visual supports in the classroom

Visual Supports Visual Supports in the in the

ClassroomClassroom

Melissa ChaseMelissa ChaseDonna WilliamsDonna Williams

June, 2008June, 2008

Visual Tools Mini TestVisual Tools Mini Test

Do you have a Do you have a calendar calendar that you that you write things on to help you organize?write things on to help you organize?

Do you have a Do you have a list of “things to do” list of “things to do” on your desk or refrigerator?on your desk or refrigerator?

Have you ever pointed to a Have you ever pointed to a picturepicture in an advertisement or a menu to in an advertisement or a menu to show someone what you want?show someone what you want?

Do you make up aDo you make up a shopping listshopping list before you go to the storebefore you go to the store??

Visual Tools Mini Test, cont.Visual Tools Mini Test, cont.

Do you ever read from a Do you ever read from a signsign to tell to tell you what line to stand in or what you what line to stand in or what door to exit from?door to exit from?

Have you ever followed a Have you ever followed a reciperecipe in a in a cookbook to create some delicious cookbook to create some delicious dinner entrée? Did you go back to dinner entrée? Did you go back to that recipe each time you wanted to that recipe each time you wanted to cook that item?cook that item?

Do you ever write Do you ever write notesnotes to your to your family members reminding them to family members reminding them to do things?do things?


Do you scan the Do you scan the menumenu to evaluate to evaluate your choices before ordering in a your choices before ordering in a restaurant?restaurant?

Have you ever made a Have you ever made a check listcheck list for for your children to help them remember your children to help them remember to brush their teeth?to brush their teeth?

Did you ever attach a Did you ever attach a notenote to your to your bathroom mirror to remind you to do bathroom mirror to remind you to do something?something?


Have you had the experience of Have you had the experience of assembling a new bicycle by assembling a new bicycle by following the following the “easy to follow “easy to follow step by step” instructionsstep by step” instructions??

What are visual tools?What are visual tools?

Simply put, visual supports are a Simply put, visual supports are a way of making auditory way of making auditory information visual.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?What is a visual strategy?

According to Linda Hodgdon, aAccording to Linda Hodgdon, a

visual is:visual is: Body LanguageBody Language Natural Environment CluesNatural Environment Clues Tools for Organizing and Giving Tools for Organizing and Giving

InformationInformation

Visual supports come in many Visual supports come in many forms….forms…. Written wordsWritten words PicturesPictures: photos, color pictures, black and : photos, color pictures, black and

white pictures, picture-symbols like those white pictures, picture-symbols like those used in the Mayer Johnson Boardmaker used in the Mayer Johnson Boardmaker programprogram

GesturesGestures Objects in the environmentObjects in the environment: i.e. supplies : i.e. supplies

that are needed for the next activity are that are needed for the next activity are sitting on the table or desk where that sitting on the table or desk where that activity will occur: activity will occur:

Arrangement of the environmentArrangement of the environment: i.e., : i.e., the chairs are set up in the reading circlethe chairs are set up in the reading circle

Everyday Examples of Visual Everyday Examples of Visual ToolsTools Signs on bathroom doorsSigns on bathroom doors Lines in a parking lotLines in a parking lot White lines on the side of the roadWhite lines on the side of the road MapsMaps Calendars, Daily PlannersCalendars, Daily Planners Signs, LabelsSigns, Labels Checkbooks, telephone booksCheckbooks, telephone books Shopping lists, notes, menusShopping lists, notes, menus Schedules, TV guides, theater guidesSchedules, TV guides, theater guides Assembly or operating instructionsAssembly or operating instructions

Natural Environmental CuesNatural Environmental Cues

Furniture ArrangementFurniture Arrangement Location and movement of people Location and movement of people

and objectsand objects Printed material such as signs, Printed material such as signs,

signals, logos, labels, pricessignals, logos, labels, prices Written messages, instructions, Written messages, instructions,

choices, menuschoices, menus Directions on packages, machines, Directions on packages, machines,

or in business locationsor in business locations

Why use visual supports?Why use visual supports?

Using visual tools to manage classroom Using visual tools to manage classroom communication:communication:

Increases the effectiveness of teacher Increases the effectiveness of teacher communicationcommunication

Helps students perform more consistentlyHelps students perform more consistently Makes the communication process more efficient Makes the communication process more efficient

for everyone involved.for everyone involved.


