Moving Beyond Requesting🔗

When getting started with AAC, we often think to teach requesting first. Requesting is an important part of communication, but it’s not the only way we communicate.

We use language for so much more than requesting, including commenting, expressing emotions, telling stories, sharing information, and protesting. To help our AAC users grow into well-rounded, independent communicators, it’s important that we model all the reasons to communicate, not just requesting.

What Other Functions Should I Model? 🔗

You can find plenty of opportunities to model other functions within your daily routines. Let’s take a look at what this might look like in practice.

In this example, a communication partner and an AAC user are playing with stickers. The capitalized letters are the words that are pressed on the AAC device. You can also watch this interaction in the video above at 00:37.

Communication Partner: Oh! I SEE stickers. Should we PLAY with stickers?

AAC User: SEE.

Communication Partner: Ooh, I SEE dinosaurs!

AAC User: I SEE dinosaurs!

Communication Partner: I LIKE dinosaurs!

AAC User: HELP.

Communication Partner: Oh, you need HELP putting them on?

AAC User: HELP.

Communication Partner: Sure! Here you go!

In this example, we see the communication partner and user comment, ask questions, and make requests. The user even takes the cue to comment on the activity while they play.

Try It Out🔗

The next time you interact with your AAC user, challenge yourself to model at least two other communication styles!