Click HERE to download the story in Microsoft Word

Ο Άγγελος: Η ιστορία μου

Aggelos: A story about myself 

I                               am                          Aggelos.                               I am                        12 years old.

My birthday is on March 12.

My mother is Anthi.  My fatrher is Dinos.    I have 2 siblings.                     Andreas                                                and

Evi.

                I go         at the 21^st Primary school                  I like my school    and                         I have many

                                in Limassol, in the 4^th Grade.                                                                            friends.

My teacher is Mrs.     My special education   My  SLP is             Mrs. Stella is our school’s headteacher        

Christina.                  teacher is Mrs. Myrto.    Mrs. Valia.           

I love very much                   all of my teachers.

  I can’t                                  talk.                        But I have                              my device              that talks for me.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

I am very happy now           because I can talk with my friends                   and                         my teachers.

I cannot walk                       and                         I use a wheelchair.              This is Mrs    She is always by my

Alexandra.   side and helps me

       at school.      

My house is in Mesa           My favorite           I like puzzles                         and                         domino.

Geitonia.                               animal is zebra.

I also love making jokes!

Notes:

Screen shots copied from the user’s device (from the symbol bar output)

Original language:  Greek

Translation in English: in italics – by the teachers.

A great thank you to my SLT for her support not only for this story but for everything!

Η εργασία αυτή έχει γραφτεί από τον Άγγελο Νεοφύτου, μαθητή της Δ3΄, με τη συσκευή επικοινωνίας του. 

This story has been written (told) by Aggelos Neophytou, who attends the 4^th grade, by the use of his communication device.

By Aggelos’ speech and language therapist and the assistive technology specialist that work with hime:

Aggelos is an adorable twelve year old boy diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy-Athetosis (Tetrapledgic), with no verbal communication.  He uses a wheelchair with the help of an escort. The Ministry of Education  and Culture in Cyprus, has provided him with a communication device last year. Since then Aggelos is using it to communicate with his classmates, his teachers and the rest of the school staff. The boy is very happy to communicate with people and has a good sense of humour.  The devices has been set up by a company in Cyprus, and it is a non-dedicated communication device, which proved very effective for Greek script and voice.  After all there are no dedicated AAC devices supporting Greek.  So, Aggelos uses his device with the software The Grid, and the Widgit Literacy Symbols set.  Since the use of the AAC device Aggelos has become not only very communicative but also literate.  He is now in the position of composing his own sentences, with simple words and symbols.  For time saving purposes most of the times grids and cells of the programme are set up in complete phrases.  Here are some screen shots :

We are all very happy for this progress in Aggelos life.  It totally gave him a new perspective!!!