with AAC needs to be respected and honored 100% of the time.

There is so much more to life & communication than asking for things. We are not vending machines.

AAC TIP #4. Add a word on to what your kid is already saying to expand their language. It’s not a prompt. It’s not you making them imitate you. It’s just exposure to more language.

AAC TIP #3: re-frame questions so they are open-ended. No forced choices. More autonomy. More opportunity to express what our children really think. 💚

This is the number 1 tip I give families when they acquire an AAC device for the first time. This is the practice that will give best outcomes, long-term. Model model model 💜

🗣Attributing meaning is a simple yet effective strategy when doing AAC intervention or just having a genuine conversation with our kids. 🗣What does it look like?: RESPONDING to ALL attempts at communication, even if they are seemingly random. If you are doing a gross motor activity and the child says: “cookie” we should respond by saying something like “oh I don’t have any cookies” or “I love cookies” or “that sounds yummy!” 🗣What it does NOT look like?: Telling the child that their utterance is wrong or inappropriate. Again, the point of AAC is to give children autonomy to say what THEY want to say. If every time they talk they’re told “no” or “that’s wrong” they aren’t going to want to communicate with us. 🗣Nobody can tell anyone what they HAVE to say. Strive for a genuine connection and attribute meaning. 📲

We should be starting kids on the largest grid that they can access. More words = more language = more pragmatic functions = more autonomous communication. Kids don’t need to graduate one grid size before moving on to the next. Start robust!

I pinky promise, it’s not. Consider a keyguard. Consider other access methods. But don’t say “they’re not ready.” 🙅🏻‍♀️

This week I am doing a little “series” on fake prerequisites to AAC because there are NONE. These posts are all things I’ve heard in the past from various professionals about why a certain kid isn’t “ready” for AAC and things that parents have been told about why their child “isn’t ready for an AAC evaluation”. These excuses aren’t real. They don’t exist. We all need to work together to start making AAC more accessible to ALL kids who need it. 💫

Even if kids aren’t matching photos or identifying photos we can teach AAC through modeling, motor planning, exposure & attributing meaning. 📱📲🗣

Joint attention can be addressed and worked on while modeling and implementing AAC. Joint attention is not something that has to be “mastered” or “observed consistently” before starting AAC. And- joint attention looks different for autistic kids. Just because they aren’t “looking” doesn’t mean they aren’t listening, it doesn’t mean they don’t hear us and it doesn’t mean they’re ignoring us. Get started with AAC & continue to build joint attention skills while modeling AAC in fun, motivating contexts where the child wants to communicate. 🥳

I think sometimes the hardest part of modeling can be finding the “right words” to model. When training staff and parents and asking them what’s the most challenging part of modeling, this is something I hear often. My advice is this: ✨ strive for a genuine connection ✨ have fun ✨ see what the child is already communicating through multi-modal communication ✨ model accordingly ✨ connection over compliance. ALWAYS.

When kids feel safe & heard & know they are in an environment rooted in trust they perform well. In my experience, working with autistic kids has been a self-fulfilling prophecy. Believe they can. Support them. Trust them. Build them up. Make them feel safe. And they will achieve amazing things. We need to make our kids feel safe and have a trusting relationship before we do anything else. 👏🏼 #neurodiversity #strengthsbasedapproach

Emerging communicators are going to communicate about what THEY want before we can direct their communication. If we are constantly telling them what to say or contriving specific situations based on what we want them to say, they are not learning that AAC is their voice. 💠 saying no is just as important as saying yes 💠 complaining is as important as making requests 💠if a child is refusing to use their device in the moment, that is okay, too. 💠 MODEL a variety of language and watch them use it, too!

5 steps to get comfortable with AAC implementation for parents, staff & SLPs. ☝🏻 Access 👇🏻Authentic interactions 👈🏻Model 👉🏻Wait time 🤚🏻 Have fun What do you find to be the most difficult thing to keep in mind when implementing AAC?! Let me know below ⬇️

Let’s normalize AAC use in early intervention. 👏🏼

The goal is effective communication. ⭐️ gestures ⭐️ speech ⭐️ sign ⭐️ vocalizing ⭐️behavior ⭐️facial expressions ⭐️ etc.

This one doesn’t even need a caption. 🧠 #neurodiversity

Engagement is so important for learning true, spontaneous language. Sometimes as SLPs we get caught up in number of words, types of words, etc. After all, many parents come to us wanting their kids to “talk.” Over the years I’ve learned if we spend time on shared enjoyment and engagement, the outcomes are significantly improved for our kids. If we’re having fun, chances are, they’re having fun too. Start with engagement & the rest will follow.🗣

⭐️ KIDS DO WELL IF THEY CAN. ⭐️ If our kids are struggling, we need to change our approach. We need to look at why they are doing what they are doing, instead of just what we can see on the surface. It’s our job as clinicians to understand our clients and change our approach as necessary. *Person first language used here to quote the author, directly. Most autistic adults prefer identify first language.*

Presuming competence/potential is a big buzz word in the AAC world. Dr. Carole Zangari explains this so well with 4 key points. 🔑 This is how I think it breaks down: 1. If we perceive our kids will do well, then we will expect more out of them. 2. If we expect that they can do things, they will be presented with more opportunity. 3. If they are given more opportunities, they will likely achieve more. 4. If they achieve more, people will think more highly of them. It all starts with perception. Think that our kids will do awesome things and they will. 😌

Wow. Just stumbled across this quote by @uncommonsenseblog & it’s too good. Something happens when we shift perspective. Instead of thinking: “they’ll grow into more words eventually”, if we reframe our thinking to “why should I decide what this child can/cannot say?” and pair that with modeling WITHOUT EXPECTATION!!! until the cows come home, good things will happen. We need to empower our kids. Make them feel heard. Honor them & learn from them. 💚

🔅What if instead of limiting a child’s vocabulary so that they “use their device” we gave them access to all their words all the time? 🔅Best practice is to have the largest number of words available that children can handle fine-motor wise. If we consistently put this to practice, we would see more initiation and more communication. 🔅As support staff, it’s our job to support the child. What does the child want to communicate about? We need to shift our thinking from “what do I want this child to say?” and give the child the words to say what THEY want to say. 🔅Less masking. More modeling.

Just a few things to keep in mind when modeling with your AAC users. I brought these up last night during a parent training I led where I really tried to break things down. Keep these four things in mind to keep modeling simple and engaging. 💫

Still here to remind everyone of this. Watching @mrsspeechiep’s story takeover by @julietteandcaleb has been AMAZING, but, it’s also breaking my heart. She’s getting so many questions from parents who have been told by their SLP that their child “doesn’t need AAC” or “isn’t ready for AAC” or needs to use a “smaller grid”. We need to continue to work together to give our kids the tools they need to be successful, including AAC. All children deserve access to robust AAC. There. Are. No. Prerequisites.

🗣Just thinking about this seems SO exhausting. Imagine every time or even every other or every twenty times you speak, someone makes you “say it again” or “say it in a different way” or “tell me with your words” or “tell me with your device.” 🗣This is exhausting to even think about. Never mind deal with every single day. We need to honor ALL forms of communication, everyday across ALL settings. The moment communication becomes WORK we’ve lost the fun & connection and it’s no longer novel communication. 🗣Let’s work together to accept responses that we know the meaning of. Sure, we can expand on them & model back options, but let’s work together to stop making our kids say things multiple times just to appease us. 🗣The beauty of communication is saying what we want to say, when/where and how we want to say it.