# Stage Four

The vocabulary at Stage Four continues to encourage the linking of ideas. It now supports and encourages planning, reasoning, negotiating and questioning to a far greater degree.

### **Readiness**

The learner is confidently linking symbols together. They are using many of the core vocabulary symbols from Stage Three in their communication.

### **About Stage Four**

All core vocabulary is presented on a core page which can either be accessed at the front of the book or from the loose sheet. There is no longer any core visible whilst using topic pages.

**VIDEO:** This video (also shown at Stage Three) demonstrates how the loose page of core symbols can be used.

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trkFTnxpaqI&list=PLWWQ5nlUD_ttstD_qhFWcb9fqYCg3rQNR&index=8>" %}
To watch this video visit the digital edition of the eBook at: <https://docs.acecentre.org.uk/look2talk/>
{% endembed %}

This frees up more space for topic vocabulary - each page now has thirty-three cells available (three cells are always taken up with <mark style="color:blue;">**future**</mark>, <mark style="color:blue;">**past**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**Menu / Core**</mark>). However, you can always replicate particularly useful core vocabulary symbols on a topic page. Just remember to keep the position the same if you can, and if not, at least keep the border colour consistent. With the core vocabulary page now fully hidden by the topic pages, your role in promoting, encouraging and **modelling** use of core vocabulary becomes more important than ever.

<figure><img src="/files/yzehFLGVCpfypxKy8fri" alt=""><figcaption><p>An example Stage Four page - <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 7 feelings</mark>. The shape of this page fully covers the Stage Four core page, but some core vocabulary items have been replicated: <mark style="color:blue;"><strong>different</strong></mark>, <mark style="color:blue;"><strong>I,me,my,mine</strong></mark>, <mark style="color:blue;"><strong>you,your(s)</strong></mark>, <mark style="color:blue;"><strong>question</strong></mark> and <mark style="color:blue;"><strong>not(no)</strong></mark>. </p></figcaption></figure>

As discussed at Stage Three, if using a shared <mark style="color:blue;">**Menu / Core**</mark> symbol is causing confusion, you could separate these out onto two separate cells.

<figure><img src="/files/VApBnE7gnOWi1pFyhSDx" alt=""><figcaption><p>Stage Four core vocabulary.</p></figcaption></figure>

Stage Four core symbols <mark style="color:blue;">**if**</mark>, <mark style="color:blue;">**because**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**turn**</mark> and the already familiar <mark style="color:blue;">**first**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**then**</mark> facilitate reasoning, negotiating and planning. Consider setting up situations to demonstrate these symbols in action or create opportunities for their use. For example, you could **model** and demonstrate the value of negotiation: “<mark style="color:blue;">**if**</mark> you do your homework, <mark style="color:blue;">**then**</mark> you can watch TV.”

Note that <mark style="color:blue;">**if**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**because**</mark> do not have a symbol above them. This is because any symbol associated with these words is sufficiently abstract (normally just a squiggle or shape) that the learner is usually better off just learning the shape of the word itself. They will also be helped to learn its meaning by the position of the word remaining constant on the page and by watching you point to the word as you chat. However, do support these words with a symbol if you feel it would be of benefit to the learner.

Stage Four core vocabulary now expands <mark style="color:blue;">**can**</mark> to <mark style="color:blue;">**can,could**</mark> and introduces the useful verb <mark style="color:blue;">**am,are,is,be**</mark>.

The demonstration pages at Stage Four ([click here to view](https://acecentreuk.sharepoint.com/:p:/s/AnonymousShares/EQglBNTCGzlNqe6Z9YB7UlEB4Q21HzgiNbH5R8DrxQiUmA?e=nzyL76)) contain some developed example pages for a range of useful types of symbols including action word symbols (<mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 4 actions</mark>), describing word symbols (<mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 9 describe</mark>), position word symbols (<mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 12 positions</mark>) and little words (<mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 5 little words</mark>). It will be important to **model** both the symbols and where to find them in the learner's book.

