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What are Core Words for AAC and How Do I Implement Them?

11/15/2021 by Jenna Leave a Comment

You might have heard about using Core Words with your AAC users but do you know what they are? Core Words for AAC are words that are in your student’s daily vocabulary that make up most of our communication. These words should help your student express their basic wants and needs. Some examples include; who, more, up, that, in, one, open, not. In contrast, Fringe vocabulary is the 20% of our speech that is specific to people, places, and things. Fringe words are things like people’s names, the name of a favorite character, the places we frequent, or phrases we use all the time. Fringe words are critically important too but we can talk more about them on another day!

The beauty of core words is how they can be used in many different phrases to mean a lot of different things. Early AAC users should use a mix of core words and fringe. Take for example the core word “ that ”. A student who can say “ want that ” can ask for their backpack, choose a snack, and pick their favorite Youtube channel. A child who has learned “cracker” can only ask for that specific snack item.  

Below, I’m sharing some steps to identify your student’s core words for their Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) board and how to use them. 

Introduce new word(s). But where do you start? I love this list from Gail Van Tatenhove (she’s a wealth of information on AAC!) Here is a list of Core Vocabulary Words for AAC. They are sorted by type of word (noun, adjective, negation, verb, etc.) and typical priority (top 20, top 50, etc.). I suggest you identify the student’s top 50 words before you get started on introducing new words. Top 50 words would be individualized based on your student’s favorite things, least favorite things, daily activities, and family. 

When I introduce core words to students, I like to find something they love to do and pick a word that would be meaningful . If they love to swing, maybe the first word is “up” so they can ask to get up on their swing every day. If they like music, maybe they need to be able to ask to turn the music “on”. The words you select should be meaningful to the person. Don’t pick words just because they fit your lesson plan or your list of top 20 words. Be student specific. 

The amount of words introduced depends on your student’s ability. Typically, when working with preschoolers I have a whole simple core board available to them at all times. I model on this board using lots of words. Then I explicitly work on just one new word at a time in a more instructional manner. Sometimes, I do two when the words are opposites (on/off, up/down) to help reinforce the concept. If you are needing a core board that is already made, this free AAC Core Board uses Smarty Symbols and you can find it here . 

Tip: Use a word of the week or building across disciplines and a routine. Here is a link to a word of the week set for a whole month, so it has 4 core words: “go”, “in”, “different”, and “help”. The packet has tools to collect data, give teachers and staff ideas, and notes for parents too. The packet can be adapted for a clinic setting or another service delivery model, but it works perfectly for a classroom setup.

Teach the new word(s) through modeling. Use Aided Language Input (ALI) to introduce Core Words for AAC. Using Aided Language Input during your explicit instructional activities to model. ALI is a research-based technique that helps to build a core vocabulary foundation for AAC use and language learning. During ALI, when communication partners (parents, teachers, therapists, etc.) talk to children who use AAC, the partners also use the same AAC system to communicate. This helps teach AAC through modeling in meaningful, real-life interactions. If you’re not familiar with ALI, watch this short 5 minute video from PrAACtical AAC. Their website is fantastic and SO full of ideas for therapists!  This blog and these resources can be shared with parents and teachers so they understand how you break down building core vocabulary. I really like this handout as well from Saltillo . 

Tip: Use the same device/board! Using the same device to use ALI to teach new words is the best way to model. Most students will let you, but  if you need to, you can use your own. 

Elaborate on the new word meanings with engaging practice activities. Just like auditory bombardment, model and expand on the targeted core vocabulary. Continue to use Aided language Input for meaningful and reinforcing opportunities.  The Word of the Week bundle found here describes opportunities for your student to use their new core vocabulary in different situations with different activities. The Word of the Week packet includes:

• Parent Intro Letter
• Staff Intro Letter
• Parent Model/Elicitation Explanation Sheet
• The following materials are provided for each core word:
• Weekly External Door Sign
• Weekly Staff/Parent Letter
• Activity Sheet
• Activity Sheets on rings
• Interactive Vocabulary Book
• App Recommendation/Ideas
• My W.O.W. Book cover
• W.O.W. weekly sheet
• Coloring Sheet

Provide repeated exposure to the new word(s) on an ongoing basis. If you work in a school setting, reading this blog post could help you with Implementation of AAC in the Classroom. It has several tips on ways to help coach and encourage teachers to use your student’s AAC device and core vocabulary in the classroom setting. 

Check for understanding and re-teach, as necessary. Before you introduce a new word(s), review the word from last week to check for carry-over. Re-teaching words through books is a powerful way to keep core words for AAC fresh. My Winter AAC Core Adapted Book Set can be found here .  This AAC Cooking with Core Vocabulary Set 1 can be used with Smarty Symbols for Boardmaker. The following is included with this resource: 

• Core board with 18 additional fringe words
• Yes/No questions
• Core word sentence strips
• Like it/don’t like it voting cards

Here are links to other free AAC Resources to help you and your students build on their core words for AAC usage. 

