In the ever-changing, wide-ranging, often overwhelming, and profoundly individualized realm of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), all stakeholders need a wealth of knowledge and a toolbox filled with resources. New Discoveries is a series highlighting resources (some new/new to you, some you may have forgotten about) that might be of interest and use. We encourage you to explore and judge for yourself which to add to your toolbox.

Resource to Explore: Core First Books & Lessons

What are Core First Books and Lessons?

Core First Books and Lessons from Tobii Dynavox were created to help support you in teaching students specific core words. From the Core First Quick Lesson Guide: “We have provided several books designed to support you in teaching your student about the Core. You’ll learn how to use them alone and in connection with other words. The lessons in this guide have been designed to be used over the course of 5 days. You might find that one school day or lesson session is just what you need for a set of activities. You might also find that you’ll need to repeat a lesson for several days until you feel that the student is set to move to the next day. You might also want to return to some of these lessons after you’ve completed the five-day set. With these lessons, you have the flexibility to use these lessons in any way that is most supportive of your student learning the concepts outlined below. Finally, we have two sets of additional activities. Supplemental Activities are used throughout the five-day lessons and are suggested for home practice. We also offer a set of Additional Extension Activities that can be used where you see appropriate for home or additional school practice.”

Why should I consider checking it out?

• It is completely free! To everyone!

• While Tobii Dynavox designed these, there is nothing device, symbol, or app specific within the books and lessons - so you can use them with any communication system.

• Ideas. Structure. Reading the guides, lessons and supplementary materials can help give you ideas for teaching various core words or implementing a core word approach.

• Have a student/client/child who does not yet have an AAC system? There are device overlays you can download/print and use as a paper-based core word board (scroll down past all the of the core word book/lesson links).

Where can I learn more?

You can check out the list of included core words and accompanying books and lessons on the Tobii Dynavox website. You can freely access and download all three sets currently available (for a total of 36 core words).