Teletherapy 101-103: Reflections
I feel like I have done teletherapy 101, 102, and 103 in the space of a week. I thought I would share some of my reflections (no pun intended) and experiences so that we can all learn together. All...
How to teach your child with apps
Now is the time to use apps with your child. #Covid19 is our new normal in our interconnected world and many parents are faced with homeschooling their children. Teachers are confronted with...
Tired of hearing “fine”? 10 tips to get your child to Talk about school
You’ve dressed him/her up and sent her off in a flurry of excitement to school. Bar a few tears (from you or your child) you can’t wait to hear about the day at school. As parents, we have invested...
How do I get my child to read? Five easy ways
One of the most frequent questions asked is ‘how do I get my child to read?’ Here are 5 tips to encourage reading
Are we nearly there? Language Games for the Holidays
,As we wind down for the holidays, the thought of entertaining your already bored children can be daunting, and you may be already yearning for the start of the new school year before the holiday...
Encouraging Writing with Plotagon: Episode 2
Children with language difficulties are often reluctant writers. Reading and spelling are difficult, and these kids often avoid or minimize their writing by taking the path of least resistance. I...
AAC is short for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Source: AssistiveWare
Communication devices, systems, strategies and tools that replace or support spoken language are known as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These tools support a person who has difficulties communicating using speech.
The first “A” in AAC stands for Augmentative Communication. When you augment something, you add to it or supplement. Augmentative communication is when you add something to your speech (eg. sign language, pictures, a letter board). This can make your message clearer to your listener.
The second “A” in AAC stands for Alternative Communication. This is when you are not able to speak. It is also when your speech is not understood by others. In this case, you need a different way to communicate.
Basically, AAC can be tools, systems, devices or strategies. These tools help a person communicate, when they cannot rely on speech. Perhaps your child has not started talking. Perhaps you have lost your ability to speak. Perhaps your speech comes and goes. Maybe speaking is harder than other ways to communicate. AAC can help.