AAC and Literacy

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January Theme: Opportunity involves engagement in active participation in tasks performed with high success.

Literacy Bill of Rights #1: The Right to an Opportunity to Learn to Read and Write ~ NWACS board members Casey and Alicia kick-off the 2024 theme with an introduction to the importance of literacy and the Literacy Bill of Rights, Right #1. [5-minute read]

 
NWACS February Theme: Literacy Bill of Rights Right #2: The Right to Have Accessible, Clear, Meaningful, Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Text at All Times
NWACS February Theme: Texts include (but are not limited to): picture books, newspapers, magazines, novels, cereal boxes, electronic documents, and more!
 

What is Comprehensive Literacy and Ideas for Literacy at Home ~ February 2024 NWACS AAC Learning Network recording

AAC Learning Networks February 2024 Curated List of Literacy Ideas ~ A list of all the great literacy ideas shared during the February AAC Learning Network meeting. [6-page PDF]

 
NWACS March Theme: AAC and Literacy, AAC User Perspectives
"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all." -Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
 

Literacy Planning Resources ~ download the slides from the April 2024 NWACS AAC Learning Network

Mental Health Barriers and Solutions for AAC Users ~ Ashley Mohesky, MS, LPC Associate discusses mental health and AAC as well as how her journey with literacy has impacted her life. [6 minute reading time]

Alphabet Knowledge

 
April Theme: Literacy Bill of Rights Right #3: The Right to Interact With Others While Reading, Writing, or Listening to a Text
April Theme: "Literacy is an incredibly important way that we social connect with each other." - excerpt from an interview between Erin Sheldon and Dr. Karen Erickson
 

Book Time ~ NWACS board member Amy shares about passing her joy of books, reading, and storytelling on to her three autistic children with communication differences. [reading time: 5 minutes]

Using Shared Reading to Support Literacy Right #3 ~ An exploration of the shared reading strategy to support the right to interact with others while reading, writing, or listening to a text. [reading time: 8 minutes]

Teach “Inner Voice”

AAC and Access to Literacy in the Classroom ~ April 2024 NWACS AAC Learning Network recording

May Theme: Literacy Bill of Rights, Right #4: The right to life choices made available through reading and writing competencies.
Life choices include employment, independence, community participation, self-advocacy.
"Literacy empowers and liberates people." - UNESCO website
 
June Theme: AAC and Literacy - AAC User Perspectives
 

Ask an AAC User: Interview with an 8-year-old and his Parent ~ An interview with an 8-year-old AAC user and his parent. [reading time: 3 minutes]

Let’s Talk AAC: Using Shared Writing to Support Literacy Development ~ An exploration of shared writing to support literacy development. [reading time: 3 minutes]

The Loneliness of Not Being Able to Communicate ~ Esther Klang shares about the loneliness she experiences when she woke up from surgery with a communication disability. With no access to or education about AAC. [reading time: 4 minutes]

Emergent Literacy, “Early” AAC, & Gestalt Language Processing ~ June 2024 NWACS AAC Learning Network recording

July Theme: Literacy Bill of Rights, Right #5: The right to lifelong educational opportunities incorporating literacy instruction and use.
Literacy educational opportunities, regardless of when they are provided, have potential to provide power that cannot be taken away.
"The brain is a lifelong learner, always adapting and changing." -The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD

AAC, Literacy, and Me ~ Pixie shares their experiences and thoughts on learning literacy skills as an AAC user. [reading time: 3 minutes]

AAC and Literacy in a High School: How We Did It ~ Margaret shares how she has been working to implement literacy instruction at a high school. [reading time: 4 minutes]

Independence & Autonomy Across the Lifespan: Why Literacy Matters

Neuroplasticity and Lifelong Learning

August Theme: Literacy Bill of Rights, Right #6: The right to have teachers and other service providers who are knowledgeable about literacy instruction methods and principles.
Methods include but are not limited to instruction, assessment, and the technologies required to make litearcy accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Principles include, but are not limited to, the beliefs that literacy is learned across places and time, and no person is too disabled to benefit from literacy learning opportunities.

Literacy Instruction for All ~ The first in a three-part series on the science of literacy. This is an introduction to literacy instruction for all. [reading time: 3 minutes]

The Science of Reading is for Everyone ~ The second in a three-part series on the 'science of literacy', this article explores the science of reading and the five essential elements of reading instruction. [reading time: 8 minutes]

The Science of Writing is for Everyone ~ The third in a three-part series on the 'science of literacy', this article explores the science of writing and the five recommendations for effective writing instruction. [reading time: 7 minutes]

 
September Theme: AAC and Literacy - AAC User Perspectives