A brand new week means a new core word to learn in my sensory classrooms!
If you're new to my Core Word Programme, it was designed (by me!) to teach speech and language in a way that suits how Gestalt Language Processors and neurodiverse children learn. Through 36 sessions, it covers the first 40 core words that a neurotypical child would learn.
The sessions are delivered in 9 fun, interactive sections, which can be covered all at once or separately, depending on your schedule and the needs of your learners. Each weekly session includes play planning, sensory story suggestions, phrase examples, interactive games and more.
The sessions are completely flexible and adaptable to any communication method or classroom needs, so your learners can get the most from the content. The programme includes three different symbol languages, so whether you use Boardmaker, Symbolstix or Widgit, it is suitable for all.
We are going into week 36 in my sensory classrooms, and will be learning the word 'yes'. Whether giving consent, sharing interests and tastes, or confirming that something is understood, 'yes' is a pivotal word for our learners to access for autonomy and decision making. It is also an excellent word, alongside the counterpart 'no', to help illustrate to our children the differences and similarities between them and their peers.
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Click the image above to watch my core word 'yes' session in video format and see how I would lead it.
When starting on a new core word, the activities are split into saying, finding, hearing, watching, playing, reading, learning, practising and writing that word.
My learners start by saying it. Depending on their preferred methods of communication, this could be finding it on an AAC device (high-tech or low-tech), learning Makaton, using sound buttons or any other method of communication.
Next, we find the new core word on our AAC core board. This can be either on the printable core boards provided or on your own high-tech AAC apps. This supports the child to navigate their AAC, as well as the adults supporting them. By building up navigation each week, it doesn’t become overwhelming.
After saying and finding it, we move on to a favourite activity in my classroom - hearing and watching the core word through links to film, TV and music clips. My pupils love coming up to my whiteboard and selecting which song they wish to listen to, or which clip they wish to watch. It gives them ownership of their learning, and they are far more engaged and interested this way.
This is a really beautiful and errorless way of absorbing the core word and learning its meaning through different contexts. As Gestalt Language Processors learn through whole phrases, watching and listening to media is a great way for them to develop language.
These clips can be played on iPads or interactive whiteboards. The songs provide a great opportunity for a movement break. As each one plays, the adults in the room model the word by saying, signing, showing the symbol or finding it on an AAC device. This is a fab way of embedding the core word whilst the children are doing an activity that they enjoy.
The sensory story that I will be reading this week is "Yes You Can, Cow!" by Rashmi Sirdeshpande. Based on the classic nursery rhyme "The Cat and the Fiddle", this story is funny and silly, whilst also touching on important messages about nerves, support and friendship.
Each weekly core word session includes sensory story suggestions. These stories tend to be better for autistic and Gestalt Language Processor learners as they can hold onto the meaning of the whole phrases and use them in other contexts. Compared to traditional stories, which focus on abstract language and can be overwhelming, sensory stories provide concrete sensory experiences which may be better suited to our sensory-led children. Through stories, we can support learners to build understanding and context to put with the language they are hearing.
The programme includes weekly play ideas that reinforce our core words in a fun and interactive way.
First up is a jingly cuddle ball! I will throw this into the air, and when I catch it, I'll say "Yes!" When I miss the ball and it goes on the floor, I'll say "no!"
Next up will be a rocket balloon.
When it's blown up, I'll say "Yes! Balloon" Then, I'll let it go, it will fly around the room and deflate onto the floor, and I'll say, "Oh no!"
Last up will be sound buttons that say 'yes' and 'no'. I will spend some time pressing each one, saying and signing 'yes' and 'no'.
UFO spinner
As I put each shape into the correct section of this UFO spinner toy, I will say "Yes!" When I press it down, the toy begins to spin and all of the shapes fly out, I'll say "No!"
Teaching table
In this activity, I will demonstrate taking black paper, lots of green paper squares, glue and some glitter. I will then stick each piece of green paper onto the black paper, and say "yes!" every time I do. I'll then put some glue onto the green pieces of paper and sprinkle the glitter on. Then it is my learner's turn. Once they've completed their task, they will bring it over to the group area and show me.
This activity has a clear completion, as it is finished when they have stuck everything to their piece of black paper.
In each of my play sessions, there are multiple opportunities for modelling the core word. As we go through the activities, the other adults in the room and I will be signing, finding the word on AAC devices, pointing to symbols and saying the word. This provides a great opportunity for the children to learn whilst playing and also gives concrete, practical examples of the word in context.
Separate from the Core Word Programme, you can also get four years' worth of fun planning ideas linked to twelve popular topics here.
Next, I've got some teaching table task planning ideas. There are differentiated table tasks, so that wherever your learners are working at from 0- 4 years (cognitively), there will be something for them. This is a more 1:1 intervention teaching opportunity for the teaching staff to continue to work on the core word understanding in a more individualised way. This is also a great opportunity to assess individual understanding.
There is an interactive game included each week. This week's game is errorless and is about opinions. Learners have to read a sentence and select whether they "yes like" or "no like" the item or activity. These games allow our children to learn without even realising it, and give us supporting adults a useful chance to assess their learning.
Lastly, writing tasks are included, which can be completed on iPads, on whiteboards, or printed out for mark-making. Again, there are differentiated options depending on the stage that your learners are working at, and these can be completed as a group, modelling turn-taking, or individually.
If you think your learners would benefit from learning language this way, we would love to have you join! You can start at any time and work through the sessions at your own pace, 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 programme, or my TikTok, YouTube, Facebook or Instagram for lots more Core Word content. You can buy the Core Word Programme or access a free Week 1 trial by tapping the image below.
