Communication Books

Issues How to get the learner started? What vocabulary do we choose? How many pictures or symbols should we use? Where and when should it be used? How do we develop it? What is reasonable to expect of the learner when they are using it? Why is the learner not using it?

Structure Static functional core vocabulary that develops consistently through five developmental stages Fringe vocabulary Communication partner scaffolds the user’s effective use of symbols in communication Learning aims at each stage for the learner and the communication partner Learning readiness for each stage Parent friendly language

Psycho linguistic Theory Language is built in part on child’s knowledge of actions, objects, events and people COMMUNICATION NEEDS TO BE FUNCTIONAL Sociolinguistic Theory Children are ACTIVE participants in their learning. They are motivated to communicate to control their world NEED OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH MORE MATURE LANGUAGE USERS

Behaviourist Methods Stimulate Prompt Reward Reinforce Fade TEACHER CONTOLLED Psycho / Socio Methods Re structure interactions Respond Act on communication Engineer opportunities Comment and add words to their actions Enable children to affect and control their environment CHILD CENTRED

e.g. Stage Two Readiness -Communicates single ideas through pictures Partner - Take responsibility Act on communication Link core and fringe words Scaffold Interaction Learner - to link ideas core / fringe vocabulary

Fringe VocabularyCore Vocabulary Recurrence Possession Rejection Non - existence Action Agent Object Attribute Language Functions

e.g. Stage Four Readiness - Linking 3-4 ideas Partner - learns to use new core, creates opportunity through careful questioning and extending Learner Developing Independence / Uses some new core / communicates past events /moves between pages

Core VocabularyFringe Vocabulary Give and share information Describe Direct Reason and Predict Plan and evaluate Negotiate Express feelings Language Functions

What works well Keeps the momentum from the assessment Helps people think through the language requirements for a communication book Moves away from the pressure to produce grammatically correct sentences to the expression of ideas Helps people see where to move on to Can demonstrate modelling using the sample pages

What’s not working well The guide can become the book Core Vocabulary with out the work!! Modelling with out scaffolding Modelling is very difficult

Why the Eye Pointing Book Presentation for children who Eye Point is not a simple adjustment Vocabulary selection was harder ? How to present core vocabulary to eye pointing children Getting started seemed more complex How and when to introduce encoding

Structure Five stage book Consistent core vocabulary that develops with each stage Control for moving between pages and accessing describing words introduced Learning aims – partner and child Learning readiness Presented in a Portfolio file

Fringe VocabularyCore Vocabulary e.g. Stage 2

Fringe VocabularyCore Vocabulary e.g. Stage Three

Describing Page

Future Plans Communication Book can be purchased on line from ACE Website Eye Pointing book to be produced by January