Ever have a student that is just not getting PECS (picture exchange communication system)? You are trying to consistently reinforce and prompt picking a visual in exchange for an item. You are using high powered reinforcers that you know that student whats. And it’s just still not clicking… My advice: try real photos! Cartoon depictions of items can sometimes be too abstract for our kids. Using real photos makes it concrete and much more understandable.
Take pictures of your student’s most highly preferred items, print them out, laminate them, add a little velcro, and you are ready to go. My student is doing WAY better with the real photos and it has also helped decrease a lot of his negative behaviors because he now has a way to appropriately ask for things he wants 🙂
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7 Responses
I just wanted to say that I love your blog! I teach in a K-5 self-contained classroom with kids with a wide range of disabilities. All of your ideas for kids with Autism also work with my students! This post just really hit home for me today because I have a student who has been using an object schedule for a couple of years, and we are starting to move her to a real photo schedule. Real photos are more work, but worth it =)
I use my ipad or iPhone to take pictures and print to the Walgreens app and pick up on my way home. Comes in so handy and quick. AND color ink is a hot commodity in my room.
Awesome idea! I love it!
Hi Sasha,
I Am a mom of 6 years old intellectual disabled child who can’t express his needs, your blog seems very useful to teach my son how can i download or buy those PECS? Please let me know.
You can make them by printing small photos of your child’s favorite things. I also recently made these two real photo resources:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Real-Photo-Token-Board-4443472
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Real-Photo-Visual-Schedules-4443442
This is an awesome idea. I can use this for the photos of the things my Hot Wheels obsessed 4.5 year old is working towards earning. What size photos do you use? Wallet? We don’t have a color printer or a photo printer so I have to use commercial printing. Thanks!
I like 1.5 by 1.5 inch! Wallet size would work great though!