Using Visual Supports to Facilitate Literacy Development with to Facilitate Literacy Development with

ASD StudentsASD Students

Presented by Danielle MessinaPresented by Danielle MessinaPresentation Part One: The Importance of Classroom Teachers Using Visual SupportsPresentation Part One: The Importance of Classroom Teachers Using Visual Supports

Monday 23rd October 2006Monday 23rd October 2006

Ascot Vale Special SchoolAscot Vale Special School

Presentation Overview A three part presentation explainedA three part presentation explained The purpose of presentation – Part One The purpose of presentation – Part One What are visual supports?What are visual supports? Why are visual supports so important in literacy Why are visual supports so important in literacy

development for ASD students?development for ASD students?

Welcome to Part One of a Three Part Presentation

Part Part OneOne: Monday October 23rd 2006: Monday October 23rd 2006Theory Based:Theory Based:

The importance of classroom teachers using visual supports to facilitate literacy development The importance of classroom teachers using visual supports to facilitate literacy development with ASD students.with ASD students.

Part Part TwoTwo: Monday November 13th 2006: Monday November 13th 2006It’s Hands On Time:It’s Hands On Time:

Exploring practical ways to support ASD students in literacy learning Exploring practical ways to support ASD students in literacy learning by using visual supports.by using visual supports.

Part Part ThreeThree: Monday November 27th 2006: Monday November 27th 2006Let’s Get Serious and Think to the Future:Let’s Get Serious and Think to the Future:

Embracing a whole-school approach to implementing consistent use of Embracing a whole-school approach to implementing consistent use of visual support strategies in Literacy teaching and learning visual support strategies in Literacy teaching and learning

across all classes in the school.across all classes in the school.

The Purpose of this Presentation

To highlight the importance of To highlight the importance of classroom teachersclassroom teachers

using visual supports to facilitate literacyusing visual supports to facilitate literacydevelopment with ASD students.development with ASD students.

What are Visual Supports? Visual supports are a way of making auditory information visual.Visual supports are a way of making auditory information visual.

Through …Through …E.g. Coloured Photographs, colour pictures, line drawings E.g. Coloured Photographs, colour pictures, line drawings

and graphic symbols.and graphic symbols.

And why is this important for ASD Students?And why is this important for ASD Students?Because essentially …Because essentially …

ASD Students think in pictures!ASD Students think in pictures!They are visual learners.They are visual learners.

Visual Supports are an Essential Instructional Tool in Literacy

Because ….Because …. Visual supports supplement verbal instruction, clarifying the Visual supports supplement verbal instruction, clarifying the

information for the ASD student and increasing information for the ASD student and increasing comprehension.comprehension.

Visual supports help the ASD student cue communication, Visual supports help the ASD student cue communication, providing reminders of what to do and say in a situation.providing reminders of what to do and say in a situation.

Visual supports organise a sequence of events, enhancing Visual supports organise a sequence of events, enhancing the ASD student’s ability to understand, anticipate and the ASD student’s ability to understand, anticipate and participate in those events.participate in those events.

Quill, 1995Quill, 1995

Visual Supports are Crucial to Ensuring ASD Students Achieve

Success in LiteracyBecause during Literacy Activities Visual Supports Because during Literacy Activities Visual Supports

Increase an ASD Student’s ...Increase an ASD Student’s ... ParticipationParticipation IndependenceIndependence

MotivationMotivation ConcentrationConcentration ConfidenceConfidence

Level of EngagementLevel of Engagement Sense of Achievement Sense of Achievement

Good BehaviourGood Behaviour

In Literacy Activities Visual Supports are Essential

to Decreasing an ASD Students Levels of …

ConfusionConfusion AnxietyAnxiety AngerAnger

ImpatienceImpatience UncertaintyUncertainty

DisengagementDisengagement Sense of FailureSense of Failure

Level of DistractionLevel of Distraction Maladaptive BehaviourMaladaptive Behaviour

Key Benefits Of Using Visual Supports in the Literacy Classroom …Of Using Visual Supports in the Literacy Classroom …

ASD students can use visual supports for as long as they need to process the ASD students can use visual supports for as long as they need to process the information. In contrast, oral information is transient: once said, the message is information. In contrast, oral information is transient: once said, the message is no longer available. no longer available.

