Literacy: AAC to Z

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SHANNON PAIGE, M.A. CCC-SLP Presented By: SHANNON PAIGE, M.A. CCC-SLP SARAH GIGGS, M.A. CCC-SLP (with a little help from the students and staff in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD!)

Abstract This presentation promotes use of core vocabulary strategies in functional literacy activities. Participants learn to navigate a core vocabulary board to communicate basic wants and needs. Participants learn to adapt books and play activities to increase participation. Video case studies demonstrate how literacy activities promote vocabulary development for functional communicators.

What is our Role? We know as speech pathologists, we are here to support and promote functional communication in all settings.

What is our focus? The primary question is, if therapy services are offered, will the intervention provided make a difference in the student's classroom performance, ability to access the curriculum, and/or ability to reach his or her potential? Without a doubt, we can help children: Pay attention (through direct teaching of routines and front-loading vocabulary) Answer questions (through direct teaching of question forms) Seek assistance (through teaching and modeling) Follow directions (through direct teaching of sequential and spatial vocabulary/prepositions) Recall facts (repetition using a hands on/multimodal approach) Blosser, Jean L. School Programs in Speech-Language Pathology: Organization and Service Delivery-5th ed..

WHAT IS LITERACY? THE ABILITY TO READ AND WRITE

What is Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC)? Estimated 2 million Americans with significant communication disabilities require Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) to assist with communication. AAC may be low-tech or high-tech. Low-tech: picture icons, vocabulary boards, single switch devices, step-by-step devices, etc. High-tech: typically generative voice output devices, made up of words or phrases. All children with language learning delays can benefit from having access to AAC, low- or high-tech.

Food for thought Research indicates that for parents of children with disabilities, literacy is displaced as a high priority by more basic concerns for the child's health, physical development, and self-care (Light & Kelford Smith, 1993). Instead of having frequent opportunities to interact with print, they have limited opportunities. Instead of being (inter)active participants in pint-based activities, children with disabilities are passively involved, occasionally pointing or nodding when directed. From a very early age, individuals with and without disabilities have very different literacy experiences. Light, J., & Kelford Smith, A. (1993). The home literacy experiences of preschoolers who use augmentative and alternative communication systems and of their nondisabled peers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 9, 10-25.

Food for thought More than 20% of adults read as or below a fifth grade level– far below the level needed to earn a living wage. 70% of prisoners demonstrate limited literacy skills. There are a limited number of adults with developmental disabilities with even foundational reading skills. http://tea.texas.gov/literacy/TLI/

National Joint Committee for the communication needs of persons with severe disabilities “Children must be given opportunities to learn about print. Reading is not a single skill; rather it is composed of a smoothly integrated system of skills coupled with a backdrop of world knowledge and experience. Reading is about extracting meaning. For young children, immersion in, and attention to, examples of the use of print - on cereal boxes, on signs, in books and magazines and games, and on television programs like Sesame Street - are everywhere.” http://www.asha.org/NJC/faqs-literacy.htm

Why Foster Literacy in AAC Users? Provides a channel for learning Improves functional/vocational/career skills Facilitates independent living Increases academic success and learning potential Light, J.C. & Kent-Walsh, J. (2003, May 27). Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC. The ASHA Leader.

Emergent Literacy & Oral Language Formal literacy instruction begins when children begin school, but research supports that the foundation for literacy development begins much earlier. Children are exposed to books and printed word from an early age. Adults facilitate early literacy experiences, typically through book reading. This provides an authentic opportunities for oral language and literacy development. Light, J.C. & Kent-Walsh, J. (2003, May 27). Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC. The ASHA Leader.

Challenges in Emergent Literacy in AAC Users Children who use AAC have fewer opportunities to access printed materials and engage in early writing Children who use AAC may not have access to AAC during literacy activities. Much AAC use focuses on external features such as requesting to turn the page rather than the text meaning. Light, J.C. & Kent-Walsh, J. (2003, May 27). Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC. The ASHA Leader.

