Visual Supports in the Classroom Melissa Chase Donna Williams June, 2008

Visual Tools Mini Test Do you have a calendar that you write things on to help you organize? Do you have a calendar that you write things on to help you organize? Do you have a list of “things to do” on your desk or refrigerator? Do you have a list of “things to do” on your desk or refrigerator? Have you ever pointed to a picture in an advertisement or a menu to show someone what you want? Have you ever pointed to a picture in an advertisement or a menu to show someone what you want? Do you make up a shopping list before you go to the store? Do you make up a shopping list before you go to the store?

Visual Tools Mini Test, cont. Do you ever read from a sign to tell you what line to stand in or what door to exit from? Do you ever read from a sign to tell you what line to stand in or what door to exit from? Have you ever followed a recipe in a cookbook to create some delicious dinner entrée? Did you go back to that recipe each time you wanted to cook that item? Have you ever followed a recipe in a cookbook to create some delicious dinner entrée? Did you go back to that recipe each time you wanted to cook that item? Do you ever write notes to your family members reminding them to do things? Do you ever write notes to your family members reminding them to do things?

Visual Tools Mini Test, cont. Do you scan the menu to evaluate your choices before ordering in a restaurant? Do you scan the menu to evaluate your choices before ordering in a restaurant? Have you ever made a check list for your children to help them remember to brush their teeth? Have you ever made a check list for your children to help them remember to brush their teeth? Did you ever attach a note to your bathroom mirror to remind you to do something? Did you ever attach a note to your bathroom mirror to remind you to do something?

Visual Tools Mini Test, cont. Have you had the experience of assembling a new bicycle by following the “easy to follow step by step” instructions? Have you had the experience of assembling a new bicycle by following the “easy to follow step by step” instructions?

What are visual tools? Simply put, visual supports are a way of making auditory information visual. Simply put, visual supports are a way of making auditory information visual. Students with autism and students who are visual learners need visual supports…but most of our students would benefit from them.

What is a visual strategy? According to Linda Hodgdon, a visual is: Body Language Body Language Natural Environment Clues Natural Environment Clues Tools for Organizing and Giving Information Tools for Organizing and Giving Information

Visual supports come in many forms…. Written words Written words Pictures: photos, color pictures, black and white pictures, picture-symbols like those used in the Mayer Johnson Boardmaker program Pictures: photos, color pictures, black and white pictures, picture-symbols like those used in the Mayer Johnson Boardmaker program Gestures Gestures Objects in the environment: i.e. supplies that are needed for the next activity are sitting on the table or desk where that activity will occur: Objects in the environment: i.e. supplies that are needed for the next activity are sitting on the table or desk where that activity will occur: Arrangement of the environment: i.e., the chairs are set up in the reading circle Arrangement of the environment: i.e., the chairs are set up in the reading circle

Everyday Examples of Visual Tools Signs on bathroom doors Signs on bathroom doors Lines in a parking lot Lines in a parking lot White lines on the side of the road White lines on the side of the road Maps Maps Calendars, Daily Planners Calendars, Daily Planners Signs, Labels Signs, Labels Checkbooks, telephone books Checkbooks, telephone books Shopping lists, notes, menus Shopping lists, notes, menus Schedules, TV guides, theater guides Schedules, TV guides, theater guides Assembly or operating instructions Assembly or operating instructions

Natural Environmental Cues Furniture Arrangement Furniture Arrangement Location and movement of people and objects Location and movement of people and objects Printed material such as signs, signals, logos, labels, prices Printed material such as signs, signals, logos, labels, prices Written messages, instructions, choices, menus Written messages, instructions, choices, menus Directions on packages, machines, or in business locations Directions on packages, machines, or in business locations

Why use visual supports? Using visual tools to manage classroom communication: Increases the effectiveness of teacher communication Increases the effectiveness of teacher communication Helps students perform more consistently Helps students perform more consistently Makes the communication process more efficient for everyone involved. Makes the communication process more efficient for everyone involved.

Why use visual supports? Organizing the environment with visual supports can: Create an orderliness to the environment that gives students a sense of stability Create an orderliness to the environment that gives students a sense of stability Help students experience greater structure and predictability Help students experience greater structure and predictability Help students function more independently Help students function more independently Enable students to become more responsible for their own performance and belongings Enable students to become more responsible for their own performance and belongings Increase student reliability Increase student reliability Make it easier for everyone to find or remember what they need Make it easier for everyone to find or remember what they need

Why use visual supports? Using visual tools to help give directions: Helps gain and maintain student attention Helps gain and maintain student attention Makes the teaching of a task more routine or consistent Makes the teaching of a task more routine or consistent Standardizes directions and procedures among various teachers Standardizes directions and procedures among various teachers Helps students learn to perform sequences faster Helps students learn to perform sequences faster Increases student reliability and consistency Increases student reliability and consistency Gives students a greater sense of independence Gives students a greater sense of independence Helps students stay on task Helps students stay on task Helps students work through behavior problems Helps students work through behavior problems Enables students to perform more complicated or lengthy tasks with less supervision Enables students to perform more complicated or lengthy tasks with less supervision

How Visual Supports Help Especially with special needs populations - They provide structure and routine They provide structure and routine They assist with transitions They assist with transitions They provide forewarning They provide forewarning They alleviate anxiety They alleviate anxiety

