The Expand Program – Before the Program by dave | Jun 12, 2020 | 0 comments The EXPAND program is about challenging yourself to increase your modelling fitness and EXPAND-ing the number of opportunities that you provide for your child/person to learn. We think it’s helpful for you to track your progress and celebrate success, and so we’ve provided you with a self assessment survey to complete before and after the program. The survey has quite a few questions but it is designed to focus your thinking about how you and your child/person interact before starting the program. There is also a quick self reflection survey at the start of each new module. This information is for your own use. If you’d like to keep track of your progress, please print your answers as they show on the screen after completing the survey. It will not be available to download after the program, so you will need to save it as you go. By participating in EXPAND, you agree to your de-indentied survey data to be collected for overall program review purposes. Any personal information is removed and scores are only collated for aggregate data. In order for these surveys to be of benefit to you, please answer the questions honestly. Base your answers on what you usually do, rather than what you think you should do. Your starting point and the progress you and your child/person make is a personal thing, not a competition with anyone else. This program is designed to help you make the changes needed for longer term gains. Changing and maintaining habits is the key to success in this program. Your Email Address (to receive a copy of your answers) Please enter your child/person’s current age (in years and months):Please enter your child/person’s diagnosis (if applicable):Please enter your relationship to the child/person (e.g. mother, father, older sister, support worker, teacher, teaching assistant, speech pathologist, etc.):Please list 3 words to describe your child/person who uses AAC (their personality):Please list 3 things your child/person who uses AAC is interested in:Questions about your child/person’s communicationHow long has your child/person being using their current communication system? 0 - 6 months 6 - 12 months 12 - 18 months 18 months - 2 years More than 2 years I don't knowWhat would you estimate is the number of words your child/person expresses either as spoken words, signs and/or symbols? (combined total) 0-20 20-40 40-60 60-80 80-100 More than 100 I don't knowWhat would you estimate is the most common length of message that your child/ person who uses AAC expresses? My child isn’t using symbols / words / gestures expressively yet 1 word / symbol / gesture messages Combines 2 symbols / words / gestures Combines 3-5 symbols / words / gestures Combines more than 5 symbols / words / gestures I don't knowWhat is the most common way your child/person tells you quick messages like “more, stop, finished, help”? (give your best answer): Uses speech or spelling. Uses symbols on communication book/device or signs. Uses gestures that most people would understand. Uses facial expression, body language or voice sounds to tell me. I know their behaviours and I can guess from what they are doing. Doesn’t do this yet (I haven’t seen them do this yet) I don’t knowWhat is the most common way your child/person gives their opinion like “I like it, funny, beautiful, I don’t like it, scary, sad, etc”? (give your best answer): Uses speech or spelling. Uses symbols on communication book/device or signs. Uses gestures that most people would understand (e.g. pushes something away, pretends to laugh, claps, etc) Uses facial expression, body language or voice sounds to tell me. I know their behaviours and I can guess from what they are doing. Doesn’t do this yet (I haven’t seen them do this yet) I don’t knowWhat is the most common way your child/person complains or tells you something’s wrong like “something hurts, I don’t want to do it, sick, uncomfortable, etc”? (give your best answer): Uses speech or spelling. Uses symbols on communication book/device or signs. Uses gestures that most people would understand (e.g. points to sore leg and cries or shows a sad face). Uses facial expression, body language or voice sounds to tell me. I know their behaviours and I can guess from what they are doing. Doesn’t do this yet (I haven’t seen them do this yet). I don’t know.What is the most common way your child/person asks you to do actions like “come, go, play, jump, etc”? (give your best answer): Uses speech or spelling. Uses symbols on communication book/device or signs. Uses gestures that most people would understand (e.g. a throwing action, or beckoning someone to come). Uses facial expression, body language or voice sounds to tell me. I know their behaviours and I can guess from what they are doing. Doesn’t do this yet (I haven’t seen them do this yet) I don’t knowWhat is the most common way your child/person asks to do activities like “watch TV, play with toys, read a book”? (give your best answer): Uses speech or spelling. Uses symbols on communication book/device or signs. Uses gestures that most people would understand e.g. point to or bring an activity to you, act it out, etc). Uses facial expression, body language or voice sounds to tell me. I know their behaviours and I can guess from what they are doing. Doesn’t do this yet (I haven’t seen them do this yet) I don’t knowWhat is the most common way your child/person asks to go somewhere like “their bedroom, park, shops, etc”? (give your best answer): Uses speech or spelling. Uses symbols on communication book/device or signs. Uses gestures that most people would understand (e.g. gets car keys, leads adult to the door). Uses facial expression, body language or voice sounds to tell me. I know their behaviours and I can guess from what they are doing. Doesn’t do this yet (I haven’t seen them do this yet). I don’t know.Questions about using your child/person’s AAC system How many times a day do you use your child/person’s communication system to talk to them about something? (model) 0 - 5 5-10 10-20 20-30 30 or more I don't knowHow often would you model: Quick words like “more, stop, finished, help”? