As adults, we rely on visual supports to navigate our daily lives. We often look to our Google calendars to see what’s next on our schedule. We create lists for the grocery store, and consult our never-ending to-do lists to complete tasks. Checking items off our lists and reviewing our calendar for what’s next gives us a sense of accomplishment and reduces anxiety by providing clarity about our upcoming activities.
Now, imagine being a 3, 4, or 5-year-old and getting placed inside a classroom with strangers, likely the first time away from parents for an extended period, with no idea about what will happen next. In these instances, implementation of visual supports can help ease the anxieties of our youngest learners, and especially for our students with disabilities.
Visual communication tools such as objects, photographs, picture symbols, daily schedules, and choice boards can provide the support necessary to greatly improve a child’s understanding and ability to communicate, helping children be more active and independent, and successful participants in their daily lives.
Visual supports play a key role in the classroom environment, aiding in anticipation and independence. By incorporating visual supports into the classroom, educators create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where our PreK students can thrive!
Follow along as we review a few visual supports commonly found in classrooms and different ways they can be implemented with PreK students:
Implementing visual schedules can significantly enhance students’ autonomy by helping them anticipate upcoming activities. These schedules can be designed specifically to the needs of each PreK student.
Example: A 4 year old student with extensive support needs uses a picture object schedule. The student matches identical objects to the corresponding activity on their schedule (e.g., picking up a block to match with blocks at the block center).
Educators can create a schedule like this just by using a few objects from around the classroom!
Example: A 5 year old student needing less support uses a picture schedule in the classroom. This student places completed tasks into the “finished” section of their schedule and can easily see what task comes next.
For a picture schedule like this, educators can print out icons of their daily schedule and Velcro them on a laminated file folder or clipboard.
Digital timers or timers that display an activity’s remaining time are great tools for managing tasks efficiently and helping students clearly see how much time they have left during activities. We all recognize transitions can be extremely difficult for students with disabilities, so using timers where students can visualize how much time remains before a transition can help tremendously. Other options include a countdown strip where the teacher can close down a number and say, “Okay, 5 is finished. Now you have 4 left,” and work to continue to close down the numbers until the activity is over.
Structured work systems provide clear guidelines for tasks and activities, which help to foster organization, independence, and productivity. Work systems can range from simple, single-activity systems to elaborate full-day systems that structure a child’s entire day.
Work systems cue the child to understand:
A three drawer work system and a left-to-right work system are two great examples that can be implemented with PreK students with disabilities. For a three drawer work system, educators can place different activities in each of three drawers. Students would then complete an activity, place the completed activity in the finished bin, and then open the next drawer. For a left-to-right work system, educators would place the desired activities on the left side (recommendation is 1-3 activities) of a table and a finished bin on the right side of the table. Once students complete the activity on the left, they place it in their finished bin and move on to the next one!
Offering choices through choice boards promotes decision-making skills and increases motivation. Token boards serve as visual reinforcement for positive behavior. Educators can create a choice board/token board by printing out icons of preferred activities (coloring, swing, taking a walk, etc.), and placing them on a clipboard with Velcro, or simply just a laminated piece of paper.
Picture icons aid communication and self-regulation. Examples of picture icons include a break card for when a student needs a break, a “pause” card for temporarily stopping an activity, and a regulation routine card outlining steps to re-regulate (e.g., deep breaths, shoulder shrugs, sipping water). Getting started with this is easy, too. All educators need to do is print out the desired icons and start using them!
After creating the visuals necessary for visual supports, the next step involves introducing them and teaching the students how to use them independently. While instructing the students, it’s crucial to employ the prompting hierarchy to strengthen independence and avoid reliance on prompts. Introducing the use of visual schedules, work systems, token boards, etc., beginning with the least intrusive prompt, will empower students to use the visuals independently and effectively. Teaching students to use their visual schedule by beginning with employing gestures (such as pointing to where they should place their icon on their picture schedule once completed, or lightly tapping the choice board to indicate making a choice) rather than physically guiding them to the next part of their schedule proves more effective in reducing prompt dependency.
As humans, our natural instinct is to verbalize directions, yet minimizing auditory input often yields better results. Typically, when we issue a direction, we may find ourselves repetitively reinforcing it until the student responds or even layering on additional directions while the initial one is still being processed. Using simple gestures like pointing, a gentle tap on the shoulder, or directing a gaze towards the desired direction can be remarkably more effective!
PreK students don’t stay young forever. Many people think that our younger students will eventually grow out of visuals, but that’s simply not the case. Think back on the visuals that we use as adults that were mentioned earlier. Visual supports may change in format (an object schedule—> picture schedule—> written-out schedule—> Google calendar) or change in size (object work system—> folder work system—> to-do list on a post-it), but they will always be there to help anticipate changes and increase independence.
Contributor Bio
Carley Knight, M.Ed., is a Classroom Coach and Trainer at TeachTown, where she utilizes her expertise to support teachers working students with various disabilities. She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education from Fordham University in New York. Carley has been a Special Education Teacher for 8 years and specializes in working with students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities. Carley’s passion lies in empowering both students and individuals working with students with disabilities and making a significant impact in the field of special education. In her free time, she loves spending time with her husband and cats, and exploring the National Parks across the country!