Bridging the Gap: From Referential to Descriptive Teaching for AAC Users
For school-based SLPs, there’s often a frustrating gap between what we know should be happening to foster multimodal communication and what’s actually occurring in classrooms. A prime example? The gap in modeling. We know AAC users need consistent modeling to build their communication skills, yet the amount of modeling that happens in a typical classroom often falls short.
One of the challenges for our teachers and paraprofessionals in modeling on AAC for our students lies in the sheer volume of vocabulary introduced in each lesson. I remember a classroom years ago where instructional assistants frequently asked me to create new vocabulary folders for a student’s device—week after week. We found ourselves stuck in a cycle of referential teaching. We were introducing new fringe vocabulary at a dizzying pace, expecting a student who already struggled to navigate their device to keep up.
Referential teaching, a common method, focuses on teaching specific terms related to a lesson or topic. For instance, in a science unit about habitats, students might be expected to learn words like “rainforest,” “desert,” and “tundra.” While this approach works for many, it can overwhelm AAC users, who must continually learn and locate new fringe vocabulary. (Not to mention the teachers and paraprofessionals!)
Enter Gail Van Tatenhove’s Descriptive Teaching Model (DTM). This approach shifts the focus from memorizing specific terms to describing concepts using core vocabulary—the high-frequency words that make up the backbone of communication.
What is Descriptive Teaching?
Descriptive teaching allows AAC users to demonstrate their knowledge without relying on an ever-expanding vocabulary set. Instead of asking students, “What is the name of a place where it rains a lot and there are many trees?”—which would require them to learn the word “rainforest,” for example—we might say, “Tell me some things about a rainforest.” This way, students use familiar words like “rain,” “many,” and “trees” to express the concept.
According to the AAC Community, this method enables AAC users to participate fully in academic lessons without the cognitive load of learning and organizing new fringe words for every subject. It also provides flexibility, as students can describe various concepts using words already programmed into their devices.
Why Descriptive Teaching Works
Descriptive teaching:
Reduces the need for constant vocabulary updates.
Encourages deeper understanding by focusing on describing concepts.
Allows students to engage in lessons more flexibly and confidently.
Making the Shift: Practical Tips for SLPs
Model Descriptive Language
As SLPs, we need to show teachers and staff how to describe concepts using core vocabulary. For example, instead of JUST teaching “triangle” as a new word, they can also model: “It’s a shape with three sides.”Encourage Open-Ended Questions
Support teachers in asking questions that prompt descriptive responses. Instead of “What’s the word for a large animal with a trunk?” encourage teachers to ask, “Can you describe an animal that is big and has a long nose?”Apply Descriptive Teaching Across Subjects
Whether it’s math, science, or social studies, help educators integrate descriptive teaching. In science, while teaching the term “evaporation,” guide teachers to describe the process: “Evaporation is when water gets hot and turns into gas.” Then teachers can model familiar core and common fringe words like “water,” “hot,” and “air” to explain the concept without requiring the students to say the specific term.
By embracing descriptive teaching, we can bridge the gap between what AAC users need and what’s happening in classrooms. Let’s work together to shift the focus from rote memorization to meaningful, flexible communication.
For more insights, check out Teaching Learners with Multiple Needs and AAC Community.
