PECS Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)?
An alternative communication system designed to improve functional communication for children with ASD
Developed by Bondy and Frost in 1985
What is the primary goal of PECS?
To enable children to approach someone and deliver a message effectively
Focuses on fulfilling basic needs such as requesting food, drinks, or toys
What theoretical principles is PECS based on?
Behaviourist principles
What is the first step in the PECS process?
Initiating Communication
Who are the two participants involved in Step 1 of PECS?
The communicative partner and the physical promoter
What action does the child perform in Step 1 of PECS?
The child picks up a picture and places it in the partner’s hand
What is the immediate reward for the child after exchanging a picture?
The item they wanted is given to them
Why is repetition important in Step 1 of PECS?
To reinforce the communication process across different people and settings
What is introduced in Step 2 of PECS to aid communication?
A communication folder with laminated pictures
What does the child learn to do in Step 2 of PECS?
Initiate communication in various settings by selecting the appropriate picture
What assessment is performed before starting PECS?
Reinforcer assessment to determine the child’s preferences
How are the child’s preferences organized before starting PECS?
They are prioritized into a hierarchy
What is important to assess regarding the child’s efforts during the preparation phase?
How much effort the child puts into obtaining the offered item
Fill in the blank: PECS was developed by _______ and _______.
[Bondy], [Frost]
True or False: PECS primarily focuses on verbal communication.
False
What is the child taught to do in step 3
Discriminate between pictures
What happens if the child selects an incorrect picture
They are given the item they picked
Over time they learn to select pictures that correspond to their wants. This step eventually involves………. pictures representing their preferred items
Multiple
In step 4 children use single pictures to
Construct simple sentences
The trainer encourages them in step 4 to…….
Touch each picture while reading the sentence
In Step 5 the child is taught to respond to questions by
Constructing sentences and exchanging a picture strip.
The trainer initially will prompt to “I want “ but over time this prompt is removed
In stage 6 the child learns to comment on their surroundings using phrases like
I see or I want
The trainer in stage 6 will model questions like what do you see but gradually these will be reduced to
Encourage spontaneous commenting
By the end of pecs children should be able to
Request items spontaneously and in response to q’s, comment on their environment and incorporate various features and objective in their communication. This can also promote spontaneity such as asking for help instead of displaying frustration ghgg
