Picture Exchange Teaching Overview

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We will focus on Steps 1-3, as further use of PECs will be taught by ABA or Speech professionals.

This step focuses on the basic Reach, Grasp, Release where a picture of a highly preferred item is placed into the hand of a communication partner. 

This is a prerequisite for functional exchanges, ensuring the child can initiate communication independently. This must be mastered to move on to Phase 2. 

During this phase, two people are involved: one to act as the communication partner and another to assist the learner as needed, gradually fading support to promote independence.

Note: A blank icon card can be used for this step.

After a child learns to exchange, it is important that a child seeks their PECs book to communicate. This phase focuses on 3 key language components: Distance and Persistence, Triangulation, and Reflexivity of Language.

In this step, the learner is taught to increase the distance between themselves and the communication partner by reaching further to exchange the picture. This begins by gradually requiring the child to move further to make the exchange and progresses to a process called “Triangulation,” where the child learns to navigate around the room to complete the exchange.