Why are we adding a verb to the sentence strip?
- When I observed Nicholas using the PECS book, and this was confirmed by family, he always used 3 pics on the sentence strip. The "I want" Pic first then a pic of an item and then another pic of an item. When he requested, he would state "I want" ignore the middle pic and name the last pic. I assumed this was because he was working on using a verb on the sentence strip at school.
To try and make it clearer for him (and the parents) I gave him the option of placing 3 pics on the sentence strip but with a shape as a visual cue (there is a triangle behind the verb word) to use only a verb as the second pic. He seems to be doing well with this and always uses "eat" when he is requesting food.
He still sometimes omits verbalizing "eat" stating "I want" and the item but I'm assuming it is because he is still working on use of verbs at school. But this seems to have eliminated the bad habit of putting two items on the sentence strip.
- I also gave him the option of using play. I’m glad to say he isn’t confused and only uses eat with the food pics but they report at home that he does not request anything other than food. I believe this is because anything he could ask for is already out and accessible to him.
To try and make it clearer for him (and the parents) I gave him the option of placing 3 pics on the sentence strip but with a shape as a visual cue (there is a triangle behind the verb word) to use only a verb as the second pic. He seems to be doing well with this and always uses "eat" when he is requesting food.
He still sometimes omits verbalizing "eat" stating "I want" and the item but I'm assuming it is because he is still working on use of verbs at school. But this seems to have eliminated the bad habit of putting two items on the sentence strip.
- I also gave him the option of using play. I’m glad to say he isn’t confused and only uses eat with the food pics but they report at home that he does not request anything other than food. I believe this is because anything he could ask for is already out and accessible to him.
