Welcome back to the Autism Little Learners Podcast! Today we’re diving into one of the most powerful strategies for supporting communication in young autistic children—modeling AAC.
Just like children learn spoken language by hearing it all around them, AAC users need to see and hear their language modeled on their device or core board. In this episode, we’ll talk about what modeling AAC is, why it matters, and how you can start using it in your daily routines—even if you don’t have a high-tech device yet.
We’ll also bust some common myths, share practical tips for modeling without expectation, and explore how modeling goes far beyond just requesting—it’s about helping kids express their feelings, build confidence, and connect with the people around them.
So let’s jump in and discover how you can make communication accessible, joyful, and empowering through the simple practice of modeling AAC.
Takeaways:
-
There are no prerequisites to robust AAC—all children deserve access to communication right now.
-
Modeling AAC means pairing spoken words with symbols on a device or core board to show how language works.
-
Modeling without expectation is key—input matters more than immediate output.
-
Consistent modeling builds language growth, confidence, and autonomy for AAC users.
-
Myths debunked: AAC doesn’t stop speech, it doesn’t confuse children, and you don’t need to be a tech expert to model.
-
Start small: choose one routine (like snack or play) and model 1–2 high-frequency core words.
-
If you don’t have a device yet, you can begin with core boards to give children access now.
-
Remember, progress over perfection—every modeled word is a seed planted toward communication success.
Links & Related Podcast Episodes:
-
Free core board: www.autismlittlelearners.com/visuals
-
Episode #96: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-autism-little-learners-podcast/id1665404820?i=1000676636848
-
Episode #24: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-autism-little-learners-podcast/id1665404820?i=1000618489743
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.