Day 4-Aided Language

EDUC 5173
Class #4-Aided Language
July 8, 2016

Video-”Aided Language” by One Kids Place Aided Language
Video-”AL System”

These videos got me thinking about the opportunities for communication if we allow people to use pictures to communicate. It can be a very powerful tool. It obvious requires the student's program planning teams to be very familiar with the tools and that it will take some time to get them confident and able to use this technology with ease. We need to make sure that much training is offered to the user and his assistants in order to make it a viable option. We also need to make sure that the communication is being used in a meaningful way. In other words, we want to give the option for the students to participate in meaningful classroom activities and not just use this as an tool to let their care providers know when the student wants a drink or a bathroom break. We want to make sure that this programming is integrated into the classroom so that high needs students can contribute to the classroom learning in a meaningful way. It gives them power.

In the AL system, children learn by speaking to you from a picture. They learn to pair a key work with a picture. There are low and high tech systems. Teachers should model, use lots of repetition and speak slow. It is suggested to praise often when they start using these systems. Even simply starting with 10 times per hour as a goal. It can be laborious at first for them and the student needs to feel a benefit to buy in and start using the AAC device. Remember to MAKE IT MEANINGFUL.

Proloquo2go- Is a rather inexpensive, user friendly option for programmers and young students.

The last take away is about considering the students with the highest needs as valuable learners. Presume competence and never give up. Even if you start with “hello” or “here is your paper” and then take it to the next level the student can be challenged and have an opportunity to communicate in a meaningful way.