by Megan | Mar 23, 2026 | AAC, aided language input, aided language stimulation, blog, books, emergent literacy, modeling, tips, training
When people think about reading with a child, they often picture sitting close, looking at the pages together, listening quietly, answering questions, and making it through the whole book from beginning to end.
But for many AAC users, reading together may not look like that at all.
It may look like glancing at a page and then looking away. It may look like listening while jumping on the trampoline or running around the room. It may look like smiling at a favorite line, reaching toward a picture, vocalizing during a repeated phrase, activating a word on an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, turning a page, repeatedly opening and closing the book, flipping quickly through the pages, or only reading one or two pages.
And all of that is still reading together; it all still counts.
All of these examples are just some of the reasons why I love talking about shared reading, and why it matters so much.
For AAC users, shared reading is about so much more than “reading the story.” It is an opportunity for connection, communication, language modeling, literacy learning, and participation in an experience that should belong to every child.
What is shared reading?
Shared reading is exactly what it sounds like: reading a book together in a way that invites connection, interaction, and participation.
It is not about asking a bunch of questions to quiz them on what they know, getting through every page, expecting one type of response, or any response at all. Instead, shared reading is a back-and-forth experience where the adult and child engage with the book together through pictures, words, AAC modeling, gestures, reactions, repeated lines, page turns, facial expressions, comments, and shared attention and enjoyment.
For AAC users, shared reading can be a powerful way to support both communication and literacy in a meaningful, accessible way.
My favorite part is that shared reading does not have to be rigid to be effective; in fact, it’s better if it’s not. It can be playful. It can be sensory-filled. It can be brief. It can be repeated. It can be adapted to meet the child where they are. It can look different from one child to the next.
That flexibility is part of what makes it so powerful.
Shared reading is more than story time
Shared reading is not a passive activity—something nice to do if there is time, or something mostly meant for entertainment.
Shared reading offers so much more than that.
It’s an opportunity to build language through meaningful language modeling.
It’s an opportunity to expose children to books, print, ideas, and vocabulary.
It’s an opportunity to create predictable routines around literacy.
It’s an opportunity to connect with another person around something enjoyable.
It’s an opportunity for a child to participate in literacy before they can read conventionally.
These are important opportunities for any child, but for AAC users, they are especially vital.
Shared reading creates access to language-rich, literacy-rich experiences right now, not later. It does not ask children to prove they are “ready” before they get invited in.
Shared reading is a literacy experience
Sometimes there is an unspoken belief that literacy instruction begins only after a child can attend for longer periods, identify letters, answer comprehension questions, or use AAC in a more conventional way.
But literacy does not begin only once a child “looks” ready.
Shared reading is a perfect way to introduce and build literacy from the very beginning.
When AAC users are included in shared reading experiences, they are being exposed to:
- books and print
- vocabulary and concepts
- story structure
- repeated language patterns
- connections between spoken language, AAC, pictures, and meaning
They are also learning something deeper: that books are for them too – and that message matters.
Shared reading helps lay the foundation for later reading and writing, but it continues to be valuable as learners continue to build their literacy skills. It gives children access to ideas, language, and literacy experiences before, during, and after conventional reading skills are in place.
Shared reading is also a communication experience
Another reason I love shared reading is that books are an incredibly natural place for AAC modeling.
During shared reading, we can model:
- core words like “look, turn, more, again, go, stop, like”
- fringe vocabulary connected to the story
- comments and reactions
- feelings
- actions
- opinions
- protests
And because favorite books are often read again and again, that language gets repeated in a meaningful context.
That repetition is powerful. It strengthens connections between the reader, the child, and the language being modeled. It also lowers pressure and builds familiarity. It gives learners more opportunities to see, hear, and experience language without needing to perform on cue.
Shared reading gives us another opportunity to use AAC in natural contexts and routines —not just for requesting, or answering questions, but noticing, commenting, enjoying, wondering, and most importantly, connecting.
Participation does not need to look one specific way
When thinking about what shared reading looks like, many of us may need to keep widening our lens.