• AAC Symbol Swap Tips
• AAC Core Adapted Books: Spot Goes to School
• AAC Door Hangers : Free & Editable

How do you select core words and implement them for your students?

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Core word teaching strategies

Strategies for teaching core words can include: planning core words based on activities or communication functions, teaching using the core word of the week, or using the Descriptive Teaching Model.

Core words are an essential part of any balanced Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system.

What are these core words? Why should we use them? And most importantly, what are some practical tools and strategies that can help us implement a core word approach?

What are core words?

While spoken language has at least 250,000 words, a list of only 200 words accounts for about 80% of the words you use every day! These words are called “core words”.

Core words are usually:

• verbs (“go”, “come”),
• adjectives (“good”, “little”),
• prepositions (“to”, “on”),
• pronouns (“you”, “that”),
• articles (“the”, “a”), and
• conjunctions (“and”, “but”).

Only about 10% of the first 200 core words are nouns, and these nouns are very general (“girl”, “house”) rather than specific (“porcupine”, “celery”).

AAC learners need quick access to these core words. It gives them a powerful and flexible tool to communicate whatever they want to say.

Some AAC learners rely on preprogrammed sentences or phrases such as “I want” and “I see”. With core words, they can choose from a small set of words to create their own sentences. Then they can express ideas, and even work on grammar .

Some AAC learners only have the chance to make choices from photos of objects. With core words, they can learn to communicate for a wide variety of reasons .

Some AAC learners are given new curriculum words for each new lesson. With core words, they can build their language skills by using flexible words to answer questions about any topic.

Don’t forget fringe words and the alphabet!

Core words are essential, it does not mean that we do not provide other important vocabulary. Core words should be within an AAC system alongside “fringe” words .

Fringe words are very specific words. They have a more narrow meaning than core words. They describe particular things.

Fringe words are usually:

• more specific verbs (“leap”, “dice”), and
• more specific adjectives (“elegant”, “delicious”)

Each individual fringe word is not used as often as a core word, so AAC systems are usually arranged with the core words on the first, or “home” page, and fringe words are located in other folders.

All fringe words are not equally important for every person. Everyone has certain subjects that they really love to talk about. The important things in our lives: favorite people, places, and thing. These words are different for each person. These personal fringe words need to be added to the AAC . We want to make sure these words are available and easily to reach in the fringe folders.

Also, all AAC systems should have access to a keyboard. This allow an AAC learner to start scribbling/writing with a keyboard as soon as possible. They can do this even if they haven't learnt to read and spell .

Core words, with easy access to fringe words and a keyboard, make up a balanced AAC system. This allows for powerful and independent communication for AAC learners.

4 challenges to teaching core words

For many years we have taught AAC users to make choices or name objects, so as an AAC community teaching the “fringe”/noun words seems to come easily.

Many people find core words harder to teach. These are our challenges:

• Core words are more abstract, and less “picturable”;
• Many core words have multiple meanings;
• When starting with a core word board , people may seem overwhelmed with all the words on one page;
• Choosing a place to start teaching core words can feel complicated.

So where do we start? The answer actually turns out to be simple - we teach core words by using them on the AAC system while we talk.

Modeling core words

Core words can be taught in the same way as any words on the AAC system. We model core words as often as we can in everyday situations. When modeling, we point to core words on our AAC system as we talk with AAC users.

Watch Amanda and Abby model core words on quick communication boards in poster.

As you start you may wonder: Which words should we model? What kind of word combinations should we model?

4 Strategies to teach core words

Here are 4 approaches to help you teach core words.

1. Choosing core words: Communication Functions

Choosing words based on different communication functions can be an effective place to start.

Often an AAC learners' communication development is restricted. This happens when we only model to request or make a choice. These are relatively easy to teach, and give learners early success. However, there is so much more to communication! What if all we could do was request? How much would we have inside that we couldn’t express?

Instead, let’s look at different communication functions! Consider all the different reasons we communicate. This helps us find many core words that will help an AAC user build language for communication.

Here are a few basic examples of using core words within some different communication functions.

Now, think about how you can put this into practice. What are the current communication functions the AAC user is using? Which different communication functions can you teach? Which core words would help achieve these?

2. Choosing core words: Activity-based

It can also be useful to select core words that are used to communicate during a specific, frequently occurring activity.

We do not need to develop an activity-specific board for this . Instead, let’s see if we can use our core words on the AAC system, with some use of fringe folders.

Again, here are some examples to get you started:

Now, think about how you can put this into practice. Think of an activity you do often. What core words could you add to your modeling? What core and fringe words could you combine for longer sentences?

For many ideas on how to integrate core words into common activities, go to the AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom . In particular, check out the Core Word Planners and Core Word 5 Minute Fillers.