Biggest Challenge Children with delays in receptive and expressive language are struggling to learn language at the same time they are expected to apply their linguistic knowledge to academic tasks. There is a misconception that oral language has to come before literacy. We have limited time to work with our students, so our interventions need to be well-planned and targeted. Light, J.C. & Kent-Walsh, J. (2003, May 27). Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC. The ASHA Leader.

I cant even talk and they want me to do what…

Literacy is Complicated

CORE VOCABULARY: The relatively small set of words with the highest frequency of use considered to make up 80% of both conversation and written text. SIGHT WORDS: Commonly used words that young children are encouraged to memorize as a whole by sight, so that they can automatically recognize these words in print without having to use any strategies to decode

Why Core Vocabulary? Automatic word recognition is necessary for reading instruction Dolch high frequency word list are often the first sight words introduced 220 of the words on the Dolch list are core vocabulary words Witkowski, D., & Baker, B. (2012, September). Addressing the content vocabulary with core: theory and practice for nonliterate or emerging literate students. SIG 12 Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21, 74-81.

TYPICAL KINDERGARTEN SIGHT WORD LIST AND CORE VOCABULARY KINDERGARTEN SIGHT WORDS am and are at can come do get have like little look me not on run said see this to up we will CORE VOCABULARY all done help mine more some that want what yes a go here I in is it my no out the you

Literacy Acquisition Challenges for AAC Users Phonological Awareness: the ability to understand and manipulate the sound structure of a language Children with speech impairments and AAC users often demonstrate delays in phonological development Semantic & Syntactic Knowledge: emergent literacy experiences promote learning of semantic, syntactic, and morphological development necessary for literacy development May not have a way to express various syntactic/morphological concepts using AAC and due to limited oral language abilities. Light, J.C. & Kent-Walsh, J. (2003, May 27). Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC. The ASHA Leader.

Referential vs. Descriptive Teaching REFERENTIAL TEACHING: Emphasis on the child demonstrate learning of curriculum content words (ex: herbivore) DESCRIPTIVE TEACHING: Emphasis on the child demonstrate learning using common words to describe (ex: green things), define (eat plants), or predict (not eat me). Witkowski, D., & Baker, B. (2012, September). Addressing the content vocabulary with core: theory and practice for nonliterate or emerging literate students. SIG 12 Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21, 74-81.

High quality literacy instruction utilized both referential and descriptive teaching methods!

The Problem with Referential Teaching Requires significant time investment from SLP or staff to program AAC with content/curriculum specific vocabulary This vocabulary has little functional use to children outside of the classroom/lesson This vocabulary is most often used to label or respond to direct questions during instruction Witkowski, D., & Baker, B. (2012, September). Addressing the content vocabulary with core: theory and practice for nonliterate or emerging literate students. SIG 12 Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21, 74-81.

How Descriptive Teaching Can Help the AAC User Child can focus on language development and participate in literacy activities regardless of their level of language functioning. Promotes functional literacy and communication skills of describing, comparing, defining, explaining. Descriptive teaching promote learning of semantic, syntactic, and morphological development which is often delayed in AAC population.

Slp CAN SUPPORT LITERACY AND LANGUAGE Teks through therapy §110.11. English Language Arts and Reading, Kindergarten b1A Recognize that spoken words can be represented by print for communication b1C Demonstrate the one-to-one correspondence between a spoken word and a printed word in text b1E Recognize that sentences are comprised of words separated by spaces and demonstrate the awareness of word boundaries (e.g., through kinesthetic or tactile actions such as clapping and jumping) b2A Identify a sentence made up of a group of words b3D Identify and read at least 25 high-frequency words from a commonly used list b4A Predict what might happen next in text based on the cover, title, and illustrations b4B Ask and respond to questions about texts read aloud b5A Identify and use words that name actions, directions, positions, sequences, and locations; b6A Identify elements of a story including setting, character, and key events b8B Describe characters in a story and the reasons for their actions b10B Retell important facts in a text, heard or read b10D Use titles and illustrations to make predictions about text b16Ai Past and future tenses when speaking b16Aii Nouns (singular/plural) b16Aiii Descriptive words b16Aiiiv Prepositions and simple prepositional phrases appropriately when speaking or writing (e.g., in, on, under, over) b16Av pronouns b16B Speak in complete sentences to communicate

