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5/17/2018 2:15 PM
This year the team has focused on using core vocabulary with our students with complex communication needs. We have had a weekly CORE communication group, in addition to posting the word of the week on the door so that everyone knows what we are working on. I was involved in a Professional Learning Community this year that focused on A Tiered Approach to Core Vocabulary Intervention. I was able to learn so many more strategies and ideas to use for the upcoming year. Also, I had been using the Communication Matrix with a few of my students. It was time to write IEP goals for one of my students and I wanted to figure out how to incorporate the areas of the Communication Matrix while using core vocabulary. Since the communication matrix was able to pinpoint areas my student needed to work on, I was able to come up with a few objectives, working towards the goal. The goal that I wrote was the following: By April 2019, D will use 1-2 words (i.e. want it, more eat, help me, you go, stop walk) to express a variety of communicative intents, given access to AAC System/Core Vocabulary, during structured activities in ¾ opportunities, given a visual/gesture prompt. The communicative intents that are going to be targeted in the objectives are commenting, rejection/refusal, and making choices (which were the areas that the Communication Matrix showed were either "not used" or "emerging"). I was happy that I was able to integrate both core vocabulary and the areas of the Communication Matrix in my IEP goal.
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That is a great example of a goal that can utilize the communication matrix and the visible gaps in communication to create objectives that can help guide the interventions. I am going to use this example. Thank you
Amcastro - 5/19/2018
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I wonder which words you consider "core vocabulary" from the examples you gave? Also, how has the core vocabulary concept changed the goals you wrote previously based on the Communication Matrix alone?
Linda Hagood - 5/18/2018
This year, our district transitioned over to Boardmaker Online, which has a Core First Learning program. There are 3 sets of words and we only introduced the first set this year. The words contained in the first set are the following: go, want, more, stop, like, not, I, you, it, is, can, and do.
I guess my goals have undergone a complete overhaul, since having participated in a Professional Learning Community this year that focused on A Tiered Approach to Core Vocabulary Intervention and also being involved in the Communication Matrix Community Grant Research Study. I had always written goals that included "to express a variety of communicative intents", but I now feel I have a better grasp of what to target, since the matrix pinpoints those specific areas.
Candice - 5/29/2018
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The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
Does this statement describe your child?
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