3. Choosing core words: Core Word of the Week

Another way to structure the process of teaching and modeling core words is to schedule a set of words to focus on each week or month. This makes modeling more manageable. We should keep adding new words regularly. Combine these with words from previous weeks. In the end, we will teach a full vocabulary with many core words. The approach works because invariably, the team will find that any core word can be used many times throughout the day. In addition, each core word can be easily combined with other words to make many useful messages.

Core Word of the Week has recently become quite a popular approach. We can find many useful resources in this area.

Here are a few examples of core words to focus on and some example combinations that you can model:

To help you plan how to use this approach, here are a few things to consider: What core words might the AAC user already know? What additional core words would be functional and useful words to teach? Can your environment consider adopting the Core Word of the Week approach?

For many ideas on how to use the Core Word of the Week approach, check out the AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom . The Core Word of the Week Planners and Displays are designed to support this approach.

4. Descriptive Teaching Model

The Descriptive Teaching Model, developed by Gail van Tatenhove . It is a useful technique in many educational environments. It is a way of using core vocabulary to describe academic concepts, rather than programming a large number of specific fringe vocabulary words.

Often AAC users are asked to memorize specific nouns to answer academic questions. With this teaching strategy, the AAC user can combine core words to describe the concepts in the lesson.

For example, in a lesson about the life cycle of the butterfly, the teacher may ask the student about the chrysalis stage. The teacher could ask a closed question with one correct answer, such as “What is the name of the third stage of a butterfly’s life?”. To answer this question, the student has to have “chrysalis” programmed into his system, or at least have a paper choice board with the stages represented.

Using the Descriptive Teaching Model, the teacher could instead ask “What happens during the chrysalis stage?”. The student could answer using core words: “It sleeps inside.” ; “It changes to a new thing.”; “It turns pretty.” Each of these sentences shows that the student understands this stage of the life cycle. The student is also learning words they could use again.

The Descriptive Teaching Model has several advantages:

• It gives the AAC user more practice finding core words and combining them into meaningful sentences.
• Because modeling is also required, it requires the teacher to think about how to translate concepts into core words. This encourages teaching concepts at a deeper level.
• It requires the AAC user to think more deeply and creatively about a concept in order to describe it their own words.
• It saves time spent programming and learning how to find infrequently used words.

Do more with core!

All of these strategies encourage teaching core words in natural contexts . We model words to communicate during real, fun activities. This helps AAC users learn the meaning of core words and how to use them to communicate.

In the end, we all have the same goal for the AAC users – to give them the ability to communicate their thoughts clearly to anyone they need to talk to. Core words can do this!

Follow the links below for more strategies to build language and communication:

• Teach grammar
• Integrating specific literacy instruction
• Get practical ideas for building language

Links & References

• Ahern, Kate. (2015). Descriptive Teaching Model (DTM) . [Blog post]
• Ahern, Kate. (2012). Motivate, Model, and Move out of the Way! . [Blog post]
• AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom. (2016). Academic References . [Full reference list]
• Farrall, Jane. (2015). Implementation of iPads for AAC in a Specialist School . [Blog post]
• Independent Living Center WA. Core Vocabulary and Descriptive Teaching in AAC . [Handout]
• Marden, Jennifer. Teaching with Core Words: building blocks for communication and curriculum . [Blog post]
• Snodgrass, M., Stoner, J., & Angell, M. (2013). Teaching conceptually referenced core vocabulary for initial augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 29, 322–333.
• Van Tatenhove, G. M. (2009). Building Language Competence With Students Using AAC Devices: Six Challenges. Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 18(2), 38–47.
• Van Tatenhove, Gail. (2013). Core Counts: making activity based instruction count with core vocabulary . [Video presentation]
• Van Tatenhove, Gail. Extreme Makeover: The AAC edition . [Past presentation handouts]
• Van Tatenhove, Gail. Core Vocabulary with Emergent and Context-dependent Communicators in Special Education Classrooms . [Past presentation handouts]
• Zangari, Carole. (2013). Teaching Core Vocabulary . [Blog post]
• Zangari, Carole. (2012). Vocabulary Instruction In AAC . [Blog post]

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Strategies for Teaching Core Words in Speech Therapy (part 2)

March 3, 2020

In my previous post , we discussed several different contexts and ways to implement core words. Let’s talk about some specific research-based therapy strategies to help you while teaching core words in your speech therapy sessions.

1. Explicit Instruction

• When you introduce a new core word, be sure to explicitly teach the word before expecting the student use it.  
• MODEL how to use the word verbally, sign it, and use it on their device.
• Read a story that allows you to emphasize the word over and over .  Sing a song or watch a video that emphasizes the core word.
• Write it out.  Make sentences with the word using visual sentence strips.
• Talk about various situations in which you would use the word.

2. Active Participation

• Be sure and create multiple opportunities to practice the core vocabulary word and encourage active participation .  
• Don’t let your little friend just sit there and listen.  Hand over hand prompt the activities if needed.  
• Find objects, characters, and activities that your child is interested in to keep them motivated.  For example, if the student is obsessed with dinosaurs, put little dinosaurs inside of containers for practicing “open.”
• Choose multi-sensory activities to help them engage and increase recall of how to use that core word in context.
• Provide opportunities for using the word as an expressive communication tool in addition to receptive communication.  Show the student the power that the specific core word can give them .

