teach a variety of communicative functions. Another activity involves the use of task boxes - a set of materials put together for a specific activity typically found in mainstream classrooms. These may include books, manipulatives, craft supplies, or a work assignment and are complete with a description of the activity, a single message voice output device, visual supports, as well as instructions for students to follow. In small groups, our students rotate through tasks such as circle time, literacy center, school-wide announcement, ordering at a restaurant, and so forth. Once the task is completed each group shares their example and demonstrates how the communication tool is used in their situation. By exposing EA students to these communication opportunities, they become increasingly aware that they have the ability to build a strong sense of identity and community, essential for their AAC communicators’ overall development and well-being. See image 9.
in the activity modelling the core word, while their partner is the student. During the role play they are required to demonstrate some of the communication partner strategies that they have learned during the course. It is a great opportunity for the EA students to observe one another, to see creative ideas for implementing AAC, and to gain confidence in their ability to generate their own contexts for facilitating their future student’s communication skills.
Video 3: The best day of our AAC course is final presentation day. It’s exciting to see the creative activities that each group presents to their peers! Although the presentation day is stressful for the Educational Assistant students, they benefit by gaining confidence and a toolbox of ideas that they can draw from. - https://vimeo.com/974282721
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER The EA students’ final project is a culmination of all of the skills and knowledge that they have gained during the course. For the final assignment they create a lesson plan to teach core vocabulary using their AAC communicator’s device They are required to teach the same word(s) using a book and an extension activity. Once they determine their book and core word, they need to identify another context to practice the target core word chosen. The extension activity could be: a game, a craft, writing activity, matching activity, song, or gross motor activity. The activity should target the same core word(s) that they focus on in the book. The activity should provide repeated opportunities for them to model the core word. On the final day of class, each group presents their book and extension activity to their peers. They take turns role playing as the EA and then as the student. The first EA student reads the book while modelling the core word on the AAC device for the second EA (their student). Then the second EA student engages Image 9: Educational Assistant students practice planning and modelling vocabulary using Inclusion Task Boxes. They include work that their students might do in their classroom setting.
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