Too often, shared reading is treated as successful only if a child:
- sits still
- looks at the book the whole time
- answers comprehension questions
- points to the “right” picture
- stays until the very end
But meaningful participation can look very different.
For AAC users, participation might mean:
- leaning in during a favorite part
- anticipating a repeated line
- smiling, laughing, or vocalizing
- turning the page, whether it is “time” to or not
- pressing a familiar word on AAC, even if it doesn’t seem relevant at the time
- choosing the same book again tomorrow
- protesting a part they do not like
- moving in and out of the interaction and/or area while still staying connected
These moments matter. They signal engagement and interest.
They are no less meaningful because they do not fit a narrow or traditional picture of what reading together is “supposed” to look like. In fact, when we recognize these moments as real participation, we make more room for authentic engagement and less room for compliance-based expectations.
Shared reading can support regulation and connection
Those moments are worth noticing.Shared reading is not only about literacy and language skills. It can also be a social and regulating experience.
There is something powerful about sitting with another person, sharing a familiar book, hearing a repeated phrase, anticipating what comes next, and being invited into the experience without pressure.
For many children, that rhythm and predictability can feel grounding.
This is why sensory supports matter. Positioning matters. Pacing matters. Emotional safety matters. Physical comfort matters.
Sometimes the most meaningful part of shared reading is not a correct answer or a measurable response. Sometimes it is that a child stays close a little longer. They relax into the routine. They re-engage after stepping away for a moment. They reach for the book again later. They smile at a favorite page.
Shared reading is a place to presume potential
One of the reasons I care so deeply about shared reading for AAC users is that it reflects something bigger: the belief that all children deserve access to rich literacy experiences.
Not later.
Not once they prove themselves.
Not once they meet a specific goal.
Now.
When we offer shared reading opportunities in thoughtful, accessible, supportive ways, we are sending a powerful message:
You belong here.
Books are for you.
Language is for you.
Literacy is for you.
That is the kind of message all children should receive over and over again.
You do not have to do this perfectly
If shared reading feels intimidating, I want to say this clearly: you do not have to do it perfectly for it to matter.
You do not need the perfect book.
You do not need the perfect setup.
You do not need a child to attend in one specific way.
You do not need to ask all the right questions.
You just need a starting point, a willingness to connect, and the belief that this experience is worthwhile.
Start with one book.
Read it again.
Model a few words.
Slow down.
Notice what the child notices.
Let the experience belong to both of you.
That is enough to begin.
Final thoughts
Shared reading matters for AAC users because it is not just story time; it’s so much more.
It is access.
It is connection.
It is communication.
It is literacy.
It is belonging.
And every child deserves that.
If shared reading with AAC users is something you want to feel more confident about, I created my e-book “Shared Reading with AAC Users: A Neurodiversity Affirming Guide” to help. Inside, I share practical, neurodiversity-affirming ways to make shared reading more accessible, meaningful, and enjoyable so you can feel empowered to start reading with your AAC users right away.
by Megan | Dec 31, 2025 | AAC, blog, modeling, prompt hierarchy, tips, training
It’s 2001, my first year as a speech-language pathologist, and I’m meeting one of the students on my caseload. I can still see her smile, and I remember thinking that she might be the happiest kid I’ve ever met. I was the only SLP assigned to that school, so I knew I’d be supporting a wide range of students. I just never guessed one would change my life forever.
Everything changed the day I met Marianna. She was an energetic third grader who had lots of friends, and it took her forever to get down the hallway as everyone who passed, adults or kids, stopped her to say “Hi”, comment on her outfit, or ask how she was. It didn’t matter that she moved through the hallway in a wheelchair or that she used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate. She was a third grader starting another day with her peers.
What struck me immediately was how easily she communicated with everyone, even when her AAC device wasn’t within reach. Watching her connect with a look, a grin, a shift of her body made me realize I’d been thinking about communication all wrong.
Marianna was in the general education classroom with a full-time aide, thriving academically and socially. I had never met a student who used AAC who was fully included, sitting beside same-aged peers and participating right alongside them. She sat toward the back of the room for space, her device mounted to her chair, her aide close by, classmates surrounding her at their desks. What I couldn’t stop noticing was how her inclusion felt normal, not performative, not fragile, just expected.
