Presuming Competance

Isn't it funny how we are all a little smarter than we can really demonstrate?

Lately I feel frustrated when people are upset at me because I didn't do something the way they wanted. Would the situation have changed if they had presumed that I was competent of doing the task? Who knows.

I find myself and others in my profession often telling people to presume competence in the little communicators we work with. But that comes with a large plate of other factors that make presuming competence a complex task.

To presume competence means that:
1) We must present a task that is at an appropriate level. Is it challenging enough? Is it too challenging?
2) We have to find the motivation hook. And this doesn't mean picking something that a person really likes even, but rather creating barrier that can only be overcome by communication. Although, you can bait with something that someone likes. And this piece takes planning ahead, and the ability to react in a moment.
3) We have to be willing to get a response we weren't expecting, and be able to react accordingly. Is the response completely off-base? How do we redirect. Is the response also appropriate, but not what we were expecting? Go with it!!

Just thoughts for now.

AAC, Core Vocabulary, and The Most Important Jargon

So, I think maybe I'm biased. Maybe I am. But I'm in love with the concept of teaching and providing children who need an augmentative or alternative way to communicate with core vocabulary. And I'm going to stand on a nerd-box (modern-day soap box?) for a while, but you have to read the end. That's the most important part.

 I think that there is enough evidence-based practice for core vocab: Marvin, Beukelman, Bilyeu (1994), Fried-Oken, et.al, (1992), and Banajee, et.al. (2003) studied the vocabulary use of kids and adults and found that about 250 words make up the majority (I'm talking 80% plus) of the vocabulary we use. And these are not noun words, they are core words: verbs, pronouns, adjectives, etc. Core vocabulary is far more accessible and useful (Van Tatenhove, 2007).

Think about dinner time: you have two words you can say to acquire the platter of roast, bowl of mashed taters, bowl of green beans, and best of all grandma's cherry pie. If you say "roast," you have completely limited what you can acquire, and you REALLY like mashed potatoes AND pie! Which to pick?
*Camille: "potatoes"
*Mom: "Mmm, here's potatoes."
*Camille: "roast!"
*Mom: "More roast? Ok.
*Camille: shakes head no
*Mom: "Oh, what do you want?"
*Camille: "potatoes"
*Mom: "More potatoes? Ok."
*Camille: shakes head no, screams (she wants pie!)

See what I mean? What if you used a verb and pronoun instead: "like" and "that."
*Camille: "like that"
*Mom: "What? roast?"
*Camille: shakes head no
*Mom: "You want beans?"
*Camille: shakes head no
*Mom: "Potatoes"
*Camille: Shakes head YES!
*Camille: "like that"
*Mom: "What? beans?"
*Camille: shakes head no
*Mom: "Do you want pie?"
*Camille: shakes head YES!

So, core vocabulary lengthens the conversation a bit. But what's the harm in being engaged in communication longer? And, the core vocabulary broadened the noun objects that could be spoken about. Think about watching TV after dinner. How appicable is "like that" as little bro flips through the channels? Hello generalization.

Okay, so step of my nerd-box. Whee-hee, core vocab rocks! Now, core vocab is cool, but what vocabulary is important in my life as a Jesus follower? (Spoiler: I'm not perfect, I fall short of my commitment to Jesus routinely, I make the biggest and most stupid mistakes ever, and I'm a nasty person full of sin, but Jesus takes me just the same, and I am committed to making my life wrapped around Him!) Lately I feel like I've been completely stumped by Bible vocab. Most of these words are jargon and nouns (faith, disciple, mercy, grace, forgiveness) , which are outside of the mold for core vocabulary. So I wonder how to break down the sometimes abstract message of God's love to kids who have language impairment, autism, etc., and how to teach the core words that can be meaningful in multiple contexts and make God's love concrete and real.

Tying into this, I feel that perhaps the receptive (listening and digesting) side of Bible language is firstly important over expressive (use of) Bible language. But, when we know how to use a word (expressive), it usually means we understand the word (receptive). And for a kid who is learning to use language through secondary means, the expressive is really important. So, we all use language, and God communicates with us using language, so where do I go to now? All of this to end on a series of questions that I'm nowhere near answering:

Am I over-thinking this?
Can I bridge my scholarly, occupation-related knowledge with the uniqueness of God's message?
Are there core vocab words that relate to Biblical jargon?
What core language would come out of a children's Bible lesson, and how would it differ from core language used in other parts of life (like dinner time)?

