Ruth Jones Speech and Language Therapy

28/10/2025

Loving the inclusion from Joanna Grace too - this will be so valuable.

This year's expanded guide features an even bigger range of experiences and neurodivergent identities.

From monotropic minds, to sensory challenges, to the experiences of people from different cultural backgrounds, we hope there's something useful for almost everyone!

Thank you Joanna Grace Tsp for creating a brand new section all about supporting people with profound and multiple learning disabilities / profound intellectual and multiple disabilities during the festive period!

It's completely free and will be available to download from https://jadefarrington.substack.com when it's released next month. Enter your email via the Substack link to receive it in your inbox on release day.

28/10/2025

I see this SO often - and it’s not good. Unlearning these patterns takes time, and it can often come from quite difficult emotional places for individuals who’ve learnt that communication is about control and compliance.

It is usually communication that’s been taught in a rough cycle that goes:
- adult has thing child wants
- adult withholds thing
- child reaches for thing
- adult says no and then models or uses hand over hand to point to a picture/push a button
- child gets thing, adults celebrate ‘communication’

So breaking it down, a child here has clearly communicated by a reach they want it, adults know they like it, but that isn’t seen as communication, their reach isn’t honoured.

So then the child is confused, they’ve shown someone what they want, very physically clearly communicated, yet, it’s been rejected, even sometimes with a ‘no, you’ve got to show me’ (which they just did!) or a take of their hand to bat a button, or move them to an isolated finger to point to a picture.

All this serves to do, is breakdown a child’s sense of safety.

Instead, we can connect, offer their object, when a child reaches, YOU push the button ‘I want it’ or point ‘car!’ On a symbol board.

I’ve pulled together a document with references about how great aided language is, and why we might think about it instead of things that ground themselves in behavioural approaches.

Want a copy? Comment ‘joy’ and I’ll send you the link.

26/10/2025

This is a big problem for lots of children and young people. Where the focus on teaching communication lies heavily on requesting and generating expected responses.

The focus is on teaching for tangible wants, that are given when the communication is made. This can be with holding until a child says please, or exchanges something. It can be a pause and move on if they don’t do something.

We then have to do a lot of ‘unlearning’ with a child, because they see communication tools as an expectation and demand, they tap and point because they don’t understand what’s happening is about connecting through language; not rewarding a behaviour.

For some this unlearning is swift and full of joy, when they realise they can share their opinions and comments, advocate and tell stories. When access to more words means so much.

For others, this entrenched pattern takes a lot longer for them to shift. It doesn’t mean we give up, it just means we get curious harder, we tune in harder, we enable their safety more in our interactions, and validate and pause.

Joyful communication can be in asking for something and getting what you want. But it can also be in so so much more.

I’d love to know your experiences of ‘stuck’ communication, or what was that first joyful moment of communicating that wasn’t a request?

Let me know in the comments. ⬇️

21/10/2025

AAC goals, there are PLENTY, short term. We might set lots very regularly as we grow an individuals use of AAC, and also grow the skills of communication partners.

There might be a period of time where the goals revolve more around the communication partners than the AAC user - and that is ok.

But long term? We want the AAC user to achieve their best. Sometimes that doesn’t mean regular therapy forever, but empowered communication partners who can tune in, deliver communication opportunities and grow vocabulary and language for the individual as they progress, and that know where to go for help when they need it, when they feel stuck.

I love this phase - it’s sad not to see children regularly, but it’s so brilliant to hear communication partners sharing their excitement with things, the moments of progress and seeing them spread their wings to be confident in editing and supporting AAC use.

20/10/2025

A post I did for a local school - AAC awareness month isn’t just about tools for non or minimally speaking individuals.

My favourite AAC tools are gifs for when my spoken or typed words fail me.

AAC is just for non-speaking children? Not the case!

Are there times where your child might find it hard to communicate? Maybe if they are experiencing big feelings, or their nervous system is in fight/flight/freeze mode. These are great times for children to have access to augmentative communication tools. This could be a phone with notes for them to type, it might be some key phrases on cards, it could be a pen and paper or whiteboard for you to write things on, or them to write or draw.

It could be a jumper with pictures, a symbol bracelet or simple communication board. It might be an alphabet chart for them to spell things out on. They might like to get creative with their own pictures and words to make something really meaningful for them.

AAC does not stop speech, but it can help it.

