Welcome back to my Core Word of the Week Programme, a programme that I have designed especially for Gestalt Language Processors and pre/non verbal children. In the programme you get 36 sessions of speech and language content based around the first 40 core words that a neurotypical child would learn. Adaptable to your classroom set up/ resources, and the needs of the children in your care, the sessions can be used with any AAC methods, and include three different symbol languages, so can be used with Board Maker, Symbolstix and Widgit.
This week is week 12 of the programme in my classrooms, and the core words are "On" and "Off", helpful words for teaching positional concepts, making requests and navigating daily routines. They can also be naturally motivational as they involve actions that our learners can see, feel and experience firsthand.
Read on to see how I am teaching and modelling "On" and "Off" in my sensory classrooms.
As in every weekly session, week 12 includes play and sensory story suggestions, phrase examples, interactive games and more.
The sensory story that I have been reading this week is "Oi Frog" by Les Gray. Silly, colourful and packed with rhymes, this book offers countless opportunities to model "On". Whilst I read, the supporting adults in the room make sure to sign, say, point to symbols, or press "On" on AAC devices to reinforce the learning.
In my interactive game, our learners have to move objects either "On" or "Off" things, depending on the instructions that they are given. These games can be played on whiteboards or iPads based on your classroom setup or preferences, and learning through play reduces the demand on our learners, lessening their anxiety and allowing their best work. These games are also a great way to assess the level of understanding of our learners.
Links are always included to TV, music and film clips relating to the core word, and clicking on the image of the clip takes you straight to the video! This programme focuses on teaching in the way that autistic and GLP children learn, and these clips are a great example of that.
Writing tasks are included which are great for practicing letter formation. Depending on your classroom set-up, and also the needs of your learners, these can either be printed and completed or paper, or online. If using the writing tasks online, they can either be done on whiteboards, and your learners can practice turn-taking, or individually on iPads.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about week 12 of my Core Word Programme! If you haven't already, it is always a great time to join in with my programme, you can start at any time and there is a supportive private Facebook group where you can find 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, or individual sessions. If you'd like to try before you buy, you can access a free demo here.
Play session for Core Word Week 12 - "On" and "Off"
First up during is a light-up spinner. This is lots of fun to watch as it moves and has multiple colours. As I turn it on, to make it spin and light up, I say "On", reinforcing the association of pressing the on button, and the toy's response. I will then say "Off" once I have turned it off and it has stopped spinning and lighting up.
Next up is a Boing Button. Again, I say "On" as I press the button, to show that the sound relates to being "On".
The last item this week has been a musical spinner. As it moves across the floor and plays music, I repeat "On". When I pick it up, and it stops, I say "Off".
Next, I've been using a Rice Spinner. I will say "Rice, On", pour the rice onto the spinner, and spin it around. "Oh no, rice is Off!" This is a great visual representation of "On" and "Off".
Lastly is Hat On. Here, I will choose a hat, put it on my head, say "Hat On". My learners can then take turns to wear hats and say that they have "a hat on".
This play session allows us to model "On" and "Off" through engaging and entertaining activities that keep my learners' interest.
There are a year's worth of core word based play ideas included in the Core Word Programme, which can be found here.
You can also get four years' worth of fun suggestions (separate from the core words) here.