AAC in Action: Autumn Festivals

Autumn brings a flurry of festivities—Halloween, Diwali, Bonfire Night—it’s a perfect time for teachers and support staff to engage AAC users in rich, meaningful communication. But rather than adding a flood of seasonal-specific vocabulary to a learner’s AAC system, consider the power of focusing on core and familiar words already present in their communication app, book or symbol chart.

Take the opportunity to model vocabulary they are familiar with or can use across many contexts. Core (more, want, like), descriptive (hot, bright, scary, yummy) and action (go, look, make) words are perfect for talking about fireworks, costumes, lights, and sweets but can also be used all year long. By using these existing words, learners can express themselves more fluently and confidently, without the cognitive load of navigating unfamiliar or rarely-used vocabulary.

For example:

• During Halloween, instead of adding “witch” or “pumpkin,” use words like look, funny, orange.
• For Diwali, focus on light, bright, happy, family.
• On Bonfire Night, words like loud, go, watch, hot can spark conversation.

This approach not only reinforces core vocabulary development but also encourages AAC users to generalise language across contexts, making their communication more robust and flexible. Seasonal events become opportunities to practice everyday language in exciting new settings and situations, rather than adding to work load for teachers and support staff as they spend time inputting words to AAC systems or making charts that are unlikely to be used again for another 12 months.

Explore our downloadable AAC in Action: Autumn Festivals resource pack—packed with activity ideas and practical suggestions for modelling meaningful vocabulary. These resources are designed to inspire engaging, real-life communication opportunities that motivate learners to use their AAC systems with confidence.

Written by Tina Voizey, Information and Resources Manager at Ace Centre. She has over 30 years’ experience working with learners with complex disabilities, many of whom use AAC in all its forms. She has had a diverse career which has taken her from teaching in a classroom, to working for suppliers of symbol software and AAC solutions.