Initially when i first started teaching autistic children I found myself amazed with how easily people that have non-communication skills usually adapted to PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System). Because i was conditioned to operate using the system it really did not mean much if you ask me until I entered the classroom and it into practice.
Almost all of you are aware of one’s PECS basics: inside the classroom each student has his/her own communication board that has been plasticized (carrying out this gave it a far long life in which we had been able to keep insurance coverage clean). My staff and used components of construction paper, taped them together so each one of these was for long enough to allow for the volume of icons i’d use day after day.
We then used laptop to get the different icons we needed. A kind of, for example bathroom, bus, and playground icons we printed in quantities; whilst others, similar to cash register, office, and bicycle we printed in smaller quantities. Whenever they wanted we placed them about the piece of construction paper and plasticized them. Only then do we put Velcro in the communication board, plus the icons, to ensure that one would connect to all the other (the icons we made were place a symbol book therefore they were easily obtainable add-ons .).
Insurance provider times we faced the specific situation of the inability to locate an appropriate icon to have a specific need. This happened sometimes whenever you took in this way to the certain restaurant. We desired to prepare them by placing the icon with their board to allow them to will know cures used to do where i was going even as left the classroom and commenced walking toward our office. Preparing students with this particular information, at the start, often saved a fit yet another behavior from the child who became anxious. We attempt to be as creative as is practical. Sometimes one of the paraprofessional educators were built with a strong artistic ability and will draw the ideal picture that most of us changed into a symbol. When you didn’t have an ‘artist’ inside your classroom we look for a graphic at a magazine or consider a similar icon which we could adapt.
From my memorable numerous years of teaching autistic children I usually attempted to convince parents their child have to have an analogous communication board and icons throughout their home. This offered consistency additionally it helped a child to comprehend what may be going on over the evening the sensation you get weekends. Often parents complained they will did not always recognize what they could be doing all through the evening. One evening, they would say, they desired to view television while another evening they took it out to dinner. I was told that how the decision are probably not made until minutes leading to a activity was selected. I could to boost that ‘some’ preparation, beforehand, was compatible with no preparation. Others found the communication system to always be ‘bulky’ or ‘time-consuming.’ This is true; however, using PECS may help to a mum or dad a long time by preventing melt-downs and anxious moments. The mother and father would possibly be concerned since ‘icon making program’ is costly. We tried out meet this by to make the icons for your loved ones. Some families also found that some non-profits or governmental agencies would help purchase this to them. Also, there are many wonderful pictures you possibly can download, free, using the internet.
If you are prepared to take thinking about making the transition of communication from home- to school-to home consistent – I strongly suggest you peer inside the PECS program for the non-communicative child. It offers your autistic child one way to communicate – and also this opens the latest world.
By Jack E. George
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