Create professional looking communication displays in minutes. Includes over 5,500 communication symbols. Quickly search over 55,000 words in the keyword library and instantly retrieve the respective communication symbol(s). Age appropriate for children, teenagers and adults. No stick men. Resize symbols and pictures to fit any page size. Print and/or save your work to disk, flash drive or floppy disk. Print displays in black & white or color (requires a color printer). Copy/paste symbols to (or from) Boardmaker* Make worksheets, symbol instruction sheets, books, journals, or calendars. Paste in digital photographs or any of Microsoft 130,000 clipart images and symbols. Download free trial copy! Latest version now includes Speech and Page Linking. Create printed communication boards or develop fully functional dynamic display AAC solutions. Includes Microsoft Speech and voices.

Phonemic awareness is the first step in any child's journey to literacy, and more than 25% of all children don't master it by third grade. Specifically targeting phonemic awareness, this program helps young children learn to distinguish the individual sounds that make up words and affect their meanings. With the unique screening method that accommodates up to 15 children at a time, educators can gauge the general skill level of the class and identify children who may need additional testing. And teachers can choose from a range of activities to use with the whole class-from simple listening games to more advanced sound manipulation exercises such as rhyming, alliteration, and segmentation. The perfect complement to any school's language curriculum, this program takes only 15-20 minutes a day.

Research on child language is an interdisciplinary enterprise, uniting the efforts of psychologists, linguists, computer scientists, educators, neuroscientists and communication scientists. In selecting representative readings from this broad and fast-moving field, the editors of this collection have emphasized recent papers that illustrate the contribution of child language research to developmental cognitive science. Although the authors of these papers represent a broad spectrum of theoretical perspectives, there is a deliberate bias in favor of an interactive, rather than nativist, approach. Essential works on the major milestones of language development are provided, followed by tutorials that stress the neural substrates of language development, pieces on computational models of language learning, and on genetic contributions to developmental language disorders. Some papers have been updated or specially commissioned for this collection. The volume avoids jargon and is designed to be accessible to upper level students across a range of disciplines.

Schools are only shepherds along the way in ALL children's lives, providing necessary preparation and guidance, so that they can become increasingly independent, with self-esteem intact for the next learning/living environment they will face. Dr. Beckman's guide ensures appropriate access tools are available to people with special needs. In this age of technological innovation parents ask, "Can I find tools which will help my child learn and be successful?" Teachers ask, "Can I implement assistive technology even though I'm not a computer expert?" Administrators ask, "Can I know if assistive technology is effective?" Dr. Jeanne Beckman resoundingly answers, "Yes, you can." With her 25 years of personal and professional experience, Dr. Beckman has learned how to effectively provide assistive technology for people with special needs.

Developed for special ed children attending Pre-k to high school, this is a PECS communication book your child takes with them back and forth to school. This book will allow your child's teacher to easily communicate with you about your child on a daily basis. You can communicate about specific classes, lunch, homework, mood, things to bring and general comments with your child's teacher. An easy system of check boxes and PECS are used to facilitate communication. The PECS symbols allow you to go over your child's day and enable you to ask questions that pertain to your child school day. For most children with autism it is not enough to ask: "Did you have speech today?" You may or may not get an accurate response. If you know your child did have a speech lesson that day, you can modify your conversation to be more meaningful to your child. This book has been a valuable tool for children, teachers and parents. For questions, contact Autism Shopper, LLC at service@autismshopper.com

Combining the expertise of a variety of contributors, this comprehensive yet readable book utilizes a non-categorical approach in discussing developmental disabilities in children. Children with language and communication disorders are often misdiagnosed and misunderstood due to the assignment of educational labels that reflect their different handicapping conditions, i.e. mental retardation, hearing impairment, and autism. This book utilizes a common unifying theoretical framework to understand and discuss this population. For professionals working in the fields of audiology, speech-language pathology, and deaf education.

Updated and expanded, the second edition of this trusted and definitive textbook incorporates critical information on implementing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). It explains the principles and procedures of AAC assessment and offers intervention techniques that are appropriate throughout the life span of children and adults with congenital or acquired communication disorders. Special attention is given to rehabilitation centers and school settings and to the needs of people with cerebral palsy, apraxia, autism, aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and multiple disabilities. An invaluable resource for educators, students, speech-language pathologists, AAC and education team members, rehabilitation specialists, and program directors, this text presents a comprehensive approach to improving the lives of people who have severe communication disorders.

Teach Your Baby to Sign features photographs of babies signing, plus line illustrations of each sign. And it provides 200 useful signs -- more than any other book -- so parents can have a wide selection to choose from, along with stage-by-stage guidance so they'll know which signs to teach first and which to add as they and their baby become progressively more skilled and comfortable with signing.

