Communication Starts HereAn AAC Starter Guide for Families
A gentle guide for families beginning AAC while honoring your child's own way of communicating. No levels, no scores — we support your child to communicate in the way they have right now.
💬 AAC Family Guide · For families + speech-language pathologists
"AAC is not a 'substitute' for a child who cannot speak — it is support that helps your child access communication in the way they already have."
Gestures, facial expressions, sounds, pictures, devices, words — all of it is communication. Your child is already communicating.
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What you write stays on this device only. No one else can see it. To share with a speech-language pathologist, use Print below to put it on paper.
1What is AAC?
AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) means anything — pictures, symbols, devices, gestures — that helps a child share what they mean in the way they can right now.
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AAC is — support that helps a child access communication in the way they already have. It grows alongside speech.
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AAC is not — giving up on speech · a last resort · a sign of low intelligence · a compliance tool for pressing the "right" answer.
💡 Don't worry — using AAC does not stop speech from developing. It supports communication and language together.
2See your child's ways of communicating
Your child is already communicating in many ways. Choose the ways your child uses now — this is observation, not assessment.
Start with what your child wants to share most. Child-led — not the "right" answers we chose, but their words.
Words to use often choose
MoreStopHelpNoYesThis / thatToiletHurtPlay togetherMy turnHungryWant a break
✏️ Words your child wants to share
4Waiting, and offering choices
When you wait without rushing, your child gets time to express. Offer choices instead of commands — autonomy, not compliance.
Helpful waiting & choices to try
Wait patientlyChoose between twoAsk yes / noModel it firstDon't rushFollow the child's lead
✏️ What worked for your child
5Moments the family uses it together
AAC is not training time — it's everyday life. In the moments below, use pictures, devices, and gestures together as a family — when you use it too, your child feels more at ease.
🍽️ Meals
🧸 Play
🚗 Outings
🌙 Bedtime
6Notes to share with a professional
The best start is together with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Writing down what you've observed and your questions makes the session easier.
💬 Your child is already communicating — we simply widen their ways.
The goal isn't perfect sentences — it's your child sharing what they want, and us understanding.
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Looking at these notes together with an SLP or professional makes it easier to find the right AAC for your child. Print it and bring it to the session.
👪 For parents & caregivers
This guide is not an assessment or training program. There are no levels, scores, or "age-level" judgments. It is an introductory resource for families to start AAC while honoring their child's way.
AAC does not replace or abandon speech — it helps a child access communication in the way they can right now. Introducing AAC does not block speech development.
The best start is together with a speech-language pathologist (SLP). The goal isn't perfect sentences, but your child expressing what they want and us understanding.
Print and cut along the dashed lines. Keep them by the fridge, desk, or device — your child points to or hands them to communicate. Write your child's own words on the blank card.
➕More
✋Stop
🆘Help
🙅No
👍Yes
👉This / that
🚻Toilet
🤕Hurt
🧸Play together
🔄My turn
😌Want a break
✏️Write your own
✍️ Our Child's Communication Dictionary
Collect the expressions your child already uses and what they mean. Sharing this with new adults, teachers, or settings reduces misunderstanding and helps your child feel at ease.
Examples — "claps hands → happy · excited" · "pulls toward the door → wants to go out" · "covers ears → the sound is too loud"
Child's expression (gesture · sound · action)
Meaning
e.g., holds out a cup
thirsty · wants more
👪 Preparing for a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) session
Printing this workbook to bring makes the session much easier. Think through these beforehand.
Show the Communication Dictionary and the words your child wants to say.
Share which ways your child is comfortable with (pictures · device · gestures) and which feel unfamiliar.
Ask specifically, like "Which symbols or tools should we start with?"
The goal isn't perfect sentences — it's your child sharing what they want, and us understanding.
Freely note any concerns and what you've observed at home or in other settings.
License & Notice
📄 License — personal & family use
You may use and print this within one household. Redistribution, resale, sharing the original file, or uploading it for others is not permitted.
🏫 Classroom / institutional use
For school, clinic, or center use (multiple copies / sharing), please inquire — hello@talenest.org.
This material supports observation, understanding, and communication. It is not a diagnosis, treatment, medical advice, legal document, IEP, evaluation, or a substitute for professional consultation. Please consult a professional about any concerns.