Visual Approaches to Aid Communication Looking at visual

Visual Approaches to Aid Communication Looking at visual ways to Enhance and Facilitate Communication for Pupils with Autism… including PECS Communication in Print By Kristy Petroni

What is Communication? • Consists of exchanging messages between people • Expresses needs • Sharing thoughts, ideas and feelings • Can be verbal, non verbal or written

Autism and Communication • Difficulty in discovering the power and pleasure of social communication • Engage less in day-to-day exchanges • Slower to develop language • Don’t understand the social cues of communication • People with Autism tend to be visual learners and therefore need visual means to communicate

Visual Ways to Enhance Communication Objects, Photograph or Symbol? • Can be helpful to accompany speech and choice • Objects tend to be used in early developmental stages • Photographs used later on followed by symbols

Visual Aids: Communication Rings • Help non-verbal children communicate their needs and feelings. • Emotion rings-keying for people who find it difficult to express their emotions verbally. • Social Key rings. Visually encourage acceptable and appropriate behavior.

Timetables and Structure • Pupils with Autism benefit from the use of picture symbols on timetables (schedules) • This shows the sequence of daily routines • They can help avoid tantrums, anxiety and encourages the development of independence skills • They can be used at home and at school • These time tables help the pupil with autism understand the world around them.

Timetables

Picture Exchange Communication System ( PECS) • A programme that encourages communication using symbols is PECS • PECS- helps initiate communication with others • There are 3 main stages of PECS ( see handout for brief description) • For more in depth training workshops go to www. pecs. org. uk

Using Symbol Programme : Widget and Communication in Print • Symbols are different from pictures • Picture describes an illustration in a book or a drawing on a wall • Symbol focuses on a single concept • Symbols can be put together to build more precise information

Symbols Continued • Symbols can help support: • Communication- help pupils make choices • Independence and Participation- aid understanding which can increase involvement, choice and confidence • Literacy and Learning- symbol software encourages users to ‘write’ by selecting symbols • More detailed information can be found at www. widgit. com ( there are free resources to download as well)

TOP TIPS • • Label your classroom and the equipment Create a visual timetable for the class or individual pupil Keep things clear of clutter and mess Keep displays simple and un busy ( this is dependent on the children you have) • Keep things Visual - Remember most autistic pupils are VISUAL LEARNERS- if they see it they are more likely to remember it! • Have CLEAR boundaries- use masking tap to give pupils own personal space or use as aid to keep pupil out of area’s you do not wish for them to enter.

Useful Resources • • • PECS- www. pecs. org. uk Widget/Communication in Printwww. widget. com Boardmaker http: //www. mayer-johnson. com. The program allows you to make communication displays, quickly find and paste pictures, Print displays, Make worksheets, picture instruction sheets, reading books, journals, or posters. • Do 2 Learn http: //www. do 2 learn. com Great website, free picture cards, link to facial expression game, product guide