Visual Supports

Why is it used ?

Helps them to understand what is expected form them.
Communication with others.
Helps to prevent behaviour problems that can arise due to failure to communicate.
Using these will not hinder with speech development, rather promotes it.
Do not use these as a last ditch effort but use it to promote and enable functioning.

What are the visual supports?

Can be parts of objects.
Photographs (coloured, black and white).
Stick figures (coloured or black and white).
Text.

Where can it be used ?

Use it to teach what happens next and make things predictable, which will in turn alleviate the anxiety. For eg- Visual sequence- Order of events or task to help them make a choice. Can also have a time face depicting the time task needs to be done. It can also explain the steps for a task like bathing.

Examples-

“First then” schedule is a temporal sequence How long and when to do a particular task.
Environment supports- Labelling locations at home, school help them learn where things belong and how to organise.
Video modelling -teaching using the video to improve skills.

2. Academics- For eg to understand concepts -Yes /no ,multiple choice questions.

3. Communications-

To improve expression- Choices ,pictures and even emojis.
For conversation- Communication Books, visual bridges.

4. To teach social skills- See Social stories by Carol Gray. It teaches social etiquette and do's and don'ts expected for safety, public and private behaviour etc

5.Behaviour Management

Maps used to teach the expected behaviour, reward and also what should not be done and consequence.
Rules-what to do/what not.
Match to pictures, colour coding, fill in the blanks.

6. Teaching concepts of self management and regulation. Using Mood thermometers or emojis to describe how they feel- 5 point management scale.

Visual Supports

Where can it be used ?

Video

Resources