Workshops
Basic PECS 2 Day Workshop
What could be more valuable than giving your student/child the ability to communicate? PECS is a tried-and-tested approach that uses pictures to develop communication skills in children and adults with a wide range of learning difficulties. Easy to access, affordable to implement and scientifically supported as one of the most effective interventions, PECS is an opportunity to open the door to spontaneous communication.
This workshop is the basic accredited training in PECS and recommended for parents as well as professionals.
Benefits of PECS training:
- increases skills and independence with a functional communication system
- reduces inappropriate behaviours by reinforcing requests and positive communication
- teach your student/child to initiate communication and develop social communication skills
- see how it works with live demonstrations, video examples and opportunity for practice
- parents: become a leader in your child’s education
- professionals: gain valuable skills and learn how to implement PECS effectively in your environment
- learn the ‘whys’ behind the practice to enable problem-solving
- gain inspiration – learn practical tips and have questions answered from our specialist consultants
What you will learn:
- everything you need to know to begin successfully implementing PECS
- the theoretical background, including how to develop effective educational environments
- a review of visual strategies useful for communication
- the six phases of PECS, where to start and when to move on
- strategies for motivating your child/student to communicate
- how to move from a single picture exchange to sentences
- how to teach picture discrimination with two or more pictures
- the criteria for transitioning from PECS to other communication modalities
Training is essential: Learning first-hand will teach you how to move through this structured approach and avoid misunderstandings which can prevent progress. This workshop is also a basic requirement for further training in PECS, such as the certification process and advanced PECS training.
Pyramid Educational Consultants UK, the only official training provider of PECS in the UK, has trained over 30,000 people. We offer training, customised consultancy and resources to support PECS and the Pyramid Approach to Education.
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Basic PECS 2 Day Workshop With Andy Bondy
Presented by Andy Bondy, co-founder of PECS
A 2-day workshop consisting of 13 hours of training on the background, rationale hands-on implementation of PECS. Also covered: the Pyramid Approach to Education; how to create effective learning environments; other visual strategies useful for communication and independence. This workshop is recommended for all parents professionals wishing to implement PECS effectively. It is also a requirement for anyone considering the PECS Implementers Certification.
I have been using PECS in my classroom for 4 or 5 years, but had been taught by others, who had been on the course. Now I have it from the horses mouth, and it is much better. I can see WHY the students have got stuck at a particular phase and what I should have done about it. I wish I had the opportunity at the beginning to do the course, I think my students would have made better progress. Hopefully my classroom can be more effective now.
Delegate from Norwich 2-day workshop.
Very inspiring. I had been feeling very disheartened about my daughters non-ability to communicate. I now feel I have the tools to tackle this and take control.
Parent from Client 2-day workshop.
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Guide to Managing Challenging Behaviours
Do your students or children have challenging behaviour that is difficult to manage?
This workshop outlines a powerful and effective model for dealing with difficult behaviours, including the most challenging self-injurious behaviours.
You will learn:
- how to identify why behaviours are happening
- variables to put in place before you will be successful with behaviour strategies
- how to implement successful behaviour management interventions
- the link between communication skills, meaningful activities and a reduction in unwanted behaviours
- ethical considerations for implementing behaviour strategies
Who should attend?
- Appropriate for parents as well as professionals. Experience with PECS is not a requirement.
“A fascinating, enjoyable course with a huge amount of practical information that I can’t wait to take back into practice.”,– Attendee, Guide to Managing Challenging Behaviours, Glasgow.
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Language of Emotions with Dr Andy Bondy
A workshop presented by Dr Andy Bondy, world renowned Autism expert and co-developer of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
Many people, especially those with Autism, have difficulty acquiring language related to expressing their emotions and identifying emotions in other people. In this workshop, we will review traditional approaches to teaching children with autism to communicate about their emotions as well as respond to such language from other people.
B.F. Skinner provided an important guide to the analysis of language in his book, Verbal Behavior. In this book, he stresses the critical value of focusing on the function of various aspects of communication. His analysis includes a very interesting section on what he termed ‘private events’. That is, how do we learn to talk about things that happen inside of us?
Participants will be asked to consider how they currently teach various lessons related to emotions and then plan to incorporate Skinner’s analysis into the design of effective lessons. These lessons may involve very young children or teenagers and adults who continue to have difficulty with this topic. We also will look at a very important part of language that helps communicative partners better understand the perspective of someone who is attempting to communicate. We will review why this area is so difficult for those with Autism and suggest teaching strategies that may lead to successful acquisition of these complex language skills.
