Enhancing Your Culturally Responsive Bilingual AAC Intervention Tool Belt

In this session, we will be reviewing expansion, aided language stimulation, descriptive teaching, Milieu teaching, shared book reading, core word, and total communication intervention strategies with dual-language learners. We will identify language dominance, how to observe communication partners, identify AAC users' environments, interviewing stakeholders, identifying appropriate vocabulary, and demonstrating implementation of dual-language for bilingual and monolingual SLPs. Our presentation will include demonstration sessions of the various implementation strategies and language/literacy therapy ideas.

Explore Course

According to Soto & Yu, 2014, AAC intervention practices should include working with the individual’s family and community to reinforce learning across the home, community, and school; understanding and supporting the second language acquisition, and acknowledging that second language learning is not helped by eradication of the first language but rather is built on a strong foundation of first language and culture; and providing tools to create a therapeutic environment where bilingualism is practiced and encouraged. Following these suggestions, we will be reviewing AAC intervention strategies through a cultural-linguistic responsive lens. In this session, we will be reviewing expansion, aided language stimulation, descriptive teaching, Milieu teaching, shared book reading, core word, and total communication intervention strategies with dual-language learners. We will identify language dominance, how to observe communication partners, identify AAC users' environments, interviewing stakeholders, identifying appropriate vocabulary, and demonstrating implementation of dual-language for bilingual and monolingual SLPs. Our presentation will include demonstration sessions of the various implementation strategies and language/literacy therapy ideas.

Presenters

Eunsey (Sarah) Lee
M.S. CCC-SLP
Sarah is a Speech-Language Pathologist and AAC specialist currently holding her CA and OR state license, LSH credentials, and ASHA membership. She has a Master’s of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Western Kentucky University and a Master’s of Science in Neuroscience and Education from Teacher’s College, Columbia University with a focus on AAC and Autism. She has 14+ years of school-based and early intervention experience with students with significant disabilities. Sarah believes in evidence-based, innovative intervention strategies and synthesizing literature to practice. Sarah manages the instagram account, @aac_together.
Melissa Tapia
M.S., CCC-SLP
Melissa Tapia is a bicultural/bilingual Spanish certified speech-language pathologist in the state of Illinois. She has 5+ years of experience working as a school-based and early intervention SLP specializing in AAC, bilingualism, and speech sound disorders. Tapia is also the owner and founder of Hablame Speech Therapy providing in-home individualized patient speech-language services. She believes involving families/caregivers to become knowledgeable about how to best support their children is essential for the success of her clients. Tapia manages the instagram account, @hablame_de _language.
Alma Partida
MA, CCC-SLP
Alma is an ASHA certified bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist working in the school setting in Northern California. She specializes in bilingualism, AAC and autism.
Maria De Leon
M.S., CCC-SLP
Maria De Leon is a bicultural/bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC). She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology at San Francisco State University with a specialization in culturally responsive AAC practices. De Leon currently works at ATEC Goodwill of Orange County as an SLP specializing in AAC evaluations, trials, and training for various facilities and entities, including training for families, teachers, SLPs, and support staff to the greater Southern California area. She has 10+ years in the special education sector as a special education assistant, early interventionist, and response to intervention (RTI) teacher. De Leon manages the Instagram account, @code.switch.slp.

Learning Objectives

Describe two AAC intervention strategies to use with dual language learners.
Identify one bilingual material/therapy tool to use in intervention.
Identify one benefit of building second language learning.

Agenda

5 minutes	Presenter Introductions & Disclosures
5 minutes	Overview of bilingualism and AAC
15 minutes	Getting started with bilingual AAC users
30 minutes	Intervention strategies and demonstration
5 minutes	Q&A

Disclosures

Speakers - Financial	Maria is a Co-Founder of BilingueAAC, SLP in California non-profit organization. Maria is receiving compensation for this course. Alma is a Co-founder of Bilingue AAC, Co-founder of DiverseAAC, SLP in California School District, Owner of Con Alma Speech therapy, and a California State University Monterey Bay lecturer. Alma is receiving compensation for this course. Melissa is a Co-founder of BilingueAAC, and Owner of Hablame SpeechTherapy LLC. Melissa is receiving compensation for this course. Sarah is a Co-founder of BilingueAAC, and founder of Eunsey Lee, LLC. Sarah is receiving compensation for this course.
Speakers - Nonfinancial	Maria is a ASHA member, ASHA SIG 12 member, and CSHA member, Alma is a ASHA member, and CSHA member, Melissa is aASHA member and ISHA member, Sarah is a ASHA member, USSAAC member, and CSHA member
Course - Content	Maria, Alma, Melissa & Sarah will list their free products and reference their website entailing paid products, amongst other paid products from other organizations
Course - Financial Support & In Kind	This course is being sponsored by SLP Toolkit.

ASHA

This course is offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs, Introductory Level, Professional Area

Enhancing Your Culturally Responsive Bilingual AAC Intervention Tool Belt: $25.00
This session reviews key intervention strategies for dual-language learners, including expansion, aided language stimulation, descriptive teaching, and more. Learn to identify language dominance, assess communication environments, interview stakeholders, and select appropriate vocabulary. Demonstrations will showcase implementation techniques for both bilingual and monolingual SLPs. Includes access to the recorded course and optional ASHA reporting.