Let's Talk AAC: "Resources for teaching core words?"

Welcome back to Let's Talk AAC - a series of questions and topics for discussion. NWACS will occasionally post a question or topic along with some related information. We hope that you will join in the conversation by adding your experiences, resources, related research, etc. in comments so that we can all learn and benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.

This post is for informational purposes only. It is not exhaustive and inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement.

Updated 12/15/24

Core. Core words. Core vocabulary. Core vocabulary refers to a list of approximately 300-400 high-frequency, multipurpose words that make up 75-80% of what we say. It is important that AAC users understand and have access to a wide variety of words, including the words most often used by their community. AAC users need core words so that they can create any message they want, sometimes called “spontaneous novel utterance generation” (or SNUG). A question we hear often is:

What are resources for teaching core words?

Here is a list of resources related to core vocabulary to explore.

Blogs and Websites:

• AAC Language Lab

• AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom

• Communication Workshop

• Core First Books and Lessons (Tobii Dynavox)

• Core Word Curriculum (Complex Communication Needs (CCN) team at Renfrew Educational Services)

• Core Word Videos (Mary Katherine Dally)

• DLM and Universal Core Vocabulary

• Implementation Activities (PRC)

• Kim Rankin (of Hold My Words on Facebook and Instagram) shares ideas of how she incorporates core words while homeschooling her AAC-using son, including her A Book and a Game a Day Challenge posts

• Learning to Speak AACtion Plan (Speak For Yourself AAC; scroll down to Learning to Speak AACtion Plan Resources)

• Little Miss Kim’s Class has a few posts on how she worked core into her classroom

• Monarch Reader - search for books by core word

• PrAACtical AAC has many resources, including A Year of Core Words, School Year of Core Vocabulary, and more

• Project Core

• Saltillo

  • ChatCorner/WordPower Supports

  • Let’s Teach Core

• School Year of Core - Bilingüe (San Francisco State University | AAC Studies) is a Spanish adaptation of the English School Year of Core (PrAACtical AAC)

Commercial Books and Programs:

• Boom Learning - many activities available for core words

• Core Words Power Station (Attainment Company)

• Tell Me Program - AAC in the Preschool Classroom (Attainment Company)

• Tell Me, Too (Attainment Company)

• Teachers Pay Teachers - many activities available for core words, such as:

  • 100 Great Kids Picture Books to Target Core Vocabulary for AAC Users (OMazing Kids AAC Consulting on TPT)

  • AAC Core Word Implementation Ideas months 1 - 12 (free from Speechie Side Up)

  • AAC Implementation Toolkit - Training, Handouts, Data Sheets, and More! (Speechy Musings) has a unit on Core Vocabulary

  • File Folder Heaven has many core vocabulary books and activities

  • Jenna Rayburn Kirk has AAC Cooking with Core (2 sets), AAC Core Word of the Week (10 different sets), and more

  • My Speech Tools has several free Core Word of the Week Handouts

  • Super Power Speech has Core Word and Letter of the Week (AAC and early speech), among other items

  • The Language Ladies SLP has Core Word Activity sets, Core Language Activity list, Core Language Through Literacy Book list, and more

• The Pixon Project Kit (PRC)

Learning Modules:

• DLM Core Vocabulary and Communication (scroll down to find)

• POWER:AAC

  • Module 4: Select Core Vocabulary Words

• Project Core Professional Development Modules

  • Project Core Overview

  • Universal Core Vocabulary

  • and more

Podcasts:

• Activities to Target Core Vocabulary for AAC Users with Jeff Stephen (Speech and Language Kids Podcast)

• Five Fall Books to work on CORE Vocabulary (Real Talk SLP podcast)

• How to Select Core Vocabulary (The Speech Space Podcast)

• Talking With Tech - search “core” for a list of episodes

Webinars:

• Core Vocabulary (2020) AAC in the Cloud recorded presentation by Lori Geist

• Core Vocabulary Resources with Kathy Howery (Edmonton Regional Learning Consortium)

• Get Started with Core Vocabulary in a French-speaking Classroom (2022) AAC in the Cloud recorded presentation by Julie Paquet & Floriane Olivier (session is in French)

• I Need That! How to Get Started with Core Vocabulary (2020) AAC in the Cloud recorded presentation by Beth Poss & Kelly Fonner

• Modeling a Growth Mindset with Core Vocabulary (2020) AAC in the Cloud recorded presentation by Gemma White

• Personalizing Core Vocabulary Based Communication Systems: There’s Something for Everyone! (2019) AAC in the Cloud recorded presentation by Deidre Dobbels & Kelly Key

• Transitioning from ‘Choice-based’ AAC to Core Vocabulary (2020) AAC in the Cloud recorded presentation by Scott Wahlquist & Sarah Cox

YouTube:

• AAC Family Fun (Coreaoke; playlists also available here)

• ASF Communication Training Series (core sets 1 - 10)

• Let’s Learn About Core Words (Life Skills 2 Learn)

• Mister Clay

• Special Vids for Special Kids

• Speech and Language Songs

• Swingsetmamas

• Wings Works

Do you have a favorite core word resource that we missed? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below!