Encouraging eye gaze communication (no tech)  

Encouraging looking at an appropriate picture

In this situation you know what the child wants - e.g. they want the mirror chimes, or they want you to spin them, but they are not looking at the appropriate picture or picture symbol. This can happen if the child is new to this communication method, or you've put pictures in a different position on the frame in front of the child, or you are presenting new picture symbols.

Try

• hold up the frame to the child. Wait. (Do not say anything). They may look at the picture - maybe fleetingly. Immediately reinforce that looking by giving them the item, doing the action;
• cueing them in - for example they've looked at the mirror chimes picture, but now they want you to spin it - they aren't looking at the spin picture:
  • if they look at the mirror chimes picture again, just reinforce that, for example "mirror chimes" - and indicate the mirror chimes;
  • follow this up - or if they don't look - with a cue e.g "and....?"
  • if they still don't look, tap the picture gently;
  • if they still don't look, take the picture off, and show it to them, and then bring it back the frame;
  • once you have their attention, or if they look - even fleetingly - reinforce immediately by spinning the chimes (or whatever action is appropriate in your activity).

In all cases, it's really important to keep your talking to a minimum and only relevant to what is being communicated (e.g. spin, mirror chimes, stop in the above activity). Do not give instructions as to what they need to do (avoid saying "look at....").