AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) includes communication boards, sign language, pen and paper, and more. AAC helps people who cannot meet their communication needs through speech alone to have a way to express themselves.
Children don’t start using AAC the moment they receive it — AAC requires learning, and shared book reading is one way to teach it.
Shared Book Reading
The heart of shared book reading is using stories as a bridge for adults and children to interact and communicate, encouraging children to actively participate in storytelling.
Compared to simply listening to a story, children learn much more through back-and-forth discussions about the story. The video below demonstrates modeling AAC vocabulary during shared reading, so that children without verbal speech can participate in the story and express what they want to say by pointing to vocabulary on their AAC system.
AAC & Shared Book Reading
1. Use Core Vocabulary
Core vocabulary can be used in any context, with anyone — and that includes shared book reading. When we teach children AAC core vocabulary during shared reading, they learn to communicate within the story context and also develop emergent literacy skills (understanding that words have sounds and meaning). Building an interest in reading is incredibly helpful for future literacy development!
2. How to Model Core Vocabulary During Reading
While speaking, point to a few key core words on the AAC system. You can use your finger, or as shown in the video, a magnifying glass pointer so your hand doesn’t block the view.
The purpose of this is:
(1) Spoken words disappear, but visual symbols stay. This helps children process language information and understand language.
(2) When children see us using AAC to tell stories and communicate, they understand that AAC is powerful and can be used for communication — which motivates them to use AAC themselves.
The low-tech communication board used in the video is from: Maria Communication 50+ App
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