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Amy Starble
5/15/2017 1:06 AM
The majority of inclusive preschools I visit include a morning meeting at the beginning of their school day. I am often asked how to integrate emergent AAC users into this interactive and instructional context. Below are a few strategies that imbed elements of Aided Language Input, Universal Design for Learning, Core Vocabulary and peer modeling into general morning meeting routines. You will notice that errorless teaching strategies are also used, thereby providing the emergent AAC user with communicative opportunities that don’t have a “right” or “wrong” answer. In fact, in many cases, when a child with complex communication needs is in the very initial stages of AAC use their experience during morning meeting may be predominantly one of observing meaningful and functional use of the AAC system.
Essential to integration of AAC into morning meeting is the availability of communication supports in a variety of formats so that not just the child using an augmentative communication support, but ALL children, can be exposed to and use the AAC system. For instance, having multiple communication books, large poster-size versions of the main page of a communication app, the communication software available on more than one device, or having the communication software available on a SMART Board or overhead projector are just a few ways to have universal accessibility for all children and to provide opportunities for teachers to provide Aided Language Input. Morning meeting can be a rich opportunity for emergent AAC users to be immersed in the use of AAC. I have often found that children with early device awareness and exploration benefit from Aided Language Modeling of an AAC system by peers and teachers during morning meeting.
Greeting: Have all children in the class use the AAC system to great a friend. If the AAC system has voice output encourage all peers to turn their voices off and use the AAC system alone. Greeting may be an opportunity for errorless teaching in one of two ways for the child using AAC. If the child is using a system that has a page with general social language an adult or peer can help navigate to this page and the child can use any social greeting available. Alternatively, either instructional masking or use of a picture window can help the emergent AAC user know what greeting is appropriate.
Music/Song: For songs with repeating lines the teacher may choose one word that they will model throughout the song. During this activity only the teacher will be using the device or communication display. For instance, for Wheels on the Bus the teacher may model “go” every time this word is sung. For determining which words to model in repeating line songs choose from the Core Vocabulary available on the child’s AAC system. For songs in which the children can
participate (i.e. Old MacDonald when the children can pick which animal to do) the communication system may be passed around the group and all children can use the system to choose their part. Again, this provides an opportunity for errorless teaching if an adult or peer navigates to the appropriate animal page
and the emergent AAC user chooses any animal.
Book Reading: Using books with repeating lines provides the opportunity for the teacher to model 2-3 words multiple times throughout the book. For example, with Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle the teacher may use the AAC system to say the words “what” and “see” on each page. Again, focus on Core Vocabulary options when selecting words to model. In later posts this week I will discuss options for participation during reading activities that support multi-modal communication and allow for heightened participation of children that are emergent AAC users.
Movement: Movement games are great morning meeting opportunities to use peer modeling with the AAC system. Examples include: 1) Use the animal page to have each child in the class take turns choosing an animal to act out, 2) Use the actions page to have each child in the class direct their classmates to do a certain action (i.e. “jump”), 3) Use the number page to have children choose how many times the children will do a physical movement (i.e. “5 jumps”), 4) Use the describing words page to have children choose opposites that work in the movement activity (i.e. fast vs slow, loud vs quiet)
Language Activities: Preschool linguistic concepts can also be taught and practiced by having all children use the AAC system. For instance, if the teacher is working on spatial concepts the teacher may have puppets or stuffed animals acting out the concepts that the children choose using the AAC system (i.e. the dog goes in the house, on the house, next to the house, in front of the house, behind the house, etc.). Again, this emphasizes the use of peer Aided Language Modeling with an emphasis on Core Vocabulary.
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I enjoyed your strategies to incorporate movement and ACC in the morning. The mornings are an integral part in setting the tone for the day to promote ownership for learning and to create a positive classroom atmosphere.
dmertzlufft - 5/17/2017
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Amy, I love all of your suggestions/idea! I have to just put out there that I don't really agree with "turning their voices off". People who don't rely on AAC as a voice don't turn our voices off. I try to encourage the social skills of waiting or turn-taking instead.
vkelly - 5/15/2017
I completely agree! I love all these ideas, and will definitely incorporate them into my morning routine with my EC kiddos. I do agree that we should not ask kids to not use their most efficient mode of communication. It is beneficial for non-verbal students to hear and see their peers utilizing their voice. AAC often facilitates and encourages non-verbal students to begin using their natural voice. Modeling usage of speaking with our natural voices is always a great model!
KatieBrandt - 5/15/2017
Hi, thank you for your thoughtful comments:) I completely agree that having peer models use their voices in conjunction with modeling use of an AAC system is incredibly powerful and in all other instances of peer modeling I totally agree that this multi-modal modeling is essential. In my experience with greeting time during morning meeting we would not always just use the device to communicate but at times it was a great way to really embrace the AAC system as a meaningful tool. I found it helped the preschool peers view it as a more valid mode of communication when all people were using it as there exclusive way to greet their friends. I found the AAC learners I've worked with also really loved having all of their friends use the same tool in the same way that they might during that greeting routine.
Amy Starble - 5/17/2017
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vkelly - 5/15/2017
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