Join the Speaker Initiative

Many non-verbal children are not provided with an alternative method of speaking and participate in instruction or behavior therapy 'solely as a listener'. Others are provided with an alternative method, such as picture exchange or an electronic tablet, that is not portable or requires multiple responses to make simple requests. These methods are often abandoned by the children, resulting in young adults with problem behavior 'when they want to make requests'. Essential for Living will help you select and confirm an alternative, method of speaking that meets the CAFE criteria -- Continuously Available, Frequently used, and Effortless -- and is much less likely to be abandoned later.

Learn More About the Speaker Initiative

72 New Speakers

Essential for Living: A Journey to Life Skills

The mission of Essential for Living is to provide children and adults with moderate-to-severe disabilities,
including but not limited to autism, a comprehensive life skills curriculum with social validity,
along with evidence-based teaching and measurement strategies and procedures,
that result in the dignity and quality of life these children and adults deserve

A PDF copy of this overview in English… https://eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EFL-OverviewNew3.pdf

A PDF copy of this overview translated into Italian… https://www.eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/traduzione-EFLoverview-.pdf

A PDF copy of this overview translated into Spanish… https://www.eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/EFL-EPV-OverviewEspañol.pdf

A PDF copy of this overview translated into French… https://eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/EFL-OverviewNew3FrenRev.pdf

A PDF copy of this overview translated into Mandarin-Chinese… https://eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/EFL-Overview-Mandarinv3.pdf

A PDF copy of this overview translated into German… https://eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/EFL-Overview-German.pdf

A Keynote presentation of this overview in English… https://www.eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/EFL-OverviewNew3KNT.key

A Powerpoint presentation of this overview in English… https://www.eflold.sitemender.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/EFL-OverviewNew3PP.pptx