Looking for an easy way to incorporate core vocabulary into AAC therapy, classroom routines, or home activities?
Our AAC Core Word of the Week: Version 2 resource includes 10 additional core words with ready-to-use lesson slides, activity ideas, and companion materials designed to make AAC planning and implementation a little easier.
After seeing how many clinicians have used and loved our original, bestselling Core Word of the Week: Version 1 resource, we knew we wanted to create a second version. Version 2 follows the same familiar format, but features 10 new core words and plenty of new opportunities for modeling and meaningful communication.
⭐ Get Core Word of the Week: Version 2 in the way that works best for you: Access it as part of our Premium Community membership OR
Purchase it individually on TPT ⭐
What Is a Core Word of the Week?
Core words, or core vocabulary, are high-frequency words that can be used across many different activities, environments, and communication functions. Words like me, you, need, and look aren't limited to one specific activity or topic, which means there are lots of natural opportunities to model them throughout the day.
If you're newer to core vocabulary, you can read more about what core words are and why they're important for AAC users.
A Core Word of the Week approach gives communication partners a word to intentionally focus on and model across different contexts. The goal isn't to limit an AAC user to practicing only one word at a time. Instead, the featured word provides a starting point for creating repeated opportunities for modeling and meaningful language use.
And while we call it a "word of the week," you don't have to follow a strict weekly schedule. You may spend more or less time on a word depending on the AAC user, their communication needs, and your setting.
AAC Core Word of the Week: Version 2
Our AAC Core Word of the Week: Version 2 resource features:
ME • YOU • NEED • EAT • DRINK • NOT • DONE • PUSH • GIVE • LOOK
These words can be used in so many different ways and across so many different routines. For example, LOOK might be modeled while reading a book, taking a walk, playing a game, or noticing something in the classroom. GIVE could come up during play, snack, classroom activities, games, or everyday interactions.
Rather than creating a completely new lesson every week, the resource gives you a structured starting point while still leaving plenty of room to individualize how you model and use each word.
What's Included?
90+ Interactive Core Word Lesson Slides
Each featured core word has its own set of interactive lesson slides. The slides include modeled phrases and opportunities to explore how the word can be used in different contexts.
They're designed to be easy to pull up during individual or group speech therapy, AAC intervention, classroom instruction, or other activities.
Core Word Companion Packet
You'll also receive a ready-to-go companion packet with additional information, activity ideas, book suggestions, routines, and materials to help you carry each targeted core word beyond the lesson slides and into everyday activities. These are a personal favorite for in-services and for supporting caregiver and classroom carryover, making it easier to promote generalization across settings and communication partners.
Editable Canva Slides
We know AAC intervention isn't one-size-fits-all. Editable Canva slides are included so you can customize the resource when needed for your AAC users and setting.
Materials can be used digitally or printed depending on what works best for you.
Note: Access to Editable Canva slides requires a free Canva account; users click “Use Template” to generate their own editable copy
Ways to Practice Core Words Throughout the Week
One of our favorite things about core vocabulary is that you don't necessarily need a special "AAC activity" to work on it.
If your core word is EAT, for example, you might model it while talking about snack or lunch, reading a picture book, playing with pretend food, completing a cooking activity, or discussing someone's favorite foods.
If your word is YOU, opportunities may come up during games, conversations, turn-taking activities, books, songs, and everyday classroom routines.
If you're looking for more ideas, check out our favorite books for targeting core words. We also have free activity ideas for individual core words, including GO and MORE.
The activity can change. The core vocabulary can come along with you.
This also makes a Core Word of the Week approach useful for collaboration. SLPs, teachers, paraprofessionals, caregivers, and other communication partners can look for natural opportunities to model the featured word across settings rather than limiting it to the speech therapy session.
A Note About AAC Modeling
When we're targeting core vocabulary, we want to think beyond simply asking an AAC user to "find" or "say" the featured word.
Communication partners can model language on the individual's AAC system while talking, without requiring the AAC user to imitate or respond every time. This provides exposure to where language is located within the system and demonstrates how words can be used for real communication.
We talk more about this in our article on AAC modeling without expectation.
As always, AAC intervention should be individualized. A Core Word of the Week resource is a tool for supporting instruction and modeling, not a replacement for access to a robust vocabulary or an individual's full communication system.
Who Can Use This Resource?
We created Core Word of the Week to be flexible enough for different settings and communication partners. It can be used by speech-language pathologists, special education teachers, educators, caregivers, and other communication partners supporting AAC users.
You might incorporate it into individual or group speech therapy, AAC intervention, classroom instruction, morning meetings, push-in therapy, small groups, or home practice.
The materials aren't tied to one specific AAC system, either. You can use the activities while modeling the featured vocabulary on the AAC system that is appropriate for the individual you're supporting.
Get Core Word of the Week: Version 2
Want the planning already done for you?
AAC Core Word of the Week: Version 2 includes 90+ interactive lesson slides and a comprehensive companion packet covering 10 additional core words:
ME • YOU • NEED • EAT • DRINK • NOT • DONE • PUSH • GIVE • LOOK
You'll have structured materials ready to use while still having the flexibility to adapt them to your AAC users, sessions, and setting.
Already using our original Core Word of the Week resource? Check out Version 1, featuring GO, MORE, FEEL, I, WANT, YES, NO, HELP, STOP, and LIKE.
Looking for More AAC/Speech Therapy Resources at a Major Discount?
Our complete Core Word of the Week resources are just one part of our robust (& growing) AAC resource library.
Inside the Communication Community Premium Membership, members can immediately access AAC resources, plus materials on child and adult language, articulation and phonology, early intervention, executive functions, cultural responsiveness, neurodiversity-affirming practices, stuttering and cluttering, and more.
In addition to our resource library, Premium members also get immediate access to digestible research summaries, community forums, Office Hour recordings, and new materials added throughout the year.
Or, if you're looking to learn more about AAC first, you can browse our AAC articles and resources for additional information, activities, and clinical resources.
