How can your setting benefit from using a communication board?
First things first, what is a communication board? Well, it can be an alphabet chart or a list of written words, but most often it is a board that has symbols on it. It is a visual representation of language that is organised in a strategic way that aids 2 way communication.
A good communication board has language that has been carefully selected to give lots of different kinds of communication opportunities. The board is designed to have a mixture of pronouns, verbs, nouns and adjectives. Which enables the user to initiate, respond, comment and ask questions.
The user points to a symbol to communicate at 1 word level or points to several symbols to make sentences (depending on their ability).
Take a look at the sample of cells from a communication board
Only 6 symbols but so many possibilities. Each of these symbols could be used individually for example ; walk? slide? or combined ‘walk on’ ‘walk over’ ‘on slide’ ‘help slide’ ‘want slide’ ‘want help’ ‘want walk’ ‘help on’ ‘help over’ to express what the user wants.
Okay so let’s go back to the original question - how can a communication board help in your setting?
A communication board with symbols offers a universal way to communicate.
Imagine you are abroad, you understand some words in that language but everyone is speaking so quickly. You are in a noisy leisure centre so there is also background noise to contend with.
You see a board with symbols on it. These are far easier to understand than the spoken word. You spend a few minutes looking at the board. A member of staff comes over and points to the ‘help’ symbol. You smile and you point to the symbol of ‘swimming’. You then point to the symbol of ‘changing rooms’ and they direct you. How much easier is that?
Here at Inclusive Communication our communication boards offer just that. The opportunity for visitors to your setting to have a voice. To feel included. The ability to communicate with your staff and your staff to be able to effectively communicate with them. We want your staff to feel confident in using the boards too so we offer bespoke communication training. So you can offer a truly inclusive setting.
Written by Kelly Portal, Specialist Speech and Language Therapy Assistant