Skills and Targets Families Can Carry Over
Working with families is an important part of any learner's success. There are strategies that I have found to be most successful. My team and I are sure to communicate with families in their preferred method at least once a week. Some families prefer daily notes,...
Infusing Core Language Daily
Did you know that 80% of what we say is communicated via 200 basic words (Baker & Hill, 2000-speech.allisonfors). Core language word examples are I, you, go, stop, eat, etc. Fringe words are the nouns such as cheesecake, waterfall, pumpkin. If you think about...
Breaking Down 6 VB-MAPP Operants
If you're anything like me and you had no idea what the VB-MAPP was on your first day as a special education teacher, I'm here to let you know that you are not alone. My experiences and knowledge of the ABA side of teaching student's with autism was minimal when I...
Getting Started with Visuals
Soapbox moment. Visuals are some of the most incredible supports you can use with individuals to help facilitate language understanding and communication. Working with the tiniest of tots these days, introducing visuals as early as possible has been key with so many...
Scaffolded Receptive Language Activities
I love working on receptive language skills…at all ages! Between birth and about 11 months of age, when we think of receptive language skills, we look for turning of the head when someone is speaking to him/her, turning towards a noise, and briefly stopping an...
Using Adapted Books in Small Groups
Using Adapted Books in Small Groups It’s no secret that I love adapted books. I’ve talked often about how I use them in my classroom for independent work. One thing I love to do is use adapted books in small groups. It’s a familiar task that works on relevant skills,...
Fall Core Word Activity
If you know me as a special education-language loving teacher, you know I am always trying to find different ways to engage my students (and their families) with core language. Sometimes my activities do not turn out as planned but I’ve learned a few tips and tricks...
Moving Beyond Requesting (Part 5): Describing
Welcome back to the fifth part in this series called Moving Beyond Requesting. If you haven't checked out parts 1-4, they would be helpful, especially Part 1. In this series, I have talked about how to teach concepts that lead to an increase in spontaneous commenting...
Using Core Language Boards During Storytime
Mission: Core BoardsAs an early childhood special educator turned Infants and Toddlers specialist, my mission is to spread the love and engagement with core language as much as possible. I have slowly started teaching families and now daycare centers how to use core...
Moving Beyond Requesting (Part 4): Teaching Negation with Increased Complexity
Hey! This is is the fourth part in a series called Moving Beyond Requesting. If you haven't read Part 3: Teaching Negation, I encourage you to check it out! Parts 1 & 2 discussed teacher feature, function, and category concepts and vocabulary in two levels of...
Creating Core and Fringe Boards
One of my goals as an Infants and Toddlers home service provider was to infuse core language and visuals into homes and daycares as much as possible. I understand it can be daunting for even teachers to utilize (core performance anxiety) so empowering parents and...
Moving Beyond Requesting (Part 3): Teaching Negation
"Don't do that." "That's not nice." "You shouldn't be doing that." "That isn't a nice thing to say." "Won't you stop?" "We can't go yet." You will hear these and other similar sentences in any hall or classroom and any school. These sentiments are often unavoidable...
Vehicle Themed File Folder Activities
My theme these past few weeks has been all about vehicles. I’ve been using vehicle themed adapted books, sorts, games, and other fun activities to work on various language skills with my students. To add to my vehicle fun I created a set of Vehicle Themed File...
Power Core Words in Action!
Last time I talked about a focus shift called Power Core Words. If you need a refresher of this, check out my last post here! I love using power core words because it creates a natural action plan for teachers and families, helps with generalization of language in...
Counting and Sorting Vehicle Fun
I’m finishing up my vehicle themed adapted book series this week with the book “How Many Vehicles Do You See?” This book is great to continue to build up those vehicle vocabulary terms while also working on those number concepts. I paired the book with a fun vehicle...
Moving Beyond Requesting (Part 2): Combining Feature, Function, and Category Concepts
Hey! Welcome to the second part in this series called, "Moving Beyond Requesting". If you didn't read part 1, Feature, Function, and Category, check it out! In part 1, I describe teaching feature, function, and category vocabulary and concepts and why I think they are...
Power Core Words at Home and in School
If you know us here at the Autism Helper, you know our passion for increasing and encouraging communication! Everyone has a right to communicate, and it is our job as educators, therapists, providers, parents, assistants (ie: everyone) to find ways do this! Now, as...
What Color is the Vehicle? Adapted Book and Free Vehicle Themed Bingo Games
I’ve been using my vehicle themed adapted books paired with a variety of vehicle themed activities to work on all sorts of language skills with my students. This week I’m using the book “What Color is the Vehicle?” to work on color concepts while also learning common...
What Vehicle Do You See? and Free Big/Small Vehicle Sort
I love using adapted books with my students because they are engaging and make learning fun while still working on important language skills. I try to pick themes or topics which interest my students while still focusing on different skills sets they need. Recently,...
Moving Beyond Requesting (Part 1): Feature, Function, & Category
This is the first post in a six part series about building vocabulary to support increasingly complex language tasks both receptively and expressively. Many of our students are nonverbal or limited-verbal communicators. For some, picture exchange is a useful and...