You've set up your child's AAC device with a solid set of core words. The grid is organized, the symbols look great, and you're ready to go. Now what?
This is where most families get stuck. Having core words available on a device is necessary, but it's not enough. Children don't learn to use AAC just by having access to it, the same way they don't learn to talk just by hearing language. They need someone to show them how.
The good news is that the strategies for teaching core words are well-researched and not complicated. You don't need special training or expensive materials. You need consistency, patience, and a few techniques that you can weave into your everyday routines.
Here are eight strategies that actually work, drawn from AAC research and clinical practice. If you're still figuring out which core words to start with, see 10 core words to teach first or browse the full core words list for AAC.
1. Aided Language Input (Modeling on the Device)
What it is: You use your child's AAC system yourself. While you talk to your child, you simultaneously point to or press the corresponding words on their device. The research community calls this "aided language stimulation" or "aided language input." Binger and Light (2007) demonstrated that aided language modeling significantly increases children's use of multi-symbol messages on AAC devices.
Why it matters: This is the single most important strategy on this list. Children learn language by watching other people use it. If you only ever expect your child to use the device while you speak out loud, you're asking them to learn a communication system that nobody else uses. That would be like moving to a foreign country where everyone speaks the language but nobody ever shows you how.
Example: At snack time, you say "Do you want more crackers?" While saying it, you press "want" and "more" on your child's device. You don't need to hit every word. Just the key core words.
Tip: Start by modeling one to two words per sentence. Don't try to model every single word you say. That slows you down and makes the interaction feel unnatural. Over time, as you get faster with the device, you can model more. For a deeper look at how much modeling to aim for, see how much AAC modeling is enough?.
For a full guide to this strategy, see aided language stimulation explained.
2. Recasting
What it is: When your child communicates something (using their device, gestures, sounds, or any other means), you rephrase their message using core words on the AAC device. You're not correcting them. You're showing them a different, often more complete, way to say the same thing.
Why it matters: Recasting meets your child where they are and shows them the next step. It's a natural way to expand vocabulary without putting pressure on the child to produce something specific. Because you're responding to their actual intent, it's immediately relevant and meaningful.
Example: Your child points to a ball. You pick up the device and say, "You want ball!" while pressing "want" on the device. Your child pressed a single symbol for "eat." You respond by modeling "want eat" or "eat more" on the device.
Tip: Keep your recast close to what your child said. If they used one word, recast with two. If they used two, try three. Jumping too far ahead can make the recast feel disconnected from what they were actually trying to say.
3. Expectant Delay
What it is: After creating an opportunity for communication, you pause and wait. You look at your child expectantly. You give them time to process, find the word, and respond. This usually means waiting 5 to 10 seconds, which feels much longer than it sounds.
Why it matters: Many adults, with the best intentions, jump in too quickly. They ask a question and immediately answer it themselves, or they see their child hesitate and press the button for them. Expectant delay gives your child the processing time they need. AAC users often require more time than verbal speakers because they have to locate the symbol, plan a motor movement, and then execute it.
Example: You hold up two snacks and say, "What do you want?" Then you wait. You look at your child. You glance at the device. You don't say anything else. If they don't respond after several seconds, you can model the answer yourself ("I want crackers") and try again next time.
Tip: Count silently to yourself. It feels awkward at first, but the wait is what gives your child the opening to participate. If you always fill the silence, they learn that you'll handle the communication for them.
4. Communication Temptations (Sabotage)
What it is: You set up situations that naturally motivate your child to communicate. Sometimes this means putting a desired item just out of reach. Sometimes it means "forgetting" something on purpose. Sometimes it means doing something silly or unexpected. The key is creating a genuine reason for your child to use their device.
Why it matters: Communication happens when someone has something to say. If all of your child's needs are anticipated and met before they have to ask, there's no reason to communicate. Communication temptations create small, low-pressure moments where using the device is the easiest way to get what they want.
Example: You give your child a sealed container of their favorite snack, but you don't open it. They need to request "open" or "help." Or you start blowing bubbles and then stop. They need to say "more" or "go" to get the bubbles going again.
Tip: Don't make it frustrating. The point isn't to withhold things or make your child upset. The point is to create a small, solvable communication challenge. If they get distressed, help them immediately. The goal is motivation, not frustration.
5. Expansion
What it is: When your child uses a word or symbol, you repeat it and add one more word. This is similar to recasting but specifically focused on building utterance length one word at a time.
Why it matters: Expansion is how children naturally move from single words to two-word combinations to full sentences. By consistently adding one word to what your child says, you show them the next natural step without overwhelming them. Over time, they begin to internalize those longer patterns.
Example: Your child presses "go." You respond: "Go outside!" while modeling both words. Your child presses "more." You say: "More bubbles!" and model it. Your child says "eat." You say "eat lunch" and press both words on the device.
