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Sparking Speech

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Sparking Speech

Aoife Tierney - Senior Speech & Language Therapist
Paediatric SLT - Neurodiversity Affirming

02/04/2026

Today is World Autism Day!

A reminder to celebrate autistic individuals not just today, but every day.

Here are a few more reminders to take with you:
♾️ Respect all forms of communication equally.
♾️ Always presume potential.
♾️ Listen to autistic people sharing their lived experiences.
♾️ Focus on connection and relationship over compliance.
♾️ And remember that the language we use matters.

Real support shows up every day in the words we use and the actions we take.

01/04/2026

Don’t forget, doors are still open to join us at The AAC Advocates! 🙌

Here’s what we’re getting up to this April.

Members will have access to a brand new masterclass covering GLP stages 3 & 4 and how to best support your child with their AAC.

Plus, additional masterclass resources parents can use throughout these stages.

The goal of The AAC Advocates is to help parents and carers feel more confident and capable in supporting their child.

As well as these new additions, members also get access to:
✅ Members' live Q&A and power hour editing calls
✅ My self-paced, AAC modelling parent course.
✅ A growing library of AAC Masterclasses & paper-based AAC resources
✅ Full library of How-To video guides for various AAC devices
✅ Private WhatsApp community to connect with other parents and carers.

If you’d like to join us and get all of this dedicated, specialist AAC support in your pocket for less than €15 per week…

That can be claimed back monthly on your health insurance! 🌟

📧 DM “AAC” or click the link in bio today.

⏰️ Doors close on Friday, April 3rd and won’t reopen again until at least June.

So now’s your chance to start building your AAC knowledge with guided, evidence support.

31/03/2026

One thing you can do to support your GLP with AAC today?

Become a language detective! 🕵️

When your child uses gestalts through AAC or mouth words, there’s meaning behind what they’re communicating.

And when you learn how to spot the clues, understand the message, and model language back to them

It makes a big difference to your child’s communication development as they start to feel heard and understood.

This is the support we focus on inside The AAC Advocates Membership.

If you’re looking for:
✨ Clear, evidence based AAC guidance.
✨ Practical strategies you can actually use.
✨ Expert input from a highly specialist AAC Speech & Language Therapist.

You’ll find it all and more inside our online community hub!

📣 Doors are open now, but only until April 3rd. 📣

For less than €15 a week, you’ll get the support, advice and reassurance you need to feel more confident helping your child communicate.

🌟 Plus, your membership fee can be claimed back through health insurance.

DM “AAC” or click the link in bio to join before doors close on Friday.

29/03/2026

🌟 We’re looking for your help! 🌟

As you may know AAC has been a passion of mine for a long time now, and is so important to me that everyone has access to robust communication.

An AAC Family Camp had been on my vision board for a few years now and I am so excited that it is finally happening!

The AAC Family Camp, the first of its kind in Ireland, is taking place in Barretstown this December.

We have 30 families joining us from around the country for fun, communication and specialised support, care and guidance.

But, we need your help to get us there!

Together with our charity partner Barrerstown, we’re raising funds to bring this inclusive joy filled camp experience to life!

The camp will give:
✨Children with complex communication needs an opportunity to have fun at this immersive camp with their family and other AAC users.
✨ Parents and siblings hands on support and a sense of community so they can become more confident communication partners.

And it creates a sense of belonging that AAC users don’t often get a chance to feel in their everyday lives.

Any support you can give is greatly appreciated, no matter how big or small!

We want to create a safe space for families to take a break from constantly advocating for their child.
And experience the support they’re struggling to get on their own.

Click the link in bio to share your donation.

All money raised through iDonate will be sent directly to Barretstown.

Thank you for your support! ✨

27/03/2026

So many parents and carers are facing the same struggles with AAC.

If any of these resonate with you, you’re not alone:

👉 Your child is showing no interest in their device.
👉 You feel left on your own to figure it out.
👉 You're still wondering where to even start.
👉 Modelling feels uncertain and uncomfortable.
👉 You’re navigating this journey on your own.

These are the realities so many families face.

Instead of waiting for one appointment every month, you need more ongoing specialist support.

That’s what The AAC Advocates is all about!

Giving you the space and time to learn more about your child’s AAC device, including:

✅ How to personalise it so they can have more fun and want to use it.
✅ 2 live monthly calls with me to give you personalised advice and guidance.
✅ A growing library of masterclasses, resources and how-to videos to guide you.
✅ Access to my parent modelling course for practical examples and insights.
✅ A community of parents and carers experiencing the same challenges to support you and celebrate your wins.

Doors are now open for new members to join.

🚨 But not for long! They close again on April 3rd to give you a chance to settle in and become familiar with the group.

Now’s your chance to join for the ongoing AAC support you need.

