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How can visuals support language development?
How can visuals support language development?
Visuals are useful in teaching language because:
Visuals are useful in teaching language because:
- They are often not specific to a particular language.
- They are stable and can be referred to repeatedly (whereas our spoken words "disappear" as soon as we are done saying them).
- They can be easily understood by others.
- They usually look like what they represent.
- They only require simple motor acts (e.g., gesturing toward or pointing) to use them.
- They are less cognitively demanding, requiring only recognition memory rather than recall memory.
Visuals to support expressive language may include:
Visuals to support expressive language may include:
Photographs
Concrete objects
Drawings
Gestures and signs
Facial expressions
Written words
Specially designed visual supports (e.g., communication boards)
How early should we use visuals?
How early should we use visuals?
See the video by Rachel Madel, SLP, to learn how early we can use visuals to support vocabulary building and expressive language skills.
How early should you use visual supports with nonverbal children? Use visuals to build vocabulary..mp4What can we use visuals for when working on expressive language?
What can we use visuals for when working on expressive language?
Teach Them How to Initiate Communication
Teach Them How to Initiate Communication
Sometimes children don't know how to ask for something they want, or might not even know that they can ask for it. Using pictures can help with both! Children learn the power of communication - I can use communication to get the things that I want!
Teach Them New Vocabulary Words
Teach Them New Vocabulary Words
This video from the Autism Association of Western Australia is a helpful overview of how to use communication boards to teach new words to children. Communication boards can be helpful for all children!
Communication Tips and Strategies.mp4
Teach Them How To Participate Appropriately in a Conversation
Teach Them How To Participate Appropriately in a Conversation
Turn-taking can be really hard for some children. Using a visual reminder during a game (boardgame or people game) can help solidify this early communication skill for some learners.
Teach Them How To Expand Their Utterances
Teach Them How To Expand Their Utterances
Smash Mats are a visual tool that can be used to expand a child's utterance length (e.g., move from combining only 2 words to 3 words). Smash mats can be as simple as 3 dots on a page. When adults model a sentence, they can touch a dot as they say each word. As seen in the picture, smash mats can be made more enticing by adding playdoh balls which the child smashes with each word they say. As your child continues to progress in their expressive language skills, continue increasing the length of their utterance by adding more dots to the mat!
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