3. Repetition is Key

• Provide lots of repeated opportunities to engage with the core word.  This builds pathways in the brain for understanding the use of that word.
• Encourage their teachers and families to use the core word as much as possible throughout their day (or week). 
• Create activities that allow the student to see, hear, and use the word in a variety of ways.
• TIP: Use highlighter tape on their board or device to emphasize the word you are focusing on.  This will help the students (and teachers) to access the word more quickly.

4. Reinforcement

• When teaching a new core word, it’s important to provide feedback that will help increase the skill you are trying to teach.
• Be specific when you provide verbal praise.  (i.e. Instead of saying, “Good job!”, try saying “Wow, you did great asking for help !”)
• Use an excited tone and vocal inflections.  Show those kids that you are impressed!
• Don’t forget: There is built-in communication reinforcement for using the word in a natural setting.  Communicating your wants usually gets you that want!
• Check out this post from Praactical AAC for more ideas.

I hope these strategies help you when teaching core words with your students! 

Grab a free sample of my core word sensory bin pack for the word OPEN in my free resource library! Make sure you’re signed up to access!

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Core Word Books for AAC

Core words or core vocabulary refers to the language that we use most frequently in our day-to-day communication. Reading books is a great way to teach core words; find a great list of books for learning them in this post!

• What are Core Words?

Core words account for approximately 60 - 80% of the words that we say every day. They include many different parts of speech, such as pronouns, prepositions, adjectives, and verbs. Nouns are not usually core words. Continue reading to see why. 

Core Words Versus Fringe Words

Nouns, and other words that are not considered core words, are often referred to as fringe words . Fringe words are vocabulary that are usually used in just one or a few contexts and not with the same frequency as core words. Lion and ice cream , which are nouns, could be examples of fringe words. 

A robust language system for an individual should contain both core and fringe vocabulary. Core vocabulary is used the most often but fringe vocabulary allows an individual to talk about specific things, events, or people relevant to their life and environmental context.

Why Do We Use Core Words?

Core words are usually flexible and used across multiple contexts. For example, the word go can be communicated when moving to a different location, leaving a location, and initiating an action. Go can be used at home, at school, in the community, while playing, and while completing activities of daily living (ADLs). 

Core Word Activities for Speech Therapy

The “Core Word of the Week” approach is a common way to target core words in speech therapy sessions, in the classroom, and other instructional environments. Using this approach, one core word (e.g., help ) is targeted multiple times over the course of the week to increase exposure to it and highlight how it can be used in different contexts.

⭐ Looking for a ready-to-go Core Word of the Week Lesson Plan?

Get over 90 pages of lesson slides & an accompanying instructional packet for 10 CORE WORDS! Available on TPT or included with the Premium Community membership!

Why to Use Books for Core Words Instruction

Regardless of if you decide to use a “Core Word of the Week” approach, picture books are still a great way to target core words.

Book with core words are useful for many different reasons:

• Predictability: Some picture books follow predictable patterns or have repetitive phrases. This predictability can help individuals who use AAC anticipate how core words may be used. 
• Visual Support: The visual support provided by pictures in picture books can aid individuals who use AAC in associating the word with its meaning. 
• Contextual Learning: Picture books provide a context for core words, allowing individuals who use AAC to see how these words are used in real-life situations. 
• Engagement: Many picture books are visually engaging and can capture the attention of individuals who use AAC, making learning more enjoyable.
• Repetition: Picture books often repeat core words throughout the story. This repetition helps reinforce the use of these words.

Books for Core Words

The following are picture books that can be used to teach and provide exposure to various core words.

Core words included:

Note: many books may be used to target more than one core word , which is why you may find some in multiple categories. 

1) Core Word : Eat

Books : 

• Llama, Llama, Yum, Yum, Yum by Anna Dewdney
• Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks

2) Core Word: Feel

Books: 

• The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
• How Do You Feel by Lizzy Rockwell
• Weather - Touch and Feel Board Book by Little Hippo Books

3) Core Word: Go

• Go, Train, Go! by Rev. W. Awdry
• Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley
• Let’s Go Mickey & Friends by Derek Harmening

4) Core Word: I

• Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
• Ruby’s Reunion Day Dinner by Angela Dalton
• Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

5) Core Word: Like

• What Do You Like? by Michael Grejniec
• I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont

6) Core Word: More

• Just One More by Jennifer Hansen Rolli
• Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson

7) Core Word: No

• No, David ! by David Shannon
• You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang
• I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont 
• No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli 

8) Core Word: On

• Bear On a Bike by Stella Blackstone
• Room On the Broom by Julia Donaldson 

9) Core Word: Open

• Dear, Zoo! by Rod Campbell
• Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

Lift and flap books are great for the core word open as well! 

