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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

Communication & Language Intervention Assignment

Amy J. Jensen

Brandman University

EDUU-677
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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

The three communication and language interventions that are going to be talked about in

this paper are Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Social Narratives (SN) and

Modeling. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is used to teach learners to

communicate in a social context (Wong, C., 2013 pg 72). PECS is effective for communication

of preschool (3-5), elementary (6-11), and middle school (12-14) ages (Sam & Afirm, 2015).

Social Narratives (SN) describes social situations for learners diagnosed with Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) by providing relevant cues, explanations of the feelings and thoughts of others

in the social situation, and descriptions of appropriate behavior expectations (Sam, A & AFIRM

team, 2015 pg 2). Modeling (MD) involves the demonstration of a desired target behavior that

results in imitation of the behavior by the learner and that leads to the acquisition of the imitated

behavior (Cox, A. W., 2013 pg 63). MD is effective for communication, social, academic, play,

school-readiness, joint attention, and vocational skills (Cox, A. W., 2013).

The first communication and language intervention is Picture Exchange Communication

System (PECS). Learners are taught to give graphic symbols or pictures of items they desire to

a communicative leader to exchange for the actual item (Sam & Afirm, 2015). There are no

specific symbols or pictures required for PECS (Sam & Afirm 2015).PECS is based on six

phases and each phase builds on the previous phase (Sam & Afirm, 2015). Phase I the learner is

expected to look at, reach for, pick up and hand the picture to the communicative partner (Sam &

Afirm, 2015). This is teaching the exchange while being physically assisted (Sam & Afirm,

2015). The hope is to have approximately 80 exchanges in a day (Sam & Afirm, 2015). Phase II

the learner is expected to be more independent and to be more spontaneous (Sam & Afirm,

2015). An example is you could have the child carry their own communication book (Sam &

Afirm, 2015). Phase III the learner selects the target pictures from multiple different pictures
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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

(Sam & Afirm, 2015). Learner learns to discriminate between pictures. Phase IV the learner

begins to combine the picture with the phrase “I want” (Sam & Afirm, 2015). This phase is

working on building sentence structure (Sam & Afirm, 2015). Phase V the learner begins to

respond to the question “What do you want?” by exchanging the sentence strip and not just the

picture (Sam & Afirm, 2015). Phase VI the learner is responding to the questions, “What do you

want?” vs “What do you have?” vs “What do you see?” (Sam & Afirm, 2015). The last phase is

designed to introduce the learner to commenting behavior, whereas previous stages focused on

requesting behavior (Hoft, 2016). By training parents, children obtain more consistent benefits

of PECS (Alsayedhassan, et al., 2016). PECS is an effective intervention for functional

communication with individuals diagnosed with ASD (Alsayedhassan, et al., 2016). Successful

implementation of PECS includes a combination of multiple components (Alsayedhassan, et al.,

2016). All phases of PECS should be included in training programs (Alsayedhassan, et al.,

2016). For complete fidelity as seen in my fieldwork parents must continue to be consistent with

the communication system. Consistency is key to continuing the communication development of

the child. I have seen parents and providers use the same questioning techniques and therefore

have seen the child grow in their communication abilities.

Social Narratives are typically individualized to the need of the learner, are short, and

written from the perspective of the learner (Sam, A & AFIRM Team 2015). This evidence-based

practice can be used by a variety of professionals, such as teachers, paraprofessionals, therapists,

special education teachers and early interventionists in educational and community-based

environments (Sam, A & AFIRM Team 2015). Recent research in the 2014 EBP report Social

Narratives can be used effectively to address social, school readiness, adaptive, joint attention,

communication, behavior, play and academic outcomes (Sam, A & AFIRM team, 2015). Social
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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

stories provide specific information to a child as to why and what is happening and includes

desirable responses (Rhodes, 2014). Should direct the child without becoming a list of of

instructions (Rhodes, 2014). Social stories are more effective when used with verbals prompts

(Rhodes, 2014). Social stories can be used at school and home to keep consistency for the child.

Implementation in the classroom would be having the child review the video or written story

before the said behavior occurs. The teacher uses verbal prompts to remind the child of the

social story and then continues on reviewing the story until said behavior is no longer an issue.

For complete fidelity the teacher must continue to show the story and use prompts, but must

include the family to use the social narrative at home. The teacher must not discontinue use

without complete knowledge the said behavior is no longer an issue.

Modeling (MD) involves the learner observing someone correctly performing a target

behavior (Sam, A. & Afirm, 2015 pg 2). There are two ways to use MD either as a prime or a

prompt. When used as a prime, the modeling of the desired skill or behavior is done before the

learner is expected to demonstrate (Sam, A. & Afirm, 2015). When used as a prompt, extra

support is provided by the model after the direction has been given and as the skill or behavior is

attempted by the learner (Sam, A. & Afirm, 2015). If the learner demonstrates the skill of

behavior then the adult should provide immediate reinforcement (Sam, A. & Afirm, 2015 pg 7).

If the learner does not demonstrate the behavior or struggles, then the adult will provide the

learner with the prompt and then reinforcement (Sam, A. & Afirm, 2015). When new skills or

behaviors are being taught the adult should have continuous reinforcement and then begin

intermittent reinforcement as the skills are acquired (Sam, A. & Afirm, 2015). Stay, Play, Talk

is a model where typically developing peers work with peers diagnosed with ASD to work on

social communication skills (Barber, et al, 2016). This method offers an economically, naturally
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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

occurring, and high-density approach to improving social communication in early childhood

(Barber, et al, 2016 pg 12). This program provides positive impacts to those diagnosed with

ASD and for the typically developing peer (Barber, et al, 2016). As far as fidelity in

implementation the adult must understand the evidence based practices (EBP) of prompting and

reinforcement. This EBP to be fully implemented correctly relies on these skills. I feel that

modeling can be used in all classrooms and development of children. If adults give prompts for

inappropriate behavior and reinforce appropriate behavior then all children with have proper

communication and social skills. MD is an EBP that can benefit all children, but especially those

diagnosed with ASD.

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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

References

Alsayedhassan, B., Banda, D. R., & Griffin-Shirley, N. (2016). A review of Picture Exchange

Communication Interventions Implemented by parents and practitioners. Child & Family

Behavior Therapy, 38(3), 191-208.

Barber, A. B., Saffo, R. W., Gilpin, A. T., Craft, L. D., & Goldstein, H. (2016). Peers as

clinicians: Examining the impact of Stay Play Talk on social communication in young

preschoolers with autism. Journal Of Communication Disorders, 591-15.

doi:10.1016/j.jcomdis.2015.06.009

Cox, A. W. (2013) Modeling fact sheet. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina, Frank

Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The National Professional Development

Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Rhodes, C. (2014). Do social stories help to decrease disruptive behaviour in children with

autistic spectrum disorders? A review of the published literature. Journal of Intellectual

Disabilities, 18(1), 35-50

Sam, A., & AFIRM Team. (2015). Modeling. Chapel Hill, NC: National Professional

Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder, FPG Child Development Center,

University of North Carolina. Retrieved from http://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/modeling

Sam, A., & AFIRM Team. (2015). Picture exchange communication system. Chapel Hill, NC:

National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder, FPG Child

Development Center, University of North Carolina. Retrieved from

http://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/picture-exchange- communication-system

Sam, A. & AFIRM Team. (2015) Social narratives. Chapel Hill, NC: National Professional
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Communication & Language Interventions Assignment

Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorder, FPG Child Development Center,

University of North Carolina. Retrieved from http://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/Social-narratives

Wong, C. (2013). Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) fact sheet. Chapel Hill: The

University of North Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The

National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Wong, C. (2013). Social narratives (SN) fact sheet. Chapel Hill: The University of North

Carolina, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The National Professional

Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders.