High Frequency Core Words & Messages

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High Frequency Core Words & Messages

AAC core words are a set of frequently used and versatile words that form the foundation of communication for individuals with complex communication needs. These words are essential because they can be combined to create a wide range of messages, making communication more efficient and effective for people who have difficulty speaking or have limited verbal abilities.

AAC core words typically include high-frequency words such as pronouns (e.g., I, you, me, it), verbs (e.g., go, want, eat, play), prepositions (e.g., in, on, under, behind), adjectives (e.g., big, small, happy, sad), and other commonly used words like yes, no, more, stop, etc.

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The primary reasons for teaching AAC core words are:

1. Increased Communication Efficiency:

Core words are versatile and can be used in various contexts, enabling individuals to express a wide range of messages with a relatively small vocabulary. By learning and using these core words, communication becomes faster and more efficient.

2. Vocabulary Development:

Core words serve as a foundation for expanding vocabulary. Once individuals master the core words, they can build upon that knowledge and add more specific or specialized vocabulary to communicate about their interests and needs more effectively.

3. Spontaneous Communication:

Core words encourage spontaneous communication. Since these words are highly relevant to daily interactions, individuals are more likely to use them in real-life situations without relying solely on scripted or prompted language.

4. Social Inclusion:

Effective communication is crucial for social interaction and inclusion. By using core words, individuals can participate in conversations, engage with peers, and form meaningful relationships.

5. Educational and Vocational Opportunities:

AAC core words are essential for learning in educational settings and can significantly impact a person's academic progress. Moreover, having the ability to communicate efficiently opens up vocational opportunities and the possibility of gaining meaningful employment.

6. Language Generalization:

Learning core words can facilitate the generalization of language skills. Once individuals understand the concept of using core words to communicate, they can apply this understanding to learn and use other vocabulary and sentence structures more effectively.

7. Supporting Language Growth:

For individuals with complex communication needs, focusing on core words ensures that they have access to a functional vocabulary that can grow and adapt as their communication skills progress.

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How to use the Core Words & Messages Slide Decks

You'll find a training slide deck for each of 4 categories of high frequency social messages that we recommend you begin with. These are simplified slide decks to help you introduce basic social interactions for sharing a quick message, greeting someone, expressing your feelings or your basic needs.

Once you and your students have the hang of it, move on to select a commonly used core word to target. These slide decks are designed to help both the instructors and the students. You'll find directions for how to say the word through sign language, using a high tech AAC device or on a simple core board. Then you'll find video examples of the core word in use (video, books and songs). Mixed throughout the slide show are challenges for the ADULTS- to help you practice techniques to encourage your student to use their new word in daily routine activities. FUN FOR EVERYONE!

Each slide show lesson is designed to give you opportunities to practice, discuss and hone your skills throughout 1-2 weeks. You will find a quiz to complete for each training set. When you confirm your participation in each of the required elements, you will receive a certificate to document your efforts!

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Home Communication Support Modules

Communication is learned first and foremost in the home. Our families need materials and supports to help them help their own children at home. These modules include resources and ideas to get those families on board and talking!

Academic Team Training Modules

This set of modules gives you material and resources to take charge of your own professional learning. Staff without time or funds to travel to conferences, or attend after school workshops need ways to access training material. We will discuss ways to access these types of trainings, and provide some right here!

Comprehensive Literacy Support Modules

This set of modules discusses literacy, arguably one of the most important skills we can teach students. The ability to read and write using traditional text allows students to communicate and learn, imperative skills for students with additional challenges. We have years of research showing the discrepancy in literacy instruction between students in general education and those in special education. These resources help us narrow that gap! Most of the resources we share follow a 4-Blocks for Literacy model, which has been adapted and modified for students with special needs.

Classroom Communication Checklist 2.0 START HERE!

‍The Classroom Communication Checklist is a tool developed to identify communication supports in place in the classroom and to determine potential supports which may be of value to add into the existing program. This planning tool helps teachers & administrators consider a variety of supports to help their students communicate effectively in the classroom. Download, save and use as a writeable form!

Student Participation Support Modules (SP)

These modules include tools we use to help students understand what is expected of them and to help them comfortably and cooperatively complete tasks to move throughout their daily activities. We are concerning ourselves with giving students information in a way they can understand, and teaching them tools to help them function in the academic environment. We are striving for independence, cooperation and communication, NOT compliance. We often add visual elements to support our verbal explanations and directions.

