This event is virtual, Zoom, and the link will be sent a couple of days prior to 11/1/2021.

Title: Understanding and nurturing the Communicative Competence of Learners with Significant Disabilities

Presenter: Philip Schweigert

Description: The first portion of the session will focus on assessing levels of communication for learners at the non-symbolic or early symbolic level of communication. The Communication Matrix (Rowland, C., 2006) will be used to review the assessment process and how to target levels for instruction and programming. The second portion will present participants with a variety of examples of learners at various pre-symbolic stages and intervention strategies to further their communicative abilities. It will also discuss the transition from pre-symbolic to emerging symbolic communication and describe interventions designed to promote the learners continued progress at this stage of expressive communication development