Picture exchange communication for students is a powerful method to help nonverbal or emerging communicators express needs, wants, and feelings.
Moreover, structured visual supports allow students to develop functional language, social interaction skills, and independence. Therefore, following best practices can significantly improve student success. In this post, we will first cover essential dos and don’ts and strategies for using visual communication supports effectively.
Dos for Picture Exchange Communication
1. Do start with highly motivating items
Begin with items your student truly wants, like favorite snacks or toys. Motivation drives learning and increases engagement. Letting students choose their first exchange can make the experience more meaningful.
2. Do model the exchange consistently
Demonstrate how to use the picture card yourself before expecting the student to act independently. Pair the visual with clear, simple language to reinforce understanding.
3. Do reinforce any attempt to communicate
Celebrate approximations or partial exchanges. Positive reinforcement builds confidence, encourages repeated attempts, and reduces frustration.
4. Do gradually increase sentence length
Start with single-icon exchanges and progress to combining icons into short phrases or sentences. Editable sentence strips, like those included in Picture Icons for Visual Communication, make scaffolding language growth straightforward.
5. Do practice in multiple contexts
Encourage use at home, in the classroom, and in community settings. Generalizing skills across environments helps students become independent communicators.
Don’ts for Picture Exchange Communication
1. Don’t force the exchange
Avoid pushing students or using hand-over-hand guidance too early. Let motivation guide the process, providing support only as needed.
2. Don’t overwhelm with too many icons
Introduce a manageable number of visuals at first. Too many options can confuse or discourage students. Gradually expand the set as skills develop.
3. Don’t ignore errors
Mistakes are learning opportunities. Gently correct errors without punishment, and encourage repeated attempts.
4. Don’t forget to fade prompts
Gradually reduce adult assistance to foster independence. Over time, students should be able to communicate effectively without guidance.
5. Don’t limit communication to requests
Encourage comments, answers to questions, and social interactions in addition to basic requests. This supports expressive language development and functional communication.
Featured Resource: Picture Icons – Visual Communication Support for Students
The Picture Icons for Visual Communication contains over 550+ editable visual icons and sentence strips, organized into core categories like food, emotions, actions, and places to help students express themselves in a wide variety of situations. In addition, the color-coded system guides beginner communicators through the visuals, while blank and pre-built sentence strips encourage longer sentences and practical communication skills.
By using this resource, teachers, therapists, and parents can align instruction with best practices: motivating exchanges, gradual sentence building, and multi-setting generalization. It’s a ready-to-use, versatile toolkit that makes picture exchange communication easier and more effective across home, classroom, and therapy settings.
Tips for Success
- Color-code categories (nouns, verbs, emotions) for faster student navigation.
- Keep visuals consistent across home, school, and therapy.
- Rotate high-interest items to maintain motivation.
- Track progress using frequency of exchanges, sentence length, or communicative independence.
Conclusion & Next Steps
In conclusion, implementing picture exchange communication for students successfully requires attention to motivation, modeling, and gradual skill building. By following these dos and don’ts, students can develop expressive language, independence, and confidence.
For educators, therapists, and parents looking for a complete visual support solution, the Picture Icons for Visual Communication is ready to use, providing hundreds of icons and sentence strips designed to scaffold meaningful communication. Start using it today to help your students communicate more effectively and confidently.