10 Core Words to Teach First (and Why They Beat Nouns)

When parents set up an AAC device for the first time, the instinct is to fill it with nouns. Cookie, juice, ball, car, iPad, dog. These are the words their child seems to want most, so they feel like the obvious place to start.

But nouns are actually a poor starting point. Here's why, and what to teach instead.

The Problem with Starting with Nouns

Nouns are specific. "Cookie" only gets you a cookie. "Ball" only gets you a ball. If the word you need isn't on the board, you're stuck.

Now think about the word "more." More cookies. More juice. More swinging. More music. More tickles. One word, dozens of situations.

That's the power of core vocabulary: a small set of high-frequency words that work across every context, every day, with every communication partner. Research shows that a few hundred core words make up the vast majority of everything we say in daily conversation. For the research behind this approach, see why core words matter in AAC.

Nouns, by contrast, are fringe vocabulary. They're important for specificity, but they represent a tiny fraction of actual communication. You need them eventually, but they shouldn't be your starting point.

The 10 Core Words to Teach First

These words were chosen because they're high-frequency, high-utility, and applicable across many situations. You don't need to teach all 10 at once. Start with 2 to 3 and add more as your child begins to use them.

1. More

The single most useful first word. It works with food, activities, sensory play, music, books, and anything else your child enjoys. It's also easy to model because the opportunities are constant.

Model it during: Snack time, swing time, bubbles, reading books, pouring water.

2. Stop

Gives your child the ability to end something they don't like. This is a big deal. Many behavioral challenges stem from a child's inability to say "I don't want this." "Stop" is the solution.

Model it during: Tickle games (tickle, stop, tickle, stop), running water, noisy toys, rough play.

3. Want

Direct requesting. "Want" is the gateway to two-word combinations: "want cookie," "want go," "want more." Once your child has "want," they can begin combining it with other words to form simple sentences.

Model it during: Anytime you're about to give them something. "You want crackers? Want."

4. Go

An action word that pairs naturally with play. Cars go. Swings go. You go down the slide. It's also one of the first words children can use to initiate an activity, not just respond to one.

Model it during: Pushing cars, swinging, sliding, running, starting any activity.

5. All done

Signals the end of an activity. This is especially valuable for transitions, which are hard for many children. "All done" gives them a way to participate in the transition instead of having it happen to them.

Model it during: End of meals, end of bath, end of screen time, packing up toys.

6. Help

Teaches your child to ask for assistance instead of getting frustrated. Frustration often leads to meltdowns or giving up. "Help" gives them a third option: ask someone.

Model it during: Opening containers, reaching high shelves, putting on shoes, any task where they're struggling.

7. No

Not just refusal. "No" is an opinion, a boundary, and a safety word. Children who can say "no" reliably have more control over their environment, which reduces anxiety and challenging behavior.

Model it during: Offering non-preferred items ("You want broccoli? No? Okay."), asking questions with obvious answers.

8. Yes

The partner to "no." Together, they give your child the ability to answer any yes/no question, which dramatically expands how much they can participate in conversation.

Model it during: "Want more? Yes!" "Is that yummy? Yes!" Confirm their choices.

9. I / my

Introduces the concept of self-reference. "I want," "my turn," "I like." These words are foundational for building longer sentences and expressing personal preferences.

Model it during: Turn-taking games, choosing activities, expressing preferences on their behalf. "My turn. Your turn. My turn."

10. That

A powerful pointer word. "That" lets your child indicate what they want without needing to know the specific noun. If they see something interesting across the room, "want that" gets the message across even without a symbol for the specific item.

Model it during: Looking at books ("What's that?"), choosing between items, pointing at things in the environment.

Why This Order Matters

Notice that only one of these words is a noun-like word ("that"), and even that one functions more like a pronoun. The rest are verbs, modifiers, and function words. This is intentional.

Research by Baker, Hill, and Devylder (2000) on AAC vocabulary selection found that core words give users the ability to generate novel messages across contexts. A child with 10 core words can communicate hundreds of different messages. A child with 10 nouns can only label 10 things.

Here's a comparison:

With just "more," "want," "stop," and "go," your child can:

• Request continuation of any activity ("more")
• Request any visible item ("want that")
• End any activity ("stop")
• Start or resume any activity ("go")

That's four words covering the four most fundamental communication functions. Nouns can't do that.

How to Introduce These Words

Week 1 to 2: Pick 2 to 3 words

Choose the words most relevant to your child's day. For most families, more, stop, and want are the strongest starters. If you need ideas for when to practice, see our list of daily routines for AAC practice.

Put these words on the main screen of your AAC app. On SabiKo, you can customize the grid to show just these words in a simple layout. SabiKo Pro also offers 8 pre-built vocabulary packs organized around everyday routines, so you don't have to build your core word layout from scratch.

Week 3 to 4: Model consistently

Use these words during at least 2 daily routines. Don't ask your child to press the buttons. Just model by tapping the symbol while you say the word.

"More crackers? More." (tap "more") "All done? Stop." (tap "stop") "You want the blue cup?" (tap "want")

Month 2: Add 2 to 3 more words

Once your child is hearing the first words regularly (and possibly starting to use one or two), add the next set. Go, all done, and help are natural additions.

Month 3+: Start combining

When your child uses a single word independently, start modeling two-word combinations: "want more," "stop that," "go fast." This is where the core word approach really pays off. Every new word multiplies the possible combinations. Once combinations feel natural, you can also start exploring word forms by long-pressing words to change tense or plural, turning "I want go" into "I want to go" or "I played."

What About Nouns?

Nouns aren't bad. They're just not where you should start. As your child's vocabulary grows, add nouns for:

• Preferred foods (crackers, juice, banana)
• Favorite activities (swing, bubbles, music)
• Important people (mama, daddy, names of siblings)
• Comfort items (blanket, bear, pacifier)

The difference is that these nouns now combine with the core words your child already knows. Instead of "cookie" as an isolated label, they can say "want cookie," "more cookie," "no cookie," or "my cookie." Each noun becomes four or five messages instead of one.

Quick Reference Card

Print this and stick it on the fridge:

Start Today

Open SabiKo, set up a simple grid with your first 3 core words, and model them during one routine today. That's all it takes to begin.

Download SabiKo free and teach the words that matter most.

References

• Banajee, M., DiCarlo, C., & Stricklin, S.B. (2003). Core vocabulary determination for toddlers. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 19(2), 67-73.
• Baker, B., Hill, K., & Devylder, R. (2000). Core vocabulary is the same across environments. Paper presented at the Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference, California State University, Northridge.