Each time I worked with Marianna, whether it was in the classroom or the speech room, it was clear to me that I was not the only one doing the teaching. I’ll never forget stiing with her, talking about a story that she was writing waiting while she composed the next part on her device. Her body could barely contain the excitement. With each hit of her switch, the anticipation built. She couldn’t wait to share her work with me, and I couldn’t wait to hear it.
I could tell a hundred stories about what Marianna taught me. But if I had to name the one truth that changed my trajectory, it’s this: access isn’t earned, it’s given.
No matter your role or title, you can always be both the teacher and the student.
What’s one thing a client has taught you?
by Megan | Mar 23, 2024 | blog, emergent literacy, tips, training
Don’t teach “letter of the week”!
I know that sounds like a bold statement but trust me when I say there is a better way that you can teach letters, the sounds they represent, and alphabetic knowledge, in general.
The new way to teach alphabet knowledge skills is through Letter of the Day!
I first learned about this concept while reading “Comprehensive Literacy for All ” (which, by the way, if you don’t have that book – grab it!) and it completely changed my way of thinking about this topic.
The idea is simple, you cycle through six cycles of the alphabet, teaching each letter one at a time, one day at a time. Through this cycle, you can introduce, teach, and highlight each letter of the alphabet more frequently throughout the year than when you focus on a letter for an entire week.
I have seen students flourish while using this method of teaching alphabet knowledge, developing deep knowledge and understanding of letters and the sounds they represent – plus, it keeps things interesting and fun!
Letter of the Day Cycles
Here are the six different cycles, rotated through every 26 days, and the suggested order of introduction:
Sequence #1: Letters are taught, one per day, beginning with the letters that appear most frequently in the names of students.
Sequence #2: Letters are taught in alphabetic order.
Sequence #3: Start with the letters that represent sounds that are in the letter names (i.e., b, p, f, m) and move to letters that represent sounds that are not in the name (i.e,, h, q, w, y) or represent more than one sound. (e.g., possible order could be: b, f, m, p, j, d, k, t, v, z, l, n, r, s, h, q, w, y, c, g, x, i, a, e, o, u)
Sequence #4: Teach letters based on the frequency of use in written English, beginning with words that appear least frequently. (e.g., possible order might be y, q, j, z, x, w, k, h, g, v, f, b, m, p, d, c, l, s, n, t, r, u, o, e, a, i)
Sequence #5: Teach letters in the order that typically developing children learn to say sounds in spoken English. Begin with sounds that children articulate earliest and move through the sounds for which articulation develops last. (e.g., possible order might be: n, m, p, h, t, k, y, f, b, d, g, w, s, l, r, v, z, j, c, i, a, e, o, u, x, q)
Sequence #6: Teach letters based on visual features that make letters easier or more difficult to distinguish from one another. Clusters of letters that are visually similar are taught across several adjacent days. (e.g., possible order: c, g, o, b, p, d, q, a, m, n, w, r, h, t, l, f, i, j, g, y, v, u, e, z, s, k)
Summary
While it seems like introducing a new letter each day, seems like it might be a lot more work. Initially, it might be, but the benefits of being able to target letters more frequently throughout the year and provide increased opportunities for learning about each letter, greatly outweigh the initial time investment. Also, once you start implementing these cycles, you can begin building a library and collection of activities that you can use with each letter.
Now that we know what the recommendations are for the sequences of introducing the letters each day, the next step is to learn how to introduce and run alphabet knowledge lesions right? Stay tuned for more information on that coming soon and don’t forget to download the free Letter of the Day Cycle Guide & Tracker, here so you can keep track of what letters you have focused on and what cycle you are working on.
by Megan | Jan 20, 2024 | AAC, blog, tips, training
I want to share my favorite AAC tip with you…
This tip is specifically for those who use an iPad as their communication device. If you have worked with anyone, specifically children, who use an iPad, you know that the “home” button can be very distracting, especially since pressing it will take you out of your communication app. If only there were a way to keep that from happening…enter “Guided Access”!
