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Post #7: Current Approaches: Context-Based Vocabulary Organization Part 1
Jennifer Kent-Walsh & Cathy Binger
10/4/2016 4:06 PM
What does it mean to use a context-based approach to vocabulary organization?
Context-based displays are also known as activity-based displays and Fitzgerald keys. Using a context-based approach to vocabulary organization involves grouping symbols by activities, routines, or event schemes. Each display contains vocabulary relevant to a given activity. A child may have a display for getting ready for school in the morning, anotherfor riding the bus to school, another for circle time, and a series of displays for various center activities like coloring, using magna-tiles, each favorite storybook, etc. These displays, when well-constructed, contain symbols representing various people, places, objects, feelings, actions, descriptors, and prepositions that may be relevant to for each individual activity. This approach is often combined with the taxonomic approach we discussed previously by grouping nouns together, verbs together, etc. (i.e., Fitzgerald key). We canquickly see how this approach might increase the likelihood of the child having easy access to relevant vocabulary in a given context, but to be effective, the display must contain all of the relevant, diverse vocabulary that the child needs. For example, a child can only say “I want to wear my red shirt with the blue stripes” if all of those words are included on the ‘getting dressed’ display.
In the next post, we’ll examine the ways in which the context-based vocabulary organization approach may and may not adhere to normal language development.
Reference:
Beukelman, D. R. and Mirenda, P. (2013). Augmentative & Alternative Communication: Supporting children and adults with complex communication needs. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Co.
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