Modeling vs. Prompting: What’s the Difference?🔗

When we’re introducing AAC to a new user, you might hear speech therapists say that we want to model, not prompt. But what’s actually the difference?

Modeling is done without the expectation that the user will copy us. We use the device ourselves to give our users exposure to the new language they are learning and to show them how they might also use the device.

What Does Modeling Look Like? 🔗

You as the communication partner, will speak and push buttons on the device while engaging in an activity or having a conversation. There’s no expectation for the user to also try, which lessens the pressure!

For example, a user and a communication partner are playing with stickers. You can watch this example in the video above starting at 00:35. The capitalized words in the conversation below represent the buttons being pressed.

Communication Partner: “Oh, I LIKE that”

User: WANT

Communication Partner: “Do you want MORE?”

User: MORE

Communication Partner: “Okay, we’ll do MORE. I’ll HELP you!”

This is modeling! The communication partner uses the AAC device as part of the interaction, providing language input without requiring the user to imitate or respond in a specific way.

What Does Prompting Look Like?🔗

Prompting is cueing a user to give a specific response.

This might look like:

• Verbally cueing a user by saying, “Say more.”
• Withholding an item until the user presses a specific icon.
• Directing the user to select a particular button on the device.

Prompting focuses on getting a specific response, while modeling focuses on providing language exposure.

How Prompting Can Restrict Independence🔗

If we rely on prompting to get a user to activate their device, the device can begin to feel more like an aversive work task than a voice they have a connection to and a means of independent communication.

As a result, AAC users may:

• Become less interested in using their device.
• Use their device only when prompted.
• Have fewer opportunities to develop independent communication skills.

In a prompted interaction, the focus is getting the user to produce a specific response, rather than modeling language naturally.

Why Modeling Matters🔗

Research has shown that modeling is the most effective strategy for exposing AAC users to their new language, supporting their autonomy over what they want to say, and helping create independent communicators.

By modeling language consistently during everyday interactions, we show AAC users how communication works while giving them the freedom to communicate in their own way and on their own terms.