Modeling AAC is a powerful strategy to boost communication skills in children using augmentative and alternative communication. This post will help you discover how AAC communication devices facilitate communication growth, enabling users to engage in requesting, greeting, turn-taking, commenting, protesting, and responding.
SGD and Modeling AAC
Speech generating devices (SGD) are an electronic augmentative and alternative means of communication (AAC) for people with limited verbal ability. These devices can be used to augment someone’s speech that may be difficult to understand or as an alternative to speaking to make one’s needs known. Considering so many options available, experts recommend a selective and comprehensive team approach for determining which device to trial. I have joined school team meetings, aiding young clients in selecting a speech device. Witnessing their newfound communication skills fills me with joy.
Initially, we want the child to explore and feel ownership with an SGD, but it is just as important to model language on these devices as well. I have often heard parents comment that their children do not like having anyone else touch their devices. Respect their ownership, but let your child know you also need to touch the device to help them learn. Simply modeling verbally is not enough; you must also show your child how to navigate to words not on the initial screen page.
Modeling AAC to Expand Communication
In my experience, most children begin using an SGD to request food and toys, which are tangible reinforcements for making your needs known. This can certainly support wanting to use a device again given the benefits. We often forget to model other communication intents beyond requesting, assuming a child will demonstrate them independently. Communication extends beyond “Ask and you shall receive.” We must demonstrate all aspects of engaging with others to our children. I’ll describe six communicative intents with examples for direct modeling on your child’s device. Teach diverse communication and guide children on SGDs to map and locate words effectively for various exchanges.
Requesting
In the opening of this post, I presumed that your child has already reaped some rewards in requesting foods/ toys using an SGD. That does not mean that we check the box on making requests, rather we expand on it. Using your child’s age and ability as guides, model simple phrases and/or sentences. A two-year-old or early language learner may find “I want a cookie, please” too complex without prior phrase development. A better option would be modeling “more cookie” or “no cookie.”
Greetings
This is a great way to elaborate on greetings beyond a wave hello and goodbye. Navigate to your child’s “people” page and model, “Hi, Nanette” or “Bye dad.” Go ahead and say hello and goodbye to toys as you take them out or clean up.
Turn taking
Asking for a turn using a word like “me” or combinations such as “my turn” adds variety to requests. It prevents overreliance on the device for food requests. You can model these during play or game time. This simple act is more powerful than you would think. Remember that the whole purpose of communication is rooted in taking turns to say or do something. Lay this foundation as soon as possible to open more doors to communicating with your child.
Commenting
Limit labeling items using “I see an apple” since it is not natural for us to walk into a room and start making these statements. Rather, teach sentences such as “I like this apple,” or “This apple is good.” Remember to model in the language structure appropriate for your child.
One fantastic opportunity for modeling comments is during shared book readings. Instead of reading your child’s favorite book to him, read it with him using his device by modeling things like, “Uh Oh,” “That’s silly,” “Oh no!” and “Great!” to make a variety of comments. Here is a video of an autistic youngster who mastered commenting independently with a Pete the Cat book.
Protest
Yes, I want you to teach your child to protest, but in a socially appropriate way using words and/or phrases. Model saying “no”, “mine” and “all done” and praise independent usage of making needs known. If your child routinely uses these to escape work activities, solidify responses. Then, explain it’s time to work first or offer another choice.
Respond to questions
Teach how to answer WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY questions using words, phrases, then simple sentences. You can model further by elaborating with descriptive words like, “It looks yellow.”
I have become most familiar with the Nova Chat SGD, which allows you to program information about something that happened during the school day and/or over evenings and weekends at home. So, when asked, “What did you do in school or at home?”, your child can learn to navigate to the page with this information to respond to these questions. A client collaborated with her school SLP to learn answering “All About Me” questions, a wonderful, functional communication method.
Maximize Communication by Modeling AAC
I hope that this post provided some specific examples of modeling a variety of communication intents on your child’s speech generating device. These early conversation starters lay a foundation for expanding language skills and developing social connections. Do not hesitate to get your hands on your child’s device and teach them these skills through modeling. You will amaze yourself at all the doors you open for communication.
Nanette Cote is an ASHA certified speech pathologist, published author, and private practice business owner with 30 years experience.