Action Plan: I think I should create a Bible lesson for children and break it down to the level of core vocab (if I can), and see how it applies Biblically and generally. Can I do this? Who's going to keep me accountable?

And this is dedicated to Christy, who asked why I wasn't writing here. Thanks for noticing. :-P

Second Language Acquisition and AAC

So, in typical over-achiever form, I have signed up for extra graduate level courses offered free through a grant for educators working in rural areas like I do. From this, I get to take 3 graduate-level courses (9 extra credits over 3 semesters) focusing on second-language learners, particularly in regard to how the school system addresses their needs. May I just say, 12 graduate-level credits and part time work is making me a little nuts.

Anyway, the point of this whole thing is that my reading for my extra class this summer is proving to be a nice review of what I have already learned about language acquisition (first language anyway). Today's reading covered language acquisition theories, and it struck me that the Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) systems we provide for kids whose oral language isn't developing or developed where it needs to be are reflective of the language theory that the company has. In my undergraduate courses, my professor said that she believes that we acquire language through a combination of the theories, and I have to agree with her. But she also said you can generally see which theorist truly speaks to a therapist: Chompsky, Skinner, Vygotsky, Piaget, and more. I have experienced this. One therapist I work with loves Mr. Skinner's theory on language acquisition to such a point that she works exclusively with using imitation and repetition for children to acquire language. And, having worked with her students, I can formally announce that I do not truly appreciate Skinner's theories.

So, if it is possible for a therapist to lean on one theory more heavily than another, is it possible that children may have their own individualized language acquisition traits that trend in the area of one theory? Would the acquisition of language follow a different theory based on whether the child is acquiring language receptively or expressively? If a child is predestined to learn language following a certain theory, can we measure this and adapt AAC to fit it? Do AAC systems really take into account the theories of language acquisition?

I bet somebody already has answers about this, but hey, I'm just thinking through my fingers. It will be interesting to look at how typically developing children acquire a second language and if or how that applies to children who need to learn a compensatory language through AAC. I love when one class stimulates thinking for another!

AAC

I want to start blogging about Augmentative Alternative Communication...learning, answering my own and others questions, sharing information. I think I am perhaps spurred on by my self-acclaimed knowledge, and the challenge of AAC instruction I am receiving now. I feel like all my ego will be deflated. But we all need that here and there, don't we? On my mind currently:

1. In the public schools, we are tied to the law and how the state interprets the law. How does AAC/AT fit into the school standards and requirements?

2. How can AAC be made meaningful in an environment where the teachers don't understand it?

3. How do we consider AAC differently for different cognitive needs?

Can I take this on?

Patterns

The Bible says: "visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." (Exodus 34:7) As I explore family history, I am struck by the patterns through the generations. It is interesting to see broken families, and the broken lives that are passed to the children. And strong families, and the strong families that the children become. And this isn't even from knowing the people! It's from stories I've heard, and paper records- who knew that a census every 10 years would reveal so much about people? I am thankful for the strong Christian families in my genealogy, and want to carry that pattern on. I am so thankful for the people throughout my personal history who made a change to brokenness and allowed healing. Especially Dora Gillenwater, and her son Joe.

Geneology

I decided I wanted to collect wedding/young photos of four generation including my husband and myself to grace our wall. I had to do a little digging to find the photos, and now somehow I've gained a curiosity of discovering the family tree! Here I sit with the potential of up to 13 generations of names on some lines; curious to see how much farther I can get and how much proof I can get. I already know of a few mysteries I want to solve- when and where did my great-grandfather disappear to and eventually die? One family member sited a town I drive through every year with my husband when we visit his family. How weird is that? Next time through I may just stop to see what info I can dig up.

So far I have found some inconsistencies, so I'm excited to try to unravel them. I'm going to the library today to see where I can get on the library editions of census files. We'll see. I'm excited now, and I'm wondering just how far sucked in I'll get. And just how soon I'll be flustered and frustrated.

We shall see!

What is a blog for?

I have many friends whose blogs I thoroughly enjoy reading. I want a blog, I want people to enjoy what I write, but I really have the feeling that this is not what blogs are for. It should not be a diary, it should not have TMI, it should not be solely to garnish attention. A thoughtful narrative of life? A way for people to keep up? A way to share praise and worship? I don't know. So here's my next attempt at blogging.... we'll see how long this one lasts before I delete it.