1. CDCI Assistive Technology Tryout Center, Communication Connection
CDCI Assistive Technology Tryout Center, Communication Connection! The conference call in number for today is Phone number Passcode is:859908

2. Maureen Nevers, M.S. CCC-SLp Vermont ITeam May 18, 2011
Let me show you! Using modeling to teach language and communication skills
Maureen Nevers, M.S. CCC-SLp
Vermont ITeam
May 18, 2011
Welcome. Our topic today is Using modeling to teach language and communication skills .
Vermont ITeam

3. Today’s Agenda Modeling defined 5 STEPS Planning Process
Targets
Teaching
Tasks and Tools
Testing
Team
References and Resources
So today we will briefly define modeling and review some of reasons to model before we go in to more specifics about the process using the 5 STEPS model as a framework. .

4. Be alarmed…
“There is also strong neuropsychological evidence that very young children with complex communication needs require early intervention, and that the consistency and quality of the instruction they receive is likely to have a lasting impact on the level of linguistic and communicative competence they will ultimately achieve. Even so, few people are ringing loud the alarm bells.”
Augmentative Communication News: September 2006 Volume 18, No 3

5. What is Modeling?
Modeling is an instructional strategy where you show someone how to do something so that they can do it in the future.

6. What is Modeling?
As a strategy for learning language, modeling occurs when the partner communicates with the person in natural contexts using the modes and materials that the person is expected to use.

7. What is Modeling?
Modeling is a valuable teaching and learning strategy that is is important for learning language at any age or stage, but is critical for beginning communicators.

8. Modeling is key to intervention …
“Despite their diversity, the research reports summarized in this article all have a common thread…all studies investigate the use of aided AAC modeling as a key component of AAC instruction.”
Drager, 2010

9. Other Names Associated with Modeling
Aided-language stimulation
Non-directive language
Augmented Input
System for Augmenting Language (SAL)
Aided Language Modeling
Aided AAC Modeling
Total Communication

10. Why do communicators need models?
Benefits of new forms are not obvious
No natural models to observe and imitate
Telling doesn’t work
Language learning requires ongoing support

11. Don’t just tell, show…
“We just can’t tell beginning communicators how to interact ... using AAC … We need to show them how to use the modes of communication … and demonstrate that using AAC works and can work for them.”
Augmentative Communication News: September 2006 Volume 18, No 3

12. Why is Modeling important?
Partners input is consistent with the expected output
Shows the person how the system can be used
Sends message that the AAC system is an acceptable form of communication
Facilitates comprehension by providing additional visual information
Demonstrates appropriate interaction skills
Provides opportunities for learning new language concepts

13. Benefits of Modeling
Provides opportunities to observe the functional uses of the AAC system
Helps identify strengths and limitations of the system
Sensitizes facilitators to difficulties in using the AAC approach
Requires facilitators to become competent users of AAC
Makes communicative interactions naturally slower, allowing more time for processing the language
Ensures language input will is relevant to the context and needs of communicator

14. 5 STEPS Planning Elements
Targets
Teaching
Tasks & Tools
Testing
Team
Learning outcomes, standards
Instructional methods, formats
Activities, themes, topics, materials
Formal and Informal Assessment
Personnel supports and services

15. What are the goals or outcomes that I am hoping to achieve?
Targets
What are the goals or outcomes that I am hoping to achieve?
In this section, we can discuss both partner goals – what are the things the partner hopes will happen? And we can talk about the goals for the communicator….What are the outcomes that we hope for them?

16. Potential Partner Goals
Set the stage for production of language using AAC.
Provide support for individuals who have difficulty understanding spoken language to increase their participation across activities and interactions.
Assist in eliciting target language forms (e.g. teach specific vocabulary, syntactic structures, or communicative functions).
Elicit target behavior as part of a prompt hierarchy.

17. Potential Communicator’s Goals
Learn meaning of vocabulary
Increase use of morphological markers
Expand syntactic structures
Increase communicative functions
Follow routines
…can be applied to nearly any individualized
language or communication goal…

18. We aren’t great partners...
“Research shows that the partners of people with complex communication needs tend to ask predominantly yes/no questions, interrupt, take the majority of conversational turns, provide few opportunities for communication, and focus on the technology rather than the individual.”
Augmentative Communication News: September 2006 Volume 18, No 3

19. Teaching
What are the instructional methods and approaches associated with this strategy?

20. Modeling Partner use of communication modes/materials
Partner represents:
own words
communicator’s words
instructor’s words
others’ words
words related to the current situation….
One of the most critical learning tools is modeling the application of the communication materials in natural contexts. Partners should speak with the AAC displays as much as possible to allow the user to see the process and outcome of the communication exchange associated with specific symbols. Aim to use language that is 1-2 words longer than the child's typical length of utterance across the range of vocabulary and functions.
Vantatenhove's report of studies on modeling yields surprising information about the amount of input required to enable the student to use the word independently. Using a speech device, partners needed to model a word times (within and inclusive setting) and times (for students with cognitive or developmental challenges) before the student generated the word on their own. Using low-tech supports, rates of and repetitions by the partner preceded the user's independent use without the partner. While these studies were limited in the scope of users, they provide compelling argument for the necessity of modeling for the development of true understanding of symbols and their referents.