Simple Communication Support Modules (SC)

These modules help you develop a variety of communication displays for your classroom so that ALL children can communicate ALL the time. You'll find large displays that allow you to "talk" to your students pointing to symbols as you speak. Turning your classroom into a giant communication "system" makes it easy for you to model communicating using AAC to students learning to use their own personal AAC systems. Each student has their own comprehensive communication system too, so that they can follow along and talk when they want to as well!

Robust AAC Systems Modules

This set of modules help you support robust communication systems. These include tablet based AAC applications, speech generating devices and comprehensive communication books. Robust systems are ones that include all a comprehensive set of vocabulary, core words, alphabet/keyboards, and support for sentence building. These systems support language development for all students, replace absent or insufficient speech and assist students with intelligibility challenges.

Adapted Academic & Communication Curriculum & Materials Modules

One of the biggest challenges teachers face is the lack of appropriate, standard cross-subject curriculum in self-contained special education classrooms. Many teachers are doing an amazing job creating curriculum from scratch year after year. This module is looking at several curriculum options for communication, academics and literacy, which are presented in a standardized manner to help you use your time teaching rather than creating curriculum.

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AAC core words are a set of frequently used and versatile words that form the foundation of communication for individuals with complex communication needs. These words are essential because they can be combined to create a wide range of messages, making communication more efficient and effective for people who have difficulty speaking or have limited verbal abilities.

AAC core words typically include high-frequency words such as pronouns (e.g., I, you, me, it), verbs (e.g., go, want, eat, play), prepositions (e.g., in, on, under, behind), adjectives (e.g., big, small, happy, sad), and other commonly used words like yes, no, more, stop, etc.

‍

The primary reasons for teaching AAC core words are:

1. Increased Communication Efficiency:

Core words are versatile and can be used in various contexts, enabling individuals to express a wide range of messages with a relatively small vocabulary. By learning and using these core words, communication becomes faster and more efficient.

2. Vocabulary Development:

Core words serve as a foundation for expanding vocabulary. Once individuals master the core words, they can build upon that knowledge and add more specific or specialized vocabulary to communicate about their interests and needs more effectively.

3. Spontaneous Communication:

Core words encourage spontaneous communication. Since these words are highly relevant to daily interactions, individuals are more likely to use them in real-life situations without relying solely on scripted or prompted language.

4. Social Inclusion:

Effective communication is crucial for social interaction and inclusion. By using core words, individuals can participate in conversations, engage with peers, and form meaningful relationships.

5. Educational and Vocational Opportunities:

AAC core words are essential for learning in educational settings and can significantly impact a person's academic progress. Moreover, having the ability to communicate efficiently opens up vocational opportunities and the possibility of gaining meaningful employment.

6. Language Generalization:

Learning core words can facilitate the generalization of language skills. Once individuals understand the concept of using core words to communicate, they can apply this understanding to learn and use other vocabulary and sentence structures more effectively.

7. Supporting Language Growth:

For individuals with complex communication needs, focusing on core words ensures that they have access to a functional vocabulary that can grow and adapt as their communication skills progress.

‍

How to use the Core Words & Messages Slide Decks

You'll find a training slide deck for each of 4 categories of high frequency social messages that we recommend you begin with. These are simplified slide decks to help you introduce basic social interactions for sharing a quick message, greeting someone, expressing your feelings or your basic needs.

Once you and your students have the hang of it, move on to select a commonly used core word to target. These slide decks are designed to help both the instructors and the students. You'll find directions for how to say the word through sign language, using a high tech AAC device or on a simple core board. Then you'll find video examples of the core word in use (video, books and songs). Mixed throughout the slide show are challenges for the ADULTS- to help you practice techniques to encourage your student to use their new word in daily routine activities. FUN FOR EVERYONE!

Each slide show lesson is designed to give you opportunities to practice, discuss and hone your skills throughout 1-2 weeks. You will find a quiz to complete for each training set. When you confirm your participation in each of the required elements, you will receive a certificate to document your efforts!

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Basic Core Word Trainings

Dynamic Therapy Associates, Inc. is a family-focused speech language pathology practice. We provide articulation, language, oral-motor/feeding, and AAC services to our patients.

Dynamic Therapy Associates, Inc. is a family-focused speech language pathology practice. We provide articulation, language, oral-motor/feeding, and AAC services to our patients.