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Goal

Many of our schools currently have the Story Champs Narrative Language program, implemented by speech-language pathologists. However, a significant amount of our students have limited or no verbal skills but instead rely on Alternative and Augmentative communication devices as their voice. Our goal is to implement the Story Champs program to enhance narrative skills in preschool and school-age children using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. This program aims to develop language and comprehension skills, expand the use of AAC for academic and social communication beyond simple requests, improve AAC navigation and general use, teach flexible use of categories like characters, settings, emotions, actions, and modifiers, and foster multi-symbol utterances and complex syntax.
 

Category

Learning Aids - Sunshine state book sets, robotics kits, puzzle boards, science models, engineering supplies, etc. 

What will be done with my students

Planned Activities:

Assessment and Baseline Data Collection: Evaluate students' current AAC use and narrative skills to establish a baseline.

Story Champs® AAC Program Implementation: Conduct regular, structured storytelling sessions using Story Champs® AAC materials. Use engaging, age-appropriate stories to teach narrative structures, including characters, settings, problems, actions, and resolutions.

Skill Development: Guide students in constructing multi-symbol utterances to describe story elements. Practice navigating AAC devices to select appropriate symbols for different story parts. Encourage the use of complex syntax through modeled and guided practice.

Flexible Categorization: Teach students to categorize story elements flexibly, enhancing their understanding and ability to communicate diverse narratives.

Functional Communication: Provide opportunities for students to use AAC in academic and social contexts, moving beyond basic requests to more complex interactions.

Differentiation and Individualization: Tailor activities to meet the needs of diverse learners, ensuring that each student can progress at their own pace.

Progress Monitoring: Regularly assess students' progress in narrative skills and AAC use. Adjust instruction based on data to support ongoing development.

Generalization and Application: Facilitate opportunities for students to apply their narrative skills in various settings, such as classroom activities and social interactions.
Encourage collaboration with teachers and peers to reinforce skills learned.

Family and Caregiver Involvement: Provide training and resources for families to support narrative skill development at home. Share progress and strategies to ensure consistent support across environments.

By engaging in these activities, students will enhance their ability to communicate effectively using AAC, improving their overall academic and social communication skills. 

Benefits to my students

Students will experience several key benefits from using the Story Champs® AAC program. They will learn to use their AAC devices for more than just making requests, enabling better overall communication. By practicing storytelling, they will enhance their ability to talk about characters, settings, actions, and emotions. This program will help them use more words and longer sentences, improving their language skills. Designed to be engaging and adaptable, the program fits each student's needs, making learning fun and effective. As students practice, they will gain confidence in using their AAC devices to communicate both in class and with friends. Additionally, families will receive guidance on how to support their children at home, ensuring consistent practice and reinforcement. 

Budget Narrative

Story Champs AAC Expansion Pack (20 quantity) will be purchased at a total cost of $1860.00

Total Shipping Cost is $29.63

Total Cost of Project: $1889.63 

Items