Honoring Every Voice: Understanding Communicator Profiles and Support Strategies
This session is designed to explore the diverse ways students communicate. Participants will be introduced to the means and functions of communication, discover different communicator profiles through real-life examples and videos, and dive into a case study that highlights unique strengths and challenges. The session will also provide practical strategies and supports tailored to honor and enhance each student's individual communication style, whether they use speech, gestures, aided communication tools or a combination of methods. By the end of this training, educators and support staff will feel more confident in recognizing, respecting, and fostering authentic communication for all students.
Participants Will
- Identify the means and functions of communication, recognizing diverse ways individuals communicate.
- Analyze communicator profiles through example videos to explore unique characteristics and communication strategies.
- Explore how multimodal communication can be used effectively by different communicators based on their individual strengths and needs.
- Adapt communication supports and strategies to enhance engagement and promote independence for diverse communicators.
- Apply strategies from case studies to create individualized communication plans for diverse communicators.
Presented by Casandra Guerrero, M.S., CCC-SLP-L, Speech-Language Pathologist