Using Core Vocabulary to Support Non Verbal Students

Barbara Cannon, MS, ATPGrace Edmond, MS, CCC-SLP

…a little about Spotsylvania

31 schoolsApprox 2,935 SPED students

Approx. 75 nonverbal students

…the truth about teachers

Teachers are stressed There are many demands on their timeTurnover is highTraining in AAC is minimal

…ditto the SLPs

SLPs are stressed They have high case loads

Turnover is highTraining in AAC is minimal

Question to consider:

How can a county supply all nonverbal students with high quality communication and

language supports that grow and move with the student?

…. and do it easily, equitably, frugally, and understandably…

Core Vocabulary can help that dream come true.

The Dream: is usable by any nonverbal student countywide regardless of ability or age

is quick and easy for teachers to understand and implement

A Countywide System of AAC that:

can be used no tech, low tech, or high tech can be simple or

complexdoes not require extensive time to make materials

is customizable to meet individual needsis capable of growing as the student gains mastery

will follow the student throughout his school career

will supply language learning as well as communication.will supply data to prove student learning

The Reality

No guiding principal for AAC

No unified system for supplying AAC devices and training

No plan for growth in AAC competence

PECS Books

Big Macs1 $8,000 device

Cheap Talks …and

Lots of nouns

1 verb (want)

1 bathroom symbol

Lots of pictures of food

Lots of pictures of art suppliesLots of pictures of colors

No pronouns, articles, demonstratives or adverbs

No idea of how to expand on success…

No carry over when kids change schools or grade levels

No money to buy devices

No time to train

Beyond the Holy Trinity of AAC

Eat………..

Drink……..

Bathroom…….

Let’s give ‘em something to talk about…..

Brown’s Stage 1 = MLU of 1.75

Vocabulary most often provided:

Brown’s Stage 3 = MLU of 2.25

Brown’s Stage 5 = MLU of 4.0

Brown’s Stages:

Age 1 2-3 words

Between ages 1 -2 - 10 to 20 words including name (combine 2 words)

Between ages 2 – 3 - 450 words (combine noun and verb)

Between 3-4 – 1000 words (sentence length 4-5 words)

Between 4 -5 1500 words ( ask who and why questions)

Typical Language Developmental Milestones

and the Big Question is….

If a student has a language age of 4 and a vocabulary of 1,000 words,

Will a book of nouns be enough?

How about a cheap talk?

A schedule board?

What is Core Vocabulary?The term core vocabulary is used to describe words which are used frequently and across contexts.

* If you want to be understood by everyone in a room, use a core word!

Core words are those that are basic to the language and are without the shadings of culture and context.

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Core vocabulary tends to be made up of verbs, demonstratives, and pronouns because these words are a small set ofwords that are unchanging in our language.

We all use core vocabulary, all the time, every day, in every environment.

80% of all that we say is made up of 100-200 basic core words.Lists of core words are used when compiling textbooks, for teaching English

as a second language and for facilitating international communication.

Baker, Bruce (2000)

I love his humor!

He cerebrates with great perspicacity! He thinks with vision !

That opinion will cause fisticuffs! Your words will mean war!

I enjoy his extreme jocularity!

Core is made up of simple words that are easily understood

Core(Have General Meaning)

Not - So - Core(Have Specific Meaning)

GiveBigLittleEatHouse

DonateHugeTinyDineHome

Core is made up of neutral words unshaded by culture or context

. CoreHave General Meaning

Not - So - CoreSpecific Meaning

Give Donate

I give a car. I donate a car.

I give a backrub. I donate a backrub?

I give a party. I donate a party?

I give you my word! I donate you my word?

I will give it a good try…. I will donate a good try?

. Examples of Core Words

Benajee ListTop Words Used By Toddlers

AAll done/finishedGoHelpHereIInIs

ItMineMoreMy noOffOnout

SomeThatThe wantWhat yes/yeayou

(Benajee, et al., 2003)

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Quote: Despite evidence that nouns are not among core vocabulary used by preschoolers…clinicians typically select nouns representing foods and objects as first symbols when designing AAC systems.