Oral information often poses problems for ASD students who have difficulty Oral information often poses problems for ASD students who have difficulty processing language, and who require extra time. Visuals offer a tremendous processing language, and who require extra time. Visuals offer a tremendous amount of support to the ASD student in literacy activities and therefore amount of support to the ASD student in literacy activities and therefore decrease the student’s maladaptive behaviours born out of frustration and decrease the student’s maladaptive behaviours born out of frustration and anxiety. anxiety.

It is often difficult for the ASD student to block out background stimulation. It is often difficult for the ASD student to block out background stimulation. Using visual supports enables the student to focus on the message and therefore Using visual supports enables the student to focus on the message and therefore enhance their literacy outcomes.enhance their literacy outcomes.

And Most Importantly …

Visual supports in Literacy consider the preference Visual supports in Literacy consider the preference and strengths of students with ASD to process non-and strengths of students with ASD to process non-

transient and visual-spatial information.transient and visual-spatial information.

When we present information verbally, the words are When we present information verbally, the words are available for a brief moment.available for a brief moment.

But when we present information visually it can be But when we present information visually it can be there for as long as the student needs it.there for as long as the student needs it.

So How Do Visual Supports Work? Visual aids and symbols range in complexity from simple and Visual aids and symbols range in complexity from simple and

concrete to abstract.concrete to abstract.

The continuum moves from real object or situation, to facsimile, The continuum moves from real object or situation, to facsimile, colour photograph, colour picture, black and white picture, line colour photograph, colour picture, black and white picture, line drawing, and finally to graphic symbol and written language.drawing, and finally to graphic symbol and written language.

Objects are the most simple, concrete form of support. Graphic Objects are the most simple, concrete form of support. Graphic symbol, although far along the continuum in terms of complexity and symbol, although far along the continuum in terms of complexity and abstraction, have been widely successful with students with ASD.abstraction, have been widely successful with students with ASD.

Software packages that provide quick access to graphic symbols and Software packages that provide quick access to graphic symbols and the ability to create customised symbols are available and highly the ability to create customised symbols are available and highly successful, such as successful, such as BoardmakerBoardmaker..

A Few Points to Remember … It is only by using the visuals that students will attach meaning to them.It is only by using the visuals that students will attach meaning to them.

Sometimes you will see immediate results. Sometimes it takes days, weeks or Sometimes you will see immediate results. Sometimes it takes days, weeks or months before you see results. STICK WITH IT but be thinking about the months before you see results. STICK WITH IT but be thinking about the possibility of making modifications. Sometimes one little change can make a possibility of making modifications. Sometimes one little change can make a big difference.big difference.

Some visual supports may be used less over time but it’s a good idea to keep Some visual supports may be used less over time but it’s a good idea to keep them handy for those times when the student needs a little extra support them handy for those times when the student needs a little extra support because they aren’t feeling well, haven’t had enough sleep or are just having because they aren’t feeling well, haven’t had enough sleep or are just having an ‘off day’. If the visual supports are kept in place they can be easily an ‘off day’. If the visual supports are kept in place they can be easily changed when the student transitions to a new, more challenging changed when the student transitions to a new, more challenging environment.environment.

Make visual supports age appropriate. Consider the size and portability of the Make visual supports age appropriate. Consider the size and portability of the visual as well as the kind of visual symbols you use (i.e. objects, pictures, line visual as well as the kind of visual symbols you use (i.e. objects, pictures, line drawings, words). Be sure they ‘fit the environment’.drawings, words). Be sure they ‘fit the environment’.

Remember Still … When using visual supports, pair them with spoken language so that students

begin to attach meaning. But use the words sparingly and match key words and phrases to the objects, pictures or actions.

The higher the stress level of the ASD student, the more need for visuals. Using spoken language usually serves to increase rather than decrease stress levels. Using pictures allows us to communicate effectively with the student without adding to their stress.

