Transcript Our Goals - Intermediate District 287

Promoting
Communication
Cue Hierarchy and
Elicitation Strategies
Kate Hanagan
November, 2011
“It’s the way you
do the things you
do”
Promoting
Communication:
Cue Hierarchy
Cue Hierarchy
 OWL



Observe, wait, listen
A little Cue
visually, verbally, tactilely
Repeated Cue, more supportive cues or
Prompt
Model response may ask student to imitate
Cue or Prompt Hierarchy
A Mayer-Johnson
Reminder sign for
Staff.
Works well for all
Kinds of tasks
#1
O bserve
W ait
L isten
OWL
Silence is hard for some staff
We can learn silence is OK
 We can feel comfortable having a
nonverbal communication partner and
having to wait a little more
 If someone is thinking or composing their
message, give them the time
 WE Also work with device users to be
faster when they can

#2 Cue where the information is
missing
 helping
a student see an opportunity or
need to communicate
 helping
the student understand what and
when to communicate

helping the student understand how to
effectively communicate
#2 Cue where the information is
missing.
 helping
a student see an opportunity or
need to communicate
 helping
the student understand what and
when to communicate

helping the student understand how to
effectively communicate
Cue for OPPORTUNITY -WHEN
IF you suspect the student has the
communication skill but does not know
when to use it

Give permission to communicate
”Go ahead, you seem to have an idea...”

Cue around the obligation
”W hen someone gives us a gift, we say
THANK YOU!
Cue for WHAT to communicate

Watch for the student’s possible intent or
interest, observe and listen very closely.
Notice changes facial expression. Look for
clues about what this student likes
Following a pause in a high interest activity,
the student will...DO WHAT to get the activity
going again?
Cue HOW to communicate



make your hand available for the student to
take and direct
say “Swing” and start the motion slightly
gestures, sign and symbol use can be
guided
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Cues often have mixed
purposes (when, what and how)

try to only give as much support or “cued
information” as the student needs

then try to reduce the amount of support
Complete information may be
needed for a new skill

a model or demonstration may teach
about the OPPORTUNITY or
OBLIGATION, WHAT to communicate
and HOW to communicate
 Same
for a motor task
#3 Model communication

Model use of the specific words, gestures,
signs or symbols
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Verbal Models are everywhere

Many of our students can not be successful
in a verbal mode of communication

Strive to make augmented systems as
viable as we make verbal systems
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Promoting Augmented
Communication

Model the whole system as much as
possible. Help students see the function,
value and how that system works

Model use of the specific words, gestures,
signs or symbols
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ACCEPT THAT
COMMUNICATION!!!
We need to accept a huge number of the
attempts our students make and shape
toward desire outcome
 Aim toward a more conventional
communications- but don’t labor it

Working thru the hierarchy


The student has succeeded at some level
even if with full support
Learning occurs with practice
Next time- less support

keep a sense of how much help or what
level of cue the student needed before he
responded

next time try to get the communication with
less support
Benefits of a Cue Hierarchy
 Using
a cue hierarchy builds student toward
independent spontaneous communications
 Asking
a larger number of questions builds
student communication toward being a
responder to questions and dependent on
others to ask the right questions
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Benefits of a Cue Hierarchy
The student moves to independence in
communication of the cued communications
 Asking a larger number of questions builds
student communication toward being a
responder to questions and builds
dependence on others to ask the right
questions

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Benefits of a Cue Hierarchy
Staff can exchange information more
completely if using the same or similar
language terms (model, cue, guide,
spontaneous)
 Consistency helps students understand the
instructional process easier and can put
more attention on the target of instruction.

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Examples of CUES
 I’m
listening
Cues around
Communication Obligations
 After
being greeted
 Body language that reflects listener’s
anticipation such as “the slow lowered head
nod and pause” and “the big eyed cue”.
 Often staff will tell a student: “When you are
ready to…(go, eat, play a game) let me
know” sets expectation of communicating
for permission and making a request
Communication Obligations
 Many
students need those nonverbal cues
and social communication expectations put
on a more obvious concrete, visual, or “rule”
level.
 By naming a general kind of activitystudents are often cued into what they can
specifically ask for that they like. Such as
“for literacy time you pick...”
Starting Cues – engage
 Verbal
comments alone invite
communication
WOW!
Look at that!
Um, something smells good.
Information in, then wait

List options to give model information
But DO NOT ASK A CHOICE QUESTION
We have markers, crayons, glitter... (wait).
We have.....Next cue may be, “see something
good?”
Information in, offer a CHOICE

List options then ASK A QUESTION
We have..... (wait). SEE SOMETHING YOU
WANT?
We have apples and pears. Which do you want?
Why a student may do better with
1 offer at a time

less processing needed

less concern with the best/right choice,
less pressured, felling controlled or in the
spotlight
 less need to act in specific amount of time

Bait and Wait- open

I statements are great comments and
they give model information
I love free time! (Show point toward area with
optional materials) (wait)
I think I want to ...um...look at a magazine.
a magazine for me.
Markers, I love markers!
Yes,
Bait and Wait- closing in

I statements with more specific content
modeled
I smell cookies!!! (wait)
I just love cookies!!!
I see you looking at those cookies.
3rd party cue
 cues
broadcast to no one specific - can be
combined with the “big eye cue”
Anybody want anything, just ask.
Looks like someone needs help.
When I can’t open something, “help me please”.
Strengthen the cue
I wonder....
Tell me ...
I need to hear from you...
(notice you have obligated a
communication, but have NOT
determined the content)
Strengthen the cue with a
model
I was hot, so I took off my coat.
You look hot!... We will be inside
for a long time now.
“I’ll help, coat _____”
Fill in the blank
Open ended prompt
We need to pour the ___(milk)
Someone please, open the ____(door)
You are reaching for the ___(orange)
a gesture can add even more information
Echolalic Language
 Increasing
Expressive Skills for Verbal
Children with Autism
by Susan Stokes
Cues that Work with
Echolalic language
 Language
learning more likely done in
chunks and phrases so completing an
open statement is much easier than a
question.
 May echo part of what is said in a question,
often a tag line breaks it up. We have
apples and bananas, Which do you
want?
Cues that Work with
Echolalic language
SLOW
DOWN often repeating what was
said indicates difficulty processing.
close
split
topics
topics into a time and place
Cues that Work with
Echolalic language
keep
in the “here and now”
make
language and concepts more
concrete and available longer with visuals
use
key words
rephrase
with emphasis on key words
Some ways to address
“permission to communicate”
 One
example of “giving permission” would
be posting a list of things that students can
have with a staff “OK”.

Having a list of student communication
responsibilities is another idea
Some ways to address
“permission to communicate”
 If
a student knows what to say or do and is
waiting for permission, often giving a cue
such as “go ahead” or “I’m listening” will
result in student communication of what
they had in mind.
Reminder of obligation and cues
to communicate
 Example-
Listing communication behaviors
on a picture schedule can provide order and
a reminder that there is the need to
communicate.
Communication efforts need to
be acknowledged
It takes a great amount of courage to put
yourself out there with a large chance that
you may fail to express yourself.
 Acknowledging the message is important
so that the student does not need to
continue to send it.
 Every requests cannot be honored, but can
be acknowledged

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The Big Communication Prize

student communications that are
independent, spontaneous and true self
expressions

highest possible level of language and
communication achievement

situationally appropriate social interactions
Promoting
Communication:
Elicitation
Strategies
(everything else that supports communication)
People will communicate
more if listeners...
allow enough time
 use appropriate eye contact
 wait for and attend to others
communications

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In addition our
Unique Learners need...

Optimal Communication Environment

Communication Learning Opportunities

Active Student Involvement
4
All Staff take part
 Provide
communication opportunities throughout
the day
 Encourage
active involvement appropriate to the
students’ development
 Encourage
the students’ communication skill
development and use
5
Opportunities for
Student Communication
 May
arise naturally when others observe,
wait, and listen
 Often are reduced when others anticipate a
student’s needs, talk for the student, appear
uninterested or are unresponsive to a
student’s communications.
11
Opportunities for Student
Communication
 Increase
when listeners attend to the
student’s interests and follow the student’s
lead and pace
 Are often reduced when there is a tight
schedule or agenda with no flexibility for
individual input or differences
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Learning Opportunities and Active
Involvement ...often requires
 presenting
instruction and cues systematically--CUE HIERARCHY
 using
student specific communication modes
(includes paper symbols, communication devices,
signs, gestures, etc)
 activity
specific tools and means for involvement
and communication (message switches, music
choice lists, schedule boards)
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Optimal Communication
Environment

physically accessible, safe and respectful

appropriate activities and expectations

meaningful materials

genuine interactions
4
Learning Opportunities and Active
Involvement ...often requires
 addressing
 multiple
a variety of sensory channels
opportunities to communicate and practice
skills
 monitoring
for student understanding and
presenting information in the most understandable
way
 containing
now”
conversational scope to the “here and
Learning Opportunities and Active
Involvement ...often requires
Having
fun!
Enjoyment is our motivator too!
Try to limit
 frequently
asking questions to obligate a
response or get communications
 filling
all quiet time with less meaningful
“noise”
 attempting
to maintain humor as the only
form of connection
If you want to get a specific
answer to a question
Ask the question
 Questions are a part of our language
development too
 Ask questions consistent with
comprehension
 Be prepared to support the student thru the
process to answer your question

BUT...If you want to develop
communication
 Provide
an optimal environment
 Elicit
communication by use of a hierarchy
of cues and variety of natural interactions,
where questions are used less often
 Know
the students’ comprehension
limitations and work within them
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Other drawbacks to questions
 once
asked a question, the listener tends to
take the role as the “responder” and waits
for the next question (like an interview)
 creates unbalanced conversations
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Other drawbacks to questions
 generally
1-2 words is the language
practiced when responding to a question
 the
questioner has the lead, picks the
content, makes all the decisions, holds all
the POWER
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Prize our students self
expression:
GOLD Card
61
Please remember to
CUE …
“It’s the way you
do the things you
do”
Thank you!
2
Promoting
Communication
Cue Hierarchy and
Elicitation Strategies
EXTRA SLIDES
65
Prompt or Cue Hierarchy
Bridge
school's prompt hierarchy
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Research shows “Wait time” has
powerful educational effect
Start at 43seconds skip on to 1:15 to end
tip #7