Neuroscience for the Study of Communicative Disorders, Third Edition remains an ideal resource that teaches neuroscience fundamentals without encyclopedic details of anatomy and physiology. This text takes a step-by-step, simplified approach, and contains relevant information in its application of neuroscience for students and practitioners in speech-language pathology and audiology--making it the perfect text! Completely updated throughout, the Third Edition reflects the most recent findings and clinical applications. The neuroimaging section now includes the latest techniques in magnetic resonance-based diagnostic imaging. In addition, there are significant updates to the discussions of cellular biology, neuroembryology, and consciousness. Moreover, the author has introduced new features to help students easily grasp key concepts and apply them in practice. For example, structures and neuronal pathways are now illustrated using multiple figures with different orientations to assist students in understanding and visualizing structure and function.

Autism has been defined by experts as a developmental disorder affecting social and communication skills as well as verbal and nonverbal communication. It is said to occur in as many as 2 to 6 in 1,000 individuals. This book challenges the prevailing, tragic narrative of impairment that so often characterizes discussions about autism. Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone seriously engages the perspectives of people with autism, including those who have been considered as the most severely disabled within the autism spectrum. The heart of the book consists of chapters by people with autism themselves, either in an interview format with the author or written by themselves. Each author communicates either by typing or by a combination of speech and typing. These chapters are framed by a substantive introduction and conclusion that contextualize the book, the methodology, and the analysis, and situate it within a critical disability studies framework. The volume allows a look into the rich and insightful perspectives of people who have heretofore been thought of as uninterested in the world.

Presents new studies providing evidence in support of facilitated communication, a technique that allows persons with autism, Down syndrome, and other pervasive developmental disorders to type their thoughts on a computer keyboard. Topics include how teachers confirm the authorship of facilitated communication, a controlled study using computer games, and suggested procedures for confirming authorship through research. For professionals working with people with developmental disorders. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Speech and Language Pathologist, Sally Bligh, describes the role of the SLP in working with children diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. As the director of the Bligh Speech Therapy Center and as an SLP for over 20 years, Sally has developed successful techniques and strategies for working with children on the autistic spectrum. In this video, she explains the use of Social Language Groups to facilitate social communication. Because of the many similarities between AS and NLD, the strategies included in these programs would also work well for children diagnosed with Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities.

This book provides speech-language pathology students (undergraduate and graduate) with an opportunity to apply their knowledge of childhood language disorders to assessment and intervention by analyzing language samples. The unique feature of this book is the inclusion of over 20 language samples that readers analyze in order to gain an understanding of the symptoms and clinical applications of childhood language disorders. Each chapter contains: an introduction to the section that describes a disorder or clinical issue, assessment and intervention guidelines for each issue, a language sample, and questions about each language samples. The following sections are included: identification of critical features of language behavior, symptomatology of language disorders, cultural and linguistic diversity, issues in the assessment of language impairments and intervention strategies. For speech-language pathology students and communication disorders students at the undergraduate or graduate level Annotation. This guide for students and clinicians discusses the treatment of childhood language disorders, including those related to specific language impairment, adolescent language learning disorders, mental retardation, hearing impairment, autism, and traumatic brain injury. Each chapter describes a disorder or clinical issue and includes assessment and intervention guidelines and a language sample. The author is with the Department of Communication Disorders at the University of Houston. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Providing a theoretical foundation for understanding communication and language impair-ments specific to autism, Olga Bogdashina explores the effects of different perceptual and cognitive styles on the communication and language development of autistic children. She stresses the importance of identifying each autistic individual's nonverbal language � which can be visual, tactile, kinaesthetic, auditory, olfactory or gustatory � with a view to establish a shared means of verbal communication. She offers an explanation of why certain approaches, for example PECS, might work with some autistic children but not others. Offering real in-sights, the 'What They Say' sections enable the reader to see through the eyes of autistic indi-viduals and to understand their language differences first hand. 'What We Can Do to Help' sections throughout the book give practical recommenda-tions on what to do in order to help autistic individuals use their natural mechanisms to learn and develop social and communicative skills. The final chapters are devoted to assessment and intervention issues with practical recommendations for selecting appropriate methods and techniques to enhance communication, based on the specific mode of communication a person uses.

Parents of children with autism can significantly improve their son's or daughter's ability to communicate using the visual communication strategies described in this easy-to-understand guide. After a thorough review of verbal communication development, the authors explain how autism affects the acquisition and progression of those skills. Real-life case studies, along with a maintaining an efffective and meaningful communication skills program.

The concept of 'intersubjectivity' has emerged as a common denominator in approaches to infant communication and children's understanding of thought and emotion in others. This book brings together for the first time leading international figures in psychology, psychopathology, sociology, and primatology to address the key question of the role of intersubjectivity in early development. These distinguished contributors offer a new understanding of child development, learning and communication. This book is an invaluable resource for researchers in emotion and communication across the social and behavioral sciences.

When children and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have difficulty communicating, the world can be a painful and frustrating place. Fortunately, there are now tools and strategies that can help make interactive communication possible for individuals with ASDs who can't use speech effectively. This guide to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provides an overview of the AAC techniques and devices available today. AAC refers to any tool, device, picture, word, symbol or gesture that compensates for expressive and receptive communication deficits. An AAC tool is as simple as a picture schedule made at home or as sophisticated as a voice output communication aid (VOCA); MEANINGFUL EXCHANGES covers both low and high-tech varieties. The author also explains how AAC appeals to the particular learning style and communication strengths and weaknesses of people with ASDs. An extensive section on ACC and Special Education Law covers eligibility and entitlement issues; how to make sure a communication system is included in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and stays with a student from school to school; and who pays for a device. Real-life vignettes help to illustrate how various AAC tools increase communication with others and, consequently, improve quality of life. Appendices provide additional sources of information about specific devices and software, as well as listings of manufacturers and training opportunities. Communication is an essential part of the human experience. This excellent resource introduces parents and practitioners to ways they can make interactive communication as easy and meaningful as possible for people with ASDs, young and old.

If you have no language, how can you make yourself understood, let alone make friends? Phoebe Caldwell has worked for many years with people with severe intellectual disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder who are non-verbal, and whose inability to communicate has led to unhappy and often violent behaviour. In this new book she explores the nature of close relationships, and shows how these are based not so much on words as on the ability to listen, pay attention, and respond in terms that are familiar to the other person. This is the key to Intensive Interaction, which she shows is a straightforward and uncomplicated way, through attending to body language and other non-verbal means of communication, of establishing contact and building a relationship with people who are non-verbal, even those in a state of considerable distress. This simple method is accessible to anyone who lives or works with such people, and is shown to transform lives and to introduce a sense of fun, of participation and of intimacy, as trust and familiarity are established.

Narrative play is a way of communicating with children using imaginative stories and narratives to share and make sense of life events. This book describes using narrative play therapeutically with children who have lived in multiple families, children who have problems with social understanding and children who have learning difficulties. Ann Cattanach explains how children's stories and narratives, whether they are about real or imagined events, can be interpreted as indicators of their experiences, their ideas, and a dimension of who they are. She demonstrates this with examples of children's stories from her clinical experience, and provides narrative play techniques and sample scripts both for therapists and for parents whose circumstances require a therapeutic parenting approach. This book is essential reading for play therapists, social workers and other professionals working with children, as well as parents and carers of children who are experiencing social and/or learning difficulties.

From leading clinical researchers, this book presents important advances in understanding and treating the early social-communication difficulties that are hallmarks of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It is grounded in current findings on typically and atypically developing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Contributors highlight the connections between ASD and impairments in joint attention, communication and language, play, and imitation. They review approaches to supporting children's functioning in each area, along with evidence-based screening and assessment strategies. Valuable advice is offered on matching treatment to individual children's needs. The book also explores the developmental and neurobiological processes that underlie social-communication deficits in ASD.

This book will inform the reader of the remarkably high comorbidity of language impairment with a range of psychopathologic disorders of childhood and adolescence and the implications of this association for clinical practice. The book describes and discusses this relationship, its etiology and consequences for the child, and clinical issues in treating the disorder. The focus is on children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems who constitute the largest population referred for clinical attention and does not consider children with severe disorders, such as autism.

Facilitated Communication (FC) is a controversial technique for helping those who cannot speak use a communication aid. A "facilitator" assists the person without speech in using a spelling board or keyboard to create words by either pointing out letters or typing on the keyboard. Controversy centers on who is actually communicating?the facilitators or their charges. Crossley is credited with developing FC, first used in the mid-1970s with Anne McDonnell, who was severely disabled and assumed to have a mental age of several months. By presenting the stories of numerous individuals she has worked with (she runs the DEAL Center for people with severe communications disabilities in Melbourne, Australia), Crossley chronicles and defends her development and use of FC with those lacking functional communication owing to autism, brain injuries, Down syndrome, and other disorders. She details and answers criticisms, paying particular attention to the use of the technique in the United States.

Gives access to clear, detailed information for speech-language pathologists on how to work effectively in the school system. Outlines innovative methods for creating programs, even under difficult circumstances, and offers clinical tips, reminders, and 'reality checks' for assessment and intervention. Coverage includes planning meetings, phonological and articulation disorders, fluency, hearing impairment, autism, and diversity. Includes a wealth of reproducible sample forms. The editor is a practicing speech-language pathologist. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Visual support aids can be highly effective tools for increasing levels of communication and independence in children with autism, who often have difficulty interpreting spoken language and non-verbal facial expressions. Fully illustrated with inspiring examples, Everyday Education provides a wealth of ideas for creating visual support aids for children on the autism spectrum. Photographs and clear, practical explanations describe how these tools can be arranged helpfully around the home for the child to use. The authors describe how visual support aids can be used in all kinds of everyday situations, from labelling -- for example, sticking a picture of a dinner plate with a knife and fork to the chair in which the child sits at meal times -- to putting together a pictorial activities schedule for the child to refer to. This fun and encouraging book will be a valuable source of ideas for parents of children with autism and professionals working with them.

When a child has communication problems-- diagnosed or not--parents are first looking for a place to go for help. The Parent's Guide to Speech and Language Problems is a one-stop resource, offering not just the most up-to-date medical information but also advice and encouragement from a mom who's been there. Author Debbie Feit has two children with speech problems and knows what it takes to survive and thrive day-to-day as a family. No other book on the market can match this one for its combination of clinical research and real-world, hands-on parenting solutions.