(Banajee, et. al., 2003)

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aaboutactuallyafterafternoonagainagoahallalrightalwaysanandanotheranyanythinganywayarearoundasaskatawaybackbadbebeautifulbecausebeenbeforebeingbetterbigbitbloody

breakbutbuybycakecamecancan'tcarCatholiccauseclosecoldcomecomingcouldcouldn'tcouplecrewdaydaysdeardiddidn'tdifferentdodoesdoesn'tdoingdollarsdonedon'tdowndunnoeat

gotgottahad halfhappenedhardhashavehaven'thavingheherherehe'llhe'shimhishomehourhourshousehowhundredIifinintoisisn'tititsit'sI'dI'llI'm

eighteitherelevenelseendenougherevenevereveryeveryoneeverythingeyfairfeelfindfinishedfirstfiveforfourFridayfromgetgetsgettinggivegogodgoesgoinggonegonnagood

I'vejobjustkeepkidsknowlastleftlikelittlelivelonglooklookinglookslostlotlovelovelylunchmademakemanymarriedmemeanmightmindmineminutesmmMondaymoneymonthsmore

morningmuchmummustmynameneednevernewnextnicenightnonotnothingnowofoffohokoldononceoneonesonlyorotherouroutoverowno’clockpastpay

peoplepersonphonepickplaceplayprettyprobablyputquitereadyreallyrememberrightroadroundsaidsameSaturdaysaysayingsaysschoolseeseensevensheshe'llshe's

shoesshouldsitsixso

somesomeonesomethingsorrysortstartstartedstillstraightstreetstuffsuretaketalktalkingteatelltenthanthanksthatthat'sthetheirthemthentherethere'sthesetheythey'rethey'vethingthingsthink

thirtythisthosethoughthoughtthreethroughtiltimetimestotodaytoldtomorrowtootrytryingtwelvetwentytwoumupususedverywantwantedwantswaswasn'twayweweekweekendweeks

wellwentwerewe'rewe'vewhatwhat'swhenwherewhichwhowho'swhywillwithwonwon'tworkworkingwouldwouldn'twrongyeahyearyearsyepyesyesterdayyouyouryou'reyou've

Composite List of 347 Core WordsCompared with “Cat in the Hat” (139/290)

(Comparison made by Chip Clark using the Mealtime Vocabulary List by Susan Balandin and Teresa Iacono, 2000)

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“Cat in the Hat” has roughly 53 Fringe words vs

237 Core.

CORE = 82%(Chip Clarke, MS CCC/SLP, Assistive Technology Works, Inc)

What is Fringe Vocabulary?Fringe vocabulary is made up of context specific nouns and verbs that are needed depending on context.

Permanent Fringe (Big Part of Life)

Temporary Fringe(Hardly Ever Used)

foodcaranimalpersonhouse

Saturnplanetorbitsolar systematmosphere

Fringe vocabulary needs vary from person to person and from place to place.

Permanent fringe is vocabulary that is an important part of a person’s life and will be used often.

Temporary fringe is vocabulary that is very situationally specific and infrequentlyused.

(Chip Clarke, MS CCC/SLP, Assistive Technology Works, Inc)

Let’s look at the word: zoo

It could be a permanent fringe word if you are a veterinarian.

It could be a temporary fringe word if you are a kid on a field trip.

If you want to tell your mom where you went today, zoo is the word that carries the most meaning:

I went to the Zoo.

Fringe Vocabulary Carries Meaning

How do you say “I went to the zoo” without using the word “zoo”?

…. But you can’t have every word or the system gets too complex and difficult to navigate.

I go bus see many big animal

I go bus see animal animal animal go bus.

Hint: Core possibilities = I go see want big many more stop Permanent Fringe= animal, bus, school

Its about efficiency…..

Master Page(Environments, Topics & Categories)

Circle TimeGetting Dressed

Days of Week/ Months of Year Weather Winter Clothes

Activities

Dressy / Church Zoo Dr. Office

Zoo Animals

Movies

Zoo Food Reptiles

Grocery Store

Holidays

Airplane

Hospital

Birthdays

School Bus

(Baker, Bruce 2005)

How much work do you wantto do to get to the word zoo?

Each word counts for an AAC user and must have communicative clout.

Can you remember how to get to the word zoo next time?

Single Page DesignA single page design is one in which all the words you are going to use are on the same page. In a single page design system, growth comes fromadding vocabulary to the same page instead of adding new pages.

Why would you want a single page design?1. cognitively simpler.2. deemphasizes need for memory.3. faster.4. maximizes the use of motor patterns.

Use of Motor PatternsA single page core vocabulary board allows students to use motor planninginstead of visual scanning to find the word they are looking for.

Single Page DesignMore cells not more pages

:almost fainted

I gave a 4 year old student with autism and xxyy syndrome a 32 Techspeak

What the Speech Therapist did:

It’s a big Mac!

It’s a Cheap Talk!It’s a Dynavox!

It’s a Tech Talk!

There’s room to grow!

