Parents play a critical role in the child’s communication journey, as they are the primary communication partners in the child’s life and spend the maximum amount of time with the child. This section has been developed to guide parents, if their child is starting to use Avaz, and to provide strategies and methods to help implement Avaz at home. This guide has been developed under the guidance of Octave Hearing & Speech Centre, Bangalore



Who is Avaz appropriate for?

We believe that Avaz can be considered for individuals of any age range, starting from as young as 2-2.5 years. It is appropriate for any individual with speech impairments - e.g. Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Intellectual impairments, Down's Syndrome etc.

It has been our sincere attempt to put across experiences and best practices of families and professionals from diverse backgrounds backed by empirical evidence to create this guide. We do understand that no single solution fits all; however we do believe that  this document will at least give you the initial direction to begin with using the Avaz app. 


The app can be completely personalized to suit every child's unique preferences (e.g. favourite foods, toys, activities etc.) through simple, yet powerful customization options. The app also supports every child's individual support needs (cognitive, visual, motor needs) through an appropriate set of options in Settings. 


What's possible with Avaz?

Let's begin with the possibilities that Avaz can offer! 


Watch this inspirational video by Smrithy Rajesh to see how she's used it to improve communication skills for her son Advaith. See how she has personalised Avaz for her child's needs, and how he uses it effectively to communicate his needs and wants. 




Watch more videos of Avaz users using Avaz to communicate, shop, play etc.


GETTING STARTED


1. Starting Tips

Before you start using Avaz, it's important to go bear these points in mind - Starting Tips. 


2. Set up Home Screen vocabulary in Settings

    Go to Menu > Settings > Home Screen Vocabulary. Select the vocabulary for Home screen.


3. Personalize Avaz with your child's favourite items

Personalizing Avaz is an important step for successful communication intervention. 

Personalise Avaz for vocabulary by adding some of the child’s favourite items. Seeing familiar and favourite items motivates the child to communicate and helps them have more meaningful conversations. 

What items do I add to Avaz to personalise (customise) Avaz for my child?


How to personalize Avaz?

If the above video does not please click here to view - How do I personalize Avaz for my child?


3.  How do I teach my child to use Avaz?

Before you teach your child how to use Avaz, you (the communication partner) need to know how to use it yourself. So practice with Avaz, when the child is  away or asleep. Explore the vocabulary and practice communicating with Avaz, with a partner so that you feel comfortable while using it with your child. Let parents use Avaz to communicate with each other, for better practice. Remember that unless you know where the words are located in the hierarchy, you will be fumbling to find the word while modelling.


4.  Key strategies for communication intervention

    Here are two key strategies that are the most important ones for daily communication exchanges.


    a) Modelling - Model, Model, Model the use of AAC everyday

The core strategy which is most effective for teaching the child to communicate is called Modelling or Aided Language Stimulation or Aided Language Input. Simply put, it means that you (the communication partner) have to "model" the use of the app to the child, by using it yourself to demonstrate the use. Every day is filled with communication opportunities for the child. As you go about your day with your child, use the words in Avaz, while also speaking to your child. The child learns to use the words in the App by observing how use the same for expressing yourself. Click here to know What is modelling. 

Click here to read about How do I do modelling? and Modelling strategies.


b) Prompting

It is very natural tendency to provide a prompt to guide a new user to learn a particular action. However there is a method and science to providing prompts. There are different types of prompts that you can use to motivate the user to learn and succeed.

    Click here to read more- How to give prompts? Prompting strategies


5. How do I introduce Avaz in my child's daily life?

We suggest a combination of approaches or streams to developing the child's communication, emotional expression, while also developing language. You can follow either of these streams or a combination of both, as you may find suitable for your child's needs:


I Language through daily activities 

The daily activities of the child provide a great opportunity for developing language and communication for the child! Model the use of core words for each activity. With consistent usage, the child learns the use and meaning of the various words modelled to them. 


     How to teach core words during daily activities?

    

     If you want to learn more about Core words:    


II Language through Functional communication


A) Developing Communication skills

What are communicative functions?

Start with each communicative function and practice them for a week or two, while slowly adding more words to model for the child. 


B) Developing Social skills and interactions

This section can be done in parallel with the above communicative functions, as they pertain to developing social skills. Based on the child's needs, the appropriate skills can be started. 

C) Developing other concepts

Given below are additional concepts that can be taught:

  • How to teach colour?

  • How to teach shape?

  • How to teach the concept of numbers or counting? 

  • How to teach picture descriptions?

  • How to teach telling the time? 

  • How to teach money concepts?

D) Moving to literacy

What is Shared reading and how do I practice it?

Predictable chart writing

Independent reading

Independent writing


NOTE: Handling behavioural issues

Some children require prior preparation for what is about to happen. Hence use the of social stories or visual schedules can facilitate in helping them be better prepared and also settling them down, preventing behavioural issues later. These can be designed within Avaz app or in low-tech form as well. 


6. Strategies for encouraging the child to communicate


a) Motivating Communication 

If your child is not motivated enough to get started, despite repeated attempts, try these simple techniques for initiating communication. 

Ideas and tips on motivating communication


b) Self-talk and Parallel talk

    Click here to know more - Self-talk and Parallel talk


c) Expansions and Extensions and recasting

    Click here to read - Expansions and Extensions


Tips and guidelines for using Avaz


Some commonly asked questions


  1. For how long do I use Avaz everyday ?

  2. What situations can we use it in? 

  3. If my child is asking through gestures for any item, how do we get them to start using Avaz?

  4. When my child is going to sleep, how do we use it before going to bed? 

  5. If my child is using a specific gesture or points to an object how do i react 

  6. How many categories do I start with?

  7. What if my child is not using Avaz even after repeated attempts?

For how long do I use Avaz everyday ?

There is no specific duration - we recommend that you avail all possible communication opportunities to use Avaz everyday. In the beginning, you can start using Avaz for about 5-10 minutes on a specific activity during the day and then gradually increase the usage of Avaz for various other activities, depending on the child’s interests. 

You can model more during the child’s most favourite activities during the day. 


What situations can I use it in?

Communication happens through the day “in the mess of daily life”. The day is filled with communication opportunities. You can turn every interaction to a communication opportunity from the time the child wakes up till they go to bed. You can model core words during all activities and routines during the day. E.g. :

While brushing teeth - you can model "wash", "open", "close" etc. 

At mealtime, you can model : "eat", "more", "want" etc. 

Modelling these words repeatedly across all activities during the day helps the child get familiarized with the word and its concept and gradually introduce more vocabulary. 


How to start using Avaz, if my child is already using gestures for a particular word?
If the child is using gestures to communicate a request, accept and acknowledge the request first. Multi-modal communication is to be encouraged. Do not make the child repeat the request on Avaz by forcing them to show it again on Avaz. This is really important! If they say something that you understand, you don't want to make them say "Okay, now tell me on Avaz ..." since that means you're making them do it twice. Instead, respond by using Avaz to add more words to their communication Click here to view Response strategies. 


How many categories do I start with?

You can start with as many categories as your child is comfortable with. E.g. Food, Places, People, Play activities etc. As the child’s vocabulary grows, you can add more categories. 

E.g. “I am tapping the People folder and here is Mama”. “I am tapping the Fruit folder and here is a banana”. 

Model what you want and how you want your child to tell on Avaz. If the child finds the larger number of categories overwhelming, you can hide some of them using the option of How to Hide and Show icons.


Learn about AAC Myths and Facts

Click here to read about common Myths and Facts