10) Core Word: Play

• Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems
• Come Out and Play, Little Mouse by Robert Kraus

11) Core Word: See

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
• I See a Cat by Paul Meisel 

12) Core Word: Up

• Up, Up, Up! by Susan Reed
• Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss

13) Core Word: Want

• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

14) Core Word: Where

• Where is Bear? by Jonathan Bentley
• Where’s the Ladybug? by Ingela P Arrhenius

15) Core Word: Yes

• Yes Day! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• Yes by Jez Alborough 

Many books available via hard copy also have digital versions on YouTube! Using a digital book may be helpful for group instruction or situations where getting a physical book is not feasible.

More AAC & Core Word Resources

Cover all things AAC and feel confident in your skills - check out our other related blog posts!

• AAC Goal Bank for Measurable Treatment Goals
• Core vs Fringe Words
• AAC Group Ideas
• Modeling Without Expectation
• Aided Language Stimulation
• AAC Tips for Parents and Caregivers

This post contains some affiliate links and we are (slightly) compensated if you use them, but all opinions are our own. We appreciate the support!

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How I Do It: A Year of Core Words in Action

June 15, 2017 by Carole Zangari - Leave your thoughts

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For the past 15 years, I have been working as an SLP serving public school students who have moderate to severe disabilities or complex communication needs.  Several students benefit from various forms of augmentative communication, and in my years of work I have come to appreciate the flexibility that a robust, core word based system provides.  However, when starting out with a student, sometimes it is easy to get lost in ‘all the words’ and forget that expressive vocabulary learning is a critical piece of communication success.

For all of my students, I begin with a basic assumption that some sort of core word based system will provide the individual with the best opportunity to communicate a variety of messages (requests, comments, inquiries, exclamations, etc.).  But what is ‘core vocabulary’?.  A quick Google search provides a simple, elegant definition: Core vocabulary  is a small set of simple words, in any language, that are used frequently and across contexts (Cross, Baker, Klotz, & Badman, 1997).

Giving students core vocabulary, however, is just the start.  There is no guarantee that the student understands HOW to use these words, even though they have heard them and appear to understand others’ use of them.  Learning to use core vocabulary means not only comprehending the words, but understanding HOW to use them as well as WHERE to find them on the device.

An additional struggle arises when we realize that core vocabulary is not easily represented.  These are not, for the most part, nouns or specific verbs.  Instead, these are multi-purpose words, articles, carrier verbs.  Instead, teaching needs to focus on consistent use and motor planning.  Typical children develop speech by watching, listening, and hearing others use words in various contexts long before attempting to use words.  Similarly, AAC users benefit from seeing communication partners use the same ‘language’ to communicate.  As we model words, our students see how we use the words at the same time that they observe where to find those words.  It seems simple, but when asking a busy classroom teacher or overworked paraeducator to use this technique, it is not uncommon to hear them say ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘It’s too much to learn.’

So how can we, as speech and language professionals, address these concerns?  How do we teach these core words? How do we encourage modeling?  How can we make the best use of a robust vocabulary when given minimal resources?

After some probing, I realized that Princess had a good grasp of a few phrases and specific nouns, but was not able to independently use core words to construct meaningful messages.  At the same time, her inclusion teachers were interested in increasing her sight word recognition using Dolch sight word lists.  As I looked at these concerns, I had a small ‘aha’ moment – PrAACtical AAC’s “A Year of (Core) Words”.  I remembered reading about the lists and thinking that it was a good idea, but had not been able to implement structured teaching with my students with any success.  Maybe it was time to revisit.  At the same time, I came across a blog post from Speechy Musings (October 13, 2015) – “Increasing AAC Core Vocabulary Carryover”.  Soon, a plan was forming – I would use the PrAACtical AAC lists (which shared many words with the Dolch sight word lists) and the strategies suggested in the Speechy Musings blog to address Princess’s vocabulary and language deficits.

To encourage carryover, I would tape the ‘words of the week’ to the back of Princess’s device (each word had an illustration for retrieval so that she could practice on her own).  I would also send out an email to her teachers explaining the words, providing instructions for retrieval, and giving them ideas for eliciting these words in the classroom.  Because Princess spent much of her day in an inclusive classroom without paraeducator support, I felt it was most important that I informed teachers Bu I did not expect much modeling.

Since services for Princess were limited to the academic school year, it has taken over a year to complete the first 12 months.  Nevertheless, Princess has demonstrated visible growth in her ability to construct novel messages, describe pictures, and use core vocabulary to provide meaningful interactions.  In reviewing her progress this May, I determined that at the initiation of the project, Princess had knowledge of 7 “ A Year of (Core) Words ” words; this May, she was able to demonstrate knowledge of 85 of the 114 words we studied – that is, she could independently retrieve the word and use it appropriately in a phrase or sentence.