As always, the vocabulary on these demonstration pages can be changed to meet the learner’s needs. You might want to start with a smaller number of symbols and slowly build up to the amount shown on the examples. You might also choose to introduce these pages gradually rather than presenting all of them at once, perhaps starting with <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 4 actions</mark> and <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 9 describe</mark> before introducing <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 5 positions</mark> and / or <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 12 little words</mark>. Incorporating the vocabulary on these pages into the learner’s communication requires more page turns. However, it will enable the learner to communicate richer ideas.

Rather than just asking questions about very concrete things in the ‘here and now’, questioning at Stage Four begins to search out information and seek to understand the reasons behind actions. The <mark style="color:blue;">**question**</mark> symbol remains part of the core page to facilitate this. However, you may also want to provide a page of question word symbols like <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 6 questions</mark> to support the development of questioning. You will need to **model** these symbols extensively yourself in conversation together before expecting the learner to make use of them independently.

**VIDEO:** We join Sophie mid way through asking a question. \[Sophie is using an alternative eight location layout - see below.]

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1AFm07XC-U&list=PLWWQ5nlUD_tuGt7r_SSnRYZYp9JMe01YU&index=12>" %}
To watch this video visit the digital edition of the eBook at: <https://docs.acecentre.org.uk/look2talk/>
{% endembed %}

On all Stage Four topic pages there are now two options to set the tense of what is being communicated – <mark style="color:blue;">**future**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**past**</mark>. For example, someone might communicate “<mark style="color:blue;">**I angry**</mark>” and then select <mark style="color:blue;">**past**</mark> to clarify that they *were* angry. Or someone might communicate “<mark style="color:blue;">**I go cinema**</mark>” and select <mark style="color:blue;">**future**</mark> to clarify that they are going to go to the cinema. You will need to **model** this a lot before expecting the learner to make use of these complex symbols.

As communication moves away from the ‘here and now’, the potential for communication breakdown increases substantially! Don’t panic if it all goes wrong. Just acknowledge the situation, perhaps pointing to the <mark style="color:blue;">**problem**</mark> symbol or commenting <mark style="color:blue;">**oh no!**</mark>.

You will see a quick link to <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 1 spelling</mark> on all topic pages so that the learner can always quickly access the alphabet without having to go via the <mark style="background-color:purple;">Menu Page</mark>. As shown on <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 16 care</mark> and <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 16c make up</mark>, you may also want to bring in additional quick links to related topic pages. For example, you could add a quick link to a sports or football page to <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 14b pub</mark> if the learner enjoys watching sports at the pub, or a clothing page might contain a quick link to a colours page.

You may find that you can begin to gently stretch the learner. Help them to **develop their ideas** by asking for further information. For example, if they share some information with you, you could ask, “how did it happen?”.

**VIDEO:** Tamsin’s mum encourages Tamsin to develop her ideas by asking her questions and then prompting Tamsin to ask *her* a question. \[Tamsin communicates ‘yes’ by looking left and ‘no’ by looking right]

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM5OlF_U3Ng&list=PLWWQ5nlUD_tuGt7r_SSnRYZYp9JMe01YU&index=13>" %}
To watch this video visit the digital edition of the eBook at: <https://docs.acecentre.org.uk/look2talk/>
{% endembed %}

If you are working with a learner who enjoys imaginative play, you may find you can extend this, bringing in more of a story to what you are doing together. Toys and activities that encourage more imaginative play such as garages, doll’s houses, train sets, farms and tea sets, to name but a few, may prove useful. Bear in mind that this more developed imaginative play might result in the learner needing more thinking time before eye pointing to a symbol. You may find the **choosing look** strategy introduced at Stage Three helpful here.

Creative writing or story telling can also be a great way of exploring new vocabulary and experimenting with linking symbols without the time pressure that may be associated with a conversation.

Remember that the <mark style="background-color:purple;">Menu Page</mark> provided is only an example. You will need to update and adapt this to meet the learner’s needs. The worksheet in [Appendix Four](/look2talk/appendix-4-what-symbols-and-pages-do-i-need-in-my-book.md) may help.