Guided access is a built-in setting within the accessibility features of all iPads. Once it is set up and enabled, the home button is essentially disabled, and if a user presses the home button, they will be prompted to enter a passcode to disable guided access. Before I continue rambling on about the greatness of guided access, let me show you how to set it up.
Open “settings” on the iPad.
On the left, scroll down to “accessibility” and select it.
On the right, scroll down to “guided access” and select it.
Once “guided access” is selected you can select “passcode settings” to set a passcode that will need to be entered to disable “guided access”. (You will be asked to re-enter the passcode to confirm.)
Once your passcode is set up, navigate to the communication app and open it.
With the communication app open, click the home button three times (triple click) to activate “guided access”.
When guided access is enabled and the home button is pressed, a written prompt will appear at the top of the screen to triple-click the home button to disable it.
If you triple-click the home button, a pop-up will appear, prompting you to enter the passcode you set during setup.
If you enter the correct passcode, you will be prompted to choose “end” or “resume” guided access.
If an incorrect passcode is entered, you will have to wait a designated amount of time before an additional attempt.
Bonus tip!
If the iPad “dies” or runs out of charge, guided access is automatically disabled. Therefore, it never hurts to periodically check to see if guided access is enabled. To do so, just triple-click the home button. If guided access is enabled, the passcode pop-up will appear. If guided access is not enabled, triple-clicking the home button will reactivate it.
by Megan | Jul 2, 2023 | AAC, blog, training
You know how you hear some things and think that they are just too good to be true? Well, getting a bunch of AAC apps for your iPad for free may sound too good to be true, but I promise you it’s both – it’s good AND true!
First things first, I want to share that some of these apps that are free are the “lite” version of the full app, meaning that they may not have all of the features that the full app has, such as speaking, editing, etc. However, these “lite” versions are great to access to help determine what a system looks like, how to navigate throughout it, etc as this may help you decide if you would like to pursue the app further for your child, student, client, etc. If you were to pursue the full purchase of an app that you trialed in the “lite” version then all of the features would be opened up and fully usable once the purchase was complete.
With all of that being said, there are some apps and companies that do provide FREE access to the FULL apps for various professionals working with AAC users to use for evaluation purposes. Angela Moorad, MS CCC-SLP, from Omazing Kids AAC, LLC has created an amazing resource that you can download for free from Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) that shares a variety of AAC apps as well as how you can access the “lite” version and/or the full version for evaluation purposes. You can find this TPT resource here: Free AAC apps chart. She also has a wealth of information on her website about this and a ton of other AAC resources so make sure you check that out too!
To reinforce the fact that this is not too good to be true, I have been following her chart and the information provided within it and have started adding new AAC apps to my iPad for evaluations without paying a penny! In order to gain access to some of the free, full versions of the apps, the various app development companies may have some additional training that you need to complete prior to receiving the code for downloading the app. These trainings, etc are very helpful to ensure that you know how to best utilize the app to best serve the students, children, and clients that you will be using the app with.
I will share more about the processes I complete while adding various AAC apps to my iPad in future posts so stay tuned!
by Megan | Jun 11, 2023 | AAC, blog, training
Let me tell you about one of my favorite AAC tools. It’s wonderful to have in your back pocket for assessments, goal writing, progress monitoring, and more – and best of all, it’s FREE!
I could go on and on about my love for this tool, but for now, let me introduce you to the Dynamic AAC Goals Grid – 3 (DAGG-3). Here’s a quick overview of what the DAGG-3 gives us:
- Provides a way to systematically assess/reassess current AAC skills
- Assists with the development of a comprehensive plan for increasing communicative independence for the AAC user.
- Ensures that all communicative competencies are considered in an evaluation.
- Shows patterns of strengths and weaknesses to help determine the next steps for intervention.
- Acknowledges progress toward independence.
- Presents a “big picture” view of every learner and helps develop communication goals for now and the future.
That’s a lot of goodness right there! Let’s break it down step by step and section by section. (It will be helpful if you are able to download the materials from the link above or at least have them open in another tab while reading through this information to get the clearest picture of each section and its use.)