The PrAACtical AAC “A Year of Core Words” list has been a valuable tool to help me structure my own vocabulary instruction for my AAC device user.  I have also begun working on some group-based activities with these word sets, and next school year I will be conducting some language ‘fun’ groups in the self-contained classrooms I serve. I’m looking forward to expanding my ability to teach core vocabulary in a structured and thoughtful manner.  I am incredibly grateful for finding the PrAACtical AAC lists (as well as additional resources), as I know have a structure for teaching, and a clear plan for addressing how to teach meaningful use of high frequency words that will allow my students to increase their functional communication skills.

You can download Kim’s PowerPoint presentation on her experiences here .

Filed under: Featured Posts , PrAACtical Thinking

Tagged With: classroom , Year of Core Words

This post was written by Carole Zangari

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Project Core

A Stepping-Up Technology Implementation Grant Directed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies

Universal Core Communication Systems

The Universal Core vocabulary is a set of 36 highly useful single words that can be used alone or in combination to communicate for a range of purposes on countless topics with a wide variety of communication partners. The  Universal Core vocabulary  is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Several formats are available to support student access through direct pointing or touch, eye gaze selection, and partner-assisted scanning. High contrast versions are available to address the needs of some students with visual impairments and 3D symbols are available for students who are blind. Additionally, the Universal Core vocabulary is available on many communication apps and speech generating devices.

Universal Core Selection Tool

This tool is designed to help you determine which of the common Universal Core vocabulary formats might be a good fit for the student(s) you support.  After you answer the questions, you will be directed to the format that is likely a good place to start.

Communication App and SGD Product Keys

A list of application and SGD product keys that have been created by companies to assist with integrating Universal Core vocabulary with devices and systems your students may step into or are already using.

Three-dimensional (3D) symbols designed to represent select core words. 

36 Location Universal Core Communication Board

A layout designed for students to have personal access to all day to communicate, and for teachers to use while modeling. 

36 Location Universal Core Classroom Poster

The poster layout is best suited to small group or whole class instruction. 

4 Square Universal Core Communication Book

A 9 page universal core communication book with 4 words/symbols on each page.

9 Location Universal Core Communication Book

A 4 page universal core communication book with 9 words/symbols on each page. 

4 Inline Universal Core Partner-Assisted Communication Book

A 9 page universal core partner-assisted communication book with 4 words/symbols on each page. 

4 Corners Eye Gaze Universal Core Communication Book

9-page Universal Core book with symbols in each corner of see-through pages. 

6 Location Universal Core Communication Book

A 6 page universal core communication book with 6 words/symbols on each page. 

6 Inline Universal Core Partner-Assisted Communication Book

A 3 page universal core partner-assisted communication book with 6 words/symbols on each page. 

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A Fun Little Speech Blog with a Pirate Problem

• Therapy Materials

Toys and Activities to Target Core Vocabulary

April 24, 2017

Core vocabulary is an evidenced-based set of words particularly useful for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users. I’ve personally seen huge growth in expressive language skills of AAC users after only a few therapy sessions of instruction with core words. Core words are what make up 80% of our everyday utterances.  The power of core words lies within how versatile just one word can be in a variety of contexts. However, finding new and different ways to teach the use of core vocabulary is sometimes daunting. Here are some of the ways I’ve found success in teaching and encouraging carryover of five of my favorite core words. I’ll help you go beyond using “ want “.

*This post contains affiliate links.

(In this post I’m going to first list the core word then show you the toys I use to target it. I will also list some phrases in which to use the word to expand utterances.)

In my opinion, “put” is one of the most valuable, under-utilized core words – especially for the younger population!  I work with preschoolers and at that age they love being “busy”. Moving toys from one place to another, dumping containers, etc.

Pop up Pirate: “put” the swords into the barrel. Student must say what he’s going to do with the sword before being able to. (Also great for requesting what color sword he wants, if able.)

     Phrase options : “put in”, “put it in”,”put more in”, “put in (color)”, “I put”, “you put”

piggy bank: Fisher Price makes this toy and my kids LOVE it!  It makes adorable noises every time you “put” a coin in the pig’s slot.  It’s also very easy to occlude both the slot and the door from opening with one hand, in order to sabotage the situation and “force” a student to use his/her words!  “Put” the money into the pig.

     Phrase options : “put in”, “put it in”,”put more in”, “put in(color)”

weather bear/interactive books: I have these adorable books from Panda Speech on TpT. (I also have the Santa one!)

You can also use a “ weather bear ” or “ weather frog ” bulletin board set or even a doll.

     Phrase options : “put on”, “put it on”, “put on that”, “put on (body part)”

crafts: “put” glue on the paper, “put” the shape onto the picture, “put” the glitter on, “put” the craft on the wall when it’s finished. Every step of a craft you’re putting something somewhere. Take advantage and get lots of trials!

play food:  Melissa and Doug toys has a ton of variations of toys that have “embellishments”. Icing on a doughnut, candles onto a cake, etc. While playing “put” the pieces on each toy.  I also have this great set of cupcakes whose icing comes off.  I got it at CVS for $5! (The icing is a pain the the butt to get off, so kids ALWAYS need to request help.)