### **Optional: Alternative layout**

If a learner has very good visual acuity and is a confident and accurate eye pointer, you may want to consider an alternative page layout which involves eight groups of eight symbols per page. This busy page layout gives the learner access to many more topic symbols per page which may improve the fluency of communication. However, it can be harder for the communication partner to follow what is being eye pointed to and may be quite daunting for less familiar communication partners.

This is an example of what <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 19 food & drink</mark> might look like using this form of eight colour encoding. As there are so many cells available, some of the Stage Four vocabulary can always be displayed on the left hand side.

<figure><img src="/files/suRqLg4gag5sza2d8G4n" alt=""><figcaption><p>Eight locaction layout at Stage 4 - core visible on the left and an example food &#x26; drink page on the right.</p></figcaption></figure>

Try making a page for the learner around a familiar and motivating activity and see how you both get on with it. Don’t give up too soon – it will take both of you time to become familiar with this layout.

### **Things to think about**

* Continue to make the book available, encouraging and promoting its use.
* Ensure the learner has a means of requesting the book.
* Continue to support new communication partners in learning how to use this way of communicating.
* Continue to develop topic pages that contain plenty of relevant action and describing symbols. Quick links to related topic pages could also be included. The worksheet in [Appendix Five](/look2talk/appendix-5-identifying-vocabulary-for-topic-pages.md) will help with this.
* Continue to **model** how to find and use vocabulary within the book, including linking core and topic symbols to create rich ideas.
* **Watch**, comment as you **model**, **wait expectantly** and **respond** remain valuable strategies.
* Continue to **add** to what they say to support the development of their language, but don’t worry about being grammatically correct.
* Continue to **sum up** after an activity. You could extend this by encouraging the learner to share this information with others. You could start the summing up then **wait expectantly** to see if the learner joins in and takes over.
* Allow plenty of time for the repetition that is such an important part of learning.

### **Aims for the communication partner**

* Consider setting up situations to demonstrate the power of the new core symbols.
* **Model** use of the <mark style="color:blue;">**past**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**future**</mark> symbols as you chat.&#x20;
* Help the learner to **develop their ideas** by asking for further information.
* Continue to make use of <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 1 spelling</mark> yourself within conversations and encourage its use by the learner.

### **Aims for the learner**

* To begin to initiate use of the communication book.
* To be able to locate and use a topic page then return to the <mark style="background-color:purple;">Menu Page</mark>.
* To include some links of at least three symbols in their communication.
* To include a wide range of symbol types (e.g. actions, describing words, etc.) when linking symbols.
* To use the Stage Four core symbols, including those that enable them to negotiate, reason, plan and question.
* To begin to use the <mark style="color:blue;">**past**</mark> and <mark style="color:blue;">**future**</mark> symbols to modify a message.
* To continue to use <mark style="background-color:purple;">Page 1 spelling</mark> within structured activities and if their literacy skills permit, to begin to support their communication.

### **Demonstration pages**

Look2Talk Demonstration Pages contain example communication book pages that aim to bring to life the practices and principles described above. [Click here to try interactive demonstration pages for Stage Four. ](https://acecentreuk.sharepoint.com/:p:/s/AnonymousShares/EQglBNTCGzlNqe6Z9YB7UlEB4Q21HzgiNbH5R8DrxQiUmA?e=pddxOT)To experience fuller functionality, download the interactive demonstration pages from [Ace Centre's website here](https://acecentre.org.uk/resources/look2talk#).

[A sample of the Stage Four Alternative layout can also be viewed by clicking here](https://acecentreuk.sharepoint.com/:p:/s/AnonymousShares/EVAydNc195tGsPDEq6-8X1MBDXIvpVNfEOt47irkkje3YA?e=TAagBG).&#x20;

### Further support

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 [click here](https://acecentre.org.uk/resources/look2talk?look2talk=1). NB: If you are bounced back to this eBook it means you have already joined the mailing list.&#x20;

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 [clicking here to visit Ace Centre Learning](https://acecentre.org.uk/learning).&#x20;


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