This week has been week 18 of my Core Word Programme, and the spotlight has been on the essential and powerful word 'need'. Whether it's "I need space", "I need help" or "What do you need?", this word helps children to communicate their requirements, advocate for themselves and understand others. 

My Core Word Programme is based on the 40 first core words a neurotypical child would learn, delivered through 36 sessions designed for Gestalt Language Processors. These speech and language sessions include sensory story ideas, activity suggestions, links to videos, film and TV clips that feature the core words and more. The programme includes three different symbol languages, so whether you use Board Maker, Symbolstix or Widget it is suitable for all. The sessions are flexible and adaptable to any communication method or classroom needs so that your learners can get the most from the content.

I keep all of my resources for each week of the Core Word Programme in these really handy wallets, so that when we are ready to learn about the word, I can just grab the wallet and know that I have everything I need.

The sensory story that I've been using in my classrooms this week is 'The Pigeon Needs A Bath' by Mo Willems. This quirky, funny book is perfect as a sensory story, as you can allow your learners to clean a bird toy with a cloth whilst you read it to them!

In my interactive game, learners are told that the person on screen 'needs' one of the items displayed, which they have to give to them! Learning through games is a fab way to solidify their knowledge, and watching them whilst they play gives the supporting adults chance to assess their understanding of the word.
Learning through games also lessens the demand on children and reduces anxiety, meaning you see their best work.

Links are included to fun clips from media that show the core word in action. The content in this programme teaches in ways that suit how autistic and Gestalt Language Processing children learn, and these clips suit how GLP learners process and learn language.

There are writing tasks which can be printed or completed online depending on the needs of your learners and on the restrictions of your environment.

In one of my classrooms, we complete the game on my whiteboard as a group, practising turn-taking and offering modelling opportunities to each other.

In my other classroom, we complete these games 1:1 on iPads. We don’t have a whiteboard available and my learners are on individual timetables so 1:1 on iPads works better.

If you think that these sessions would benefit your learners, It is always a great time to join in! You can start at any time and work through the sessions, and there is a thriving private Facebook group where you can find support, tips, ideas and community.

Check out my blog posts here to see what I've done during previous weeks of the curriculum, or my TikTok, Facebook or Instagram for lots more Core Word content.

You can buy the full programme here,  and access a free demo here.

Attention Autism for Core Word Week 18 - "Need"

Stage 1 

Included each week are tabletop activity sessions and Attention Autism ideas. This week for stage 1 we've been using Bucket Time. First out of the bucket is a sound button, and when I press it, I say "Oh no, it's too loud! I need my ear defenders!" I then put on my ear defenders, and show that the noise is much more manageable once they're on. I make sure to either repeat the phrase "I need ear defenders", or play it on an AAC device, or both. 

Next, I act out having a painful hand! "I'm hurt, I need a plaster". I demonstrate unwrapping the plaster and put it on my hand. I tell my children "plaster on, that's better" and again repeat myself verbally, or with the AAC device "I need plaster". 

Lastly during bucket time this week is "I need to clean", with my extendable duster! I demonstrate dusting with it, then confirm "all clean". 

Stage 2 

For stage 2 this week it's been "I need an umbrella". I show my learners the umbrella and the water spray bottle. Verbally and the AAC device, I communicate that when it rains, we need an umbrella. I then use the spray bottle to demonstrate being rained on, whilst singing about it. "I need an umbrella!"

I then put the umbrella up, and again sing using the water spray to imitate rain, but this time I stay dry, thanks to my umbrella. 

Stage 3 

Here, the children in my classroom would take turns with the umbrella, and choose whether they wanted to get rained on or stay dry.

Stage 4

For stage 4, I put lots of stickers or plasters in each child's box, along with a laminated photo of themselves. They can then stick all of the stickers or plasters onto the photo, pack everything up and then show it to me. 

These Attention Autism activities include some really useful phrases for our learners to know like "I need a plaster", and they allow our children to hear 'need' in context.

To see this week's session, and previous Attention Autism sessions, head to my Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. 

There is a year's worth of core word based Attention Autism ideas included in my Core Word Programme here. Separate from the core words, you can also get four years' worth of fun Attention Autism ideas for Stages 1-4 here.  

Check out Attention Autism here, they've just updated their training and I highly recommend it.