Communicating with students

Kunali ShahJanuary 2009

Session overview

• ALS review

• Prompts

• Using appropriate language

• Blank level of questioning

ALS review

• Definition:– Aided Language Stimulation– An alternative communication system that uses symbols to aid

communication.• Things to remember:

– Slow down your rate of speech– Always provide verbal output– Model appropriate language– Provide opportunities for students to use a range of

communication intents (request, comment, etc)– You may need to create an environment to encourage

communication – SABOTAGE!– Allow adequate response time– Modelling is the key

Speech AAC

AAC AAC

Prompting a student to communicate

• What prompts can we use?

• What order (from least support to most) should we use these prompts in?

Prompt hierarchy

Independent repeat request

verbalgestural / directional

physical

Elbow wrist hand under hand

• Too long• Unnecessary

words

• No response

time• Choice-making

• Choices only

• Too long• Dictating speech

• No response time

• Assuming feelings

Using appropriate language

• Don’t talk to students at a language level below their capability

• Model language 1 step above their ability• Use open-ended questions. Avoid:

– Yes/no– Choices– E.g.: “What did you do during the holidays?” rather

than “did you go swimming?”• REMEMBER you are constantly trying to expand

students’ language abilities – this requires a conscious effort

Open-ended questions

• Think of 2 open-ended questions for each of the following topics:– Went to Broome for holiday– Saw a movie (Bedtime Stories)– Got a new bike for Christmas– Sister broke her arm

Open-ended questionsWent to Broome for holiday– What did you do in Broome?– Where did you go for your holidays?

Saw a movie (Bedtime Stories)– What was your favourite part of the film?– Who did you go to the movies with?

Got a new bike for Christmas– What did you get for Christmas?– Can you tell me what your new bike looks like?

Sister broke her arm– How did your sister break her arm?– How was she feeling after she broke her arm?

Think of a student.

Practice:

• Using appropriate language

• Modelling

• Prompting

Blank levels of questioning

• Developed by Marion Blank• 4 levels of questions that increase in

difficulty• Traditionally, the level of questioning used

depends on the student’s comprehension skills.

• Can also use to encourage appropriate verbal output

• Normed for children up to the age of 5

Blank cont…

The 4 levels represent language demands placed on a student from the matching of language on to perceptions actual reasoning about the perceptions.

Perceptions: experiences and objects

Level 1Matching perceptions to language and responding to

simple commands involving what child is hearing to what he is seeing.

Look at it!! – These questions are related to what the child can see and hear in front of them at the time or to any objects that have only just been removed.

• Find one like this• What’s this?• What can/did you hear/see/touch?• What am I doing?• What do you want me to do?• Say this:………

Level 2Selective analysis of perceptions and responding to

and identifying qualities and attributes

Talk about it!! – the child is still required to match language to their immediate responses. However, they must look more carefully at the object and talk about what they see (e.g. the size, shape, colour, what it’s used for etc.)

• Tell me it’s … (characteristics and functions)• Which one do we use for… e.g. keeping animals in/driving?• How many have we got?• Who? what? where?• How are these different? • What’s happening?• Name something that is ……. e.g. yummy.• Find me one that is x and x. e.g. big and red.• Find one that can (move)

Level 3Re-ordering perceptions from the immediate

environment to the child’s own perceptions

Think about it!! – These questions are much more complex and involve the child listening very carefully to every word of the question as well as thinking over what the question has asked them to provide an appropriate answer. It also requires sequencing skills and the ability to assume the role of others.

• What might happen next?• What could the lady say?• Which one is not.. (red/nice)?• Find something that you can drive but it’s not a tractor?• Follow directions (do this, then this)• Find one to use with the (fork)• How are these two things the same?• Tell me how… (to make the pizza)• What is a … (defining words)• What else?

Level 4Reasoning about perceptions

Solve it!! – These questions expect the child to think about what may have happened, what could happen or what would happen if…….. The child is expected to think things through and come up with a solution. It involves the skills of reasoning, justifying, and explaining This is the most complex Blank Level.

• Why will / did …?• What will happen if….• What made that happen? e.g. what made that boy laugh?• What could you do? e.g. Your friend has fallen off their bike. What

could you do?• How can we tell (that lady is scared)• Why can’t / wouldn’t (you go swimming by yourself)?

Activity

• In groups of 2-3 generate 4 questions for each level (1-4). Ensure you have at least 1 question per activity / subject

• Science – students doing volcano experiment• Shopping – students going to Coles to buy

ingredients for cooking class• Cooking – students making fairy bread• Music – students being introduced to a new

instrument and will be taught basics to play it.

Science

• Level 1: What can you hear? (boom!)

• Level 2: What colour is the liquid?

• Level 3: How are the 2 liquids the same?

• Level 4: What will you do if the liquid spills?

Shopping

• Level 1: Find one like this (match picture to object)

• Level 2: How are the apples and oranges different?

• Level 3: Show me something that is not a fruit

• Level 4: How can we tell if the banana is ripe?

Cooking

• Level 1: What’s this? (flour)

• Level 2: Tell me something that is sweet

• Level 3: What do we do next? (after mixing the batter)

• Level 4: Why should we be careful when putting the tray in the oven?

Music

• Level 1: What can you hear?

• Level 2: What do we do with the flute?

• Level 3: What else could we use to play the drums?

• Level 4: Why do we need a stick to play the triangle?