Using chain visuals to teach coherence in conversation

Using chain visuals to teach coherence in conversation (with moveable images for telehealth) Joel Shaul

This is an activity designed to teach coherence in conversation. It can be done by an adult and child working on a computer or by an adult and child working in telehealth applications between the adult’s computer and the child’s screen. The images employed are a chain and a broken chain, representing a connected statement and a disconnected statement.

If you are looking for a hands-on, cut-out version of this activity, go to: https: //bit. ly/2 Y 33 Ds. X Derived from a method described in: Relationship Development Intervention with Children, Adolescents and Adults, Steven Gutstein and Rachelle Sheely, 2006, Anthenaeum Press.

What do you like in the cafeteria? The desserts are gross. Like the pudding. Pizza and chicken nuggets. 1 The fries are okay but they ran out of ketchup. Yeah. But the green jello is kind of cool. What else to you like? Andy probably ate it all. That dude likes ketchup! How did they run out of ketchup? Yeah, maybe he DRINKS ketchup. While two people are talking back and forth on an agreed-upon, shared topic, drag the chains into a connected sequence. (I have written a sample conversation here to demonstrate).

2 As long as they stay on the same topic, keep dragging the connected chains over – one for each back-andforth exchange.

By the way, what are you doing this weekend? My aunt is visiting. She’s gonna take me shopping. 3 If the two people talking switch to a new, shared topic using a smooth transition, advance to the next slide and start dragging over more chain pieces while they speak.

What do you like in the cafeteria? The desserts are gross. Like the pudding. Pizza and chicken nuggets. 4 The fries are okay but they ran out of ketchup. The Sonic movie is cool! I saw it twice! Yeah. But the I don’t eat green jello is kind ketchup of cool. What anyhow. else to you like? If someone abruptly introduces a new topic, drag over a broken chain icon.

This activity will go much better if you provide lots of conversation topics. Suggestion: Go to this activity to provide more topics: https: //bit. ly/2 Xx. D 9 Rw