Independence in the literacy classroom is our goal! Visual supports promote independence by providing visual cues which can eventually be used by the ASD student for self-prompting. Verbal cues alone can increase dependence on other people.

The Key Question to Ask Yourself When Planning a Literacy Activity

or Giving an Instruction:

How can this information be presented in a simple How can this information be presented in a simple visual format?visual format?

Choose visual supports on the basis of an Choose visual supports on the basis of an understanding of the student and his or her abilities understanding of the student and his or her abilities

and responses.and responses.

Taking this Caution Into Account …

Visual Supports are very useful and can be employed within the Visual Supports are very useful and can be employed within the Literacy Lesson to:Literacy Lesson to:

Assist in Classroom RoutinesAssist in Classroom Routines Enhance Calendar ExercisesEnhance Calendar Exercises Facilitate Matching ActivitiesFacilitate Matching Activities Create Velcro Reading StoriesCreate Velcro Reading Stories Improve Cut and Paste TasksImprove Cut and Paste Tasks

Support Additional Word Identification ActivitiesSupport Additional Word Identification Activities Develop Comprehension SkillsDevelop Comprehension Skills

Enhance Student Opportunities to Illustrate textEnhance Student Opportunities to Illustrate text Assist Cloze ActivitiesAssist Cloze Activities

Develop Organisational MapsDevelop Organisational Maps

And That Is Just the Beginning !!! Visual Supports are also Useful to Support Writing through:Visual Supports are also Useful to Support Writing through:

Writing BoardsWriting Boards Word WallsWord Walls

Technology SupportsTechnology Supports Responding to Text with Organisational MapsResponding to Text with Organisational Maps

Plot SummariesPlot Summaries Character MapsCharacter Maps

And During Presentation And During Presentation Part TwoPart Two You are Going to Get Hands On and You are Going to Get Hands On and Learn Practical Ways to Achieve This in your Classroom …Learn Practical Ways to Achieve This in your Classroom …

SO STAY TUNED !!!SO STAY TUNED !!!

Finally …We have exactly a fortnight until our next session.We have exactly a fortnight until our next session.

Until we meet again, lets start thinking about how we as Until we meet again, lets start thinking about how we as literacy educators support our ASD Students literacy educators support our ASD Students

by using visual supports – by using visual supports –

DO WE ???DO WE ???

Come to Presentation Part Two with practical Come to Presentation Part Two with practical examples of literacy activities and ideas to share – examples of literacy activities and ideas to share –

Show and Tell !!!Show and Tell !!!See you next for Presentation Part Two: Monday 13See you next for Presentation Part Two: Monday 13thth November 2006 November 2006

Bibliography

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Bondy, A.S., & Frost, L.A. (1994). The picture exchange communication system. Bondy, A.S., & Frost, L.A. (1994). The picture exchange communication system. Focus on Autistic Behaviour, 9Focus on Autistic Behaviour, 9 , 1-19., 1-19.

Broun, L.T. (2004). Teaching students with autistic spectrum disorders to read: a visual approach. Broun, L.T. (2004). Teaching students with autistic spectrum disorders to read: a visual approach. Teaching Exceptional Children,Teaching Exceptional Children, 3636, 36-40., 36-40.

Eastern Upper Peninsula. (January 2005). Eastern Upper Peninsula. (January 2005). Visual Supports for Students with AutismVisual Supports for Students with Autism .. Autism Grant Team: Michigan Department of Education.Autism Grant Team: Michigan Department of Education.

Grandin, T. (1995). Grandin, T. (1995). Thinking in pictures and other reports from my life with autismThinking in pictures and other reports from my life with autism .. New York: Doubleday.New York: Doubleday.

Grandin, T. (1995). The learning style of people with autism: An autobiography. InGrandin, T. (1995). The learning style of people with autism: An autobiography. In K.A. Quill (Ed.), K.A. Quill (Ed.), Teaching children with autism: Strategies to enhance Teaching children with autism: Strategies to enhance communication and socialisationcommunication and socialisation , 33-52. NY: Delmar., 33-52. NY: Delmar.