by Megan | Apr 27, 2026 | AAC, aided language input, aided language stimulation, blog, book recommendations, books, continuing education, core vocabulary, emergent literacy, fringe vocabulary, modeling, tips, training, Uncategorized
Shared Reading at Home: Simple Ways Parents Can Support AAC Without Pressure
Parenting can be exhausting. There is so much to do, and it often feels like time is running faster and faster each day. As a parent of an AAC user, this feeling may be amplified as you have even more on your plate. Between therapy, school, and daily life, “Shared Reading” can feel like just another chore on a long to-do list. Instead of adding more to your already overflowing plate, I want to reassure you that shared reading can easily fit into your daily routines, just as they are. Your home doesn’t have to look like a classroom; shared reading can be anywhere, from the backyard to the bathroom. Remember, the goal of shared reading is connection, not perfection. It doesn’t have to be a 20-minute session; it can be 2 minutes.
Reading in the “In-Between” Moments
Shared reading doesn’t only happen at a desk or a dedicated “circle time.” When we remember that the goal of shared reading is the connection between us and the learner, instead of the location or what it “looks” like, we can see that there are many different opportunities to engage in shared reading throughout the day and in various routines. Some actionable routine ideas that can be implemented into your already established routines include:
- Bath Time: Using waterproof books and modeling “wash,” “bubbles,” or “all clean.”
- Snack Time: Reading a cereal box or a simple book while eating.
- Bedtime: The traditional time, but keeping it low-pressure—focusing on cuddles and one or two core words like “sleep” or “turn.”
Don’t forget all the reading that can happen naturally while you are outside the home as well. Letters and words are everywhere, you can read:
- Labels at the grocery store
- Signs on a walk
- Logos of our favorite restaurants or places to go
Literacy is all around us, all the time!
Make Literacy Available, Not Mandatory
Have you ever been somewhere and find yourself picking up an item (or book), just because it is there and available? When we make books a part of the environment, something that is there “just because”, it helps make reading feel less forced and more natural. Children are more apt to initiate interactions with books if there is not a “demand” or “request” to use them. Leave some books out in various places, the car, by the toy bin, in a basket in the living room, at the kitchen table, even in the bathroom. I think you’ll be surprised how often you see your child gravitating towards the books, just because they can.
While we are talking about low demands surrounding reading, don’t feel pressure to read the whole book. It is perfectly ok for a child to read only one or two pages before moving onto the next, flips through the book quickly seemingly not reading, and/or move around the room while listening to you read. All of this counts as reading and should be celebrated!
Modeling Without Expectation
Now that we have access to books throughout the day and know that we are focusing on connection and embedding literacy into daily routines. Let’s talk about how to bring the AAC into this literacy party! I promise this one is easy and low demand too!
As a parent, your job is to show your child how they could use their AAC during shared reading, not to test. If you are not sure what to model, choose one word on the AAC device that matches something from the text or the illustrations on a page. Rest assured any word you pick is wonderful – there is no right or wrong word or words to model. After you model that word, wait for a moment, or don’t and keep reading. If your child doesn’t respond, that’s okay! They are engaged and connecting with you. They may still be “soaking it all in” and listening and not ready to respond yet. Don’t worry, the more they engage in shared reading, the more they will start to use their AAC too. Your model is the gift; their response is the bonus.
The Home Routine Planner
Need more ideas? Here are some specific examples of routines you can add a book to this week and core words that you could model during that routine:
Breakfast (or any meal time)
- Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Model: “eat”, “hungry”, “more”
Bathroom
- Model: “go”, “help” “all done” or “finished”, “on”, “off”
Play time
- Read: books about topics they enjoy – literally any book will work here
- Model: “turn”, “more”, “like”, “don’t like”, “again”, “look”
Car rides
- Read: Go Dog Go, Little Blue Truck series, Construction Site series
- Model: “go”, “fast”, “slow”, “turn”, “like”, “stop”
Bath time
- Read: Five Little Monkeys Jump in the Bath, waterproof books work great here too!
- Model: “in”, “on”, “off”, “like”, “more”, “out”
Bed time
- Read: books about topics the enjoy – literally any book will work her
- Model: “turn”, “more”, “like”, “don’t like”, “again”, “look”
Remember, you don’t have to do all of this at once, you can take it one routine at at time. And if modleing on the AAC in the routines seems overwhelming, know that you can stick to the “one word” rule: pick one core word for any routine and stick with it for the week. By the end of the week I can guarantee you that you will feel more comfortable modeling that word while reading and incorporating the AAC into shared reading overall!
