Hi! This packet contains helpful charts of words to use when selecting targets for your kiddos who are young and/or severely-moderately delayed. These words can be used for functional communication, augmentative communication as well as typical receptive and expressive language therapy.

Chart One: First words- Nouns. This chart contains 50 common nouns. There are so many nouns to choose from so I suggest that you send this list home to families and ask them to cross out or write in any additional nouns they would like you to focus on in therapy. Remember- you will also be reading adaptive and interactive books as well as singing nursery rhymes and other preschool songs with this population so many other nouns are also being taught. This chart is colored orange as per Fitzgerald Key. Images of signs for the words have been included.

Some of the signs are Baby Sign: www.babysignlanguage.com
Some are American Sign Language (ASL): http://www.lifeprint.com
Another great website for Sign videos is: https://www.signingsavvy.com

This population typically works better with real objects before they are able to use pictures so try and collect these objects for use in therapy along with flashcards.

Boardmaker symbols have been included for all chart words as well as a bonus section which includes sample schedules for group and pullout sessions. There are also Boardmaker symbols for common routine symbols and reinforcers. www.boardmakeronline.com

Chart Two: First Words: Core Vocabulary. This chart contains “the DLM (trademarked) “First 40” recommended core vocabulary words. These words are recommended for students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) that need to start with a limited number of words in their communication systems due to motor, sensory, and/or cognitive challenged. These words were selected from a larger core vocabulary set based on their usefulness in everyday communication and in addressing the DLM Essential Elements. The “First 40” words are intended to get a student started with AAC, and additional core vocabulary words should be added over time, as the student learns and begins to use these words for communication.” http://dlmpd.com/clds/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DLM%E2%84%A2-First-40-Core-Vocabulary.pdf

“Core vocabulary is used for 95.4% of words (we use) and fringe vocabulary (nouns) is used for 4.5%.” Http://aaclanguagelab.com/resources/core-vocabulary

I have included signs for the core vocabulary words as well.

Chart Three: First Words: Vocabulary. This chart contains 35 common cognitive concept vocabulary words for little ones and/or moderate-severely delayed kiddos. I have included signs and Boardmaker symbols.

Baseline Sheets/Progress Monitoring:
Nouns, Concepts and Core Vocabulary