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Dustin’s Boards single page design with room to grow

Core

Fringe

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Dustin’s Boards: adding vocabulary

*** add vocabulary as soon as the student proves he can discriminateBetween the current concepts on the board

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Dustin’s Boards: adding vocabulary

What is the Natural Consequence of:

Core Vocabulary on a Single Page using Motor Patterns?

You don’t have to think because….

The words are ALWAYS where you left them

Or you can do this…..

Master Page(Environments, Topics & Categories)

Circle TimeGetting Dressed

Days of Week/ Months of Year Weather Winter Clothes

Activities

Dressy / Church Zoo Dr. Office

Zoo Animals

Movies

Zoo Food Reptiles

Grocery Store

Holidays

Airplane

Hospital

Birthdays

School Bus

(Baker, Bruce 2005)

A Little Problem with Levels…

Iconicity…life beyond Boardmaker…...

In using core vocabulary boards, you rely less on the meaning of pictures andmore on the placement of the vocabulary. Instead of scanning for the correctpicture, you know from experience that the word you want is where it alwayswas…..

How apparent is the relationship between a symbol and its meaning.

Iconicity =

Game Show: Are you smarter than a nonverbal student?

Game Show: Are you smarter than a nonverbal student?

For 1 million dollars!!!!! (or a cheap prize)

Draw a universally understandable picture for the word:

IT

Just ask at 4 year old…

My Turn Hand Hands Grapes

Shape Shapes That oneOne

Chip Clarke, MS CCC/SLP, Assistive Technology Works, Inc

Is blue ALWAYS a color?Core promotes understanding of multiple meanings.

I want a blue crayon

He plays the blues.

I am feeling blue

It came out of the blue!

Or….

It’s my turn.

Turn the page.

Turn on the light.

Turn around.

In pursuit of generative languageCore vocabulary supplies a chance for generative language production and gets away from the idea of scripting. With a good vocabulary, students can say what they want to say on a variety of topics in a variety of settings.

Context board with specific nouns

I want pretzelIwant popcornI want drinkMore pretzelMore cookiesMore drink finished

What can you say with the words you have?

Core Vocabulary Board

MineWhat?Stop!FinishedHelpMorethat

Want moreWhat that?Want what?Want help.Want finish

More helpMore thatWhat that?What mine?What want”Stop that!

What can you say with the words you have?

Core Vocabulary Board

What can you say with the words you have?

Context board with specific nouns

All language usesRequests only

Review of Concepts:1. Core Crosses Contexts, is fast and cognitively simple.

2. Core supports the development of motor patterns through the use of a single page design.

3. Choosing by position de-empasizes the need to “scan and read” picture meanings that may be obtuse.

4. Core supports language learning by supplying all parts of speech in a simple structure

Result: Generative language production.

The Things We Use:Word Lists:

Gail Van Tatenhove hybrid list: Lists of Beajee, et al.were compared to user language samples and other lists to create a hybrid list.

The Things We Use:The Ace Center Book :

The Ace Center Book :

The Things We Use:

Low Tech Books:

The Things We Use:Mid Tech Devices with 32 and 128 cells

The Things We Use:High Tech Devices –

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3rd grader with autism: Starting with a low tech book

Core Stage 1 Vocabulary: snack

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Core Stage 1 Vocabulary:

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Kindergarten student: Adapting a low tech book

Core Stage 1 Vocabulary: snack

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What’s missing?

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Kelley – Student with Significant Disabilities and Cortical BlindnessWill be learning auditory scanning

Core Vocabulary: Go: Stop

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What I learned from Kristen’s teacher:

I wanted Core: she wanted Academics

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Kristen: The NEW MORE CORE Board

Making Compromises

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Kristen: Nonverbal TMR who has used sign until nowMidtech solution with core vocabulary

Academics

Notice:1. Poor attention2. Poor understanding of picture meanings3. Poor inclusion

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Kristen: Nonverbal TMR who has used sign until now

Making it fun with Core and FriendsNotice:1. Increasing

Attention2. Easy

understanding of concept placement

3. Good inclusion4. Greater

amount of conversation

5. Much vocab on 1 page.

(I-names- happy-tired-play-eat-more)

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Frankie: When you need more words – Tech 128

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Frankie: Tech 128

Warming up with a fun activityNotice:1. Easily finds

concepts2. Expands

independently on concepts

A boy with language

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Frankie: Tech 128

A boy with languageNotice:1. Easily finds

concepts2. Expands

independently on concepts

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Maddie: Fun with Verbs

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Maddie: A student with Autism……It’s all about the verbs

Mid tech device with two hits for GO

Notice:1. Lots of fun2. Lots of action

for a few cells3. Good

engagement

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Autism and the high tech device

Vantage Device out of the box

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Autism and the high tech device

Unity 1.5 – Core + Fringe Single Hit

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Maddie : Motor Planning + speech output

Her User : Unity 1.5

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Maddie : A student with Autism

High Tech – simple setup

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Joey’s Board

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Joey: A boy with autism learning language concepts

Mid tech device with 32 cells

Notice:Learning verb meaningsLearning motor patternsSingle page design

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This time he got it!

