#TalkingAAC 2021
Pre-Conference Workshops
November 4 & 5
Live Zoom Format - All Sessions Online
Thursday Morning/Friday Morning 9am-12pm Eastern Time
Tabi Jones- Wohleber - AAC in Birth to Three: Integrating AAC Tools and Strategies into your Early Intervention Toolkit
Tabi Jones- Wohleber - AAC in Birth to Three: Integrating AAC Tools and Strategies into your Early Intervention Toolkit
Workshop Description:
Long-perceived as a last resort intervention, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is now understood as an important component of a practitioner’s toolkit for supporting communication, language, and social-emotional development in young children including infants and toddlers. The ubiquitous nature of technology has prompted development of tools and resources that make it easier than ever to access and implement a wide range of communication tools, from paper-based to technology-based, to support both receptive and expressive language development and foster high-quality interactions between children and their caregivers.
This session will provide an overview of best practices in AAC implementation, unpack myths related to AAC (including AAC and EI), and provide practitioners a starting place for selecting, using, and supporting families to use AAC across their day. As the communication partner is more than 50% of an interaction with a young child, the role of communication partners in shaping interactions that elicit authentic communication lays the foundation for specific discussion on creating communication opportunities across daily activities and routines. With a focus on the transactional nature of communication, the importance of meaningful connection between children and their caregivers is emphasized.
Speaker Bio:
Tabi Jones-Wohleber is an SLP on the Assistive Technology Team for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland. She also provides in-home services through West Virginia Birth to Three. A 2002 graduate of Penn State University, her career path has focused on AAC from the beginning. She supports students with a variety of assistive technology needs, but most of her time and creative energy is devoted to supporting the communication and learning needs of students with significant disabilities. Tabi created the widely shared Model as a MASTER PAL training modules. Tabi has presented on AAC-related topics at local, state, national, and international conferences.
Additional Details:
Long-perceived as a last resort intervention, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is now understood as an important component of a practitioner’s toolkit for supporting communication, language, and social-emotional development in young children including infants and toddlers. The ubiquitous nature of technology has prompted development of tools and resources that make it easier than ever to access and implement a wide range of communication tools, from paper-based to technology-based, to support both receptive and expressive language development and foster high-quality interactions between children and their caregivers.
This session will provide an overview of best practices in AAC implementation, unpack myths related to AAC (including AAC and EI), and provide practitioners a starting place for selecting, using, and supporting families to use AAC across their day. As the communication partner is more than 50% of an interaction with a young child, the role of communication partners in shaping interactions that elicit authentic communication lays the foundation for specific discussion on creating communication opportunities across daily activities and routines. With a focus on the transactional nature of communication, the importance of meaningful connection between children and their caregivers is emphasized.
Speaker Bio:
Tabi Jones-Wohleber is an SLP on the Assistive Technology Team for Frederick County Public Schools in Maryland. She also provides in-home services through West Virginia Birth to Three. A 2002 graduate of Penn State University, her career path has focused on AAC from the beginning. She supports students with a variety of assistive technology needs, but most of her time and creative energy is devoted to supporting the communication and learning needs of students with significant disabilities. Tabi created the widely shared Model as a MASTER PAL training modules. Tabi has presented on AAC-related topics at local, state, national, and international conferences.
Additional Details:
- This session takes place live on the Zoom platform. You must attend during the times listed above to receive the workshop content. This session is not recorded for later viewing.
- State Continuing Education Credit Hours (SCECH) credits will be available to teachers holding a Michigan teaching credential.
- Speech-language pathologists will receive an ASHA Verification of Attendance form, which allows SLPs to self-report these continuing education hours. See sample form HERE.
Thursday Afternoon/Friday Afternoon 1pm-4pm Eastern Time
Amanda Hartmann - 101 Practical Ideas for Teaching Language & Literacy to AAC Users: Make it Fun, Interactive and Engaging!
Amanda Hartmann - 101 Practical Ideas for Teaching Language & Literacy to AAC Users: Make it Fun, Interactive and Engaging!
Workshop Description:
You know the basics of AAC…. Your students/children have robust AAC tools, you know how to model and you are getting teams on board….but what more can you do? How do you build language skills in fun and engaging ways? How do you embed explicit and comprehensive literacy instruction? Do you need more ideas to keep the momentum rolling?
This pre-conference workshop is designed to give you 101 practical ideas (maybe more, maybe less). Ideas that can be used for all learners of all ages. We will look at ways that focusing on the fun, the engagement and the interaction provides a perfect platform for learning. We will look at specific strategies to develop, and expand the language skills of AAC users. We will explore ways to make literacy experiences motivating for AAC users. Come ready to play and have fun yourself! Come ready to top up your AAC tool box with tips, tricks and ideas.
Speaker Bio:
Amanda is an Australian Speech-Language Pathologist, with over 24 years experience working in schools and with families, and as a technology consultant. All this has led to a passion for working with children and young adults with disabilities and learning difficulties. She currently runs a private practice in Brisbane, provides AAC coaching in Special schools and works part time with AssistiveWare. She also gives lectures on Augmentative and Alternative Communication at the University of Queensland. Amanda has been lucky enough to share her knowledge and experiences through web based content and presentations around the world. Her motto is “If it is unfun, it shouldn’t be done!”.
Additional Details:
You know the basics of AAC…. Your students/children have robust AAC tools, you know how to model and you are getting teams on board….but what more can you do? How do you build language skills in fun and engaging ways? How do you embed explicit and comprehensive literacy instruction? Do you need more ideas to keep the momentum rolling?
This pre-conference workshop is designed to give you 101 practical ideas (maybe more, maybe less). Ideas that can be used for all learners of all ages. We will look at ways that focusing on the fun, the engagement and the interaction provides a perfect platform for learning. We will look at specific strategies to develop, and expand the language skills of AAC users. We will explore ways to make literacy experiences motivating for AAC users. Come ready to play and have fun yourself! Come ready to top up your AAC tool box with tips, tricks and ideas.
Speaker Bio:
Amanda is an Australian Speech-Language Pathologist, with over 24 years experience working in schools and with families, and as a technology consultant. All this has led to a passion for working with children and young adults with disabilities and learning difficulties. She currently runs a private practice in Brisbane, provides AAC coaching in Special schools and works part time with AssistiveWare. She also gives lectures on Augmentative and Alternative Communication at the University of Queensland. Amanda has been lucky enough to share her knowledge and experiences through web based content and presentations around the world. Her motto is “If it is unfun, it shouldn’t be done!”.
Additional Details:
- This session takes place live on the Zoom platform. You must attend during the times listed above to receive the workshop content. This session is not recorded for later viewing.
- State Continuing Education Credit Hours (SCECH) credits will be available to teachers holding a Michigan teaching credential.
- Speech-language pathologists will receive an ASHA Verification of Attendance form, which allows SLPs to self-report these continuing education hours. See sample form HERE.