If you’d like to learn more about shared reading and AAC users, my e-book, Shared Reading with AAC users, gives tangible examples and ideas on how can get started with shared reading with your AAC user.
Before you go, share in the comments: “What is the most ‘unusual’ place your child has ever asked you to read a book?”
by Megan | Apr 20, 2026 | AAC, aided language input, aided language stimulation, blog, book recommendations, books, continuing education, core vocabulary, emergent literacy, fringe vocabulary, modeling, Sensory, Sensory extension activities, tips, training
When “Just Reading” Isn’t Enough
You picked the book, prepped the materials and set up the environment and feel ready to start shared reading with your AAC user. But, when you get started, the learner keeps moving around, wants to stay on the same page, flip through pages quickly and closes the book again and again.
Before you take this as a sign that the learner is “checked out”, not interested or that you need to revamp your entire lesson, take a moment to reflect and think about why they are doing those things. I can guarantee you that they are not doing those things to make the shared reading experience more difficult. They are showing you what they need in order to keep their body calm and regulated and allow themselves to focus on the AAC device and/or story.
When we provide sensory supports for the learner during the shared reading experience, we not only help learners stay calm and regulated, we provide anchors that keep them present in the experience.
Proprioceptive & Vestibular Input (Moving while Reading)
For some learners, movement is a prerequisite for attention—they literally need to move their bodies to process what they hear. If your learner struggles to sit still, try these shifts:
- Adaptive Seating: Offer a bean bag, wiggle cushion, stool, or even a swing during storytime.
- Action Modeling: Incorporate movement into the story itself (e.g., “The bear is jumping! Let’s jump!”).
- Change of Scenery: Move to different parts of the room for different chapters or pages.
Remember: Just because a learner is moving doesn’t mean they aren’t listening. For many, the movement is exactly what allows them to stay tuned in.
Tactile Anchors (The “Touch-and-Feel” Beyond the Book)
Other learners may need or prefer additional tactile stimulation to get and keep them engaged during shared reading. Giving hands something to do often gives the brain more space to focus on language. Here are some ideas to increased tactile input during shared reading:
- Story Bins: Create “literacy kits” with items representing the story, like soft fur for a bear or a small cup for tea time.
- Themed Fidgets: Provide fidgets that match the book’s theme to keep the learner’s tactile system engaged with the topic.
Sensory Minimalism: Reducing the Noise
While we are thinking about the different things we might need to add to help make shared reading more sensory friendly, there are also some things we might need to decrease. While some learners might seek out visual and auditory input, too much of this type of input can also be overwhelming for some. Knowing our learners and their sensory preferences, allows us to reduce the “sensory noise” so that the AAC voice and the book can be the stars. Here are some actionable ideas you can use to help decrease the auditory and visual distractions:
- Lighting: Use a reading lamp instead of harsh overhead lights.
- Auditory: Minimizing background noise
- Visual: Using a dedicated “reading rug” to define the space.
The “Low-Tech” Sensory Kit
Before you start thinking that you need to go out and buy a bunch of new things to revamp your room, area, etc. take a look around your home or classroom, you probably have a lot of items you can use to support sensory needs during shared reading.
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- Comfort: Pillows, blankets, cushions
- Movement: rocking chairs, wiggle seats, trampoline, swing
- Tactile: Various textures and/or items that the learner can feel and interact with while reading – bonus if they are related to items within the story.
- Tactile: Preferred fidget items
- Movement: Different areas that you can move to throughout the reading if needed or a specific place that is your “reading area’.
- Lighting: dimmable lights or light from lamps instead of overhead lights
- Auditory: quiet space, headphones
The possibilities are endless!
Once you get started seeing things from a “sensory lens” you will come up with many more ideas that are personalized to your learner than I can list here. You are the expert on your learner. These tools simply help their environment match their needs.
If you are interested in learning even more about sensory supports and how they can make shared reading accessible and engaging and want to see some examples of sensory based literacy kits you can check them out in my store.
