Now You’re Talking: Learning the UNIDAD Language System

Date/Location:

September 24-26, 2019, Pittsburgh, PA

Description:

The focus of this 2.5 day seminar will be to provide learners with a theoretical and practical foundation for the use of core vocabulary as it pertains to language and vocabulary development for augmented communicators as well as how to integrate the use of core vocabulary as a primary strategy for targeting communication and language in home and academic settings.  When speech-language pathologists have bilingual learners who use AAC on their caseloads, it is challenging to know what to teach and in which language intervention should occur.  This seminar will offer information about normal language development for monolingual Spanish language learners and bilingual Spanish-English language learners. Our guest speakers will teach participants to use and teach the UNIDAD® software through direct instruction, hands-on practice and small group activities.   Therapeutic activities and implementation strategies will be discussed along with numerous resources that can be accessed within the device, the PASS software and on the Internet to support therapeutic outcomes. 

Speakers:

Bruce Baker, PhD

Deborah Laurent Witkowski, MA, CCC-SLP

Tracy M. Kovach, PhD, CCC-SLP

Russell Cross

Darlette Navrotski, M.A., CCC-SLP

Daniel Dardiz, MA, CCC-SLP

Learning Outcomes:

Identify the five pillars of successful AAC outcomes.

Discuss why core vocabulary needs to be an integral aspect of an AAC system.

Discuss the role of core vocabulary in language acquisition.

Describe the three language representation methods.

Explain why two hits are better than one when representing core vocabulary in an AAC system.

Identify the components necessary for an AAC system to be a language system.

Identify four communication partner strategies.

Discuss the process of training communication partners.

Demonstrate the basic patterns within the UNITY software.

Describe the benefits of descriptive teaching strategies.

Discuss the importance of developing motor automaticity.

Discuss normal language acquisition for monolingual Spanish and bilingual Spanish/English language learners.

Discuss the concept of an icon family within the UNIDAD® software.

List the five patterns of vocabulary access in UNIDAD®.

Identify three tools that can be used to support intervention with UNIDAD®.

Generate linguistically oriented IEP goals and objectives for students who use AAC.

Discuss strategies that enable students who use AAC to demonstrate learning to demonstrate learning within the components of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

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CEUs This activity is offered for up to 2.0 CEUs (20.0 hours of instruction). To register for CEUs:  

Download, and complete the following forms.

Save the files names: 190926_SCS_Lastname_Firstname

Send both files to ceus@aacinstitute.org

Upon completion of the two forms and passing the quiz, a CEU certificate will be sent

Note: If any difficulty is encountered in using this form, write to ceus@aacinstitute.org to request an alternative file format.