Nikki Heitner Heyman
Teach your Toddler to Talk: Language Strategies (Part 3)
Speaking requires confidence, especially in front of a group or in a new situation and so when you shove your child forward in front of a stranger and demand that they talk to the “nice lady” it is...
Teach your Toddler to Talk: Language Strategies (part 2)
Once you have engaged your child’s attention by: Slowing down and Modelling Language Looking at your Child Keeping quiet and waiting Create the need to talk Some children will happily...
How to teach your child to talk: Language Development
Early language development is critical to a child’s future in education and almost every other aspect of life. It doesn’t matter that every parenting book or article that you come across says “don’t...
“What’s an iPad?”
I usually confine my posts to educational and well researched material that I feel will be of benefit to parents and educators. But today I was educated beyond what any book could bring. As a...
Language Skills for First Grade
When a child starts grade one, they need to have an extensive variety of language experiences. These are crucial for success in reading, particularly reading comprehension. Children need to be able...
Language Empires: App Review
Smarty Ears Apps is perfecting the art of difficult to target areas with their newest app Language Empires. The App is divided into different Empires with each empire targeting a different language...
`Proloquo2Go
TouchChat with WordPower
Snap+Core First
Grid for iPad
SpeakforYourself[
WeaveChat
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.
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