Before you go
Share with us in the comments: “What is your learner’s favorite sensory support during storytime?”
by Megan | Apr 13, 2026 | AAC, aided language input, aided language stimulation, blog, book recommendations, books, continuing education, core vocabulary, emergent literacy, fringe vocabulary, modeling, Sensory, tips, training, Uncategorized
The “Perfect Book” Trap
If you’ve ever found yourself looking at a bookshelf filled to the brim, feeling overwhelmed and wondering “Is this one right for shared reading with my AAC user?”, you are not alone.
Since “AAC friendly” isn’t a category that books are organized into, at the library or bookstore, we need to shift our way of thinking when browsing. Choosing a book isn’t about it being “AAC friendly”, it’s about it being engaging, interesting and fun for both you and the AAC user.
My goal for this post is to simplify the process of choosing a book to read with your AAC user and reassure you that there is no “perfect book”. Once you realize that, you can spend less time searching for books and more time reading them. Here are the three pillars I use to find books that naturally invite communication.
1. High Predictability
One of the first things I look for is how much predictability is built into the story. Predictability reduces the “work” a learner has to do to follow the story, which leaves more room in their brain to think about what they want to communicate.
This predictability usually looks like repetitive lines or a rhyme and rhythm that creates a natural pause for the AAC user to chime in. Think of classics like:
- “But the bear snores on…”
- “But he was still hungry.”
- “There was an old lady…”
- “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”
Pro Tip: If you find a book you love that isn’t predictable, you can make it predictable. Simply choose a repeated comment, request, protest or sound effect to say on every single page. Suddenly, any book becomes accessible!
2. Core Word Capacity (Moving Beyond Nouns)
A common mistake is picking books just for labeling (like “dog,” “cat,” or “truck”). While nouns are great, Core Words (verbs and descriptors) are the words that give a learner power across their whole day.
I look for “Action-Heavy” or “Emotion-Heavy” books. For example:
- Go/Stop: Great for any book about transportation or animals moving.
- In/On/Under: Perfect for lift-the-flap books or “hide and seek” stories.
- Like/Don’t Like: Excellent for stories about picky eaters or characters with strong opinions.
Modeling “go” or “scared” gives your learner a word they can use in a hundred other situations outside of this specific book.
3. Visual Clarity & Sensory Considerations
Finally, consider the visual and sensory “load” of the book. This is highly personalized. Some readers may prefer real photographs, while others find very busy, detailed illustrations distracting.
The Sensory Anchor: If a book has different textures or interactive elements, it is almost always a “sure thing” for me. These elements act as an “
My “Three-Question” Quick Filter
Next time you are at the library or bookstore, use these three questions to find your next great read:
- Does it have a repeating phrase (or can I create one)?
- Can I model at least 3 core words easily and repeatedly?
- Is the topic actually interesting to the learner? (This is the most important rule!)
DOWNLOAD THE QUICK-FILTER CHEAT SHEET HERE
Start browsing confidently!
You are ready to start checking out books with confidence, knowing that engagement matters far more than “perfection.”
If you want to dive even deeper into the “how-to” of shared reading, my e-book, Shared Reading with AAC Users: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Guide, walks you through everything from setup to tracking progress.
One more thing before you go… share in the comments: What is the one book your learner requests over and over?
by Megan | Dec 16, 2023 | AAC, aided language input, aided language stimulation, blog, continuing education, core vocabulary, fringe vocabulary, modeling, prompt hierarchy
It’s the busiest time of the year! Wrapping up the year, buying gifts for all you love, finding time to celebrate with all your friends and family, you may feel like you are running around endlessly, the last thing you should have to worry about is making sure you have all of your continuing education units (CEUs) done to renew your licenses and certifications. 🤪
Before you close this window and start running around again, take the time to read to the end of this post, ‘cause I’ve got a way for you to rack up a bunch of CEUs for FREE! **Bonus if you want to learn more about AAC – these CEUs are AAC focused**
Ready to get started? Here we go!
- You will be redirected to a login page where you can create an account or, if you have an account within any Tobii Dynavox or Boardmaker programs, use that account login and password.
- After you log in you will be redirected to the Learning Hub, where you can start racking up those CEUs! Click on “Course Catalog” to see all the courses offered.
- Once you see the list of courses, you can also open the categories further to see additional specific courses.
That’s it – you are ready to rack up a bunch of free CEUs to finish out your requirements for the end of the year, or whenever you need it!
If you work through any of these courses and find one that you really like, let us know in the comments so we can check it out too!
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