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Topic “Secondary (11-16yrs)”
Secondary school age (11-16 years)
Using visual timetables
Ideas for using visual timetables.
Visual timetables are an easy and powerful way to help children to stay engaged with lessons and to support their understanding of what's going on and what they need to do.
Research evidence shows that this type of support can reduce anxiety and confusion whilst supporting a child's memory for what they need to do in tasks.
Example visual timetables
You can use a visual timetable to map out the whole day:
Resources for supporting speech
Where to find resources for supporting speech on the Commtap website.
Resource packs
Resource packs contain a comprehensive set of activities to work from beginning to end on a specific communication skill.
Alphabet board
admin
This alphabet board can be used in a number of different situations, for example:
- To clarify some words that are difficult to communicate in another way.
- As the main form of communication in a conversation.
You can use it by:
- Pointing to individual letters or phrases.
- Spelling out whole words or indicating start letters/sounds of a word to help someone get nearer to the word you want to say.
- Fist pointing if pointing to individual letters is difficult: fist point to a group of letters, and then clarify which letter in that group you intended by fist pointing to one of the colours at the top or bottom of the board.
Your conversation partner could write down the letters as you go - you could indicate "x mistake" if they get a letter wrong, or writing down might not be necessary.
Created 2 August 2023.
Use 'sh' instead of 'g' Word Initial Speech Sound Pack
Lryves
Created 23 July 2023; updated 16 October 2023.
Use 'cl' instead of 'c/k' or 'l' Word Initial Speech Sound Pack
Lryves
Created 23 July 2023; updated 16 October 2023.
Use 'sw' instead of 's' or 'w' Word Initial Speech Sound Pack
Lryves
Created 23 July 2023; updated 16 October 2023.
Use 'st instead of 's' or 'd' Word Initial Speech Sound Pack
Lryves
Created 23 July 2023; updated 16 October 2023.
Use 'sp' instead of 's' or 'b' Word Initial Speech Sound Pack
Lryves
Created 23 July 2023; updated 16 October 2023.
Be familiar with written words
| Activity/strategy name and materials required | How to do the activity | Key principles for doing the activity and comments |
|---|---|---|
| Word labels in any lesson/situation
|
| The goal is simply for the child to become familiar with the written words and begin to link them to language. You are not expecting them to use the words in any way - though if they do point at word, confirm what they have pointed to - and respond appropriately. Refer to the written words naturally during talking. Make sure you refer to the written word often. Don't "test" the child - e.g. don't say "point to the word for this". You can facilitate errorless communication - for example "which one shall we put in next" - with a choice of words to choose from: then go with the child's response and include the word in your spoken response to them. |
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