This week, Chris interviews Dr. Kathy Howery, an AAC specialist and educational consultant in Alberta, Canada. Chris and Kathy talk about modeling (aka aided language stimulation) and explore a question Kathy often gets from parents: “Is modeling getting in the way of my natural interaction with my child?” 

Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss a Spanish version of the AAC Agreements (habloconcaa.wordpress.com), using Microsoft Translate to communicate with someone who speaks another language, and ways that Rachel has been using Zoom to support her students in unique ways!

Key ideas this week:

🔑 We don’t want to focus so much on modeling that we don’t pay attention to what the student is doing. Modeling needs to be a child-focused interaction, not a performance activity.

🔑 Modeling without expectation doesn't mean that we don't pay attention to what the AAC user says or does in response. We should try and honor multi-modal communication and pay attention to what the AAC User is trying to communicate.

🔑 Videotaping yourself is a good way to learn about how you model with students and how much you engage in expectant pauses. It is important to inhibit our natural inclination to fill silence with talk.

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