Effective Use of Visuals to Aid Communication with Kerry Thalia

The SENDcast

Children are not making as much progress communicating as they could be and are losing out on their ability to gain independence and autonomy. The failures in communication can lead to a lower expectation or achievement in academic and social areas.

I'm excited to welcome Kerry Thalia to the podcast to discuss ‘Effective use of visuals to aid communication.’ This is Kerry's first podcast with the SENDcast, and we explore how we use visuals everyday with SEND, and more widely in teaching.

Visual aids are invaluable tools, but all too often, they are treated as mere checkboxes instead of being utilised to genuinely enhance communication. This approach can inadvertently lead to underestimating an individual's abilities, causing missed opportunities for growth and development.

This episode offers valuable insights on:

• How visuals are often misused or misrepresented
• The importance of the hierarchy of communication
• How we determine the best visuals for a person with SEND
• Effective use of the chosen visuals day to day
• Use of targets with appropriate progress
• Effective education of parents and guardians
• Communication between home and school

By listening to this episode, you will gain a deeper understanding of how visuals can be harnessed to unlock the potential of children, bridging communication gaps and fostering a supportive learning environment.

About Kerry Thalia

Kerry is an Autistic ADHD business owner who works to close the gap between research and practical teaching in classrooms by creating resources that support SEND children and young people access learning, communication and play. She has experience working in specialist and mainstream schools as well as directly with families.

Contact Kerry

https://discoverinclusion.co.uk/

[e-mail]

https://x.com/DiscoverIncl

Useful Links

Discover Inclusion Training

Bumper Book of Creative Learning

Access to Academic Learning Conference (October 2024)

Cough Drop AAC

National Autistic Society, overview of visual supports and communication tools

• B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk
• Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast
• Email Dale – [e-mail]
• Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe

The SENDcast is powered by B Squared

We have been involved with Special Educational Needs for over 25 years, helping show the small steps of progress pupils with SEND make. B Squared has worked with thousands of schools, we understand the challenges professionals working in SEND face. We wanted a way to support these hardworking professionals - which is why we launched The SENDcast! Click the button below to find out more about how B Squared can help improve assessment for pupils with SEND in your school.