Phrase options : “put in/on”, “put it in/on”,”put more in/on”, “put in/on (color)”, “put on that”, “put on (body part)”, “I put”, “you put”

spinning top:   This spinning top is perhaps my absolute favorite therapy toy. All ages love it and few ages can actually work it independently 😉 Children must request that it “go” and describe that it “STOPped”.

     Phrase options : “top go”, “go more”, “it go”, “it stop”

wind-up toys: The same appeal of the spinning top is true for wind-up toys.

cars: Use any type of vehicle on any type of surface: road rugs, ramps, the floor, etc.

     Phrase options : “car go”, “go more”, “it go”, “it stop”, “car stop”

taking turns: Every game that involves turn-taking is an opportunity to model or require the word “go”.

     Phrase options : “I go”, “you go”, “me go”, “he/she go” (you get the idea…)

transitioning: Even if your student wasn’t enthralled with your activity that day, there’s an opportunity to use the word “go” when it’s time to leave speech.  Or when it’s time to “go” to speech!  (Or go to music, PT, art, etc…)

     Phrase options : “I go Speech”, “we go”, “go to PT”

CD player/youtube videos: Does your student have a favorite song or show?  Play it on your iPad randomly, but keep it out of sight and wait for his/her eyes to light up. Model “hear” and then show the video!  Stop it and wait for the student to request to “hear” music again!

     Phrase options : “I hear it”, “hear music”, “I want hear”, “I want hear it”

outside stimuli: I realized this when the classroom that adjoins mine had a music presentation that involved a bass.  When that instrument bellows next door, even the grumpiest students perk up! You can also talk about hearing familiar people in the hall – maybe his/her teacher or friend happens to be walking by.  Take advantage of the teachable moment that would have otherwise been a disturbance!

spinning top: The beauty of a  spinning top  is that most students can’t get it to work on their own.  They need your assistance! In order to get the top to spin, you put the handle in it, then “turn” it!  The student must tell you to do so.  I usually give my top three turns, so that’s three trials of the word!

     Phrase options : “you turn”, “turn it”, “turn please”, “help turn”

wind-up toys: The same is true for wind-up toys. Some children need your assistance to turn the handle in order to make it go. Saying they “want” the toy is great.  Give it to them. Then, when they can’t work it and hand it back to you, they must request that you “turn” the handle for them.

books:  Another great use for interactive books (or any motivating book) is that the student must tell you to “turn” the page.  The dialogue often goes like this in my sessions:

SLP: “Ok, that page is finished.  Now what do we do?”

Child: “Turn”

     Phrase options : “you turn”, “turn it”, “turn page”, “turn book”

taking turns:  Any game where you take turns, including the ones listed above, can also be used to elicit “turn”, as in “my turn”.

     Phrase options : “your turn”, “my turn”

latches:  I use this Melissa and Doug barn , however, you could use anything similar that has latches that turn. This, again, is a rather difficult door to open for little hands, therefore requiring adult assistance.

*Another tip for focusing on a core word is to use a sticky flag, like the one pictures above.  It’s a visual cue for where to point, rather than your own finger. You can also use fun Washi tape  , bright duct tape , or even painter’s tape to surround and highlight the word(s) you’re targeting. You can find the core vocabulary board pictured above here  or click the photo below.

Pop Up Pirate/Pop the Pig:  The appeal of these games is the popping. Instead of just waiting for the big finish, talk about it and build some anticipation as you play! After each turn ask, “Did he pop?” This is a great way to teaching responding to concrete yes/no questions, other than, “Do you want…?”

Phrase options : “no go”

Cariboo:  Each time a door is opened or a ball is placed in the blue hole is a fantastic time to ask, “Is there a ball in there?” or, “Did the treasure chest open?”

Phrase options : “no ball”, “yes ball”, “no open”, “yes open”.

I hope these tricks will give you some fresh therapy ideas to use with your AAC users or even those who are verbal. Thanks for reading!

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Reader Interactions

July 14, 2017 at 3:02 pm

Great ideas! I use most of these items and the kids stay focused on them. I’m glad you took time to share them, thank you!

July 14, 2017 at 3:57 pm

I tried to find toys that most SLPs already own and just give ideas on how to use with core vocabulary 🙂 Thanks for reading!

February 17, 2023 at 10:32 am

Love all of your ideas! Thanks for sharing!! Is there a link to the book with a photo of the “cat sleeping”? Thanks so much… Cheryl

April 9, 2023 at 12:07 pm

Hi! I’m so glad you like the ideas. I believe the book you’re looking for is here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Actions-1-2-Interactive-Books-to-Increase-MLU-Bundle-2418390

September 16, 2017 at 11:58 am

Great ideas! Thanks for sharing! Just what I needed for my AAC and autistic students!

November 8, 2017 at 8:19 pm

I’m glad you like them!

