6 Words I Love Modeling on AAC: IN, OUT, UP, DOWN, ON, OFF
I've been doing some recent coaching around modeling, and it got me thinking about a handful of words I love to model. They show up constantly in everyday conversation, but they seem to be under-used when adults first start modeling on an AAC device (at least that's what I see in my own experience)!
So which words?
IN, OUT, UP, DOWN, ON, OFF
All six are very visual location words, and a lot of the time they describe something tangible happening right in front of you. They pair well with just about any pronoun or verb, and they're powerful for actually getting something done.
Where to find these words on common AAC systems
These words sit on the home page of many layouts in Proloquo2Go and TouchChat. Grid has a few right on the home page, with more inside the POSITION folder. TD Snap is similar, with many of them in the DESCRIPTIONS folder (which you can access from the home page). I’ll include a few images of each below!
How to model IN, OUT, UP, DOWN, ON, and OFF during everyday activities
Below are some examples of how these words fit into ordinary routines. Keep in mind, these aren't the only words worth modeling. They've just been on my brain, so I thought a post would be fun!
I’ve included a few visuals from the apps Proloquo2Go, Touch Chat with Word Power, GRID, and TD Snap. Many of these apps allow for customization to grid size, which impacts which icons you see on the main page. The grid sizes below just give you an idea of where you can often find these words - but every child’s layout is different.
Capitalized words in BLUE are the ones I'd press on the AAC device to model while I say the rest of the words out loud. If you are someone who is more familiar with modeling, I encourage you to model more words beyond just these location words (of course!!).
Here we go!
Proloquo2Go: This is the home screen of the Proloquo2Go app. You’ll see you can find these location words on the main page when you are in a 7×11 grid layout.
Cleaning up toy cars
Let's take these toys OFF the table.
I'll grab my bag OFF the floor.
I put my bag ON the table.
Let’s put them IN.
Car IN!
Bus IN!
Trucks IN!
Wait, let's take the truck OUT and clean it real quick!
GRID: This is the home screen of the GRID app. You’ll see you can find “in” and “on” on the home page. If you press “positions” on the home page, you’ll find the other location words I mentioned!
Getting ready to watch a show or movie
You're ON your couch!
I'll grab the remote OUT of the drawer.
Weird, I can’t find the remote IN there.
Who will turn the TV ON?
I think this show is ON Hulu.
I'll turn it UP.
Too loud, turn it DOWN!
Please, don’t turn it OFF!
Touch Chat: This is the home screen of the Touch Chat with Word Power app. You’ll see you can find these location words on the main page when you are in the Word Power Basic 60 layout.
Blowing bubbles (a favorite!)
Bubbles go UP UP UP!
That one went DOWN.
Put that IN the soap.
It landed ON the chair.
Let's blow bubbles OUTside.
I wish we could blow bubbles INside.
Pop that bubble UP in the air.
TD Snap Core First: This is the home screen of the TD Snap Core first vocabulary. You can find these location words by selecting the “descriptions” folder from the home page.
At the grocery store
We will go IN to Safeway.
I want to go UP and DOWN the aisles.
That cereal is UP so high.
The milk is IN the fridge.
You snuck some cookies IN the cart!
I'll cross that OFF my list.
I hope those examples helped you feel inspired to model some location words at home! Go get em!
Want more support?
I'm Haley, a speech-language pathologist in Seattle, and AAC is what I do all day.
Say Their Way offers in-home speech therapy for kids and young adults in the Seattle area, plus online AAC coaching for parents, teachers, and providers across Washington state.
Coaching is the perfect place to dig into strategies to help you model more!
This blog provides general educational information related to speech and language development and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Content reflects a combination of cited resources, clinical experience, and professional expertise. It is not intended as medical or therapeutic advice and does not replace a comprehensive evaluation by a licensed speech-language pathologist or other qualified professional. Reading this content does not establish a provider–client relationship. Any external organizations or programs mentioned are shared as informational resources only and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation.