How can I help my son use PECS (Picture exchange communication) to express things like "want" or "need"?

Question

I have a 2 1/2 non-verbal son who is currently using a homemade PECS system. So far we have just done foods and drinks but we are looking to branch out into sequencing. Any suggestions on how to teach a card for "want"? Thoughts for what the picture should show and how to implement? We are working with a speech therapist, but mostly I am doing this myself. Thank you kindly for any guidance - it is very appreciated.

Answer 1

I use PECs in my setting...there is a PEC's symbol for "I want" so look in the pack if you have it...if not its a sign that looks like a pair of hands reaching uptowards a self which has a small square on it.

I use this to encourage a two symbol sentence eg: "I want-ball".

Some ideas:

1) In play-have the symbol "I want" and a range of other symbols to with game you are playing-eg: with a puzzle have pictures of the differnet pieces. Have pieces near you-child has to make the sense (ufirst few times you need to guide their hand)...then pass book or the sentence strip if you have one to yourself again guiding his hand. Then point to pictures and say "I want ball"...."Tommy wants the ball...ok here it is" and then give him the ball piece. Whilst he is fitting it in replace symbols and put infront of him. After while allow him to choose own symbols and pass to you. This will get better with practice.

2) I then extend two three symbols..."I want-red-brick"...we were building a tower and he had to ask for the blocks he wanted off me.

3) Use "I want" at food time-give him choice of two differnet things eg an apple and a banana....he constructs sentence, gives it to you...similar to above really.

If one day he is struggling to tell you something ask him to get his book and if you get the "I want" pic ready he can look through book to show you what he wants. As he gets older he'll learn to get book himself so make sure its kept in same place, same format etc.

Good luck!

Answer 2

a good picture is a person holding out their hands for 'i want'

the difference between I want and I need is difficult-we usually only use i want at this stage...

you can use other phrases like 'play' or 'eat'

Answer 3

Is your Speech-Language Pathologist trained in PECS?  This is very important.  There are 6 phases of PECS.  What phase is your child on?  If you want to teach "I want ___" (which is phase 4), start with errorless learning procedures.  Put the "I want" picture symbol on your sentence strip and put the picture representation of the food/drink item on the front of the PECS book.  Have your child pick up the food/drink symbol and place it next to the "I want" symbol then have them give you the sentece strip.  You say, "Oh, you want __. Okay."  Then reinforce your child with his request.  Slowly add 2-5 pictures to the front of the PECS book and go through the same sequence.  Eventually, put the "I want" symbol on the front of the book.  You may need to help your son take the "I want" symbol and place it on the sentence strip then then place the picture symbol of the requested item on the sentence strip. There is a lot more to do at this level, but this is a good start.  

The PECS training is a 2-3 day training for SLPs, teachers, and parents so it's difficult to give you detailed information in YA. If you would like more ideas/tips how to implement PECS properly, please e-mail me.  I will be happy to help.

For PECS workshop and product information, go to http://www.pecs.com/index.php

Clarification: PECS stands for Picture Exchange Communication System.  The picture symbols most commonly used are Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and are made by Mayer Johnson's Board Maker software.  PECS uses picture representations of object, action, person, and attributes (descriptions).  The picture representations can be in the form of PCS, photographs, Clip Art, magazine pictures, product labels, etc...  Some children may do better using object representations instead of pictures but the exchange system remains the same.