Improving Speech and Eating Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders - An Oral Motor Program for Home and School shows how improved oral movement patterns facilitates the development of eating skills, speech production and communication. Most important, this book gives parents and teachers a simple treatment program that can be easily incorporated into the child's daily schedule at home or at school. The treatment program helps to increase the variety of foods in the child's diet, improve the child's ability to accept touch inside and around the mouth, and expand the number of sounds the child produces-and thereby improving overall functioning . Parents and teachers are given concrete examples of how to set up the treatment environment to achieve optimal performance from the child, including how to structure their own language to enhance the child's processing of auditory information. Further, lots of activities and other ideas are offered, along with case stories showing how this successful program works with children of various ages and ability levels. A detailed overview of effective alternative therapy techniques is also included.

Teach Me Language is based on professional speech pathology methods developed specifically for parents and therapists who teach children with autism, Asperger's syndrome and other related developmental disorders language skills they need in school and in life. It is a step by step 'How To' manual of instructions, explanations, examples, games and cards that attack language weaknesses common to children with pervasive developmental disorders. Areas targeted include Social Language, General Knowledge, Grammar and Syntax, Functional Knowledge and Written Expression, and Language-Based Academic Concepts such as sequencing, problem solving, time and money. This book should be introduced once the child has learned one and two word sentences, has some basic vocabulary, and can answer simple 'What' or 'Where' questions from a picture book. The children who benefit are visual learners. The exercises in this book, takes the child from one and two word sentences to more complex sentences that lay the foundation for conversation. The various activities are appropriate for children from kindergarten through the teenage years, with simple adaptation for cognitive level i.e. the materials become more difficult, yet the activities remain structured in the same way.

A Comic Strip Conversation is a conversation between two or more people which incorporates the use of simple drawings. These drawings serve to illustrate an ongoing communication, providing additional support to individuals who struggle to comprehend the quick exchange of information which occurs in a conversation. Experience with Comic Strip Conversations indicates they may be an effective tool for parents and professionals working with students with autism and other developmental disabilitites. Comic Strip Conversations are based on the belief that visualization and visual supports, found useful in structuring the learning of students with autism, may also improve their understanding and comprehension of conversation. In addition, the use of a basic set of symbols are used in Comic Strip Conversations to illustrate social skills which are abstract and difficult for students with autism to understand. Also available in French!

This book is about hope and love and undaunted courage of the human spirit crying to be heard. It is a story about our son, Charles, who was trapped for thirty-six years in a body which could not speak. Believed to be severely or profoundly mentally retarded, unable to show emotion at will by facial expression, Charles kept the faith. He prayed that the day would come when God would give him a means of allowing his parents and the rest of the world to know that he was cognitive with a heart full of love for God and Man. He wanted to be ready and so he listened, learned and observed life as it is lived by verbal people. When the technique of facilitated communication was offered to him, Charles was ready. Slowly, he embraced it fully and the pages which follow are a saga of rebirth and a celebration of life. Charles' story is not unique. There are many other nonverbal individuals out there just waiting for people to reach out to them and bring a little light into their otherwise dormant, isolated lives. Being human, there is an innate desire to communicate. When this is blocked, the result is an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. It prevents them from entering what Charles refers to as 'the real world.'

Does your child have trouble speaking or listening? This fully revised and updated edition of the essential guide explains what you can do to help Have you noticed that your child has difficulty getting the right words out, following directions, or being understood? If so, speech-language pathologist Patricia Hamaguchi -who has been helping children overcome problems like these for more than twenty years-has now revised and updated her highly effective guide to help you determine what's best for your child. Find out all you need to know about: Autism/PDD, central auditory processing disorders, dyspraxia, bilingual language development, adoption issues, thumb-sucking, and more How to recognize the most common speech, language, and listening problems When to get help for your child and when to wait Where to find the right specialist and what to ask How to read and understand the jargon-filled evaluation report The very latest changes in philosophy, treatment approach, labeling, laws, programs, and resources How the problem may affect your child academically, socially, and at home Tips for helping your child at home 'Provides valuable information for parents of children with speech, language, and listening problems.'--Sandra C. Holley, Ph.D., Former President, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

This book offers a practical approach for staff and carers who want to develop the use of ICT for children on the autistic spectrum and for those with language and communication difficulties. It combines descriptions of current research and literature on the subject of autism and ICT with practical guidance on software and hardware. A practical approach encourages experimentation, values the skills and attributes that participants bring and minimizes the technical barrier to ICT use. It includes concise information on what autism is, and examples of a range of pupils and their typical learning behaviors. It offers advice on how ICT can relate to various aspects of autism, information on concept keyboards and touch-sensitive screens and switches, and help with buying a computer and using the internet.

