AAC Awareness Month- Tips and Tricks!
Hello again, Chickadee Chatter families! It’s October and fall is in full swing. This month, we are loving being outside and looking at the colorful trees, collecting acorns and pinecones, and getting ready for Halloween. We have new crafts and sensory bin activities just for October here at the clinic! This is one of the most magical months of the year.
October is also AAC Awareness Month. In this blog post, we will talk about simple and meaningful ways to model language on AAC devices.
But first- what is AAC?
AAC stands for Alternative and Augmentative Communication. For some communicators, talking with one’s mouth is not the best or easiest way to communicate. These people use AAC devices to speak!
You may have met an AAC user before. Someone in your family might be an AAC user! If you have never seen an AAC device before, remember that an AAC device is someone’s voice. You should talk with them just like you would any other person! Ask them questions, tell jokes, and share stories. It’s amazing what AAC allows us to do.
Tips for Communicating with an AAC User:
Look at the person, not the device.
It’s tempting to check out the cool technology someone is using to communicate. But remember that you are talking to them, not their device!
Be patient.
It’s always helpful to give someone time to respond before jumping in and helping. It can also take a few extra seconds to find the right words. Be patient, and don’t worry about a few moments of silence while you wait!
Don’t feel the need to change the way you communicate
When we see someone who communicates differently than we do, we tend to think that we need to change the way that we speak too (slower, more simple). However, the best thing you can do is talk to them the same way you’d speak with anyone else!
Use different communication functions
When we start conversations, many of us tend to ask lots of questions. Try changing it up! Making comments, statements, and sharing information about yourself is a great way to build connections without adding the pressure to respond to questions. This can look like: talking about what you like, what you’ve been up to recently, and what you notice around you.