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What the SLP thought…

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Jeffrey: Life and Death Core

Auditory scanning – the hardest core there is

Notice: How hard this is to do… you must get the most from each word

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Jeffrey: Life and Death Core

Auditory scanning – custom user PRC

Notice:

Ability to switch topics easily

Really hard to do

Each word must pack a punch

Core For Written Communication

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Core For Written Communication

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What the students wrote:

You go shopping.

Yesterday I ate Funyons

We paid money.

Yesterday we ate Skittles

They counted with money.

I tasted crunchy Cheese-Its

Yesterday we bought food.

I eat chips.

They go shopping.

We counted money.

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Core In the classroom - Preschool

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Core In the classroom

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Core and the ASOLs – TTAC Materials

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Final Question:

How do we sell it to teachers?

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Even more basic than the freedom of speech is the freedom to speak…… Stephen Hawking

Many thanks to Chip Clark, Gail Vantatenhove, John Holloran, Adrianne Thomas, Birgit Shipman

………………………………….and all the students of Spotsylvania County.

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Resources:The Ace Center Communication Book – http://www.ace-centre.org.uk/index.cfm?pageid=D1342B47-3048-7290-FE30238E9FA6B80B

Vocabulary Lists – Van Tatenhovehttp://www.vantatenhove.com/showfolder.php?id=37

Barb Cannon’s TTAC Webshop with materials and a research paper on core vocabularyhttp://www.ttaconline.org/staff/s_training/s_training_Info.asp?selWebshop=bcannon123200620102pm&selAuthor=bcannon

Jen Mitchell’s TTAC materials for supporting ASOL goals using Core vocabulary: contact Jenn - Assistive Technologist jmitchell@ttac.odu.edu 757-683-4873

Understanding and using Core Vocabulary with devices Chip Clark contact Chip - info@assistivetechworks.com or by phone: (703) 307-0744.

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Handouts for this session are available at:

http://bcannon.wikispaces.com/

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Research Baker, B., Hill, K. & Devylder, R. (2000). Core Vocabulary is the same across environments. http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2000/proceedings/0259Baker.htm

Balandin, Susan, & Iacono, T. The topics of meal break conversations. Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Benajee, M., Dicarlo, C. & Stricklin, B. (2003). Core Vocabulary Determination for Toddlers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 19, 67-73.

Beukelman, D.(1991). Magic and Cost of Communicative Competence. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 7, pp. 2-10.

Beukelman, D., Jones, R. & Rowan, M. (1989). Frequency of Word Usage by Nondisabled Peers in Integrated Preschool Classrooms. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 5, 243-248.

Boose, M. & Stinnett, T. (1999). Indirect Language Stimulation (ILS): AAC Techniques To Promote Communication Competence. Paper presented at the Annual Southeast Augmentative Communication Conference.

Cannon, Barbara, A Few Good Words (2005) A Few Good Words: Why Core Vocabulary is Needed to Enhance Communication in Non-verbal Students, www.ttaconline.org

Clarke, Chip, MS CCC/SLP, (2006) Getting to the Core of It AAC conference, Blacksburg VA

Cross, R., Baker, B., Klotz, L., & Badman, A. Static and dynamic keyboards: Semantic Compaction in worlds. Retrieved June, 2006 from. http://www.prentrom.com/printed/paper.pdf.

Goossens', C. (1989). Aided Communication Intervention Before Assessment: A Case Study of a Child with Cerebral Palsy. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 5 (1), 14-26

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Research Stubbs, M. (1986). Language Development, Lexical Competence and Nuclear Vocabulary. Kevin Durkin, ed (1986 Language Development in the School Years. Croom Helm

Van Tatenhove, Gail (2006). Stop the Madness and Start Communicating. Workshop, Spotsylvania VA.

Yorkston, K., Honsinger, M., Dowden, P. & Marriner, N. (1989). Vocabulary selection: A Case Report. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 5, pp. 101-108.

Yorkston, K., Dowden, P., Honsinger, M., Marriner, N. & Smith, K. (1988). A comparison of standard and user vocabulary lists. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 4, 189-210.