Happy December, and welcome to another week in my Core Word Programme.
Building on last week's core words "on" and "off", this week we are focusing on "In" and "out", versatile words that can be used to indicate direction or position. These practical words are great for requesting and commenting, and for understanding and expressing spatial concepts.
If you're new to my Core Word Programme, it offers a full academic year’s worth of speech and language sessions based on the first 40 core words that a neurotypical child typically learns. It consists of 36 sessions that I have designed specifically for the Gestalt Language Processors and pre/non verbal children in your care. The programme includes three different symbol languages, so whether you use Board Maker, Symbolstix or Widget, it is suitable for all.
Each week of the programme is adaptable to any classroom needs and restrictions, and to any communication methods, whether thats signing, AAC, symbols, or anything else. This allows your learners to get the most from the content.
Every weekly session contains sensory story suggestions, interactive games, phrase examples, activity ideas and Attention Autism planning.
To see how I've been teaching "In" and "Out" in my classrooms, keep reading!
The story that I have been reading in my classrooms this week is "The pig in the pond" by Martin Waddell. Funny and colourful, this book features lots of repetition, including of the core word "In". This is also a great book to make a sensory story, as you can use water to mimic the splashing in the book, and splash your learners!
In my interactive game, learners are asked to move animals either "In" or "Out" of somewhere. These games are perfect for Gestalt Language Processors as they allow for repetition of the core word, but the core words are also being put into context to boost understanding.
Learning through play is great as it lessens the demand on our learners, reducing their anxiety, and it also gives you a chance to assess their understanding.
Another core word activity that I do with my learners, is allow them to take it in turns to pick one of the included TV, film or music clips which features the word that we are focussing on. Again, this has been included as it really suits how a Gestalt Language Processor learns language.
This programme is specifically designed to align with the ways that autistic children and Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs) learn.
The included writing tasks are great for practicing letter formation, and can be completed online or printed, depending on what suits your learners and your classroom setup better.
In one of my classrooms, we complete these activities 1:1 on iPads as the learners are on individual timetables, and we don't have access to a whiteboard. In another class, we take turns to complete the game on the whiteboard, allowing us to also practice turn taking.
It is always a perfect time to start the programme - you do not need to wait until the start of the academic year. I've published lots of content on the programme, you can find blog posts here to see what I've done during previous sessions, or my TikTok, Facebook or Instagram. There is also a thriving private Facebook group with other programme users full of support, tips and community.
If this sounds like something that your learners would benefit from, you can buy the full programme here, or individual sessions here. If you'd like to try before you buy, you can access a free Week 1 demo here.
Attention Autism for Core Word Week 13 - "In" and "Out"
This week in my Attention Autism sessions, I've been using Bucket Time, Inny Box, and Jack In The Box.
Stage 1
I start by singing one of the bucket songs, to build anticipation in my learners. First up is a snake tube. The snake pops out, and I make sure to exaggerate my reaction. I will say that "It is out" and then "back In" when I put it back in the tube, to model the concepts of "In" and "Out".
Next up from bucket time is a long necked giraffe. As I pull the tube neck, I will say "Out", and then "In" when I push it back in. The last item from Bucket Time this week is a tube of bubbles. Here I can model "In" and "Out" by signposting that I am breathing in before blowing the bubbles, and out to blow the bubbles. This is a fun and interactive way of modelling the words, and the bubbles add extra entertainment.
Buy the long neck giraffe here.
Stage 2
For my stage 2 this week, I've been using a Jack In The Box. Turning the handle and having the music play builds excitement in the class, and once the Jack jumps out, I can say "Out" and "back In", when I reset the box. I repeat this process a few times.
Stage 3
Finally I've been using Inny box as the last Attention Autism session. I take out all of the objects in the box, saying "Out" each time. I confirm "my turn", and begin to pick up each object, say the colour of it, and place it into the box whilst saying "In". This is a great activity that allows for lots of repetition of the core words, whilst keeping it engaging with the different colours, and the action of putting them into the box. I will then jiggle the shapes, and sing the song. I will then say "your turn" to my learners, and they can each have a go at the activity. This allows for them to practice turn taking, be exposed to further repetition of the words, and to learn through experiencing the concepts of "In" and "Out" in action.
To see this weeks session, and previous Attention Autism sessions, head to my Instagram.
In my Core Word Programme, there are a years worth of core word based Attention Autism ideas included. The programme can be found here.
Separate to 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.