Increasing AAC Core Vocabulary Carryover

Are you ready for some AAC core vocabulary carryover tips?

And if you need all the AAC resources, make sure to check out my AAC Implementation Toolkit! It contains everything you need to make AAC work in your schools. You’ll get everything you need to train staff and parents, with tons of handouts, resources, and even a training presentation! Best of all, the packet now includes activity pages for 18 core words, with all my best ideas to get lots of practice using these all important words.

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So you’ve got an awesome AAC system set up, the child is increasingly using it during your sessions, and then, now what? We all know that interventions are more successful when they are intensive, practiced in a variety of environments, with a variety of partners, and when parents/all providers are involved. This is easier said than done, however! Below are two simple methods I’ve used to increase carryover, both at home with parents and with other providers (e.g., school SLPs).

Organized Core Vocabulary Implementation

I set up a 10 unit, consistent way I like to teach core vocabulary words. This is not to say these are the only words I teach, but I like to make sure the child has consistent models and activities to target the four words in therapy, and then I’ll send home data sheets and visuals (shown below) for that set to that other providers and parents can practice the same, consistent set of vocabulary.

Note that I didn’t set this up by week or month. I call them sets and make sure parents understand we might stay on one set for a while and fly through another more quickly. I like this flexibility because some sets come a little more easily than others for different kiddos! I keep the sheet shown above in my data collection binder in the child’s section so I can easily document which words I’ve already targeted for each child.

Targeted AAC Core Vocabulary Sheets on the Backs of iPads!

These sheets are the.best. I print them and using mailing tape to tape them onto the backs of the kiddo’s iPad. That way, it’s easy to pull off and access while the child is at home or at school. They’ve even been used by ABA providers for some kiddos I work with!

One thing I love about these sheets is that I can often prompt a child using them. I pull off the sheet when I begin therapy, and can point to the icon on the sheet to model or prompt a child. Increased aided language input in a snap!

Core Vocabulary Data Sheets

For parents and teams with great buy in, I also love sending along data sheets that correspond with the targeted core vocabulary words. Some examples are shown below:

     

These make it easy for everybody to make sure we are having similar expectations for the child, and are aware of the prompting hierarchy!

Low Tech Modeling Sheets

The last thing I love doing to generally increase aided language input and modeling, is to make low tech modeling sheets. To do this, I take a screen shot of the child’s homepage, email it to myself, and print a few copies on an entire 8.5×11 piece of paper. I laminate them and send them home for other providers.

I love using these because I can draw on them with dry erase markers to give prompts about what folders to find specific vocabulary in, or I can circle the targeted core vocabulary words. I also love using aided language input on these. It’s sometimes easier to do it this way because all of my kiddos have different systems and it’s hard to have an exact copy on my iPad for every child. This way, I have an exact replication of their system and can constantly provided aided language input without needing to grab/use their system.

Another low-tech modeling system that is available in my TpT store is my Low-Tech Core Vocabulary Flip Boards. I love using these as I can print A TON of them at once, assemble them, and then send them home/to school so that everybody is using the same boards.

These boards work great for consistent modeling, as a back up system, or just for visual support for sentence creation/language activities. I literally use them every.single.day.

And just as another reminder, if you work with AAC users and are looking to up your game in getting the entire team on board with consistent AAC access, modeling, core vocabulary, and other evidence-based practices, click here to check out my AAC Training Toolkit!

What do you do to help increase AAC core vocabulary carryover? I’d LOVE to hear as I’m constantly looking for more ideas!

Hope some of those ideas were helpful!

{thanks for reading}

If you’re reading this, please note that I posted an updated post all about making your own DIY AAC Visuals featuring many of the visuals shown in this post! I included a freebie and step by step directions how I did it! Click here to check out the post and learn more!