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Does your learner need an Alternative Method of Speaking?
Determining if a Child or an Adult
Can Use or Begin to Use Spoken Words Effectively
or Needs An Alternative Method of Speaking
When a child or an adult is not using spoken words effectively, or not at all, review the Six Vocal Profiles described below and determine which profile most accurately describes this individual. These six profiles were developed by Janine Shapiro, a speech-language pathologist and behavior analyst with extensive experience with children who have limited or no spoken-word repertoires. These profiles will help you determine if a child or an adult needs an alternative method of speaking and what procedures might be helpful in encouraging the further development of spoken words.
The Six Vocal Profiles are also described in the Essential for Living Teaching Manual, pp. 9-12, and the Essential for Living Practitioner’s Handbook, pp. 49-53, https://essentialforliving.com/store/ , along with a comprehensive array of functional, life skills and teaching procedures with which instruction should begin and continue throughout the life span of children and adults with limited skill repertoires.
Vocal Profiles
Review these six vocal profiles and then click "next" to use the decision tree to decide on the appropriate vocal profile with which to align for your child or adult.
Select Vocal Profile
Does the learner RELIABLY (almost every time) repeat sounds, words, or approximations Click here for examples
Does the learner repeat most sounds and words in a way that unfamiliar listeners can understand?
Does the learner SOMETIMES name parts of items, request information, AND answer several type of questions?
Profile 1
Profile 2
Profile 4
Has the learner spontaneously produced at least 5 different words in the last week?
Would an unfamiliar listener understand these words?
Profile 3
Profile 5
Profile 6
AMS Vocal Profile Conclusion
The child or adult is beginning to use or can use spoken words effectively and does not need an alternative method of speaking at this time
If a Child or an Adult Already has an Alternative Method of Speaking, Determining the Effectiveness of This Method and if This Method is Likely to last a Lifetime:
Many children and adults do not use spoken words effectively, or at all, and
currently have an alternative method of speaking. Many of these methods are
either ineffective or not likely to last a lifetime. An ineffective method is one that
does not permit a child or an adult to make requests without a struggle. A method
that is not likely to last a lifetime is one that does NOT meet three guidelines we
strongly recommend:
Continuously Available
Frequently used,
and Effortless (summarized by the acronym CAFE).
If one or more young children with whom you are working has an alter-native
method of speaking that is ineffective or not likely to last a lifetime, you should
strongly consider selecting and ‘adding' a new alternative method of speaking. If
this new method is effective and likely to last a lifetime, you may want to consider
gradually ‘replacing’ the current method with the new one.
If you are working with an older child or an adult, especially one who has had an alternative method of
speaking for many years, you may want to consider either selecting and ‘adding’ a
new method of speaking ‘without replacing’ the current one or making adjustments
to the current method to improve its effectiveness or to increase the likelihood it will
last a lifetime.
This information is also described in the Essential for Living Practitioner’s Handbook, pp. 65-67… https://essentialforliving.com/store/.
Determining the Individual Child or Adult’s
Sensory, Skill, and Behavioral Repertoire
If an individual child or adult needs an alternative method of speaking, this tool continues by asking you to specify their sensory, skill, and behavioral repertoire. This repertoire will then be compared to those that occur when each of 46 alternative methods of speaking are effective, resulting in a list of methods ranked from most-to-least with respect to matching this individual’s repertoire. This tool also specifies from most-to-least the extent to which advantages of spoken word are retained by each of these methods. And, finally, this tool specifies whether each method tends to result in a large audience, including unfamiliar people, or a small audience comprised almost exclusively of familiar people. In sum, this tool provides for your consideration a list of alternative methods of speaking that are consistent with an individual child or adult’s skill repertoire, that provide as many advantages of spoken words as possible, and that indicate the size of the audience that might be expected.
Select each component of the individual's repertoire and then select submit:
Select two from this row unless HVI is the appropriate choice
Choose 1 from each pair of repertoires, AM, or NomAM, A vs I and FM vs No Fine Motor
Choose 1 from each pair of repertories, MI or Limited MI, Matching or Limited Matching, PB Moderate or PB - No Moderate PB
Forming Standard Signs (e.g., Signed English)
AMS Description
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