21. Modeling challenges… Limited AAC system
Balancing use of AAC modes during interactions
Understanding the demands on the communicator
Determining the amount of support needed
Skilled trainers for partners

22. Partner’s Role/Responsibilities
Modeling requires that the partner:
Understand what modeling is
Understand the support necessary for the communicator
Know the target to model
Be competent in using the AAC system
Provide multiple opportunities for learning
Be flexible for application in natural contexts

23. Don’t just tell, show…
“If a facilitator with competent communication skills cannot effectively communicate using a communication display, then we cannot reasonably expect the augmented speaker to develop communication competency with that display”
Elder and Goossens’, 1994

24. Communicator’s Role/Responsibilities
Modeling requires that the communicator:
Pay attention
Retain an image of the model to reproduce later
Have multiple opportunities to practice the modeled behavior
Be motivated (internally or externally) to imitate the behavior
Make the effort to reproduce the model

25. Modeling Notes
Communicators need to experience models of their language
Aided language communication does not naturally occur, so we have to create this environment
Language is not learned through straight imitation, but through broad experiences of concepts, vocabulary and applications.
Give logical feedback for communicator’s attempts
Focus on the interaction, having a conversation as opposed to “working on the system”
Talk in short sentences while pointing to targets

26. Modeling Guidelines Application is genuine, natural, meaningful
Partners are trained and supported
Partners practice, with and without the communicator
Supports are accessible, available
Supports contain sufficient quantity of symbols representing range of functions
Models are at and above student’s current expressive skills - Model “one more stage” of language for the child
Partners point to one or more symbols per utterance
Communicator is not “required” to use the support
Partners comment, wonder, observe, notice…

27. Partner Modeling Strategies
Teach partners to become effective facilitators by using strategies such as:
Responding to the child’s point of focus
Using aided AAC modeling
Using expectant delay
Asking open-ended questions
Use cuing hierarchy

28. What are the types of modeling?
Language Immersion
Comprehension
Production
Prompt

29. Modeling as a Language Immersion Approach
Goal: setting the stage for production of language using AAC rather than eliciting it
Measured by: increase in person’s use of AAC modes and speech.
Focus is on activities and interactions, not instruction
Modeling and scaffolding occur
throughout the day
In natural contexts
With multiple partners who are competent users of the language
Learners experience people interacting with them
Learners observe people as they interact with one another.
Total immersion is ideal, but partial immersion is possible

30. Large Group Reading and Modeling in Classroom

31. Get Ready for Outside Language - Preschool

32. Modeling to Support Comprehension
Goal: provide support for individuals who have difficulty understanding spoken language to increase their participation across daily activities and interactions
Measured by: increase in comprehension and participation, possibly decrease in frustration or challenging behaviors
Trained facilitators use AAC paired with speech
Examples:
speak + point to icons on device
speak + sign
speak + point to symbol + point to its referent
Visual scene displays (VSDs)
Visual supports, such as calendards, schedules
Written scripts

33. Modeling with a High Tech Device
Grocery Store
Schedule on iPad

34. Modeling to Support Specific Language Target Production
Goal: elicit target language forms (e.g. teach specific vocabulary, syntactic structures, or communicative functions)
Measured by: child successfully uses targeted language forms in expanding contexts
Skilled clinician models the language target while speaking
May combine with scaffolding strategies
Helpful for young children or early communicators who are learning language and using AAC for expression.

35. Navigating to “cut” after model

36. Modeling as Part of a Prompting Hierarchy
Goal: elicit target behavior
Measured by: number of times child produces the target behavior and under what circumstances
Adult/teacher models are commonly used as part of a prompt hierarchy to elicit specific behaviors
Visual (point to), verbal (“say…”) and tactile (touch arm) prompts are also often part of prompt hierarchies
Carryover and maintenance are also important factors to track

37. YouTube Video Mom with Book
Goal: elicit target behavior
Measured by: number of times child produces the target behavior and under what circumstances
Adult/teacher models are commonly used as part of a prompt hierarchy to elicit specific behaviors
Visual (point to), verbal (“say…”) and tactile (touch arm) prompts are also often part of prompt hierarchies
Carryover and maintenance are also important factors to track

38. Scaffolding and Response Strategies
Response strategies are modeling techniques that are specifically employed after the user has communicated a message.
Scaffolding is helps us determine “what” we model. .