🌟 And don’t forget you can claim your monthly membership back on your health insurance.

Click the link in bio to join today.

Or DM “AAC” for your direct sign up link.

23/03/2026

There’s no excuse for gatekeeping when it comes to AAC.

It’s important to remember that there are no prerequisites when it comes to AAC access.

A child shouldn’t need to “prove” anything before getting a communication device.

If you have a child who cannot reliably express their needs, wants, thoughts, opinions or feelings all of the time, they need AAC to support their communication.

There is no reason AAC should be kept from children, teenagers or adults if it’s something they need.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this too.

Let me know in the comments. 👇

21/03/2026

Today we’re celebrating World Down Syndrome Day!

Down Syndrome (or Trisomy 21) is a naturally occurring chromosomal arrangement that has always been a part of the human condition.

This year’s theme is “Together against loneliness.”

Loneliness is a real problem faced by so many people with Down Syndrome including their families.

So this year, the discussion is all about how we can counteract that by reaching out, building relationships and creating more opportunities for connection.

Today and every day, let's celebrate inclusion, making sure everyone feels seen and heard. ✨️

17/03/2026

Happy St.Patrick’s Day! ☘️

If your child has an AAC device, here are some practical ways you can include it during the day.

From getting ready for the day to watching the parade and celebrating at home there are plenty of opportunities to communicate together. ✨

Think about St. Patrick's Day vocabulary you can add to their device.

Words like: green, parade, celebrate, shamrock, music.

And model it during natural moments throughout the day to include your child in the celebrations.

If you’d like to learn more about integrating AAC into your home life…

I created a new free mini masterclass: Real Life, Real Routines: Implementing AAC at Home.

Sharing practical practical tips and exercises the whole family can use.

👉 Click the link in bio to register for the mini masterclass, released on March 23rd.

📩 Or DM “HOME” for the direct sign up link.

16/03/2026

🌟 Free mini masterclass! 🌟

Bringing your child’s AAC device home is a big moment.

But it also comes with a lot of uncertainty around adding it to your daily life and building it into your home routines.

It’s this first step that I see so many parents and carers worry about.

Which is why I created this free mini masterclass.

Real Life, Real Routines: Implementing AAC at Home.

During the free mini masterclass, you’ll learn:

✅ The ultimate goal of AAC, so you know what you're working towards.
✅ Where to start and how to choose just one routine so you can start making progress.
✅ Real modelling examples so you can start practising and make modelling feel natural.
✅ Top AAC tips for home so you can make AAC a part of your everyday routine.
✅ How to create an action plan so you can put what you learn into practice.

🌟 You’ll get your own downloadable action plan to put together in a way that suits your family.

This free mini masterclass will be sent directly to your inbox on Monday, March 23rd.

Anyone registered will receive an email on the 23rd with access to the mini masterclass plus your own downloadable action plan.

So you can put what you learn into practice.

And get ready for more consistent AAC use at home!

🔗 Click the link in bio to register for access.

📧 Or DM “HOME” for the direct link.

13/03/2026

Grid size has more of an impact on long term AAC success than you might think.

When we say “AAC success” we mean the goal of a child, teenager or adult being able to say whatever they want, to whoever they want, whenever they want to say it.

Giving them access to robust, reliable communication helps them to achieve this.

That’s where grid sizes come in.

Starting with a smaller grid size may seem like a good idea, but it makes communication harder.

With a small grid size, your child has to navigate through multiple pages to find the words they need.

And switching to larger grid sizes at a later stage can impact motor planning.

A larger grid size gives them access to:
✅ Robust, reliable communication from the start.
✅ Room to grow alongside their device.

By keeping the end goal in mind, AAC users are set up for long term communication support and success from the start.

04/03/2026

Has anyone ever spoken about you as if you weren’t there?

Having other people talk about you, your behaviour and your regulation without asking for your input or involving you is so frustrating and upsetting.

You wouldn’t do it to another adult.

So why do people think it’s ok to do this with a child?

This happens a lot for children who are non-speaking or minimally speaking.

And it can have a lasting impact on their regulation, self-worth and sense of belonging.

If you’re talking about a child, include them in the conversation so they feel part of the conversation.

Talk to them, not about them.

Even if they’re non-speaking, they can use their AAC device or communicate with you non-verbally.

It’s so important to remember the difference it makes for a child when they feel valued and part of their classroom, family and community.

✨ This builds their confidence to communicate more.
✨ Their sense of belonging as they’re being included.
✨ And it helps them to feel like they truly matter.

Let's normalise including children in conversations about them.

Follow along for more AAC advocacy and guidance.

Address

Eblana House, 11 Eblana Avenue
Dublin
A96N7F2

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 6pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	8am - 6pm

Website

https://linktr.ee/sparkingspeech

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