Florida Association of Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists Winter Conference 2008

by Samuel Sennott

Here are some notes, and information from my experience at the FLASHA 2008 Winter Conference. It was an invigorating day that helped me to learn more about children, teaching, as well as research.

Part One

Autism and Sensory Workshop

by Marvie Ellis

“How are we going to get them there?” says Marvie Ellis. The lively presenter painted a picture of multidisciplinary approach filled with sensory integration techniques and engaging student focused instruction. The power of this workshop was in the passion of the presenter and her willingness to bend the genres of speech, OT, PT, and teaching. I look forward to reading her picture books about children with autism.

Marvie Ellis’ Blog Site: http://www.kidsautismbooks.blogspot.com/

Article by the Presenter: Five Issues Facing Families with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) http://www.familiesonlinemagazine.com/autism.html

http://www.speechkidstexaspress.com/

Sound Bites:

• I will always teach you before I show you and expect of you. (paraphrase) Speaking about an approach to working with children.
• I am trying to help you use terminology that you could use to teach your grandmother about it. (paraphrase)
• If you modulate your voice, you are stimulating my senses, (your saying) I’m approaching, sending information through your feet, and I have something interesting to see. (paraphrase) In speaking about a highly engaging style of getting children’s attention.

Interesting Books by the Author

Tacos Anyone?: An Autism Story By Marvie Ellis

Keisha’s Doors by Marvie Ellis

Part Two

Communication Partner Interventions to Target Early Language and Emergent Literacy Skills with Children who use AAC

by Jennifer Kent-Walsh, Ph.D. , CCC-SLP, S-LPC(C) University of Central Florida, e-portfolio of presenter

Department of CSD and leader of the regional center for FAAST

Article by the Presenter: Fostering Emergent Literacy for Children Who Require AAC

This workshop focused on a terrific study of how to help improve how communication partners interact with AAC users. This investigation was set in the context of a partner book read of engaging books. The simple training and intervention showed good results for increased communicative interactions, increases in both partner’s interest level, and generalization after the intervention. The presenter used a nice Wh-question format to guide the session. Also demonstrated was a powerful teaching strategy of using acronyms to help make the communication partners be more automatic in their approach.

The Before Video: Two peers are reading a book together. One girl is reading the book in a monotone voice and the other girl is listening. She has a Springboard, but is not using it.

The Intervention Video: The two girls are engaging in a lively read of the book, taking turns commenting and identifying characters and actions. They proceed to read after mentioning they want to test their predictions. Both girls are smiling and visibly enjoying the experience.

You can read an article on the topic, published in the electronic edition of the ASHA Leader here:

Communication Partner Interventions for Children Who Use AAC

Storybook Reading Across Culture and Language

Handouts that are Good Read Throughs from the Presenter’s Website:

• Kent-Walsh, J. (2005, January). An instructional program for parents of pre-literate children using AAC. Paper presented at the Assistive Technology Industry Association 2005 Conference, Orlando, FL.
• Kent-Walsh, J. (2004, May). Communication partner instruction in augmentative and alternative communication. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Speech-Language-Pathologists and Audiologists, Ottawa, Canada.

Part Three

This small more personal group gathering of SLP’s was terrific. The conversations I had today were inspiring. From speaking to one of the presenter’s mother, to hearing a story about one of the first externships of a student from Nova Southeastern University, to meeting a couple of welcoming colleagues that invited me to their school, I enjoyed the connections made today.

Getting Beyond Imitation with Cynthia Cress at ASHA

By Samuel Charles Sennott

Dr. Cynthia Cress, from UNL, taught terrific lessons about how to engage children in play activities that can be some of the most powerful forums for teaching communication. What do you think about how to integrate using play or recreation in early childhood communication work?

Download the handout for the session here.

Additionally, check out these other excellent resources from the same researcher/ teacher found here (From the always terrific UNL website).

Just, as I was starting to think this whole big, huge ASHA was a little over the top, I sneak my way into Dr. Cynthia Cress’ 8 AM session. I crawled over upset people and am sitting cross-legged on the floor in the front of the room with fifteen other people, all on the floor. This session is amazing. Dr. Cress, an early childhood AAC specialist from UNL is teaching the heck out of us.(fav. NC expression!) The concept she is teaching us is getting beyond imitation by using authentic experiences and in this case, play experiences to foster communication. There is this remarkable similarity to what Linda Burkhart teaches. There is something in me that intrinsicly connects to this message of active engagement for real reasons and I think it is because it is how I teach and what I desire to bring out in my students.

One of the excellent case studies is teaching about using AAC with a student with some language and she is telling about how using picture symbol communication is a great guide for facilitating speech. Dr. Cress says, “no kid in the world is going to give up on speech” What a great common sense interpretation of the research!

Another example is showing the power of student focused play activities that the speech work is naturally embedded in. This takes the pressure off the learner. There is a hilarious comparision of a young learner playing and vocalizing passionately and then another session of the therapist saying, “do this”. The child just looks at them like to say, “are you kidding?”

What comes out of this workshop is an excellent study in how we can work with children and their families in early childhood. One quick, very profound tip is to always provide a nonverbal way for turn taking in the play activity. What a great simple concept to teach a parent or to use when working with a child.

One classic quote that really made the group laugh was, “We are not real people: most people don’t pick up on all these communicative clues.” It made us laugh because she compared our hyper focused behavior to how people just play with their kids.

I missed her second session, but here is the handout: Age-Related Changes in Mastery Motivation for Children With Physical Impairments