Let’s Communicate 1 Training –

session 3

June-July 2022

Speech and Language Therapy

Parent Training and Therapy
Reminders!

Mute microphones
Ask questions using chat box
Confidentiality
Take breaks when you want!
Please let us know in advance if you are
unable to attend.
Contact details:

If you do not attend and we don’t hear

from you, then we may need to close your
child’s case.
Please do not record the session.
Aims for the session

Help your child learn with daily routines

To Understand what “Visual Helpers” are

To understand why we use visual helpers with our

children

The 4 S’s (strategy!) - how to use visuals to help your

child understand

To make a plan for how to implement visuals within

the home
Daily Routines

Can anyone think of a daily routine that

they do with their child every day?
What children learn in daily
routines?

Understand and anticipate steps

Do some of the steps on their own
Understand familiar words
Send messages
Joint attention
Your child may be responding to:

Familiar routines
Cues from the environment
The intonation of your voice
Gestures or other non-verbal cues
When in another country
Imagine you were
transported to the middle You would keep
of a country you don’t you message
speak the language
short, use sign,
What would YOU do to
body language and
communicate your objects,
message emphasise key
words and speak
slowly
It is the same when speaking to your child!
The 4 S’s

S – Say less

S – Stress

S – Go slow

S - Show
Say Less

Simplify
Short, clear labels and
sentences
Use grammatically correct
sentences
Time what you say to your child’s
interests
Stress

Exaggerate important words

Louder
Change intonation

Put important words at the end of

sentences
Go slow

Pause between words and phrases

Be natural
Show – use visuals to help

Real objects
Actions and gestures
Pictures and symbols
Print
What are Visual Helpers

Visuals are a way to SHOW your child what

you mean
We have talked about the importance of
gesture and facial expression in
communication
Objects and pictures are equally as important
in supporting your child to understand
They allow your child to SEE words they may
not understand
We Use Visuals Everyday
Symbol Hierarchy

Which of these do you think is the easiest

to understand?

Biscuit
Real life object
Black and white photo

Coloured Drawing

Real Object

Miniature Object

Coloured photo

Written word BISCUIT

 Visual Hierarchy
Real Objects (most concrete and
easiest)
Photos (colour)
Photos (black and white)
Miniatures
Line drawings (colour)
Line drawing (black and white)
Written word (hardest and most
abstract)
Over to you

Can you think of a time you have used a

visual aid with your child?
What happened?
What did you do?
Would you do something different next
time?
Why do we use visuals?

Many children are visual learners

It makes words/ideas permanent
It can be calming
It allows us be more predictable and
clear
Think of some reasons YOU used visuals
this week
How you used visuals this week?

To understand To express
To understand

Making choices
Ordering from a menu

What's going to happen

Calendars, diaries, schedules, agendas

How to do things independently

Recipes, lists
To express yourself
To make choices
Pros and cons list

To say something
Email, text, letters

Reminders of what to do/say

Speech, presentation, post it notes,
shopping list
Visuals to help children understand

Choices
What's going to happen (e.g. transition
objects, first/then board)
How to do things independently (e.g.
self help boards)
Difficult situations
Choices
 What’s going to happen

Using real objects and/or pictures to help

transitions
What’s going to happen

First / Then Board

How to do things independently
Visual Helpers that may work for
own agenda/requester stage
WHAT
Real objects
Photos
Package Labels
HOW
Show (hold object in front of your
child)
Say something short (label)
Use two objects for choices
Let child take the object (transition
Making Your own plan

Time to make your own plan!

Use the plans from session 1 and 2
Go through and mark how you will use
the 4 S’s
What visual helpers could you use?
Using visual helpers at home

Most children that are own agenda and

requester stage of communication will
benefit from use of objects of reference
These can be used to help children with
transitions
These can be used to help children
understand choices
Using visual helpers at home

Think carefully about your routine, and 5

objects that could be associated with
these routines
Think about when you will use these
objects
Think about how you will use these
objects e.g. transition of for choices
 Example of Objects of
Reference
Nappy for
changing nappy
Blanket for peek a
boo
Plate/bowl for 4 S’s!
dinner time
Show the object
Bottle for water
Label the object
Towel for bath
Be clear and speak slowly
Pyjamas/Blanky Be consistent
for bed
Pictures and Symbols

Many children at the own agenda /

requester stage may not be able to
access symbol or picture/photo visuals
However if you feel like this is
something important to you to
investigate further, talk with your
speech and language therapist and
discuss 10 words (within routine) that
you would like to work on with visuals
Reminder of our Top Tips
Get down to their level

Follow your child’s interests, play their way

Interpret Using short simple language

Pause and Withhold in the game to encourage

communication

Don’t ask too many questions – Interpret by commenting

Thank you for coming

Please try out your plan at home.

Please video the activity you have
chosen so that you can share it with
your therapist

Any questions?