Not Sure Where I Fall On The Verbality Scale - Blog Posts

I want to start being able to use my AAC apps in public without feeling overly anxious about doing so

If there are any AAC users (I’m talking specifically devices, but any is fine) full time users or part time who have suggestions for how to help with that anxiety it would be much appreciated

I feel like using (I’m not sure if I worded that right) AAC especially in public will greatly benefit me, but the thought of doing so kind of terrifies me

I can actually relate to most of this list, though I don’t call myself semiverbal (this is not to say that others who relate to this aren’t allowed to call themselves semiverbal) (if that makes sense) (I’m just not sure if I can consider myself semiverbal)

(I’m not sure where I fall on the verbal? scale?)

what semiverbal looks like for me:

going entire days without talking except for a few words and not noticing

going entire days saying maybe one word answers

communicating primarily through text and typing the majority of the time if i can get away with it

forgetting how to physically speak sometimes. i will know what words to say but mouth won't be able to do it

words getting mashed up and slurred together for no reason

communicating in scripts and preplanned words

if no script prepared, it's extremely difficult to come up with coherent words on the spot

constantly saying the wrong words and nothing like what i meant to say

always having to have somebody else go with places in case of needing to speak, so they can talk for me

blanking out on words and just not responding to people, sometimes walking away because too much pressure to speak

having to have someone else make phone calls for me, anything that involves a phone call i can't do

keeping like 3-4 aac methods on me at all times but still being scared to use them because that means communicating, why not just point at stuff instead

echolalia

stealthy echolalia

would like to use my AAC in public but very scared to do so not tell parents about AAC yet scared they will not accept this communication and make me talk all times

like that AAC let me use picture and text also like AAC let me see picture that go with text dont like AAC not showing me where some pictures are on board

(Used default AAC board and not current custom one)

I find not using AAC makes me more likely to use question mark when not sure word makes sense

Probably evidenced(?) by the amount of times I use this “(?)” as well as “(not sure if that makes sense)”and “(if that makes sense)”

I find that using the AAC makes me feel less pressured(?) to have perfect grammar(?) (which I honestly don’t think I need for a tumblr post)

Wanting to show y’all one of my personalized AAC boards

Less options (?) make it less overwhelming

Sorry about the coming overload(?) of pictures

Includes what some(?) of them say in full

deciding to practice AAC using a mix of keyboard and picture don’t need it for online purposes good practice though