Building Communication Skills

Overview

This lesson aims to enhance the communication skills of a Year 6 student through the use of their AAC device, focusing on responding to yes/no questions, engaging in conversations, and providing full sentence answers. The session aligns with the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Speaking and Listening (SL.6.1, SL.6.6), focusing on collaborative discussions and adapting speech to various contexts.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, the student will:

1. Respond accurately to yes/no questions using their AAC device.
2. Engage in a simple, age-appropriate conversation on a familiar topic.
3. Construct and communicate full sentence responses to questions using the AAC device.

---

Materials Needed

• AAC device (fully charged and customised with vocabulary for the lesson)
• Visual cue cards for yes/no responses
• A small whiteboard and markers (for visual prompts)
• A laminated “conversation starter” chart with age-appropriate topics (e.g., favourite hobbies, school activities, weekend plans)
• A reward system (e.g., small stickers or tokens for each task completed)

---

Lesson Structure (30 Minutes)

1. Warm-Up Activity (5 Minutes)

Purpose: Build rapport and ensure the AAC device is ready.

• Greet the student using the AAC device. Example: “Hello! How are you today?”
• Ask a few simple yes/no questions as a warm-up to check the device’s functionality. For example:
  • “Is your favourite colour blue?”
  • “Do you like pizza?”
• Show visual cue cards for "yes" and "no" alongside these questions to offer additional support.
• Provide positive reinforcement for each correct response (e.g., “Good job responding with your device!”).

---

2. Yes/No Question Practice (10 Minutes)

Purpose: Focused practice on responding to yes/no questions.

1. Set the Scene:
   Present age-appropriate and engaging yes/no questions related to the student’s interests (e.g., favourite shows, games, or subjects at school).
   Examples:

   • “Do you like recess at school?”
   • “Is math your favourite subject?”
   • “Did you watch a movie last weekend?”

2. Scaffold Learning:

   • Use gestures or point to the yes/no visual aids if extra support is needed.
   • Encourage repetition of the response if the student presses the wrong option accidentally.

3. Progression:
   Gradually increase question complexity (e.g., “Do you like sunny weather, or do you prefer rain?”). Support the student in responding appropriately if multiple options are involved.

4. Praise and Feedback:
   Celebrate successes with verbal praise and rewards: “That was amazing! You answered so quickly!”

---

3. Conversation Game (10 Minutes)

Purpose: Develop back-and-forth conversational skills.

1. Introduce the Game:
   Describe the flow of a conversation as "taking turns like a ball toss." Use a physical gesture to demonstrate "passing the conversation back and forth."

2. Engage:

   • Start with a topic the student enjoys (use the laminated chart for ideas). Example: "Tell me about your favourite thing to do on weekends."
   • Prompt the student to share a sentence using the AAC device. Example: “I like to play video games.”

3. Expand the Conversation:

   • Respond to the student’s statement and encourage them to reply with another sentence. Example:
     Teacher: “That sounds fun! What game do you like to play the most?”
     Student: “I like Mario Kart.”

   Provide additional prompts or model full sentences as needed.
   Example: “Let’s use a full sentence: ‘I like Mario Kart because it’s exciting.’”

---

4. Wrap-Up Reflection (5 Minutes)

Purpose: Solidify learning and encourage self-expression.

• Ask reflective yes/no questions:

  • “Did you like using your AAC device today?”
  • “Was it fun to talk about your favourite things?”

• Provide positive feedback and review the learning objectives, celebrating the student’s efforts. For example:

  • “Great job using full sentences and answering questions today!”

• Suggest a fun topic for the next session, encouraging the student to choose using their device.

---

Assessment/Progress Monitoring

• Observe and note how accurately the student responds to yes/no questions.
• Track the student’s ability to initiate and maintain conversational exchanges.
• Evaluate whether the student is increasingly constructing full sentence responses with minimal prompts.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• If the student struggles with full sentences, break them into smaller parts (e.g., subject and verb, then adding detail).
• Provide plenty of wait time for responses.
• Adapt visual cues and prompts to fit the student’s communication level.

---

Reflection for Future Planning

After the session, assess what worked well and what the student found challenging. Adjust the next session by introducing new conversational topics or creating more interactive activities like role-playing scenarios to further develop their communication confidence.

---

This approach ensures a supportive, engaging lesson that focuses on core communication skills while fostering confidence in using an AAC device independently.