39. Scaffolded Response Strategies
imitate
Partner repeats message that was expressed by the communicator
repeat
Partner repeats message that was expressed in another form (e.g. person standing at the door, partner says “go” and “out” with Core)
expand
Partner adds to message (e.g. person says “want”, partner expands to “want this”)

40. Scaffolded Response Strategies
connect
Partner adds a connecting word (e.g. because, and, then, so, but) to encourage person to continue.
correct
Partner repeats message using the correct grammar or marker (e.g. person says “that want”, partner models “want that”)

41. Tasks
What are the activities that will provide an appropriate context for learning?

42. Modeling should occur…
During meaningful exchanges
In natural environments
Across contexts and activities
Again, and again, and again

43. What materials and supports will be necessary?
Tools
What materials and supports will be necessary?

44. Modeling Materials No-tech Low-tech Mid-tech High-tech Speaking only
Paper-based tools
Pair with speech
Mid-tech
Recordable devices
High-tech
Speech generating devices
Personal digital electronic devices (e.g. iPad)

45. No-tech Modeling Adult: “Tell me about Wilbur” Student: “small”
Adult: “Yes, he is small”

46. Low Tech Book for Modeling

47. Modeling with a Low Tech Board

48. Modeling with Low Tech Materials
Emergency prep lesson
Saying “help”

49. Modeling with a High Tech Device

50. Modeling with a High Tech Device
Grocery Store
Schedule on iPad

51. Modeling Materials
It may be necessary to have separate or supplemental displays for the adults to use so that they have access to the greater volume of vocabulary

52. Modeling Materials
The only pre-requisite for modeling is that the communicator’s AAC supports have to be available…. “See the child, see the device” “See the communicator, see their ‘voice’”

53. Change is purposeful…
“Being an effective communication partner or AAC facilitator is not intuitive. It often requires one to change long-established, unconscious ways of communicating.”
Augmentative Communication News: September 2006 Volume 18, No 3

54. Testing
How will I evaluate the student’s progress towards the identified outcomes?

55. Measuring Communicator Outcomes
increase in person’s use of AAC modes and speech.
increase in comprehension and participation, possibly decrease in frustration or challenging behaviors
child successfully uses targeted language forms in expanding contexts
number of times child produces the target behavior and under what circumstances

56. Outcomes of Modeling…
In addition to changing partner behaviors, Drager and her colleagues found that instruction in modeling resulted in increases in:
communicative turn-taking
use of communicative functions
lengths of utterances
semantic diversity
syntactic complexity
Drager, 2010

57. Team
What are the resources and supports that the Team will need to implement this intervention?

58. Opportunity is purposeful…
“While we know modeling is an important, if not key, instructional strategy, we also know that modeling does not flow naturally from environmental exposure and daily social interactions. Rather, it must be orchestrated…”
Augmentative Communication News: September 2006 Volume 18, No 3

59. The reality… Few guidelines for how to model
Few people trained to model
Most people don’t model
Communicators have a deficit of appropriate input
Communicators have few opportunities for rich communication experiences

60. Partner Instruction Model
Pretest and solicit the partner’s commitment to learning the targeted strategy.
Describe the strategy.
Demonstrate use of the strategy.
Provide verbal practice of the strategy steps
Practice implementing the strategy in controlled contexts (i.e., in role plays with the first author).
Practice implementing the strategy in natural contexts (i.e., book reading with the children).
Complete posttest and solicit the partner’s commitment to long-term implementation of the strategy.
Demonstrate generalized use of the strategy.
Binger, 2010

61. Planning to Model
The Instructor models (shows or uses) the communication display:
☐ targeted word(s) or language targets: ________________
____________________________________________
for:
☐ a specific length of time ____________
☐ a specific activity ____________
☐ specific event/occurrence ____________
☐ a defined quantity of models ____________

62. Resources and References
Binger, C. (2010) Teaching Educational Assistants to Facilitate the Multisymbol Message Productions of Young Students Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology Vol –120 Drager, K. (2009) Aided Modeling Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Who Require AAC Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication Goossens’, C., Crain, S., & Elder, P. (1992). Engineering the preschool environment for interactive, symbolic communication. Birmingham, Southeast Augmentative Communication Conference Publications.

63. Resources and References
Augmentative Communication News: September 2006 Volume 18, No 3
Description: Modeling is the target topic of this issue of the ACN newsletter. This 11-page document is an excellent resource on this topic, and is available for anyone to download from the link below.
Web address:
Teaching Strategies - Modeling in Everyday Activities
Multi-page handout on how to use model.