Vocabulary & Opportunities

Opportunities in a day

- “Our students’ biggest disability is their lack of experience.” Lisa Rotelli, Adaptive Switch Lab, Inc
- The authors of EMC say it takes 100,000 co-occurrences for a typically developing child to understand cause and effect
- Co-occurrence= 2 separate events that happen in association-the understanding that when I do something, it causes something else to happen.
- Engineer the environment for many opportunties to use the switch(es), refine the motor movement, and have success
- Research says when learning a motor task:

1.initiation must come from within the child

2.the child must learn what the movement is and is not. (for example learning to balance when walking- not falling and finding that range)

3.practice with repetition and purpose

Remember we are using a motor movement the student already has so they need lots of opportunities to practice

- Map out opportunities during the day and what equipment is needed/who is responsible for setting it up

Look at this Developmental Chart

By Kate Ahrens typical language development in a typical child and approximately the amount of verbal language a child has heard

Based off that we would need to model 17,033 words per hour each hour of a 6 hour school day to get 1 word in 12 months.

Also an average child needs language spoken at 140 words per minute (we speak at an average of 220 wpm). If we assume a child hears language at 220wpm then that equates to 24,528,000 words. How many words do our kids see modeled?

When we are changing a verbal child's diaper we are modeling "time to change your diaper, this one's dirty, ooo! stinky!, all clean, here's a new one, etc". Are we modeling language to our non verbal students?

Powerful Quote

Read this quote from Jane Korsten and think about how long it would take your AAC user to have enough experience as a speaking peer.

Copy of 08Student Communication Plan.docx

Planning Opportunities Resource

Take a look at this planning resource and (if time) download and begin completing for your student(s). Consider collaborating with team members to plan for consistent opportunities for your student to have access to language/communication and academic instruction with switches across their day.

Think about what the goal of the activity is. Not every activity requires output from the student. It's okay to leave a row blank, depending on the goal of the activity.

Stop and think about- is the switch(es) available all day?

Is your smart board or computer area set up for all different access methods your students might be using (including switches)?

Think about your classroom and how your room is set up and which activities could be more switch accessible?

Go Beyond Requesting

True communication comes from social connection with others. To achieve this, we need to go beyond just simple requests (e.g., eat, drink, bathroom). Look at the chart and write down 2-3 examples you might be able to target with your switch user in other areas such as: directing the actions of others, commenting positively on an activity, negatively commenting/protesting, using social greetings/closing, and asking questions.

Video Example

Watch this video and answer the following Qs:

How does the communication partner naturally imbed opportunities for switch use in the activity? Is the activity controlled or errorless?
What other language/switch opportunities could be added to enhance the activity?

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