Provides a lecture outline for a course on children's language disorders, with space for student notes, study questions and answer spaces, and exercises to complete. Lists major concepts, theories, practices, and definitions in units on specific language impairment, mental retardation, autism, hearing impairment, brain injury, cultural diversity, and assessment and treatment methods. Can be used as both a teaching and a learning tool in conjunction with a standard textbook No index. Wire spiral binding. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

This book is a collection of practical ideas and techniques: how some educators have taken sound theory and research, added a dash of creative experimenting, and translated it into meaningful training and programming tools for students who experience moderate to severe communication disabilities. When we take on the task of working with students who learn differently, our most familiar teaching strategies and goals are put to the test. Students can learn. The question is what and how. Our responsibility as professionals or parents is, in part, one of "discovering" them. Most importantly, we need to discover how he learns; how she understands. That is the key .... to determine what is inside, hidden behind a veil of behaviors and perceptual handicaps, and to discover how to reach it effectively. This discovery process has revealed a large group of students who understand what they see better than what they hear. It is through this discovery process that the concept of using Visually Supported Communication or Visually Mediated Communication strategies has evolved and developed. Success has built upon success. As one student or teacher has benefited from one idea, the challenge has been to develop a second and a third. Over a period of several years the results have been dramatic. Testimonials from school staff and parents have supported the direction enthusiastically.

Pauline Lukey first met Ppinder Hundal when Ppinder was eight years old and had no formal way of communicating. Beginning with the use of sign language, moving on to assisted typing and finally to Ppinder's current desire to learn to read and write, the authors recount their remarkable journey from Ppinder's first signs to her ability now to discuss her medication with her carers and converse, via laptop, with her autistic friends. This honest and moving account demonstrates the remarkable effects of facilitated communication and highlights that communication is a skill that everyone is entitled to enjoy.

Two leaders is their respective fields offer ideas to teach sensory and communication skills to challenged children on the autism spectrum. Each of their exercises complement the work of the other so that the child benefits more from the interactions. Janet and Nancy offer real life situations and answers from their many years of working together.

This DVD is like having a personalized hands-on workshop, providing definitions and concrete examples of the ins and outs of the natural environment portion of a verbal behavior program. Teaching Vocal Manding explains how to teach your child to request items beginning with many prompts and then how to fade your prompts systematically so that your child can learn to ask for things independently and spontaneously. Creators and behavior analysts Holly Kibbe and Cherish Twigg explicitly define each type of mand and clearly demonstrate how to teach them. In addition, video examples of actual children learning each type of mand are shown. You will learn what is and what is not natural environment teaching as well as how to teach the mands in the natural environment. It also provides important guidelines to teaching the mand, prompt fading strategies, strategies for problem solving and how to make manding easy and fun for your child. This DVD is over one hour in duration.

This DVD is like having a personalized hands-on workshop, providing definitions and concrete examples of the ins and outs of the natural environment portion of a verbal behavior program. Teaching Manding Using Sign Language explains how to teach your child to request items beginning with many prompts and then how to fade your prompts systematically so that your child can learn to ask for things independently and spontaneously using sign. This DVD is specifically created to help parents and professionals teach non-vocal children how to use sign language to ask for things that they want. Creators and behavior analysts Holly Kibbe and Cherish Twigg explicitly define each type of mand and clearly demonstrate how to teach them. In addition, video examples of actual children learning each type of mand are shown. You will learn what is and what is not natural environment teaching as well as how to teach the mands in the natural environment. It also provides important guidelines to teaching the mand, prompt fading strategies, strategies for problem solving and how to make manding easy and fun for your child. This DVD is over one hour in duration.

As children with Down syndrome reach age 6 they encounter more complex speech and language demands in their learning and relationships with others. This is when gaps in communication abilities between children with Down syndrome and their typically developing peers begin to widen. Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better provides parents and professionals with the information and resources they need to improve their child s communication at school, at home, and in the wider community. Written by Dr. Libby Kumin, an expert in Down syndrome and communication, this is the only book about speech and language issues for children with Down syndrome ages 6-14, and is the sequel to Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome. Encouraging and parent-friendly, it covers the scope of speech and language issues important for this age group, from understanding language pragmatics to building conversation skills and from using augmentative and alternative communication systems to improving speech intelligibility. A suggested reading list, resource guide, and appendices (sample evaluations and blank forms) complement the wealth of practical suggestions and strategies in Helping Children with Down Syndrome Communicate Better. Parents, therapists, and teachers will want to refer to it often to help children make communication progress and participate fully in their lives.

Trilingual Tots is designed to : 1. Help new parents introduce different languages to their children at the age appropriate stage of their lives. 2. Enable children with learning difficulties such as autism and speech delays, to be able to communicate. 3. Help parents of deaf children to be able to learn American Sign Language and remove the frustration of not being able to communicate with their children. 4. Aid hearing children of deaf parents to develop language skills early. 5. Fulfill the desire to learn a new language be it early or late in life with the format which we all learned our first language. Simple basic and built on what we already know. 6. Aid for teachers and care providers to include basic foreign language development in their classrooms. Learn 2 new languages in just 5 minutes a day.

