Facilitating Communication Building the communication skills of our students

Communication: Food for Thought Why do we communicate? How do we communicate? How old is a typical child before they speak their first words? How long do we model the language we expect from our typically developing children?

Communication Timelines Developmental Norms 18 months5-20 words 24 months150 – months900 – months years old = full language competency By 18 months a child is exposed to 4380 hours of spoken language (8 hours per day X 1.5 years) When using a different symbol set and practicing in speech room 2x/wk for 30 minutes, it would take 84 years to have the same amount of exposure as an 18 month old child For full language competency (9-12 years old) that exposure is hours (8 hours per day X 9 years) For equivalent practice at 2x/wk for 30 minutes, it would take 701 years. Developmental Norms from ASHA; Comparison Figures from Jane Korsten

Today’s Goals Think about encouraging communication all the time! Learn/review strategies to facilitate communication. Practice strategies to facilitate communication. Develop an Action Plan to: –Setup environment –Implement prompt hierarchy

The Basics of Encouraging Communication Increasing Communication through: –Arranging the environment/activities –Responding to the child’s initiations –Reinforcing the child’s communicative attempts

Our goal is communication Communication Independence

Environmental Arrangement Strategies high interest materials/activities materials in view, but out of reach materials used with which the child will need assistance small or inadequate amounts/portions provided sabotage something the child doesn’t like is provided

Position of Device/Display –Relationship to task –Positioning equipment temporarily Fold out leg on device Dycem or Shelf Liner Stands –Mounting equipment for tables/wheelchairs Environmental Arrangement Strategies: AAC Considerations

The Prompt Hierarchy 1.Environmental Cue or Transition *** Pause at least 7 seconds*** 2.Open Question *** Pause at least 7 seconds*** 3.Partial Prompt *** Pause at least 7 seconds*** 4.Full Model Descriptive Feedback after last step needed

Environmental Cue or Transition with Pause An environmental cue or a transitional cue has just occurred Focus your attention on the student PAUSE

Environmental Cue or Transition with Pause Just sat down at the usual snack table with an empty plate in front of the student. Communication partner is focused on the student visually and just waits!

Open Question or Statement with Pause Ask a who, what, when, where, why, or how question and then PAUSE OR Make a vague, general statement that cues into the previous environmental cue, related to the new activity that is about to begin, and then PAUSE

Open Question or Statement with Pause “Why are we sitting here?” Pointing to the plate, “I wonder what is that for?” “I sure am getting hungry!” “When are we going to get something to go with these plates?” “Where is the food?” PAUSE

Partial Prompt with Pause If the student’s response to the previous prompt was: –Nothing, Inappropriate, or less than expected for that student Provide part of the response by –asking a question that contains a choice, –giving a hint or a clue modeling the first few words (or sounds) of the answer, and then PAUSE

Partial Prompt with Pause “For snack, I want…” “I wish we had crackers or cookies or chips for snack.” “Do you think we are having popcorn or cookies for snack?” PAUSE

Full Model with Pause If the student: –never produced the response you are seeking... –does not respond to previous prompts Provide a full model using the expected communication method PAUSE Repeat message using student’s communication device via hand over hand technique

Full Model with Pause “I want cookies please.” **Model the student’s expected communication method (voice, gesture, sign, picture exchange, voice output system for him to imitate).

Descriptive Feedback Used after a communicative response Used after the last step of the prompt hierarchy that you needed to use Descriptive Feedback is specific to the communication behavior: –“Great, you asked for more juice and here it is.” –“Wow, you asked for the tape player, so here it is.” –“You asked for some scissors, what do you need them for?” –“I didn’t understand what you said, can you tell me again?” –“Good talking”

Descriptive Feedback - Purpose Serves three functions: –Immediately acknowledges that the listener was heard. –Confirms understanding by the listener –Reinforces and elaborates meaning of communication, further building language

Practice Time Groups by classroom Work through each scenario, filling in Prompt Hierarchy Content Role Play through each scenario –“Student”, Communication Partner, Observers

Scenario # 1 It’s time for a classroom art/coloring activity Environmental Cue or Transition Open question or Statement Partial Prompt

Scenario # 2 It’s independent time and the student usually picks the computer as his task Environmental Cue or Transition Open question or Statement Partial Prompt

Scenario # 3 It’s time for a writing worksheet that the student needs help to complete Environmental Cue or Transition Open question or Statement Partial Prompt

Our Action Plan –Changes to our classrooms –Changes to our actions during communication –Develop student communication plans

Planning your Attack Strategy Consider your Environment Arrangement –What are you doing well? –Where can you improve? –How are you gonna do it (Make the plan) Consider your Prompt Hierarchy –What are you doing well? –Where can you improve? –How are you gonna do it (Make the plan)

Planning Change Environmental ChangesPrompting Changes