If you think it might help, the best time to talk to your child about this is when they are calm and have access to those fabulous language parts of the brain - which can be harder for them when they are feeling big feelings. It might be after a tricky time you can start the conversation 'I noticed it was hard for you to tell me what was wrong, do you think we could try drawing next time?' or whatever tool you think might help. You might have to try a few, and you might find a few help and can be part of their toolbox.

We all use AAC tools when we are finding communication hard - we might send an emoji or GIF that communicates for us where words can't. It might be sending a text where we can read, plan and edit before we 'say' what we want. This is just the same for children, offering them ways that reduce the pressure on speaking the words is equitable and perfectly reasonable.

20/10/2025

Connection is what helps us know what helps the body and brain feel calm - and this looks different for different kids.

Calm zones can be really helpful spaces, but they’re not the only thing and a flexible and individualised approach is what’s needed.

A calm corner isn’t enough...

True calm isn’t created by cushions - it’s created by connection.

You can fill a room with beanbags, soft lighting, fidget toys and posters that say breathe.

But if a child doesn’t feel understood, those things become decoration - not regulation.

Because safety isn’t a space.
It’s a relationship.
It’s the tone of voice that says, I see you.
It’s the adult who doesn’t take fear personally.

A calm corner means nothing if the rest of the environment still demands compliance over comfort.

🩵 Putting in the right support for PDA learners is what helps them truly thrive in any educational setting.

I’ve created free guides to help you get started - drop the word RESOURCE below
and you’ll get access to the full free library. If you want to learn about this in more detail you can watch my pre-recorded webinar for just £10 - just drop the word WEBINAR instead.

18/10/2025

The crossover to me is very clear, when we commit to being neurodiversity affirming that means it integrates into all areas of our practice and being.

So, this AAC awareness month a few things I really integrate consciously and some more unconsciously now they are well practiced, that I didn’t do when I first started working with autistic children in 2012.

My AAC practice has taken on so much of what I did do in 2012 which was intensive interaction. But AAC so often focussed on requesting and rewards for exchanges, yet what we so often more powerful and gave me and the child the good feelings was the intensive interaction experiences!

I don’t quite know when the shift started - probably a few years later as I started to explore aided language input and core vocabulary and we introduced iPads and iPod touches as AAC tools with robust language.

What did I miss? I’d love to know how affirming practice shows up for you with AAC. Let me know in the comments.

17/10/2025

Sensory processing and AAC - don’t forget!

The sensory systems are required when communicating, particularly with AAC tools, there are tactile elements, aural and visual elements to consider. As well as the motor and planning side of things.

So a few things I’d be thinking about linked to sensory:
- voice output communication aids (VOCAs), volume, speed of speech, accent and intonation
- visual field, symbol size and amount, requirement for scanning, requirement for tapping through lots or few folders
- the touch experience of the screens, or buttons, adding tactile cues or reducing/removing them

As I continue to learn more about the sensory systems I am also considering the impact of motor experiences too with AAC, and more physical access challenges someone with sensory differences might have.

This all forms part of a robust AAC assessment, as well as someone’s language skills and potential.

Do you think much about sensory challenges to AAC access? I’d love to know your experiences.

16/10/2025

I’m not sure of the original source but the phrase goes:

“Speak AAC, to teach AAC”

And it’s so powerful, but not only to teach, but also to attune and connect.

When we use AAC alongside our spoken language to connect with AAC users, we are sharing a language, which enables a connection. We might use their AAC if they consent, or we might have our own tools.

What this offers is space for them to be seen, honoured and uplifted in their communication needs and preferences.

I like to use AAC in my interactions to share humour, often through preferences and opinions ‘it’s so slimy!’, ‘yuck!’, ‘I don’t like this!’ When playing with certain messy plays.

What are your favourite ways to connect using AAC with AAC users?

14/10/2025

Don’t do it!! AAC tools should be out all the time, everywhere.

I see so often the communication tools come out for snack, or a particular lesson, then go away again. Put on the side.

Persistent communicators then have to use other methods that often don’t get honoured, they might stand and be asked to sit back down - but what if they need their AAC? It’s been moved away.

Others who are less persistent then just sit, quiet, not ‘problematic’ but also not engaged or feeling safe without a voice.

Keep your AAC tools in arms reach, have extras, stick them in accessible places to grab when needed, take them outside, to the park, to the toilet, home at the end of the day, back to school in the morning.

AAC should not be put away.

11/10/2025

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