How to Start Communicating
Designing a Picture Exchange Communication (PECS) Board
Creating a Picture Exchange Communication (PECS) board is a fantastic first step in supporting your child’s communication. It’s a simple tool that uses visual icons to help children express their needs and wants. It lowers the effort to communicate and can be used to teach spoken language later. This straightforward setup can empower your child to interact with the world in a meaningful way, making communication more accessible and reducing frustration.
Materials to Get Started
- A 1" three-ring binder
- Laminator sheets - Can use a laminator or self-binding sheets
- Scissors
- Velcro cut into strips or small pieces
- Printed icons that are identical in size - Preferably squares around 1.5 inches in size - Basic icons can be found below or found from
Remember to round off the icons when cutting the laminating sheets as they can be sharp
Alternatively, you can purchase an official PECs book from PECs USA
This will not come with the icons on the store page
Choosing Icons
Choose Good Icons
The icons that are best for communication are images closely tied to real life. When you select icons, find images of things your child knows and likes. Try to find a few that your child dislikes as well for teaching discrimination between icons in Phase III.
Icons do not need to include written words.
Avoid Abstract Icons
Avoid abstract images that are loosely tied to real life. Some are difficult to demonstrate, such as "more"; however, moving forward most cards can and should be specific.