Gives a current synthesis of work in the field an provides and introduction and detailed discussion of this area. Covers conversational analysis, speech and communicative acts, reference, narrative, pragmatic comprehension, and relevance. For clinicians, students, and researchers.

This Handbook provides an up-to-date discussion of the central issues in nonverbal communication and examines the research that informs these issues. Editors Valerie Manusov and Miles Patterson bring together preeminent scholars, from a range of disciplines, to reveal the strength of nonverbal behavior as an integral part of communication.

Designed to help students develop social communication skills that would allow them to function more effectively and independently at school, at home, and in the community, this easy-to-use manual first identifies a skill and then breaks it down into "teachable units" of behavior. This is followed by a series of scripts focusing on real-life events such as responding to teasing, introducing oneself, offering help, etc. Written at a fifth-grade reading level, the program may be used with students who have a wide range of abilities, including students displaying attention deficits or self-control problems.

Provides a detailed introduction to basic principles of psychological and educational assessment that underlie effective clinical decisions about childhood language disorders. Describes specific tools as well as general approaches, ranging from traditional standardized norm- referenced testing to more recent ones such as dynamic and culturally valid assessment. Reviews challenges presented by children with a variety of problems, including hearing loss and autism spectrum disorders, and highlights special considerations in testing and expected patterns of performance. McCauley teaches communication sciences at the University of Vermont. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

For many years Eileen Miller's daughter, Kim, was unable to verbalize her experiences and emotions, but she was able to communicate using a less conventional language: her art. The Girl who Spoke with Pictures tells the story of a young woman with autism, and how her enlightening drawings enabled her to share her view of the world. Illustrated with drawings created by Kim between the ages of 3 and 17 years old, the book gives an insight into how Kim expressed her thoughts and feelings through pictures, revealing her capacity to learn and be understood by those around her. Reflecting on her daughter's artwork, the author explores the concept of art as a universal language that can transcend barriers and enhance the personal and educational experiences of those with autism. This book provides a window into one autistic girl's experience of life and will be essential reading for teachers, parents, and anyone with an interest in autism

As a volume in the AAC series, this book addresses the use of AAC for children and adolescents with autism to enhance their language, communication, and literacy development. Author Pat Mirenda, Ph.D., earned her doctorate in behavioral disabilities from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and specializes in the education of people with severe and profound disabilities. For 8 years, she was a faculty member in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. From 1992 to 1996, she provided a variety of training, research, and support services to individuals with severe disabilities through CBI Consultants, Ltd., in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia. Through the years, Dr. Mirenda has concentrated on augmentative and alternative communication for people with developmental disabilities. In addition, she has focused on the integration and inclusion of augmented communicators in general education classrooms. Dr. Mirenda is the author of book chapters and extensive research publications concerning severe disabilities and augmentative communication. She is currently Editor of the journal Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is a successful educational method for developing social and communication skills in children with autism. The use of video modelling in ABA programmes has demonstrated great effectiveness in teaching behavioural skills to autistic children, and this book explains how and why. Video modelling is an easy-to-use behaviour modification technique that uses videotaped rather than 'live' scenarios for the child to observe, concentrating the focus of attention for the child with autism and creating a highly effective stimulus for learning. Video Modelling and Behaviour Analysis provides a practical introduction to the technique, its objectives, strategies for use and evidence of its success. Illustrative case examples are supported by detailed diagrams and photographs, with clear, accessible explanations. Video Modelling and Behaviour Analysis will be a welcome addition to the practical literature on autism interventions for parents of autistic children and the professionals working with them.

A guide for speech pathologists offering varied approaches, and case studies to illustrate decision making. Specialists focus each chapter on a different communication disorder and provide diagnostic tips and treatment information. The topics include multicultural populations, young children presenting with language delay, fluency disorders, autism, and swallowing disorders. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

The authors of this resource show how, at an early stage, autistic children may be significantly affected by a range of social and environmental influences, including classroom management, levels of motivation and interaction with adults and other children. They provide practical ways of modifying unhelpful environments in order to enhance communication skills.

Children with autism pose a perplexing and inconsistent puzzle when it comes to their social skills and communication development. You need research-based techniques that will enable you to support the acquisition of these vital skills. In this guide, you'll get this and more as you apply the new state-of-the-art assessment tool to guide your curriculum for individual students; discover a range of proven strategies that combine the best of behavioral and developmental intervention practices; find hundreds of suggested activities to build social play, group skills, and communication in fun and creative ways; chart your interventions with the easy-to-use data collection forms and guidelines. This comprehensive intervention guide and accompanying activities are easily adapted to develop a curriculum for both children who are verbal and those who use augmentative and alternative communication, and it can be implemented at home or in the classroom. Excellent for educators and speech language pathologists, this practical, user-friendly resource gives you the methods you need to build social and communication skills in children with autism.

Multidisciplinary volume addressing the practicalities of assessment of ineffective communication in the preschool child.

This book is about children with speech and language impairments and what teachers and other professionals can do to promote their learning and their social inclusion in a mainstream setting. A brief introduction to SLI is followed by a chapter on the main issues for the classroom; how teachers can support the preferred learning style of the children and literacy and numeracy strategies are each given a separate section. Inclusion involves more than the learning experience and so the social, emotional and behavioral agenda, including successful transition and working with parents, is given equal emphasis.

