Introductory Stage
Learning that eyes can talk
Last updated
Was this helpful?
Learning that eyes can talk
Last updated
Was this helpful?
This stage is about helping the learner to understand that communication with their eyes can be effective and developing your communication skills to support this.
You feel that the learner is attempting to communicate in some way. For example, they might look to the TV intently to request that you put it on, vocalise to attract your attention and look at an item to show you they are interested in it, or pull a face and turn their head away to show they don’t want any more of what you’re doing. The learner is attending to simple graphic information, such as looking with interest at pictures in books or magazines or on electronic devices.
The Introductory Stage introduces the skills that underpin the use of an eye pointing communication book. At this stage it is about using objects, pictures, books or magazines that are already in the learner’s environment. Photographs are introduced, and, in time, two loose symbols are also brought in – more and stop. The eye pointing communication book itself is introduced at .
The first step is to work on the all-important communication partner skills of watch and respond. Although you’ll naturally respond to the learner’s eye pointing, it really helps at the beginning to find a small amount of dedicated time to focus on this. Just a few minutes of your full attention is all that’s needed. Select an activity, game or story that you enjoy together. Take time to watch where the learner looks and then respond to this.
For example, if you were looking at a favourite book together, you could watch the learner’s eyes, and when they seem to settle on something, respond “You’re showing me the …….”. The more you can master this responding role, the more confident the learner will become in using their eyes. You may also find that their interest is more sustained by the activity, as it is no longer being solely controlled by you.
VIDEO: In this video, Emily’s mum is carefully watching her as they play with some toys. She responds to what she thinks Emily is looking at, helping Emily to learn that she can communicate using her eyes.
Many of us enjoy looking at photographs, especially of familiar people, and you may already have a selection that makes the learner smile. During the Introductory Stage, try and develop this resource by bringing together photographs of familiar people (either print or in an album on your phone / tablet) and then adding to them by taking photographs of people, things or activities that the learner enjoys. This might include bubbles being blown, a relative playing the guitar, a favourite television character, a special pet, a picture of the local park, etc. The aim is to build up a small resource of favourite photos that you can share together at regular intervals.
As you look through the photos together, take the time to use the watch and respond strategies by observing what the learner looks at and responding to this. At this stage, it’s not about expecting the learner to use the photographs communicatively to make choices – it really is just about looking at photographs together for enjoyment.
VIDEO: Emily’s mum watches Emily carefully and responds to Emily’s reactions as they look through a personalised photobook together.
Once you have got going with the resource of photographs, the next step is to introduce two core vocabulary symbols – more and stop. These symbols represent powerful concepts that can be used across many different situations and activities during the day. In time, the symbols more and stop can enable a learner to take real control of their world. They can stop and therefore change an activity, they can request to continue or repeat an activity, they can gain more of someone’s attention or more of a specific item, or indeed reject a specific item.
At the Introductory Stage there is no expectation that the learner will make use of these symbols themselves. The goal here is for you to gain confidence in modelling these symbols. In other words, for you to bring the symbols in to lots of different activities and to point to them whilst chatting. This is a vital communication partner skill that is used throughout the Look2Talk approach. If you can take the time to watch the learner, your modelling of the symbols will be more meaningful as you can comment on what they are doing or interested by.
Try and find the time to play a favourite game, look at a book or magazine, or do a fun activity together, and model how the symbols can be used while you chat. Take the time to watch the learner. If they look interested, show the more symbol and comment something like, “you want more”. Then carry on with more of the activity. Conversely, if the learner looks disinterested, you could show the stop symbol and commenting, “you’re telling me stop”, and bring the activity to a close.
The symbols are labelled more (again) and stop (finish) to remind you of the many different ways you can use them. However, when speaking the labels, just say “more” or “stop”.
VIDEO: Emily’s mum is watching her closely and brings in the loose symbols more and stop to comment.
The Introductory Stage is not intended to put lots of pressure on you and the learner. It’s all about making a start and doing a little here and there. If you can spend just a small amount of focussed time on the strategies of watch, respond and model, then you will be well on your way.
Build up a resource of photographs and spend time looking at these together for enjoyment.
Keep it fun – when focussing on watch and respond, choose activities that you both enjoy.
Ensure the learner is comfortable and well supported and allow for changes of position. Helping them to physically manipulate items may encourage them to be engaged with the activity.
Don’t put pressure on yourself – remember that ‘a little and often’ is likely to be far more successful than trying to find huge amounts of extra time. Some learners may only have a fleeting attention span.
Empower the learner’s eyes within communication by taking the time to watch and respond to what the learner looks at and is interested in.
Watch the learner as you look through the photographs and respond to anything that the learner seems particularly engaged by.
Begin to model by introducing the loose symbols more and stop as you chat – watch the learner and comment on what they are doing or interested by.
To experience the communication partner noticing and responding to what they look at in lots of different situations and activities.
To have a shared experience looking at photographs with the communication partner.
To watch the communication partner using the symbols more and stop.
If you don’t already have them, start by printing and cutting out several individual symbols of more and stop. You can download copies from . You may want to print them on card or laminate them to make them more robust.
Ace Centre Learning offers training on Look2Talk at least twice a year. To join a mailing list to be alerted when a course becomes available please . NB: If you are bounced back to this eBook it means you have already joined the mailing list.
You can also check our website to see if Look2Talk courses are currently available and to see other training opportunities around communication partner skills, AAC and access methods in general by .