A Core Communication Board (Core Board) is a research based low technology (low tech) tool that can come in many shapes and/or sizes to support functional communication with children and adults. This is not a product for sale. This board was developed based on research by several researchers and other commercially available therapy products. Our goal was to take that research and those products and adapt them as a therapy tool that is appropriate for our students. Shannon will discuss her parent who took the prototype home, used it, and reconfigured it.

Parts of speech/Color Coding Goossens’, Crain, & Elder Color-Coding System: VERBS: Words Which Tell Action-OPEN, COME (Pink) DESCRIPTORS: Adjectives and Adverbs-PRETTY, SLOW (Blue) PREPOSITIONS: Position Words-IN, OFF (Green) NOUNS: Person, Place or Thing-CAR, STRING, MARY (Yellow) MISCELLANEOUS/LITTLE WORDS: (Orange) ‘Wh’-Words/Questions WHO, WHAT, HOW Exclamations/Interjections, etc UH OH, WOW Negative Words/Negations NO, DON’T Pronouns: Personal/Possessive I, YOU Goossens’, C., Crain, S., & Elder, P. (1992). Engineering the Classroom Environment for Interactive Symbolic Communication. Southeast Aug Comm Conference Publications, 2430 11th Avenue, N, Birmingham, AL 35234.

Descriptive Teaching: Using the Core Vocabulary Board in Activities to Promote Communication and Emergent Literacy

Adapting Environment, Materials, and Lessons to Promote Communication and Literacy

Adapting materials and books Where do I begin? Reading A to Z Joy Cowley New2You (Joey’s Locker) Spot Series Basic Sight Word Books

Choosing Books Familiar topic Concentration of core vocabulary Familiar vocabulary paired with new vocabulary Pick the right book (Just right books) Leveled to meet the needs of the child

Fountas & Pinnell

Adapting Materials Adapting materials (books) Adapting lessons Simplify complex texts using core vocabulary to improve familiarity Adapting lessons Pick specific vocabulary to target and emphasize during lesson Plan ahead!

Adapting Environment Word Walls Natural Aided Language Boards (Van Tatenhove, Pixon Project) Anchored wall charts that contains core vocabulary and same layout as child’s low-tech or high-tech device that SLP/staff models during literacy activities Add symbols and environmental print in classroom-We should bombard the children with targeted words in every possible activity Use similar boards/device layout with all students

Character Awareness “I like it” “He is happy” “She is tired” “They do not like it”

Describing events, actions, and objects “It is big” “It is yucky” “It is yellow”

A few thoughts on vocabulary and speech sound disorders We have to be aware of the vocabulary we are using in drill activities. Think about vocabulary and what the child needs both in the home setting and the academic environment. How will that child pass a sight word assessment if they are unintelligible?

Core Vocabulary and speech sound disorders Final Consonant Deletion CVC Stopping him them mine some come am one turn can on in eat sit out some see say sad sick sit yes fast fat for foot face finger off wash

Core Vocabulary and speech sound disorders Cluster Reduction Velar Fronting play stop swing stir slide smell sleep small slow clean climb can come girl go good green get drink work like look

Web Resources: The University of Nebraska http://aac.ul.edu/VLN1.html Gail Van Tatenhove’s and the Pixon Project www.vantatenhove.com Caroline Musselwhite www.aacintervention.com Joanne Cafierro PH.D. www.cafierocommunications.com Add Boardmaker Share

Shannon.paige@cfisd.net Sarah.giggs@cfisd.net corevocabulary@gmail.com Contact us Shannon.paige@cfisd.net Sarah.giggs@cfisd.net corevocabulary@gmail.com