Tip: Always repeat your child's word first before adding the new one. This acknowledges what they said and shows them you understood. Then the added word feels like a natural continuation, not a correction.
6. Core Word of the Week
What it is: You choose one core word and focus on it for an entire week. You find as many natural opportunities as possible to model and use that word throughout daily routines. Everyone in the child's life (parents, siblings, teachers, therapists) focuses on the same word.
Why it matters: Repetition across contexts is how vocabulary sticks. Hearing and seeing "go" during breakfast, at the park, during car rides, and at bedtime helps your child understand that "go" isn't a word that belongs to one situation. It's a flexible word that works everywhere.
Example: This week's word is "help." At breakfast, you model "help pour." During play, you model "help build." At bath time, "help wash." When getting dressed, "help zipper." Every adult in your child's day uses the same target word as often as they naturally can.
Tip: Pick words that come up frequently in your child's actual routine. "Help," "more," "go," "want," "stop," and "all done" are all excellent choices for early weeks. Keep a visible reminder (a sticky note on the fridge, a note in the family group chat) so everyone remembers the target word.
7. Embedding in Routines and Play
What it is: Instead of setting aside a special "AAC practice time," you weave core word modeling into activities your child is already doing. Mealtimes, bath time, getting dressed, playing with toys, reading books, going to the park. Every routine is a language opportunity.
Why it matters: Language isn't learned in isolation. Children learn words best when those words are connected to real experiences and real motivation. If "more" is always taught at a table during therapy, your child might think "more" is a therapy word. But if they hear and see "more" during bubbles, during snack, during swinging, and during reading, they learn that "more" is a word for life.
Kent-Walsh and McNaughton (2005) emphasized that training communication partners to use these strategies in natural contexts is one of the most critical factors in AAC success. It's not about what happens in the therapy room. It's about what happens the other 23 hours of the day.
Example: During a playground trip, you model "go" when your child is about to slide, "more" when they want another push on the swing, "help" when they need a boost, and "stop" when the merry-go-round is spinning too fast. For more ideas like this, see AAC at the playground and daily routines for AAC practice.
Tip: You don't need to turn every moment into a teaching moment. Pick two or three routines each day where you intentionally model core words. Let the rest of the day just be life. Consistency over time matters much more than intensity in a single session.
8. Reading Books Together with AAC
What it is: During shared book reading, you use your child's AAC device to model core words that appear in the story. You might also pause at predictable moments and let your child fill in a word using their device.
Why it matters: Books are full of repetitive, predictable language, which is perfect for core word practice. Many children's books repeat the same phrases on every page ("Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?"), giving your child multiple chances to hear, see, and use the same core words. Shared reading also builds literacy skills alongside communication skills, which is a powerful combination. For more on this connection, see AAC and literacy.
Example: You're reading a book about animals. On each page, you model "look" and "see" on the device. ("Look! I see a dog.") At a predictable moment, you pause and let your child press "more" to turn the page, or "what" to ask about the next animal.
Tip: Choose books with simple, repetitive text. Don't feel pressure to model on every page. Pick two or three target words for each reading session and focus on those. Let the rest of the book just be enjoyable.
Putting It All Together
These eight strategies work best when you combine them naturally throughout the day. You don't need to use all eight in every interaction. A typical five-minute play session might look like this:
- You set up a communication temptation (putting a favorite toy in a clear container).
- You wait (expectant delay) to give your child time to respond.
- Your child reaches toward the container. You model "want open" on the device (aided language input).
- Your child presses "open." You expand: "Open it!" and open the container.
- When the toy runs down, your child presses "more." You recast: "More car go!"
That's five strategies in under a minute, and none of it felt like "therapy." It just felt like playing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Testing instead of modeling. Don't constantly ask "What's this? Can you press the word?" That turns the device into a quiz. Instead, model the word yourself and let your child absorb it at their own pace.
Moving too fast. If your child is using single words, don't push for three-word sentences. Expand by one word. Meet them where they are.
Only using the device for requests. Core words aren't just for asking for things. Model them during comments ("I see a big dog!"), protests ("no more!"), greetings ("hi daddy!"), and social exchanges ("that's so funny!").
Giving up too soon. AAC learning takes time. Research suggests that consistent aided language input over weeks and months leads to meaningful gains. Don't judge progress after a few days. For a realistic timeline, see how much AAC modeling is enough?.
Getting Started Today
You don't need to master all eight strategies before you begin. Pick one or two that feel natural to you, and start using them today. Aided language input and expectant delay are a great starting pair. As those become second nature, layer in the others.
The most important thing is to start modeling. Your child's AAC device shouldn't be something that only they touch. It should be a tool that the whole family uses, the same way everyone in the house uses spoken words.
For help choosing which core words to target first, check out 10 core words to teach first, and for a full reference, see the core words list for AAC.