May is #BHSM so last month I shared an ?#?AuthenticAAC? moment each day that didn’t go exactly as planned, something I missed or something I would have done differently in hindsight.
My intention was for anyone reading who was afraid to implement augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to be more comfortable in the knowledge that things aren’t always going to go as planned. You’re going to make mistakes and miss communication opportunities, but those “mistakes” give you experience and the opportunity to improve.
Unexpectedly, for me, focusing on my shortcomings for the month has made me a more relaxed and patient clinician. I always thought I was patient, but as I was posting and then reviewing my shortcomings, I started finding patterns. The awareness of those patterns made me more conscious in my interactions with students. There is a different level of self-monitoring when you’re going to post something publicly. As an example, I would think things like, “I seriously can’t make the mistake of not giving enough wait time again when I just messed that up yesterday!” So I would wait beyond my previous comfort level, and my student would have more time to gather thoughts.
Here are my posts for the final week of May:
Monday May 23, 2016:
Today…
My student sat next to me on the sofa.
She looked intensely at my watch and then her eye twinkled and she said, “watch off.” Naturally I took it off. She said “on,” so I went to put it back on but she stopped my hand and said “on” again.
I thought maybe she wanted to wear it, so I tried to put it on her wrist closest to me.
She pulled her arm back and said “on” again. I tried the other arm, but she pulled that one back as well, and said “on” again.
I tried my other wrist, and she stopped my hand.
I said, “I don’t know what you want me to put it ‘on’.”
She said, “On feet.” I slid it over her foot and her face lit up.
I should have just asked from the beginning.
I also should have been modeling “wrist.”
Tuesday May 24, 2016:
Most of the ?#?AuthenticAAC? moments I’ve shared have been things that have happened with my full attention on the interaction with the student.
Today, we had just been on an outing to shop for craft supplies. I was talking with the teacher about the project plan while the student had a few minutes to relax since we just came back. He was watching YouTube.
There were Oreos sitting on the table and I heard him say, “Oreo” on his device and I passed one to him. He vocalized and sounded irritated and when I looked at him, the cookie was still in his hand. I said, “What’s wrong?” And he took an exasperated breath and said “chocolate Oreo thick” (Which is what I had handed him).
When I looked at the message window, I realized he had asked for a “vanilla Oreo.” I apologized and got him a vanilla Oreo as he ate the chocolate one.
Then he asked for another “chocolate Oreo thick” (Which is when I took this picture).
Wednesday May 25th, 2016:
I was in meetings all day today so unfortunately, I didn’t get to see any students. Days like this are necessary, but much less interesting.
Thursday May 26th, 2016:
Today, my plan was to model for a student during her academic time to add some content vocabulary and of course core words. My student wrapped her arm around her iPad mini on the desk to shield me from modeling on her device. She looked me in the eye and used the device to say “mine.”
So, I figured I’d use dual device modeling instead and pulled out my iPad mini. I opened the app and said, “Okay, I’ll GET MINE” (modeling the words in caps). My main screen configuration was different and I had color coded some of the words. My voice was also different.
As soon as she saw it, she immediately began exploring what I had open and then used her device to say, “color eat” (eat was one of the words that was color coded on my iPad).
She then began exploring my iPad and comparing the words to her device. She found the word that were the same and I modeled “same.”
She pinned my arm under hers to keep my iPad within her reach (in the photo, her mint green sleeve is holding my arm with the bracelet in place. Sorry it’s so close. I couldn’t move back any farther).
She then went to my TO page which is where her numbers are located, but mine didn’t have them. She used my device to say, “are same” and then went to her device, touched “TO” and saw that all of her numbers were there. On her device, she said, “no,no,no,no..” Until the message window was filled with “no”s.
I didn’t realize until much later that she was trying to tell me that those screens are not the same. I didn’t realize it until she did it again with another page and actually said “cards” on my iPad on the PLAY page and went to the PLAY page on her iPad and pressed the button in that same place, which is “bubbles.” She then said “same no” and I caught on (and modeled “different.”)
It’s always so obvious after the fact.
Also, I didn’t model any content vocabulary.
Friday May 27th, 2016:
This is the final ?#?AuthenticAAC? post for the month, and it’s a perfect way to end a very full month! Thanks to all of you who have joined in and shared your own moments and for all of you who have taken the time to follow mine!
I spent a good part of my day writing reports.
When I write about students, I try to write so that despite their challenges, if they read what I wrote when they’re older, they’ll know that I looked for their strengths and believed in them.
Well, today, Jess confirmed that it’s a really good standard to follow.
Prior to hitting record, I said “I’m glad we have the chance to hang out tonight” and she said “am” and I hit record…
Thank you to everyone who followed along or shared your own Authentic AAC moments!
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