Communication Partner Strategies For Peds and Adults with Acquired Needs

Pediatric Clients Modeling Communication Expectations within Daily Routines Gradually decrease supports/cues Sabotage Wait Time Adapt the Environment

Modeling Def: The child’s communication partner uses the child’s communication system to model use (while also providing appropriate verbal model) Why use: Facilitates receptive language comprehension, increase ability to use device communicatively, + increase use of correct syntax What you need: Consider vocab you want to model + where it’s located in device.

Communication Expectations within Daily Routines Def: Various opportunities for communication are built into child’s daily routine Why: Become familiar with expectations of communicating by developing a natural and consistent routine that places demand for communication on him/her What need: Many ppl across different environments

Gradually decrease supports/cues Def: Initially might require both verbal and visual cue. As become more familiar with pictures and vocab, as well as expectation for communication, can decrease cues Why: Need to give them support to be successful, while never giving more cues than they need. Goal is always to be an independent communicator What need: Understanding of cues (max, mod, min) or prompting hierarchy

Sabotage Def: Sabotage what child is doing to give reason to communicate Why: provides child with reason to communicate. Can also be used to expand functions of communication. What: Consider activity to use with partner. Think of what they need to enjoy activity (opening a box, all pieces to a game). Then consider how you can sabotage by withholding key items your child will need.

Wait Time Def: To give child opportunity to communicate. Wait 10 sec. before providing a cue. If motor issues (eye gaze), may need even longer. Why: Speaking person may move too fast to allow communicator time to interject with system. Research shows significantly more initiations made with wait time. What: Patience (hard)

Adapt the Environment Adapt the Environment Def: Put items in site but out of reach Why: Give a reason to communicate What need: Preferred item. Put it in place where they can see it but not retrieve by self. Will need to draw attention to item and ensure system available to request

AVOID Don’t expect user to know how to communicate without direct models and instruction Don’t demand prerequisite skills Don’t overprompt or prompt too quickly Don’t ask the person questions you already know the answer to Don’t teach ONLY requesting or provide ONLY nouns Don’t focus on vocab that won’t be relevant tomorrow Don’t remove AAC system or move symbols around Don’t stop all “babbling” (exploring of buttons) Don’t expect sentences right away or think you only have to model grammatically correct sentences

Strategies Used by People with Aphasia Multimodal Communication Engagement strategies Repair strategies Ask for repetition Signal speaker to slow down Use “placeholders” when trying to retrieve word Indicate to speaker to write message Use circumlocution Use reiterative utterances to express meaning Alert unfamiliar listeners regarding aphasia Verify listener’s understanding

Ways Communication Partners can Support Comprehension Speak in natural, calm, slow voice, providing time to respond and using simple sentences Discover best way to question Present one idea at a time Emphasize key words Use redundant info Rephrase or simplify what you said when person does not understand Alert person to a new topic Keep paper and marker/pen handy at all times Provide permanent referents if possible

Ways Communication Partners can Support Comprehension Cont. Supplement your speech with other modes Provide written word choices Use large print and plenty of blank space Pay attention to persons body and facial expressions Verify your understanding to person Use natural encouragement to keep convo going Direct person to a different strategy when needed Acknowledge competence Use humor Project “listening attitude”

AVOID Teaching or evaluative comments (“Good talking”, “Say my name…”) Patronizing tone of voice or comments “Baby talk” or elderease Increased vocal loudness