Child Psychology & Inclusion7 min read · Published · Updated
Implementing the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
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Prepared by Early Years Circle Editorial Team
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The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), developed by Dr. Andrew Bondy and Lori Frost, is a world-renowned Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) protocol. Non-verbal autistic children often resort to aggression out of intense communicative frustration; PECS empowers them with functional voice.
01.
The Six Systematic Training Phases of PECS
Graduated behavioral protocol advancing from single-picture exchange to syntactic sentences.
- Phase 1: How to Communicate - Exchanging a single picture for a desired item with two-person prompt assistance.
- Phase 2: Distance and Persistence - Traveling to communication binders and seeking out communication partners.
- Phase 3: Picture Discrimination - Distinguishing preferred icons from non-preferred distractors.
- Phase 4: Sentence Structure - Building sentence strips with 'I want' + icon carrier phrases.
- Phase 5: Responding to 'What do you want?' prompts.
- Phase 6: Spontaneous Commenting - Initiating observations ('I see...', 'I hear...').
⚠️ Clinical Reality: Empirical research proves PECS does not impede speech; it actively promotes verbal language emergence by unlocking functional communicative intentionality.
02.
Constructing Individualized Portable PECS Binders
Treating the visual binder as the child's prosthetic voice.
- Durable ring binders equipped with Velcro hook-and-loop strips and adjustable shoulder straps.
- Laminated 4x4cm color icons featuring authentic high-resolution photographs of daily reinforcers.
★Executive Summary
Equipping a non-verbal child with PECS breaks the silence of isolation, granting them authentic agency and joyful human connection.
Before you apply this guidance
This article provides general information, not legal advice, medical diagnosis, or emergency instructions. Check the rules currently in force and consult the relevant authority or qualified professional for your specific situation.
Updated
References
- [1]Tổ chức Pyramid Educational Consultants - Phương pháp PECS chính thức· Pyramid Educational Consultants
- [2]Bệnh viện Nhi Trung ương - Hướng dẫn sử dụng giao tiếp tăng cường AAC· Bệnh viện Nhi Trung ương
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