Welcome back to my Core Word of the Week Programme! This week has been all about the small but mighty word: "is." My classrooms are on week 20 of the programme (over halfway through!), but if you haven't been following along, don't worry! You can start at any time, and at a pace that best suits you, your learners and your classroom/resources.
My Core Word Programme is based on the 40 first core words that a neurotypical child would learn. It consists of 36 speech and language 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.
"Is" is an essential linking word that can help our learners form sentences, describe things, and ask or answer questions. From "What 'is' next?" to "My chair 'is' green," this core word builds the foundation for everyday communication.
Read on to see how I have been teaching and modelling "Is" in my sensory classrooms.
Each Core Word session includes Attention Autism planning, sensory story suggestions, phrase examples, writing tasks, interactive games and more.
The sessions are completely flexible and adaptable to any communication method or classroom needs, so that your learner(s) can get the most from the content.
Each week during our core word sessions, we start by learning the symbol and the sign for our particular word. Then, we find it on our core boards.
Next, we listen for our core word by choosing one of the linked session videos. Whilst we listen, we all join in by saying, signing or finding the word on our core boards.
The sensory story that I have been reading this week is a favourite of mine, "A Squash and A Squeeze" by Julia Donaldson. Repetitive, funny and beautifully illustrated, this book features our core word a lot.
Through stories, we can support learners to build understanding and context to put with the language they are hearing. Sensory stories tend to be better for autistic and Gestalt Language Processor learners as they engage multiple senses. 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 children.
The games that are included in my Core Word sessions allow children to play whilst learning, which also gives you and other supporting adults a chance to assess their understanding of the word. This style of learning also reduces the demand on children, often meaning that you will see their best work. This week's game asks our learners "Where 'is' my item?".
There are writing tasks included which can be printed and drawn on, traced around, or completed online. These are excellent for practising letter formation.
In one of my classrooms, we complete these on my whiteboard as a group, practising turn-taking and offering modelling opportunities to each other.
In my other classroom, we complete them 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.
It is always a great time to join in with my programme, 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, or If you'd like to try it before you buy, you can access a free demo here.
Attention Autism for Core Word Week 20 - "Is"
My programme's weekly sessions include Attention Autism ideas for stages 1 - 4. This week in my classrooms I've been using the activities; Bucket Time, Solar System Song and This Is The Way to demonstrate and reinforce the meaning of our core word, 'is'.
Stage 1 - Bucket Time
Beginning with the Bucket Time song to encourage attention, the first item that I take out is this Thunder Maker instrument. Shaking it so that it makes a noise, I ask "What 'is' that?", and "'Is' it thunder?"
Next is an extendable duster. I say "I wonder what it 'is?'" before deciding "Ah, it 'is' a duster!".
Lastly, there is a big pink feather, that 'floats' around in front of my learners! "It 'is' a feather".
Stage 2 - Solar System Song
For the solar system song, I show my learners the following items:
- Shaving foam
- Sellotape
- Black paper
- Food colouring
- Chalk
- Glitter
Whilst the Solar System Song is playing, I draw around the sellotape with chalk to make the planets and fill them in with shaving foam. Adding food colouring, I mix them together to make the colours of the planets. Then I add glitter and stars to finish my solar system.
Stage 3 - This Is The Way
For This Is The Way, I have a box of items and explain to my learners "First my turn, then your turn". I take each item out of the box one at a time, singing "This 'is' the way we ring the bell", "This 'is' the way we bang the drum" or "this 'is' the way we shake the shaker" Whilst doing the action. Then it is my learner's turn to choose an item, sing the song and do the action.
Stage 4 - Teaching Table
Here, each child has a container with four visual squares of different colours, and some items such as toys, Duplo, Lego etc. They then match the colours of the items to the squares, and once they've finished, pop the lid back on the container and come to show me or another supporting adult.
These activities help demonstrate my core word in an exciting and interactive way. To see this week's session, and previous Attention Autism sessions, head to my Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
There are a years worth of core word based Attention Autism ideas included in my Core Word Programme 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 recently updated their training and I highly recommend it.