by Margaret Moore, PRC-Saltillo Ambassador
Thanksgiving always reminds me of the beginning of my AAC journey, of how I, a four-year-old preschooler, received my first device just before the holiday. I remember it so well because that was the first year I didn't need my mother or brothers to translate what I was saying when my family and I gathered for Thanksgiving dinner with friends, taking turns naming what brought us a sense of gratitude. I smiled and gave a surprised chuckle as the room burst into applause when I used my AAC device to say that I was thankful for my family, friends, and teachers.
When everybody had shared and began searching for dinner seats at one of the many tables set up in our friends' home, I was astonished to see many people claiming chairs at my family's table and even squeezing more chairs into the spaces between those that were already there. Most started asking me questions—how I liked school, what I liked to do for fun, and more. I was excited to type and speak my answers with my device, and I was even more thrilled to ask them about themselves and to tell jokes and make them laugh.
A great first step, speech pathologists, educators, and families traditionally introduce users to AAC by explaining that the devices will help them express their needs and hold conversations with others. It is always beneficial to take this further, though, framing AAC as a tool for revealing their intelligence and personalities. As a kid, I not only strove to reveal how much I knew by contributing to class discussions in school, but I also wanted to joke around and be funny (as an adult, I still have those same desires—I will never grow out of my sense of humor). Because my family, educators, and speech pathologists positively reinforced my instincts to use my device to share comedic sentiments with others in free moments at school and at holiday and recreational gatherings, it was easy for me to learn that AAC is an awesome tool with which to be myself, to show who I am, and to build connections with others.
I am forever grateful for the opportunity that AAC affords me to reveal my personality, my intellect, and my sense of humor. As we head into the holiday season, I hope other users take the opportunity to make their gatherings bright with conversations that showcase their unique intelligence and personalities.
Editor's note: We'd like to recognize Margaret as the 2027 Prentke AAC Distinguished Lecturer Recipient
https://www.atia.org/prentke-lecture/
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