Let’s start with how to use the DAGG-3 for initial AAC assessments. We start with the “Ability Level Continuum” guide. This guide is broken into five different levels: emergent, emergent transitional, context-dependent, transitional dependent, and independent. Each of these levels are further segmented into specific areas: understanding, expression, social interaction, literacy skills, and other.
This guide is completed based on the learner’s current AAC use, keeping in mind that a learner may be at different levels for each of the different areas. Information gathered from completing this guide gives insight into the learner’s current skills and strengths in each area. After completing the guide, you can summarize the findings and see an overview of how independent they are within each area. There is also a section where you can make notes of various communication characteristics you observed, other communication modalities they use, strengths, barriers, etc. Once this guide is completed, you move on to the next step – choosing goals to address in one or more areas.
Referencing the information gathered & summarized in the “Ability Level Continuum” guide, we use that information to choose potential goals for the learner, within each of the different communicative competencies. Sample goal ideas are provided both for each communicative competency (linguistic, operational, social, & strategic) and for different levels outlined in the “Ability Level Continuum” guide. A chain of cues prompting hierarchy is also provided for each goal and level so that you can indicate which level of cueing the learner currently needs.
Using the ability levels and chain of cues provides an opportunity to not only see where your learner is currently with their AAC use and their independence, but it also allows you to see the next steps to continue progression and independence within each competency.
Now that we know where our learner is in their AAC use journey in reference to each of the communicative competencies, how independent they are within each of these skills, and have looked at some possible goal ideas, it’s finally time to draft the goals and objectives!
Once again the DAGG-3 is here to help with worksheets that walk us through the goal writing process step by step. AAC Goal Worksheets are here to help us choose a skill from each of the communicative competencies that we selected within the AAC Goals Grid, adding in the communication partner(s), activity, prompting type, and criteria to complete the goal.
Talk about an all-in-one tool! Just using this one tool you have completed the AAC assessment, determined strengths and areas that need additional support, and written goals and objectives that will drive your treatment sessions! But, the goodness of the DAGG-3 doesn’t stop there! You can also use this tool for reassessments and progress monitoring – read on to find out how.
There are three different ways to look at reassessment & progress monitoring using the DAGG-3:
- Look back at the Dynamic AAC Goals listed by competency and mark any progress in the level of cueing. (Use a different color pen and/or mark the date of reassessment to denote progress monitoring.)
- Use the AAC Goals Periodic Progress Report to record progress in each competency area. Keeping track of the percentage of goals mastered within each competency area will help you track and see when a learner is ready to move towards a different independence level within each competency level.
- Using this information, review the goals you wrote using the AAC Goals Worksheet and revise as needed.
If you are still unsure on how to use the DAGG-3 there is a detailed instruction PDF that walks you through exactly how to use the tool included within the free resources.
By now I am sure that you are in love with the DAGG-3, just as much as I am but I have a surprise for you – there’s still more goodness to share!
- Not only is the DAGG-3 available in paper form, but it is also available digitally, still FREE, through the Pathways for Core First app. Within the digital version of the DAGG-3, you can create “users” for multiple learners, as well as print, save, email, and update individual information as needed. This digital version is a great way to reduce paperwork AND each goal within the goals grid has lesson plans and activity ideas that you can download to help you work with your learners towards achieving their goals! You can access the digital version of the DAGG-3 in the Pathways for Core First app here.
- Paired with the instructions is a sample report written with information gathered from the DAGG-3 to help you get started writing a comprehensive evaluation or progress report.
- Within the resources there are a TON of different sample activities and goals that are ready for use and aligned with each ability level and competency area, FREE and ready for you to download. (Here’s a tip, if you scroll down to the bottom of each competency area there is a link for you to download all the goals/activities at once so you don’t have to click on each one individually.)
All the steps involved in AAC assessments, selecting goals, progress monitoring, etc can be very daunting and time-consuming. Hopefully, this information and the DAGG-3, either paper or digital versions, will help you feel more confident in your ability to complete these tasks effectively and efficiently!
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