September 16, 2017 at 12:00 pm

By the way.. I inherited the pig toy as I’m in a new classroom, but don’t know how to work it. Does it take batteries? If so what size.

September 23, 2017 at 10:07 pm

No batteries needed! You feed it the hamburgers and push its head based on the number on the bottom of the burger. After her pops,make it skinny again by pushing his head again!

November 8, 2017 at 12:36 pm

This had some new ideas. Really appreciate for taking the time to share it! I’m from Sri Lanka and I would like to know whether I can purchase the wind-up toys from amazon?

Here is a set of 24 wind up toys on Amazon (affiliate link): http://amzn.to/2m7IYnW

February 25, 2018 at 5:47 pm

This is a great post! As someone who works with many AAC users who learn best through play and interactive books, it is refreshing to see a post that provides such a great list of activities and potential target words. This would also be a great resource for CFYs or SLPs who are currently in grad school.

February 27, 2018 at 12:01 pm

That is so sweet of you to say – thank you so much! I’m so glad you like it and found it a worthwhile read.

September 7, 2018 at 6:09 am

This was SUCH a great post. I’m so happy I stumbled upon it! This is my first year working with students who need AAC, and this really helped me think of ways to keep therapy interesting but incorporate some core vocab!

October 5, 2018 at 5:39 pm

Wonderful ideas for some toys that I already own! Now… how do you get your teaching staff on board?

October 9, 2018 at 8:48 pm

That can certainly be trying. I’ve found that inviting the teacher in to a therapy session to “see how well the child is doing!” (but really to also model your own modeling!) is helpful.

October 6, 2018 at 9:21 am

Wow these are great ideas and ways engage in authentic communication while having fun. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. I’m a visual person and would love to see some videos if possible. Do you have any or can recommend any?

October 9, 2018 at 8:47 pm

I’m sorry, I don’t have any videos (can’t take videos and post videos of students). Are you looking for videos of SLPs implementing core vocabulary specifically? I could do a mock session with my own daughter, but she’s typical and highly verbal so I’m not sure it would be too helpful haha

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• Literacy Based Therapy

• Speech Sounds

The Bookshelf

Resource library, how to pick vocabulary words for speech therapy.

How to Pick Vocabulary Words: What words?! Whenever I had a student who needed to work on vocabulary My mind started racing, ‘What words do I pick?’ ‘What are the right words to use? ‘. When writing a goal we need to know what we are tracking. You cannot simply write with ‘classroom vocabulary’, that ain’t gonna fly if your case brought to due process.

You must have a list of the words you are going to target and track progress.

Now, there are lots of resources out there. I have read books like Bridge to Vocabulary , Bringing Words to Life , Building Academic Vocabulary , and Teaching Vocabulary and found them so valuable. These have been wonderful resources and I highly encourage you to check them out. A common theme across them all is to make the vocabulary meaningful for the child.

Explain why these words are so important,

point them out in daily living, show their actual application! Choosing the words to target when it comes to working on vocabulary doesn’t have to be an ordeal either. One of the best and most practical places to find words is to look at their academic worksheets, read the directions, and focus on the verbs. Words like arranging, summarize, incorporate, detail, etc will pop up left and right.

These are examples of tier 2, functional vocabulary words. I do not assume that the students know these words despite having been surrounded for years. So, if you’re stumped on what words to choose, start here.

“Failure to understand instructional verbs and thus what a teacher or textbook is asking of a child has the potential of creating a rift in the child’s engagement with the learning process.” Lowman et al., 2018

Now, one of the most common questions after hearing this, ‘What verbs are the best to target then?’. So here is a list of instructional verbs, common for Kindergarten to 5th grade. Please keep in mind there are soooo many words available that our students are exposed to everyday, but if you need a jumping off point, then take a look at the list below.

I have also used these Vocabulary Kits with a lot of success too. I simply pick a word set and that is our focus for the year. The are research based so the vocabulary chosen aligns with the same academic practicality we need. This also includes scaffolded materials as well as a pretest/post-test. You can read more about this my Teaching Vocabulary in Speech Therapy post.

So when it comes to vocabulary, don’t stress. Words your kids need surround them all you have to do is to find the best fit for them.

Lowman, J., Stone, L. T., & Guo, J. (2018). Effects of interactive book reading for increasing children’s knowledge of instructional verbs. Communication Disorders Quarterly , 1-13. doi:10.1177/1525740117745639 .

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Meet Maureen

Hey there! I’m Maureen Wilson, a school-base SLP who is data driven and caffeine powered. My passion is supporting other pediatric SLPs by teaching them how to harness the power of literacy and data to help their students achieve their goals…without sacrificing time they don’t have.

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Awesome! Thank you so much for this information.

Thank you for sharing your expertise in this area. Your insights in this tiopic is very valuable and useful for SLPs like me who tries to squeeze out every precious minute out of their day for getting new ideas and ways of doing a well-used skill in fresh, new ways. The flashcards are certainly more than ready to retire, hahahahahaha!

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