How Visual Supports Help With all children – They build on comprehension They build on comprehension They assist with language development They assist with language development They increase independence They increase independence They increase appropriate behaviors They increase appropriate behaviors

Some Types of Visual Supports for Students Picture Books Picture Books Story Kits Story Kits Visual Notes Visual Notes Visual Organizers Visual Organizers Visual Schedules Visual Schedules Visual Task Charts Visual Task Charts Behavior Reminder Charts Behavior Reminder Charts Social Stories Social Stories Vocabulary Charts/Notebooks Vocabulary Charts/Notebooks

Why use visual supports? Visuals promote language development. Using visual tools promotes language development by pairing an image in the child’s mind with what he/she hears. This image is easier for the child to retrieve. This “picture database” promotes understanding of language and increases verbalization.

Why use visual supports? Visual supports promote independence. Visual supports can assist children in remembering : Visual supports can assist children in remembering : the tasks to perform, the tasks to perform, the sequence of steps in a job or routine, the sequence of steps in a job or routine, and the behavior that is expected in a situation. and the behavior that is expected in a situation.

Why use visual supports? Visual (picture) representations of language assist with development of literacy skills. Visual representations of words in sentences illustrate: Visual representations of words in sentences illustrate: word order, word order, grammar, grammar, and meaning. and meaning.

Why use visual supports? Visual images increase vocabulary development. Vocabulary development increases when students have visual images of word meaning Vocabulary development increases when students have visual images of word meaning and when the words are categorized into groups. and when the words are categorized into groups.

Why use visual supports? Visual supports help children remember information longer. Visual supports do not disappear into thin air like words do. Visual supports do not disappear into thin air like words do. Children can refer back to the visual representation at any time. Children can refer back to the visual representation at any time. Students can go back over and over again to the visual support to help them understand and remember. Students can go back over and over again to the visual support to help them understand and remember.

Why use visual supports? Social interaction and verbal directions shift quickly in a classroom. Using visual supports help children who: Using visual supports help children who: listen slowly, listen slowly, have difficulty sustaining attention have difficulty sustaining attention or difficulty shifting attention or difficulty shifting attention interpret long and/or confusing directions or discourse. interpret long and/or confusing directions or discourse.

Why use visual supports? Visual supports help control behavior. Schedules and calendars are the most common visual tools used to give students information. Schedules and calendars are the most common visual tools used to give students information. Step-by-step directions, choice boards, and classroom rules provide structure in classrooms. Step-by-step directions, choice boards, and classroom rules provide structure in classrooms. They help students by creating an environment that is more predictable and understandable. They help students by creating an environment that is more predictable and understandable.

Visuals will help children: In the regular classroom: Organize materials in the classroom Organize materials in the classroom Organize the space in the environment Organize the space in the environment Communicate rules Communicate rules Teach routines Teach routines Provide structure to the day Provide structure to the day Clarify verbal information Clarify verbal information Review and remember Review and remember Manage time Manage time Access information Access information Learn vocabulary Learn vocabulary

Visuals will help children: For Individual Children: Learn new skills Learn new skills Support transitions Support transitions Stay on task Stay on task Handle changes Handle changes Guide self management Guide self management Aid memory Aid memory Speed up slow thinking Speed up slow thinking Support language retrieval Support language retrieval Communicate emotions Communicate emotions Provide structure Provide structure

Daily Task Organizer

Picture Menu

Visual Organizer – Nouns

Classroom Bin Labels

Thunder Social Story

Interactive Book

Adapted Book

Visual Organizers

Horizontal Schedule

Language Support – Positional Words

Storyboard for Writing a Book

Visual Reminder

End of School Calendar

Behavior Management Cards

Vocabulary and Sentence Structure

Visual Recipe

Visual Choice Cards

Communicating No

Work Task Cards

Supporting Language I need help, please.Yes, please. No, thank you. You’re welcome.

Behavior Reminder Chart

Reinforcing Rules

Thematic Vocabulary Chart

Direction Reminders

End of School Day Reminder

Reminders and Rules

Independent Task Organizer

Art Class Management Tool

Making Contracts

Categorization Chart

Beginning Middle End Visual

Snack Choices

Illustrating Multiple Meaning Words

Do you already use Visual Supports???

Visual Strategies Websites This site has many ready-made visuals which are easy to print and use. This site has many ready-made visuals which are easy to print and use. This site has pictures to download and lots of resources. This site has pictures to download and lots of resources. Check out this site to find out more about Boardmaker and other resources. Check out this site to find out more about Boardmaker and other resources. This site literally has thousands of pictures you can access. This site literally has thousands of pictures you can access This site has some simple picture recipes. This site has some simple picture recipes.

Visual Strategies Websites This site has tons of information on autism and related issues, including structured work tasks. This site has tons of information on autism and related issues, including structured work tasks. This site explains the Picture Exchange Communication System by Bondy and Frost. This site explains the Picture Exchange Communication System by Bondy and Frost. This site illustrates and sells visually structured play tasks. This site illustrates and sells visually structured play tasks. and and Check out these sites to find out more about Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Check out these sites to find out more about Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Great links to other sites. Great links to other sites. For more information on autism and resources related to autism. For more information on autism and resources related to autism.