Symbolic Levels of Communication

1. Symbolic Levels of Communication

2. 4 Levels of Communication • Awareness • Pre-symbolic • Early Symbolic • Symbolic

3. Awareness Level • Students at the awareness level may have no clear response and no clear intent or objective in communication. • They communicate pleasure, displeasure and state of being by such means as: • Postural shifting • Limb movements • Head movements • Facial expressions • Vocalization Adapted from Browder, Wakeman, and Flowers, AERA Presentation, 2007.

4. Awareness Level When teaching students at the awareness level: • Respond to communicative attempts as if they were intentional (Use shaping to build intentional communication.) • Give opportunities to respond before prompting • Use real objects when possible • Expose them to symbols and words • Teach broad access skills • Model, Model, Model, and Model

5. Sample Objectives –Awareness Level • Given multiple daily opportunities, Javiar will use a one location voice output device to respond to two questions in one functional and one academic group activity for 3 of 4 probe checks each 9 weeks. • After listening to a story 10 times for 10 different purposes, Gillian will use eye gaze to select one object from an array of two to represent the main idea for 2 of 3 stories each 9 weeks.

6. Pre-symbolic Level • Students at the pre-symbolic level demonstrate purposeful, intentional communication but do not yet use symbolic communication. • They communicate by such means as: • gestures • eye gaze • purposeful moving to object • Sounds Adapted from Browder, Wakeman, and Flowers, AERA Presentation, 2007.

7. Sample Objectives – Pre-symbolic Level • Given direct instruction and multiple practice opportunities, Paul will use eye gaze to select from an array of 3 objects to respond to questions during a group literacy activity with at least 3 responses daily for 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period. • Given multiple practice opportunities, Quintan will use personal gestures to interact with peers and adults by indicating choices with at least 4 interactions daily for 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period.

8. Sample Objectives – Pre-symbolic Level • After listening to a story adapted with symbols and a repeated line 5 times for 5 different purposes, Omar will use his AAC device to read the word/line given an expectant pause cue for 3 of 4 stories each 9 weeks. • Given two familiar items, Tyrik will use tactile symbols cards for “equal” and “not equal” to identify items as same/not same with 75% accuracy on 3 of 4 probe checks each 9 weeks.

9. Early Symbolic Level • Students at the early symbolic are beginning to use symbols for communication with limited vocabulary. • They communicate by such means as: • Objects • Tactile symbols • Digital photographs • Picture icons Adapted from Browder, Wakeman, and Flowers, AERA Presentation, 2007.

10. Sample Objectives – Early Symbolic Level • Darius will use tactile symbols to interact or comment socially during group or life skills activities or social settings with at least 3 daily interactions for 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period. • Given picture icons, Millicent will follow a 3 step routine for one academic task and one functional task with at least one routine completed daily for 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period.

11. Sample Objectives – Early Symbolic Level • Given digital photos of 4 tasks/leisure choices, Robbie will place a card with the number one to indicate which he would like to do first on 5 of 6 probe checks in a 9 week period. • Regina will use picture symbols for push, pull, move left, move right, and stop to indicate which way her wheelchair is being moved for 4 out of 5 trials on 3 of 4 probe checks each 9 weeks. Adapted from Courtade-Little, G. & Browder, D. Aligning IEPs to Academic Standards, 2005.

12. Symbolic Level • Students at the symbolic level speak or have a vocabulary of signs, pictures to communicate. • They communicate by such means as: • Speech • ASL • Dynamic Display Devices with an extensive vocabulary Adapted from Browder, Wakeman, and Flowers, AERA Presentation, 2007.

13. Sample Objectives – Symbolic Level • Given multiple practice opportunities, Juanita will use ASL to initiate, participate, or comment during life skills, social, or academic activities 3 times daily for 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period. • Given multiple practice opportunities, Kendall will use up to 4 digital pictures to retell a story or personal event in sequence one opportunity daily for 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period.

14. Sample Objectives – Symbolic Level • After selecting from an array of 3 writing topics including personally significant events or familiar routines, Johnny will use picture communication symbols and the words first, next, and last to tell a story in sequential order 2 times weekly each 9 weeks. • After counting two sets of up to 10 objects, Kyle will use picture communication symbols to indicate if the sets are equal or not equal for 4 of 5 sets on 3 of 4 probe checks in a 9 week period.