We could write about core vocabulary every day and still not run out of things to say! I had some great responses to yesterday’s message about the use of core vocabulary so I wanted to follow up by sharing a terrific article written by Carole Zangari and posted at www.praacticalaac.org a few years back. In this message, she dispels some myths about core vocabulary and helps us to grasp the importance of using this evidence-based approach with our students.

Take a look…

When we first started writing about core vocabulary, it was largely due to the fact that most SGDs, AAC apps, and communication boards/ books had two big deficits. At the time, most of them lacked the words needed to function throughout the day and/or didn’t have the kinds of words that allow for progression of syntactic skills. Now things look very different. Over the years, the pendulum has moved quite dramatically and now core vocabulary permeates AAC systems that are considered to be ‘robust.’

That’s a lot of movement in a short period of time. When big changes happen rapidly, it stands to reason that there will be some cracks that open up. Misunderstandings, misinterpretations, misconceptions.

Here are some of the ones we’ve observed in the recent past.

1.      Core words are all that are needed in an AAC system. (Not in most cases. We all want to talk about the specific things in our lives – people, places, things. We can survive without those specific words, but why would we want to?!)

2.      It’s a developmental word list. (Not at all. Core word lists are frequency lists. They tell how often people in a certain age group used different words. The lists don’t tell us anything about which words were learned first by this group.)

3.      People need to be able to match pictures or receptively identify them in order to learn core words. (Not if there is good system design that honors the motor plan.)

4.      They’re the first words that should be taught to people with complex communication needs. (Not necessarily. For some learners, the initial path to successful communication is paved with the words representing specific things, people, and activities that they love.)

5.      They’re too abstract for learners with intellectual disabilities. (Nope. Not supported by the evidence.)

Core vocabulary plays a critical role for most people with complex communication needs, but it isn’t everything.