The Level 1 workshop is 13 hours in total. There are different course times available but most are 2-day workshops. Mine was on a Thursday and Friday in November with the day running from 9am Weekend and evening sessions are also available. The session began at 8. It is an intense workshop with lots of information to go though but the timing felt right to me, we had time for questions and to cover the most important points.
There were two 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch. They were very good at keeping to time. I have been lucky enough to work with several different PECS consultants and I have always found them helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Grace Payne who delivered this workshop was no different. Grace was great at introducing and explaining everything we needed to know. When we began she used interactive polls to ask us questions such as if we were parents or professionals, existing users or not etc.
This meant she knew her audience and was able to tailor the content appropriately. There were 30 attendees the majority of which were professionals such as speech therapists and teachers. There were only two of us there as parents however I found the content delivered suitable for me as a parent just as much as for the professionals. I found this very helpful and good to understand the principals behind the approach.
These are all areas I have found challenging with my boys so very relevant for me to learn. The course went through various teaching strategies we can use to support these skills. One example being lets make a deal and how to use a token board effectively. It is so helpful to break these tasks down and teach step by step and be clear what we are teaching. We also took some time looking at saying no and how to balance this when starting out with PECS and wanting to honour requests.
Throughout the workshop there is lots of speech and language tips and strategies to encourage independence.
Looking at all these communication skills and approaches is so important for me to understand how I can best help my children learn to communicate effectively. It is so valuable to get practical strategies I can use daily. The session also covers data analysis and collection with the importance of using an evidence base to make informed decisions.
Throughout the workshop we saw video examples which we used to do some practice data collection. This was really helpful to see how easy it is to collect and use even for us at home. Phase I — Requesting : The practise pack meant we were able to practise each phase we were learning. For information contact AT Aust on Standards Some assistive technology needs to meet Australian or other standards.
Standards may relate to materials, manufacturing and installation. Products that meet Australian or international standards will have written certification. To find out if a product meets Australian Standards ask the supplier to show you the certificate.
To access information on the ARTG visit www. When buying a medical device it is advisable to only choose a medical device that is recommended by a healthcare professional and has been included on the ARTG.
It was first used at the Delaware Autistic Program. The goal of PECS is to teach children with autism a fast, self-initiating, functional communication system. PECS begins with the exchange of simple icons but rapidly builds "sentence" structure.
At one time many people opposed the use of PECS and sign language to teach children with autism to communicate.
They argued that these methods would hurt the development of spoken language. However, several studies have shown PECS actually helps people develop verbal language. Studies have also shown that PECS can decrease tantrums and odd behaviors. For example, an individual may cry because they are thirsty.
However, a parent or teacher may not understand why they are crying and as a result their needs will remain unmet. However, if an individual has access to communication pictures they can quickly communicate their need.
They are also taught to be more persistent communicators.
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