Irma Ruiter, MA, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in working with adults with developmental delays, wrote Allow Me! as the result of a pilot project she led at The Hanen Centre. The goals of the project were to develop materials to support facilitators of adults who are developmentally delayed. In this guidebook, Ms. Ruiter combines her extensive clinical experience with the Hanen approach to language facilitation -- an approach based on the principle that language is learned within positive everyday interaction with those significant in the life of the delayed person. Recognized worldwide for its outstanding training programs and resource materials, The Hanen Centre is a not-for-profit charitable organization located in Toronto, Canada

Visual supports help children and youth with autism, Asperger Syndrome and other special needs understand their world better and therefore help them function more independently. This invaluable resource goes beyond the familiar use of visual supports as schedules with children with disabilities to include information sharers, checklists/organizers, and visual behavior supports. Richly illustrated and user-friendly, the book provides parents with all the information they need to make effective visual supports specifically designed for their child using a variety of materials, many of them commonly found around the house. The book also takes into considersation that parents are usually stressed for time and therefore need effective solutions that don't require excessive time to prepare or implement.

A clinical reference manual that gathers together current information on speech-language disorders with a low incidence. The authors present information ù on medical background and etiology, characteristics, assessment, intervention, and professional collaboration--that pathologists working in schools, developmental centers, and hospitals otherwise might not have easy access to. Conditions covered include traumatic brain injury, attention deficit disorder, Tourette syndrome, neglect and abuse, prenatal drug exposure, fragile X syndrome, and autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

The New Language Of Toys is a how-to guide for parents, teachers, and care-givers about using everyday toys (both store-bought and home-made) to develop communication skills in children with disabilities and making playtime a fun, exciting and educational experience. Divided into three parts, The New Language Of Toys begins by giving important background information on language, the causes for language delays, and the value of play in stimulating language learning. In the second part, readers learn about specific toys and how to use them in dozens of fun activities and language dialogues, arranged in section according to a child's developmental age. The last section provides a general overview that will help in the selection of use of toys. The New Language Of Toys recommends the best traditional toys while surveying new toys. Also covered is information on computer technology and language learning, videotapes and television, and the toy dialogues covering developmental ages from birth through age six. This is "must" reading for anyone with an interest in stimulating language skills in children with special needs. -- Midwest Book Review

This fully photocopiable resource offers a flexible framework for the assessment and measurement of the communication skills of children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). Packed with practical assessment and planning sheets, it enables teachers, educators and other professionals to observe and record how children use and understand language, and to follow their progress over time. The completed assessment record is an accessible summary of a child's individual communication style, identifying strengths and weaknesses and the ways in which he or she is best assisted and motivated to communicate. It focuses on how children express themselves in everyday situations � for example, how they make requests or gain attention, the words they use most frequently, and how their communication is affected by different people and places. Most importantly, it provides a diagnosis of where communication skills can be developed and improved. Using the communication curriculum, educators can set appropriate targets, linked to work in other areas, such as literacy and science. A separate thinking skills curriculum aims to develop the skills and confidence necessary for social interaction, from making simple choices to understanding humour and abstract ideas. Originally devised for use with children with ASDs, this toolkit is equally effective in identifying communication problems in other children, and is an invaluable resource for teachers and speech and language therapists.

Giggle Time is a step-by-step program for parents, teachers and other professionals to help develop the non-verbal, verbal and social reciprocity skills of children with autism. It describes in accessible detail how to communicate with children with autism and gives clear instructions on 'how to' techniques for developing language skills. Specifically addressing developmental delays, Giggle Time helps to lay the necessary framework for future language growth by turning the actions the child initiates into interactions with meaning. This is a user-friendly guide, packed full of fun and child-centered exercises that can be carried out at home or in the classroom.

The painful and baffling mystery as to why some obvisiouly brightchildren do not begin talking until long after the 'normal' time isexplored in this book through personal experiences and the findings ofscientific research. The author's own experiences as the father of sucha child led to the information of a group of more than fifty sets ofparents of similar children. The anguish and frustration of these parentsas they try to cope with children who do not talk and institutions thatdo not understand them is a remarkable and moving human story.Fortunately, some of these children turn out to have not only normalintelligence but even outstanding abilities, especially in highlyanalytical fields such as mathmetics and computers. These fascinatingstories of late-talking children and the remarkable families from whichthey come are followed by explorations of scientific research that throwlight on unusual development patterns.

For individuals who have difficulty responding appropriately to verbal directions and instructions, visual aids are essential in gaining understanding and cooperation. The simple line drawings presented in this helpful resource show students engaging in appropriate behavior within a variety of school settings and activities, including the classroom, hallway, lunch room, bus, etc. Appropriate classroom work behavior, positive social interaction and general rule following are depicted to help teachers and others clearly communicate expectations for desired behaviors. Depending on the student's skill level, the pictures may be accompanied by simple text.