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Giving opinions like “I like it, funny, beautiful, I don’t like it, scary, sad, etc”? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Complaining or telling that something’s wrong like “Something hurts, I don’t want to do it, sick, uncomfortable, etc”? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Asking for actions like “come, go, play, jump, etc”? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Asking to do activities like “watch TV, play with toys, read a book”? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Asking to go somewhere - like “bedroom, park, shops, etc”? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Asking questions? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Naming things? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysHow often would you model: Sharing information like telling about things that have happened or are going to happen? Never Rarely Sometimes Often AlwaysWhat would you estimate is the most common length of message that you model to your child/person? (i.e. the messages you use their book/device to say, not what they are doing themselves). 1 symbol message 2 symbol message 3 -5 symbol message More than 5 symbol message I don't knowIn which situations do you usually find time to chat with your child/person using their AAC system? Please select the top 3.For Other situations please detail in this questions comments. Dinner table/mealtimes Bedtime On the couch During play activities During outside activities At preschool/school At a friend or relative's house When I’m with other AAC users Out in the community (list locations most common in the comments box below) During therapy sessionsWhat sorts of things do you talk about with the child/person when modelling with their system? Please select the top 3.Other topics – if so, please specify (Please also use this comment box to list any topics or activities to expand on questions above, if selected) Talking about what we are doing – i.e. daily living activities, Asking for things, activities or people Naming the activity we are doing Using words to talk within specific activities (e.g. using a play dough page or mealtime page during that activity) What we see on TV Topics my child/person chooses to talk about Topics that I choose to talk about Events / activities that have happened during the day Events / activities that are coming up Topics my child is learning about at preschool/school What is in the news Topics that other people are talking about – to my child/person Topics that other people are talking about – not necessarily about or including my child/person My child/person’s special interests - please list topicsWhat might limit you from modelling a wide variety of topics and messages to your child/person? Please select top 3. Lack of time I forget to use the device / have it out I'm not sure what to model I have difficulty finding words in the device / book I'm not confident use the device / book I don't know which words to model I feel self conscious in public or around others Other (please list below in the comments)Please rate the following statement: I find it easy to find words in my child/person’s device when we’re talking Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I enjoy using my child/person’s device to interact with him/her Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: My child/person always has their device with him/her Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I feel like AAC is beneficial for my child/person Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I feel self-conscious using my child/person’s device when out in public Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I feel confident using my child/person’s device to talk to them Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I think modelling will help my child/person learn to use their device Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I often model using my child/person’s device Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: My child/person sees their device as their voice for all occasions Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: We would be lost without the device/book Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: Using the device/book makes it easier for me to interact with my child/person Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: It’s hard to find the time to use my child/person’s device Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I feel like AAC is cumbersome and may not be worth the effort Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreePlease rate the following statement: I feel like I know my child/person’s personality Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agreeTime is Up! 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