AAC Core Word Builder Set 1 | 20 Weeks of No-Prep Speech Therapy Lessons for SLPs
Just 80 words make up about half of everyday English. This curriculum teaches the first ones that matter most.
AAC Core Word Builder: Set 1 is the first 20 weeks of a structured, year-long curriculum designed to teach foundational core vocabulary systematically — turning isolated words into real, generalized communication.
Created by Meg Mott, M.S., CCC-SLP, AdaptEd's resident AAC specialist and parent of an autistic son. Originally built for teletherapy in 2020 and refined across years of real classroom and clinic use, this curriculum is now trusted by SLPs, special educators, and AAC teams across the country.
Set 1 covers 17 high-frequency core words across 20 weeks — including extended two-week instruction for Go, Turn, and Not/Don't because high-utility words deserve deeper repetition.
What this curriculum gives you
- 20 weeks of ready-to-use AAC lessons — no prep beyond opening the file
- A consistent weekly structure across all 20 lessons, so students know what to expect
- Multi-modal activities that engage attention, body, and family — not just the screen
- Generalization built in through parent handouts and homework that extend learning beyond the session
- A clear progression from first words to functional communication across settings
Who this is for
- SLPs looking for structured, evidence-aligned AAC instruction without spending Sunday nights building lessons from scratch
- Special education teachers supporting students with complex communication needs who want a curriculum they can actually run
- Teletherapy and hybrid clinicians who need engaging, screen-friendly materials that hold attention across digital sessions
- AAC teams looking for shared lesson materials that align across providers, classrooms, and home
- Parents wanting to extend AAC learning at home with structured guidance, not just generic suggestions
What's inside each weekly lesson
Each of the 20 weeks centers on one core word, taught through seven coordinated activities:
Introductory Game
A low-pressure activity individually crafted for each lesson, designed to introduce the target word without performance pressure.
Animated E-Book
Real photographs arranged into a unique book for each word — minimum 10 pages, with movement on every page to hold attention and reinforce the word in context.
Movement Break
A targeted movement activity tied to the target word — from a simple linked dance video to a custom movement game — that builds regulation into the lesson.
Additional Activity
An extra engagement that may center on a song, a video, a book extension, or a guided drawing, giving you variation across the week.
Parent Handout
A take-home guide for every word, so families have direction for practicing core vocabulary at home and learning generalizes across settings.
Homework
A simple homework activity, easily shared electronically — including a flexible "book report" format that works any week of the curriculum.
The 17 core words you'll teach in Set 1
These are the words that unlock the most communication for the least effort. Three of them — Go, Turn, and Not/Don't — get a second week of instruction because their utility justifies the deeper practice.
- Go (2 weeks)
- Turn (2 weeks)
- Not/Don't (2 weeks)
- Eat
- Come
- Put
- Help
- Like
- Open
- Want
- All Done
- More
- What?
- I/You
- On
- Off
- Drink
Continue the curriculum with Set 2 and Set 3
Set 1 is the foundation. The full curriculum continues with another 40 weeks of core vocabulary across two additional sets:
Set 2 — 20 more weeks featuring Stop, Look, Up, Good, Make, Work, In, Read, Take, and more.
Set 3 — 20 final weeks featuring Big, Where, Feel, Give, Fast, Slow, Ready, Away, and more.
Buy each set individually as you progress through the year, or save $30 with the Complete Curriculum Bundle (Sets 1–3, 60 weeks of lessons).
Formats, delivery & purchase orders
- 💻 Digital download — instant access after purchase
- 📱 Works on iPad, laptop, Chromebook, or any device with internet access
- 🎓 Compatible with teletherapy, push-in, pull-out, and home use
Purchase orders accepted. Email service@adapted4specialed.com
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