Foster communication and connection with an evidence-based framework 

Are you looking for an effective autism service model that includes parent involvement?  The More Than Words® workshop offers a naturalistic, family-centered, strengths-based approach that empowers parents to support their child’s communication during fun, everyday interactions. You gain a clear and evidence-based framework for addressing the specific communication needs of autistic children or children who may benefit from social communication support, and you learn how to foster deeper understanding and enjoyable interactions between parents and children. 

More Than Words  certification comes with built-in flexibility to coach parents in a variety of contexts, including group and 1-1 sessions, as well as in person and online.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Describe how the research informs assessment and goal-setting.
• Describe how More Than Words integrates principles of best practice to support autistic children.
• Select appropriate communication goals for autistic children based on assessment of the child's strengths and current social communication skills.
• Apply principles of adult learning to provide parents with the training, information and support they need to become their child's primary communication facilitators.
• Teach parents to apply communication facilitation strategies that are specifically adapted to the individual needs of autistic children flexibly and across contexts.
• Apply individualized communication facilitation strategies when supporting autistic children to facilitate the children's achievement of their social communication goals.
• Assess video-recorded parent-child interactions and provide personalized coaching and feedback in order to facilitate parents' application of program strategies within everyday interactions with their children.
• Lead More Than Words – The Hanen Program® for Parents of Autistic Children or Children Who May Benefit from Social Communication Support.

Certification

This workshop certifies you to:

1. 1. Lead the evidence-based More Than Words Program for Parents of Autistic Children or Children Who May Benefit from Social Communication Support 

   With your support, parents learn how to identify and build upon their child’s strengths, interests and preferences while integrating strategies that support their child’s social communication within everyday activities and routines. 

   • Learn more about the program
   • Read about the research behind the program
2. 
   

   2. Offer 1-1 coaching to parents 

   Your certification includes a license and resources to offer More Than Words® the 1-1 Way – a flexible framework for coaching individual parents in a way that maintains best practice criteria for effective adult learning. 

3. 3. Offer the More Than Words Program via telepractice

   Your certification includes a license and resources to deliver the program online to groups of parents. The telepractice version of More Than Words maintains the best practice elements of in-person Hanen programs while increasing accessibility of the program to families.

You’ll gain access to all the digital resources you need to successfully incorporate More Than Words into your work. This includes:

More Than Words Making Hanen Happen Leaders Guide 

A session-by-session guide to leading the program, including handouts and checklists for use in both program and one-to-one contexts.

More Than Words PowerPoint slides 

Presentation slides for the entire program, including real-life video examples of More Than Words strategies to enhance parents' learning experience. 

More Than Words the 1-1 Way Materials

Resources for coaching and supporting individual families to use More Than Words strategies.  

More Than Words Telepractice Materials

Resources to deliver the More Than Words Program to groups of parents online. 

More Than Words Member Resource Page

Take advantage of clinical resources that provide opportunities to refresh or refine your clinical practice – e.g. practice using the More Than Words Assessment Protocol; online member meetings; free e-Seminars.

Part 1: Self Study

Before the training, you'll complete a pre-workshop assignment to prepare you for full participation in the workshop. You’ll learn about the foundation of the Hanen approach, familiarize yourself with key principles of adult education, reflect on how the research informs assessment and goal-setting, and start thinking about how the content may apply to a particular child on your caseload.

View the assignment details

Part 2: Live, online interactive training

In a small online group, you’ll participate in a series of highly interactive and personalized learning sessions. Each session includes discussion and small group practice activities, as well as the opportunity to reflect and receive feedback from your peers and the instructor.

View the workshop agenda

Note on attendance:

Hanen Certification Workshops require participants to attend all days of the workshop in full, as indicated on the workshop registration page. Full attendance is required in order to be awarded certification and a license to offer the More Than Words Program, as well as to obtain ASHA CEUs.