Addressing an important aspect of social communication for people with Asperger Syndrome, who use direct, precise language and 'take things literally', this dictionary of idiomatic expressions aims to dispel any confusion that arises from the misinterpretation of language. This book provides explanations of over 5,000 idiomatic expressions plus a guide to their politeness level. Each expression is accompanied by a clear explanation of its meaning and when and how it might be used. The expressions are taken from American and British English, with some Australian expressions included as well. Although the book is primarily intended for people with Asperger Syndrome, it will be useful for anyone who finds problems understanding idiomatic and colloquial English.

More Than Words presents a step-by-step guide for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in an extensive, practical, and user-friendly format. Strategies are drawn from current research to help children develop more advanced communication skills, focusing on helping the child reach the following four goals: 1) improved two-way interaction, 2) more mature and conventional ways of communication, 3) better skills in communicating for social purposes and finally, 4) improved understanding of language. Wonderfully illustrated and with chapters divided into four color-coded stages of communication, this book was developed for The Hanen Program For Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

A Passion to Believe is Diane Twachtman-Cullen's critical assessment of facilitated communication. Employed as a technique for drawing the 'hidden language' of nonverbal or expressively limited (typically autistic) individuals, FC has been highly controversial since its introduction in 1991. Proponents claim the technique frees even profoundly impaired clients of the constraints of disability and allows them to communicate effectively for the first time with their families and caregivers. Scientific experts disagree, citing contradictions between these claims and scientific evidence of the true nature of autism. Resistant to validation by scientific scrutiny, and yet quick to introduce facilitated messages as evidence in courtroom claims of abuse by caregivers, FC advocates have generated a polarized debate in the disability community.

Delineates the progress that has taken place over the past quarter century in research and theory on language and communication in the psychopathological context. Topics include language and cognition in mental retardation and the affective disorders; language pathology in autism and childhood schizophrenia; the language of psychopathology and schizophrenia; the double-bind concept and Gregory Bateson; and psychopathology and the polyglot. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Augmentative and alternative communication concerns the use of non-speech communication modes for people unable to use speech and for augmenting communication for people with limited spoken language. This book focuses on the use of manual and graphic communication systems for clinical populations with developmental disorders of speech and language, including children, adolescents and adults with autism, dysphsia, intellectual impairment and motor impairment. Among the topics covered are: augmentative and alternative communication in Europe; joint attention and communication; implications for assessment and alternative language intervention in autism and related disorders; language input and attention strategies; communication functions in aided language use; being an interesting conversation partner; a neurolinguistic approach to graphic language intervention; augmented telecommunication for people with intellectual impairment; improving communication and language skills of children with cerebral palsy; the social world of non-speaking people; and the psychology and sociology of introducing augmentative and alternative communication in Hungary.

Jude Welton looks at a hundred of the most common figures of speech in this visual workbook designed as a springboard for family and classroom discussions. Each figure of speech is accompanied by an illustration showing its literal meaning, which will help AS children recognize and learn to enjoy metaphors and figurative language. The book can be used by parents one-to-one with their ASD child. Teachers can also use the book as the basis for classroom work on figurative language.

The clearly presented conceptual maps in this resource provide professionals with a comprehensive set of visual tools for effective teaching and language intervention across four major areas: meaning and content, text comprehension, context, and school knowledge/study skills. Part I introduces the underlying theories and steps for how best to use the materials. Part II: Conceptual Map Units presents 50 sets of instructions with three to four conceptual maps each. Reproducible work maps are easily removed from the book along scored lines.

This workbook was designed to gradually increase a child's ability to answer "wh" questions through practice and repetition utilizing simple, concrete formats. Color cues and prompts are used throughout the book to assist the child in formulating questions & answers and are gradually faded out as the lessons progress. This workbook is appropriate for classroom, individual, or home use.

The Nashoba's "I SEE" workbook was designed to gradually increase a child's abiity to describe what he or she sees by first isolating and then building upon straightforward attributes such as size, color, shape, and texture. By viewing the environment as a series of color pictures, the child is introduced to more descriptive language in a clear step-by-step manner. Using practice and repetition, the child is encouraged to describe what he or she sees while expanding concrete labels into more expressive sentences. This workbook is appropriate for... - Children who prefer visual or concrete learning concepts. - Children beginning to use descriptive language. - Kids on the Autism Spectrum. - Students who benefit from highly structured learning.

All humans have an innate need and ability to communicate with others, and this book presents successful approaches to nurturing communicative abilities in people who have some type of communication impairment. The contributors look at a wide range of approaches, including intensive interaction, co-creative communication, sensory integration and music therapy, for a variety of impairments, including autism, profound learning disabilities, deafblindness, severe early neglect and dementia. This wide perspective provides insight into what it feels like to struggle with a communicative impairment, and how those who work with and care about such individuals can and should think more creatively about how to make contact with them. Covering both the theory and practical implementation of different interventions, this book will be invaluable for health and social work professionals, psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, speech and language therapists, as well as researchers, teachers and students in these fields.