| PECS was created by Andy Bondy and Lori
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| | than trying to move him onto other
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| Frost as a systematic way to teach
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| | things, we allowed him to work through
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| children with autism and other
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| | his interests, and made those items
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| communication difficulties to initiate
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| | available to him but he would have to
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| communication. It has been around since
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| | communicate with someone to get them.
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| the mid 1980s and is widely used with
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| | We started using PECS with Peter at this
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| children with autism.
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| | point. We made cards for all the things
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| One of the things I like about it is that
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| | he would try and get for himself, this
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| it reasonably straightforward to use and
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| | included things like: sticky tape,
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| can bring about fairly rapid changes in
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| | staplers, glue, paper and scissors. We
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| behaviour. Children with autism by
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| | made them all available, but put them out
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| definition have difficulties with
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| | of reach.
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| communication, these in turn can lead to
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| | Within a couple of days, Peter had
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| behaviours that can be challenging. PECS
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| | completely stopped trying to climb to
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| can lead to a reduction in such
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| | reach those pieces of equipment and was
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| behaviours.
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| | happily using his PECS cards to make
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| PECS training begins with identifying
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| | requests of all the adults in the room.
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| what a child is most motivated by and
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| | During the course of the next few months,
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| teaching him to exchange a picture card
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| | Peter's behaviour completely changed. He
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| of the item for the item itself, that is
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| | became calmer, gave his attention to
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| to say if the child enjoys playing with
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| | adult directed activities more readily,
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| bubbles, he is taught to exchange a
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| | and became much more interested in other
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| picture of the bottle of bubbles for the
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| | people in the class. PECS was also
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| bottle, rather than simply grabbing at
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| | supporting him in his development of
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| the bottle. Once the child succeeds at
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| | verbal language. At first Peter found
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| this, he is taken through several more
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| | some words very difficult to say, but
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| stages in the training so that he is able
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| | because he was using his PECS cards as
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| to request a range of items, with a range
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| | well as trying to speak, we could easily
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| of people.
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| | understand what he wanted and could help
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| For some children with autism this way of
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| | to model the correct way to say the word
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| communicating really makes sense, and
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| | at a time when he was motivated to repeat
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| they suddenly have a way to communicate
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| | it. His language really took off as a
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| their needs that other people readily
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| | result.
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| understand.
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| | Of course, it is difficult to know
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| Here's one success story:
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| | exactly what to attribute the change in
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| Peter, aged 6, could only say several
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| | behaviour to as many different approaches
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| words and was not using them in any
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| | were tried in class. However, PECS claim
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| useful sense. He was a very busy child,
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| | that when children are able to
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| and knew exactly what he wanted to do.
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| | communicate by making requests, this can
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| He was very independent and would get
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| | have a very positive impact on their
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| what he needed for himself, even if it
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| | behaviour. I have experienced a number
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| meant climbing onto high shelves.
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| | of occasions where the impact has been
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| We noticed how motivated Peter was to use
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| | very noticeable.
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| certain pieces of equipment, so rather
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