By Lucy Hotchkiss

There are lots of practical things to consider before starting PECS. Perhaps you have attended the PECS Level 1 Training, but there was so much information to take in that now you feel overwhelmed and are wondering what to do first. Or, you left the training hugely motivated to give your learner a functional communication system and now you’re struggling to make a start. You may be a special education teacher or teaching assistant, a speech and language pathologist, behavior analyst, caregiver, or parent…whatever your role we all follow the PECS protocol the same way! In this blog, we’ll walk you through a few things that you may want to think about or put into place to ensure a smooth, stress-free start for everyone.

Who is a good candidate for PECS?

When we say functional communication, what we really mean is an individual who communicates their wants or needs spontaneously and independently and socializes with others. Be it through speech, sign language, gestures or, in the case of PECS, picture exchange. For communication to truly be functional, an individual must be able to initiate communication. Communication should be intelligible to unfamiliar listeners, with the use of multiple words and an appropriate vocabulary size for the individual’s age. For a list of developmental stages for communication see our on communication milestones.

If someone’s communication skills don’t check all these boxes, they’re potentially a candidate for PECS. You can find a handy flowchart that will help you make a quick assessment and summarizes what makes a good candidate for PECS here.

Reinforcers

The first phase of PECS is teaching an individual to request a preferred item (called a potential reinforcer). The learner exchanging a picture to obtain this favored item is reinforced by receiving the item, increasing the future likelihood of picture exchanges to occur. Typical potential reinforcers are objects like toys or activities that a PECS user likes, is motivated by, and enjoys. This sounds simple enough but finding a potentially good reinforcer can sometimes be a little tricky and may require you to think outside of the box. We’ve heard about many unique reinforcers over the years including shoelaces, vacuums, and even lint! The easiest way to find an effective or powerful reinforcer is by asking people who know the learner (e.g., parents, siblings, teachers, friends, caregivers…) what the individual really likes or seems to enjoy. If this doesn’t work, you could complete an observation of the individual in a space where they have free access to several toys and activities and see what they gravitate towards. If you’re still a little puzzled, you can conduct a preference assessment in which you offer your PECS user different items and record if they ignore, reject, accept, play with, or enjoy the object; another good measure is their reaction when you try and remove the item. Once you have this information for a range of items you can use it to create a reinforcer hierarchy. A powerful reinforcer is one that a PECS user puts an effort into accessing and keeping. If you can’t find an assortment of reinforcers, we recommend having 3 to start your first PECS lesson with, then think about expanding a current collection that the learner has, such as another sensory toy, musical instrument, or book by an author you know they like. You may also try pairing single items together as items may be more fun when paired together, such as a bat and ball.

Preparing materials and storage

On our website, we have several free sample picture grids for different events and situations that you can print out and laminate. For those who prefer a ready-made product you may want to look at  our PECS 151 set which contains over 151 of the most commonly used symbols printed in color on laminated cardstock. For those wanting access to a large symbol collection Pics for PECS contains over 3,400 symbols, available on CD-ROM or as a download. There are plenty of companies that offer symbol sets, so shop around and see what might suit you best. If you are working in a school, you may already have access to a picture library. You could also start with photographs, if that is the only resource you have readily available. Note, however, that photographs sometimes make creating attribute lesson a bit more difficult later in the protocol. We strongly recommend laminating symbols for durability. Rounding the corners can also help with longevity of symbols and decreases the temptation for learners to pick at the layers, destroying all your hard work! A small device called a corner rounder like this one can make rounding corners easier.

One of the hardest things to organize is the sheer amount of different pictures that your PECS user will accumulate over time. While icons in their daily vocabulary will stay in their PECS communication book, symbols for different events and situations, such as a holiday or going on vacation, need to have a set place to live as well. Any parent, teacher, or caregiver of a PECS user knows how rapidly symbols can accumulate and then become scattered or lost without having a good organization system in place. We see and hear about all sorts of systems. Plastic storage units with plenty of mini drawers tend to be very popular, as are fishing tackle boxes or anything with lots of compartments.  Finally, as your PECS user progresses through the phases and begins to travel around with their communication book  symbols do sometimes get dropped. When making symbols it is a good idea to write the learner’s initials on the back, so you know who it belongs to when you find it on the floor!

Creating communication opportunities throughout the day

To reach the daily recommended target of 40+ exchanges, you need to create opportunities for your PECS user to initiate communication. Over time, you’ll begin to see places in your PECS user’s daily routine where communication opportunities can occur organically during and in between functional activities; however, in the beginning, opportunities will need to be created.

Below are some ideas you can use or modify to create communication opportunities:

• Put reinforcers in a clear container that a PECS user cannot open independently, meaning they must initiate communication by asking for your help
• Put reinforcers in sight but out of reach (e.g on a high shelf)
• Offer part of a multiset toy, such as an extendable train track, while showing the PECS user that you have the remaining pieces
• Pause during their favorite activity (e.g., being pushed on a swing), meaning that they must initiate communication for the activity to continue. We like the phrase, “Just enough to keep them happy, little enough so that they ask again.”

Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

When first starting out with PECS, it’s normal to face challenges. Do not fear! There is a big online community for PECS users where you can access support, tips, and advice. Our Facebook support group is a very engaged and welcoming community of over 18,000 parents, professionals, and caregivers where you can receive advice from both seasoned PECS users and our expert consultants. You can also follow our Instagram and Twitter accounts for more advice and ideas!

We also offer consultation, both online and in-person. This service is open to parents and families, schools, vocational centers, and residential homes alike. From 30-minute quick online check-ins, to a full day in-person with a written report providing feedback and next steps.

We hope this helps you getting started with PECS! Our staff is always here to answer your questions so feel free to email us pyramidus@pecs.com

© Pyramid Educational Consultants UK Ltd 2021