Typical Day in a Language Building Classroom Donna Millar Special Education teacher Littleton Public Schools Michelle Butler SLP

Who are We? Donna Teacher of students with significant needs Value each student’s individuality In my spare time I work with refugees.

Who is Here? SLPs Teachers OTs PTs Parents Others?

Unique to this building Our Team Full time teacher Part time Speech Pathologist Part time Occupational Therapist Three full time Paraprofessionals Unique to this building Two self-contained programs Blending of services Ability to group by students needs Ability to tailor the programs to utilize all team members strengths

Our Classroom Center based Eight students Wide range of abilities Combination of inclusion and pull-out

Our Students Patrick Seth go Gabe Mary

GABE How Did We Get Here? Device trials Challenges Support from Saltillo Success with PalmChat software on the Smartboard for all kids

What You Will Learn Today Participants will gain insight into how multiple disciplines can work together to support students with a variety of communication needs. Participants will identify keys to successful implementation of AAC into a classroom of students who have complex communication needs. Participants will identify keys to incorporate language development into literacy activities for students who have complex communication needs and may need AAC.

What We Know About How AAC and Language “The family, teacher, or therapist working with the child needs to have a vision of where they are going in terms of AAC and language development. Without this vision, development of an AAC system is too often drive by "immediate needs," and the support team ends up continually scrambling to make yet another board or to program yet more vocabulary for yet another activity or event in the child's life. “ “What you often end up with is (1) an AAC system full of nouns, but deficit of language and/or (2) an AAC system that lacks a systematic organization of words. Plus, this cycle of board making and vocabulary programming is never ending and these boards and new now vocabulary are usually only used for a day, or week, or month. It does not build long term, life-long language skills.” - Normal Language Development, Generative Language and AAC Gail M Van Tatenhove PA, MS, CCC-SLP

PalmChat by What is PalmChat? A comprehensive word-based vocabulary Nancy Inman, M.A.T., CCC-SLP and Janet Lehr, M.S., CCC-SLP A comprehensive word-based vocabulary for the ChatPC

PalmChat What is it? Word-based, generative vocabulary program Uses high-frequency core words All grammatical classes have been included Includes frequently used nouns and adjectives arranged in logical categories ‘Grammar’ keys for morphological endings for verbs, nouns and adjectives

Yellow People and Pronouns Light Green Helping Verbs Dark Green Verbs PalmChat Color Coding Yellow People and Pronouns Light Green Helping Verbs Dark Green Verbs Gray Question Words Violet Determiners Orange Negatives

PalmChat Organization Anticipatory Prediction

PalmChat Examples I want help. Stop it. Don’t do that. That’s not good. It’s bad. I like to read. Desktop ChatSE I need to go to the mall. I want to go to the movies. I am going to eat pizza and French fries.

Structuring our Day go Program Schedule Setting up Inclusion Language needs- not just cognitive levels Patrick vs Gabe

Student’s Daily Schedules Students use visual schedules. Each student uses this. After each class teacher and student discuss behavior and participation. Seth and the Principal

Team Meetings Modeling and using technology Recognize the struggles of using technology in the classroom or in small groups. go

Keys To Success With Reading and Writing Blend reading and writing instruction to focus on common language. Incorporate language goals in reading and writing. The key to lesson planning is flexibility and modifying to the needs of the students. Huge doses of patience and tenacity.

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson What technology do you want to use? Smartboard Document camera 2 high tech assistive devices Tech talk Low tech options

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson Will it be teacher scribed or student written? Illustrations: student drawn or internet photos?

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson What will be the theme? Choose book and decide focus. Brainstorming: thinking maps Do symbols need to be added to facilitate student reading? cool go

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson Choose writing target: pattern book How will the student share? recorded or read from print go go I like ______________ because ____________________.

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson Choose writing target: fiction

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson Choose writing target: non-fiction

Decisions to Make for Each Reading and Writing Lesson Identify steps to final written project. How will we celebrate the writing process? Display in the hall Make a classroom book Share with classmates

1-1 speech Use PalmChat software to provide a highly visual approach to grammar. go

Morning Group go

go 1-1 Speech Focus on teaching device navigation/vocabulary. Use highly motivating/preferred activities to pair with use of AAC device. Facilitate conversation and shared enjoyment. go

go go Inclusion Strategies Classroom/peer participation: social strategies Incorporate technology into science and social studies School jobs Reverse inclusion go go

Routine at End of the Day go

Contact Us: Questions?? Donna Millar: dmillar@lps.k12.co.us Elisa Sarosi: elisa@saltillo.com