Organizing the environment with visual Organizing the environment with visual supports can:supports can:

Create an orderliness to the environment Create an orderliness to the environment that gives students a sense of stabilitythat gives students a sense of stability

Help students experience greater structure Help students experience greater structure and predictabilityand predictability

Help students function more independentlyHelp students function more independently Enable students to become more Enable students to become more

responsible for their own performance and responsible for their own performance and belongingsbelongings

Increase student reliabilityIncrease student reliability Make it easier for everyone to find or Make it easier for everyone to find or

remember what they needremember what they need


Using visual tools to help give directions:Using visual tools to help give directions: Helps gain and maintain student attentionHelps gain and maintain student attention Makes the teaching of a task more routine or Makes the teaching of a task more routine or

consistentconsistent Standardizes directions and procedures among Standardizes directions and procedures among

various teachersvarious teachers Helps students learn to perform sequences fasterHelps students learn to perform sequences faster Increases student reliability and consistencyIncreases student reliability and consistency Gives students a greater sense of independenceGives students a greater sense of independence Helps students stay on taskHelps students stay on task Helps students work through behavior problemsHelps students work through behavior problems Enables students to perform more complicated or Enables students to perform more complicated or

lengthy tasks with less supervisionlengthy tasks with less supervision

How Visual Supports HelpHow Visual Supports Help

Especially with special needsEspecially with special needs

populations -populations - They provide structure and They provide structure and

routineroutine They assist with transitionsThey assist with transitions They provide forewarningThey provide forewarning They alleviate anxietyThey alleviate anxiety

How Visual Supports Help How Visual Supports Help

With all children –With all children – They build on comprehensionThey build on comprehension They assist with language They assist with language

developmentdevelopment They increase independenceThey increase independence They increase appropriate They increase appropriate

behaviorsbehaviors

Some Types of Visual Some Types of Visual Supports for StudentsSupports for Students Picture BooksPicture Books Story KitsStory Kits Visual NotesVisual Notes Visual OrganizersVisual Organizers Visual SchedulesVisual Schedules Visual Task ChartsVisual Task Charts Behavior Reminder ChartsBehavior Reminder Charts Social StoriesSocial Stories Vocabulary Charts/NotebooksVocabulary Charts/Notebooks


Visuals promote language Visuals promote language developmentdevelopment..

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.


Visual supports promote Visual supports promote independence.independence.

Visual supports can assist children in Visual supports can assist children in remembering :remembering :

the tasks to perform, the tasks to perform, the sequence of steps in a job or the sequence of steps in a job or

routine, routine, and the behavior that is expected in and the behavior that is expected in

a situation.a situation.


Visual (picture) representations Visual (picture) representations of language assist with of language assist with development of literacy skills.development of literacy skills.

Visual representations of words in Visual representations of words in sentences illustrate:sentences illustrate:

word order, word order, grammar, grammar, and meaning. and meaning.


Visual images increase Visual images increase vocabulary development.vocabulary development.

Vocabulary development increases Vocabulary development increases when students have visual images of when students have visual images of word meaning word meaning

and when the words are categorized and when the words are categorized into groups.into groups.


Visual supports help children Visual supports help children remember information longer.remember information longer.

Visual supports do not disappear into Visual supports do not disappear into thin air like words do. thin air like words do.

Children can refer back to the visual Children can refer back to the visual representation at any time. representation at any time.

Students can go back over and over Students can go back over and over again to the visual support to help again to the visual support to help them understand and remember.them understand and remember.


Social interaction and verbal Social interaction and verbal directions shift quickly in a directions shift quickly in a classroom.classroom.

Using visual supports help children Using visual supports help children who:who:

listen slowlylisten slowly, , have difficulty sustaining attentionhave difficulty sustaining attention or difficulty shifting attentionor difficulty shifting attention interpret long and/or confusing interpret long and/or confusing

directions or discourse.directions or discourse.


Visual supports help control Visual supports help control behavior.behavior.

Schedules and calendars are the Schedules and calendars are the most common visual tools used to most common visual tools used to give students information. give students information.

Step-by-step directions, choice Step-by-step directions, choice boards, and classroom rules provide boards, and classroom rules provide structurestructure in classrooms. in classrooms.

They help students by creating an They help students by creating an environment that is more environment that is more predictablepredictable and and understandableunderstandable. .

