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Teachers, whether you have just one student using AAC, or an entire class with multiple types of devices represented, this blog post is for you. I am so glad you’re here to learn about how to get your classroom ready for your AAC users! Here are three must-do’s before your first day:
1) Check Your Students’ IEPs
Here’s what to look for as you read your students’ IEPs:
Does the student have AAC already, and if so, what kind of device are they using?
If it’s a high-tech device, what app do they use, and with what layout?
If a student’s device, app, or layout is unfamiliar to you, make a note to ask for training on that topic.
You may see some IEPs where it sounds like the student should have an AAC device, but they don’t yet. Some big red flags to watch out for include students who are described as “nonverbal”, “non-speaking”, “echolalic”, “limited verbal speech”, and/or if you see that they were exclusively using PECS or another non-robust AAC system before arriving in your class. These are all good reasons to make a referral to your AAC Specialist.
2) Download and Print Low-Tech Boards for Every Student
Print at least one low-tech core board for every student in your class, even for those who have a high-tech device. It won’t take you long: just make a bunch of copies, and run them through the laminator all at once. You’ll use them all year, and probably keep reusing them the year after that!
If your students don’t have any AAC devices yet, don’t worry, you can still get started with some low-tech core boards, such as this free printable.
3) Build AAC Modeling Into Your Lesson Plans
You might be tempted to only use AAC during a designated communication time, such as during a core word of the day activity, or predictable chart writing. These are a great way to support both your students and any staff members who may be new to AAC. However, we can’t stop there! AAC users need us to “speak AAC” to them throughout their daily routines.
So, as you are lesson planning, ask yourself, “How will my students communicate during this activity, and what will they need to be able to say?”. The goal is to model a mix of core words, fringe words, and whole pre-stored phrases. This will provide the right balance to meet the needs of various learners. If visuals help you or other staff members, try using a word map as you brainstorm.
Then, to make sure that modeling actually happens, consider the arrangement of your classroom. Will you be able to model on some form of AAC from the front of the room for all students during whole group lessons? If you have a teacher iPad with the right apps on it, or a poster-size core board, you’re good to go. Also, will paraprofessionals be able to model during centers? They’ll need those low-tech copies you made, and they may also need some coaching to be sure that they are modeling, not prompting.
How do you teach paraprofessionals to use AAC? Next in this blog series: How I Explain AAC to a New Communication Partner.
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