This Vocabulary Set is a prototype for an AAC Blazers Vocabulary Set. Use this with your students, family and friends when watching a game or playing the sport.
Blazers Vocabulary Core Set
A visual vocabulary board is themed around the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team concepts. This list ranges from core words to fringe words.
Row 1
- Blazers – The Portland Trail Blazers team logo with a red and black pinwheel design.
- LET’S GO – A green circle with the word “GO,” expressing encouragement.
- Score – a player shooting the ball.
- Dribble – A hand bouncing a basketball on the floor.
- Rebound – Two players jumping near a hoop to grab the ball after a missed shot.
- Dunk – A player jumping and forcefully putting the ball into the basket.
- Swish – The word “swish,” representing a shot that goes cleanly through the net.
- Three Pointer – A hand holding up three fingers, meaning a three-point shot.
Row 2
- Rose Garden / Moda Center – A drawing of the Blazers’ home basketball arena.
- Lillard – A red basketball jersey with the name “Lillard” and the number 0.
- Cissoko – A red jersey labeled “Cissoko,” number 91.
- Avdija – A red jersey labeled “Avdija,” number 8.
- Sharpe – A red jersey labeled “Sharpe,” number 17.
- Camara – A black jersey labeled “Camara,” number 33.
- Clingan – A red jersey labeled “Clingan,” number 23.
- Holiday – A black jersey labeled “Holiday,” number 5.
Row 3
- Portland – A flag symbol representing the city of Portland.
- Basketball – An orange basketball with black lines.
- Dame Time – An image of Damian Lillard pointing to his wrist, meaning clutch moments late in games.
- Defense – A large letter “D” with fence imagery, symbolizing strong defense.
- Fast Break – Text and imagery suggesting quick movement down the court after a turnover.
- Ball Don’t Lie – A basketball going through a hoop, meaning the game’s outcome proves the truth.
- Free Throw – A player shooting an uncontested shot from the free-throw line.
- Foul – A referee blowing a whistle to signal a rule violation.
Row 4
- Win – A happy stick figure celebrating.
- Lose – A sad face with tears.
- RIP CITY – A black and red graphic with the Blazers’ fan slogan “Rip City.”
- Blaze On – The Blazers’ mascot, a costumed character, smiling and cheering.
- Bust a Bucket – A bucket symbol, meaning to score a basket.
- Splashin’ – Blue splash text, meaning making shots, especially from long range.
- Lock It Up! – A padlock symbol, meaning strong defense.
- Hustle – A running stick figure, representing effort and hard work.
Row 5
- YES! – A green check mark next to the word “YES,” showing approval.
- NO! – A red X next to the word “NO,” showing disapproval.
- Half Time – A circle split in half, representing the middle of the game.
- Quarter – A circle showing one-quarter filled, representing a game period.
- Buzzer – A scoreboard showing time at zero, signaling the end of a period.
- Boom Shakalaka – A basketball graphic with the phrase used for exciting plays.
- Blocked Shot – A concrete block image, symbolizing stopping a shot.
- And 1 – A plus sign, meaning a made basket.
This Vocabulary Set is a pilot project. We would love to receive any feed back, ideas, suggestions and encouragements.
Augmented and Alternative Communication = AAC. People who use AAC are multi-modal communicators, using a range of modes to assist with their communication. This can range from No Tech (signing and gestures) Low Tech (printed materials) Mid Tech (electronic switch boards) High Tech (electronic speech generating devices).
AAC Blazers 