Visuals will help children:Visuals will help children:

In the regular classroom:In the regular classroom: Organize materials in the classroomOrganize materials in the classroom Organize the space in the environmentOrganize the space in the environment Communicate rulesCommunicate rules Teach routinesTeach routines Provide structure to the dayProvide structure to the day Clarify verbal informationClarify verbal information Review and rememberReview and remember Manage timeManage time Access informationAccess information Learn vocabularyLearn vocabulary

Visuals will help children:Visuals will help children:

For Individual Children:For Individual Children: Learn new skillsLearn new skills Support transitionsSupport transitions Stay on taskStay on task Handle changesHandle changes Guide self managementGuide self management Aid memoryAid memory Speed up slow thinkingSpeed up slow thinking Support language retrievalSupport language retrieval Communicate emotionsCommunicate emotions Provide structureProvide structure

Daily Task OrganizerDaily Task Organizer

Picture MenuPicture Menu

Visual Organizer – NounsVisual Organizer – Nouns

Classroom Bin LabelsClassroom Bin Labels

Thunder Social StoryThunder Social Story

Interactive BookInteractive Book

Adapted BookAdapted Book

Visual OrganizersVisual Organizers

Horizontal ScheduleHorizontal Schedule

Language Support – Language Support – Positional WordsPositional Words

Storyboard for Writing a BookStoryboard for Writing a Book

Visual ReminderVisual Reminder

End of School CalendarEnd of School Calendar

Behavior Management CardsBehavior Management Cards

Vocabulary and Sentence Vocabulary and Sentence StructureStructure

Visual RecipeVisual Recipe

Visual Choice CardsVisual Choice Cards

Communicating NoCommunicating No

Work Task CardsWork Task Cards

Supporting LanguageSupporting Language

I need help, please. Yes, please.

No, thank you. You’re welcome.

Behavior Reminder ChartBehavior Reminder Chart

Reinforcing RulesReinforcing Rules

Thematic Vocabulary ChartThematic Vocabulary Chart

Direction RemindersDirection Reminders

End of School Day ReminderEnd of School Day Reminder

Reminders and RulesReminders and Rules

Independent Task OrganizerIndependent Task Organizer

Art Class Management ToolArt Class Management Tool

Making ContractsMaking Contracts

Categorization ChartCategorization Chart

Beginning Middle End VisualBeginning Middle End Visual

Snack ChoicesSnack Choices

Illustrating Multiple Meaning Illustrating Multiple Meaning WordsWords

Do you already use Visual Do you already use Visual Supports???Supports???

Visual Strategies WebsitesVisual Strategies Websites

www.dotolearn.com This site has many ready-made visuals which are easy to print This site has many ready-made visuals which are easy to print

and use.and use.

www.usevisualstrategies.com www.usevisualstrategies.com This site has pictures to download and lots of resources.This site has pictures to download and lots of resources.

www.mayerjohnson.comwww.mayerjohnson.com Check out this site to find out more about Boardmaker and other Check out this site to find out more about Boardmaker and other

resources.resources.

www.images.google.com www.images.google.com This site literally has thousands of pictures you can access.This site literally has thousands of pictures you can access.

www.tinsnips.org This site has some simple picture recipes.This site has some simple picture recipes.

Visual Strategies WebsitesVisual Strategies Websites

www.teacch.comwww.teacch.com This site has tons of information on autism and related issues, This site has tons of information on autism and related issues,

including structured work tasks.including structured work tasks.

www.pecs.comwww.pecs.com This site explains the Picture Exchange Communication System This site explains the Picture Exchange Communication System

by Bondy and Frost. by Bondy and Frost.

www.playsteps.comwww.playsteps.com This site illustrates and sells visually structured play tasks.This site illustrates and sells visually structured play tasks.

www.tonyattwood.com and www.aspie.com www.tonyattwood.com and www.aspie.com Check out these sites to find out more about Autism and Check out these sites to find out more about Autism and

Asperger Syndrome. Asperger Syndrome. Great links to other sites.Great links to other sites.

www.autism-mi.orgwww.autism-mi.org For more information on autism and resources related to autism.For more information on autism and resources related to autism.

visual supports in the classroom

Documents

visual learners

visual supportsbut

visual strategy

visual tools mini testdo

auditory information

predictabilityhelp students

independentlyenable

list of things