If you are part of an AAC family and you have an Elf on the Shelf, this post is for you (and I need your help)!
Did you guys know that elves love to use AAC?! It's true!
For the past 4 years, our elf has visited one of our talkers, much to the delight of Maya and Will. It's happened once per year----but I have a feeling that this year he may leave a few notes :) Sometimes he even leaves a photo behind that shows him with the talker! Maya has saved these photos on her wall for years (literally).
photos of our elf using the talker in 2014 and 2015, hanging on Maya's wall
Wouldn't it be fun if our kids could see pictures of all of lots of elves using different talkers? I have a feeling that my kids would love to see AAC-loving elves and the notes that they left behind for other AAC loving kids :) So here's my proposal---if your child's elf uses their talker on/before the night of December 14th, send me a picture! On December 15th, I'll post a compilation of all of the AAC-using elves. They'll be fun for the kids to see, and fun for us to see how silly those elves can be ;)
What you do:
1. Your elf visits and uses a talker! Hooray! Snap a picture!
2. Send the picture to me in any of the following ways (whatever's easiest-no need to do all!). Also, if you'd like, share some information about your location, child, AAC system, and elf (totally optional). I'll put up whatever you send. For example, "Dabadee the elf came last night and left a note on Maya's talker! It said 'Today would be a great day for some hot chocolate!' We live in New York City and use Speak for Yourself---we didn't know that Dabadee liked to use a talker, too!":
- email to uncommonfeedback@gmail.com
- post on Instagram, use the hashtag #AACelf and tag me @uncommonsenseblog
- post on Facebook (make sure your setting is public), use the hashtag #AACelf and tag me @Uncommon Sense Blog
3. Get my reply---I will either reply to your email or comment on your social media post--that's how you'll know that I received it!
4. Check back on December 15th to see all of the AAC elves!
Our elf started using the talker in 2014, after I saw an SLP post something on Facebook about AAC and an elf. Here are some examples of what he's done in the past:
2014:
Dabadee (our elf) left a picture of himself using the talker, and a note that said "I left a note for you on the talker!" The note left on the talker read, Only 11 days until Christmas!
2016
This year the note left on the talker said, "Good morning! Will, I hope you have fun at Mommy's doctor today! Maya, have a great last day of school! Check your stockings for a surprise!"
Happy December, and happy elf season! See you back here on December 15th---and I can't wait to hear about your elf :)
#AACfamily
#AACelf