AAC & Language Seminar Series:
AAC Language and Narrative Development through Storybook Reading
DAY 1 – (10AM – 5:30PM EST)
Core Vocabulary
Language Acquisition
Communication Partner Training
UNITY® Language System – Hands-on Time
DAY 2 – (10AM – 5:30PM EST)
Guest Speaker Presentation (Details Below)
DAY 3 – (10AM – 5:30PM EST)
Recognition Memory and Motor Automaticity
Language Development in the Classroom
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Conversation with Chris Klein (individual who uses a UNITY® system)
PASS Software Training
Natural Polysemy
AAC Language and Narrative Development through Storybook Reading
Tracy Kovach, PhD, CCC-SLP
Language is initially learned in context. Through the process of “decontextualization” it becomes more representative. The process of decontextualization is one of the key dimensions of symbolic development that is embedded in the interrelated expansion of play and language. Narrative development incorporates skills used in extended discourse and interactive conversation. Although the importance of implementing language development strategies that are used in “normal language development” models is recognized for children who use AAC, there is a lack of understanding about the practical ways in which this can be accomplished.
This presentation will provide one model that can be implemented by families, teachers and therapists for a variety of age ranges and in a variety of settings, and promotes language learning, narrative and communication development in AAC. Using storybook reading, play-based activities that decontextualize the language provided and create rich language learning opportunities for narrative development using AAC are described and explored.