Visual Calendars

[mum22boys]

I am in the process of trying to make a visual calendar for m for school. I am not sure if it will work. Is anyone using one for their child and has it made a significant improvement on anxieties etc.

Also how did you go about making one. i tried to look on the internet for simple line drawings of things that happen at school eg. maths, reading, p.e. but can't find everything I need. I have now tried to photograph key things like bookbag, lunch etc but not sure whether to appoach his teacher with regards to getting pictures taken of other things like playtime and circle time.

 

Any ideas on this would be appreciated. thanks

 

mum22boys

[LizK]

My son uses one at nursery and at home. The nursery SENCO supplied the pictures for nursery and gave us a copy. I supplemented this with pictures from this website

 

http://www.dotolearn.com/picturecards/printcards/index.htm

 

and used my digital camera for activities we couldn't find a symbol for. I know some children are better with line drawings than photos as they can stick to the photo too rigidly but it's not been a problem with my son.

 

Have you asked your school SENCO to see if she has access to any symbols? I think you can buy visual timetable packs off ebay too

 

The visual timetable has worked well both at home and nursery, it's provided my son with some structure, he knows what is going to happen in the day and he enjoys using it

 

HTH

 

Liz x

[fiorelli]

have you tried looking on the website http://www.do2learn.org ?

 

There are some good pictures on there to use in picture timetables.

[nikrix]

looked on-line just came up with the above and this http://www.autismonline.org/visualteachaids.htm

 

My daughter has a visual time table at school, it has been placed above the black board for all to see and it has helped her alot.

 

Nikrix

[katkin]

Hi Mum22, I'm a great fan of visual timetables, I think they certainly can reduce anxieties and help a child to know what is going to happen. School, if it is a "special" one will probably have a pecs or symbols programme at school. They should be only to willing to help you, after all it is they who will reap the benefit isn't it?? Ask them for any symbols you need. It can help to use photos then to gradually introduce the line drawing symbols in the corner of the photo symbol then gradually make the line pic bigger and the photo smaller till the line pic becomes the whole (hope this makes sense!) Sometimes only photos will do - if you are going to a specific place - hotel for a wedding for eg - and mostly they can be downloaded from a web site. tyr school first and don't be put off if they stall you. Hope this helps, love Kat

[phasmid]

All classes in my (mainstream) primary school use them. They are on display in a prominent place and all the kids look to them to see what is going on. I made them with clipart symbols out of word, searching the net for any that weren't included in the normal package.

 

There are various commercial type available, Widgets for windows is one I've heard of that is supposed to be very good. The impotant thing is that you can tailor these to suit the child from just basic information all the way to fully detailed hour by hour timetables.

 

If your having trouble finding images try a 'google images' search. You may have to reword your search criteria a few times depeneding on what you're looking for - or 'americanise' the term. They are well worth the time and effort it takes to organise them. Once you have all the symbols pictures and so on you need save them to a file and add to it as you go - you'll build one hell of a resource over time.

 

In fact I'd be happy to collect any of these together if anyone has onethey'd like to share with others and then make them available via my website for everyone to share if it would help.