What You Will Learn:
- To describe how children typically learn to comment about ‘private events’
- The type of information adults respond to when teaching children to tell us about their emotions, and what may be missing for children with autism
- Why traditional approaches to teaching ‘the language of emotions’ may not be effective and how they can be improved
- How to both take advantage of existing emotional displays and how to create situations that are likely to induce such feelings
- Why it is not really easy to teach ‘really’
This workshop is appropriate for family members as well as professionals. PECS experience is not a requirement.
A whole new world has opened up. I’m leaving this course excited and eager to go back and implement the new ideas and ways of thinking…Well worth the money and the long journey for me to attend.
Delegate from Language of Emotions, London
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PECS Advanced Training
Take your PECS implementation skills to the next level and see how far your students can go!
Requirement: completion of the ‘PECS Basic Training’ Workshop
This workshop, appropriate for parents as well as professionals, is a combination of the ‘PECS Advanced Training Review, Practice and Problem Solving’ and ‘Incorporating PECS across the Day’. Day 1 will focus on a review of the phases of PECS. You will have the opportunity to practice your PECS skills and overcome any implementation problems you may be experiencing including discrimination difficulties and strategies. Day 2 will focus on learning how to create environments to use PECS successfully in different situations throughout the whole day; it will also cover when students are expected to use language beyond single picture requests.
You will:
- analyse common difficulties with PECS implementation
- produce solutions to your difficult PECS implementation situations
- analyse a classroom day and introduce communicative opportunities to all activities
- implement specific training strategies for teaching linguistic concepts and grammar
Truly inspirational. Our son has already come a long way, but this course has increased my understanding of the system and what is required. It has shown me how to iron out problems and addresses all the questions I wanted to ask unprompted
– Attendee, PECS Advanced Training, London.
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PECS Advanced Training - Incorporating PECS Across the Day
This workshop will describe strategies for incorporating PECS across an entire day within meaningful activities, with expectations for the student to use language beyong single picture requests.
We will cover advanced PECS lessons that teach a variety of linguistic concepts and syntactical structures, a selection of appropriate targets, creating functional lessons and strategies for incorporating PECS within all activities.
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PECS Advanced Training: PECS Review, Practice & Problem Solving
Appropriate if you have already attended a two-day workshop and are already using PECS in the classroom or at home.
PECS Review, Practice and Problem Solving workshop focuses on our most recent suggestions for effectively implementing PECS at all of the phases. Participants will have opportunities to practice their PECS skills under the guidance of a Pyramid consultant, troubleshoot any implementation problems they may be having and share their successful and difficult cases.
Videotapes of participants implementing PECS can be reviewed at the training session (please contact us in advance). I learned some new skills through this workshop, and look forward to introducing new ways of communicating to our students. This was a very motivating day!
Delegate from PECS Review workshop in Portlaoise March 2006.
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Pyramid Approach to Asperger Syndrome
This practical workshop includes a brief review of Aspergers Syndrome, including related educational strengths and needs. These educational issues are then discussed within the context of the Pyramid Approach to Education, with special attention paid to proactive strategies in the areas of communication, social skills and self-management. Topics include how to tailor lesson design, teaching strategies, error correction, reinforcement strategies, and behaviour management strategies to the needs of these students. Participants will leave ready to apply these strategies and principles to the programs of their students with Asperger Syndrome. The workshop consists of a combination of lecture and small group activities.What You Will Learn:
How to define educational strengths and needs typically associated with Asperger Syndrome
How to identify proactive strategies for teaching these students based on the Pyramid Approach to Education
How to incorporate these proactive strategies within an overall effective educational program.
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Pyramid Approach: Creating Effective Teaching Environments
This is an in-depth three-day workshop on implementing the Pyramid Approach to Education, designed for cross-disciplinary teams. Topics include functional activities, reinforcement systems, communication skills, and contextually inappropriate behaviors and alternatives. Generalization, creating effective lessons, specific teaching strategies, minimizing and correcting errors, data collection and analysis and the nine critical communication skills are also explored in great detail. Activities include lecture, demonstration, video review, group writing activities, team planning, and role-playing. This training is ideal for individuals who are working with students with functional speech or communication systems already in place. It is appropriate for teams who are creating special education instructional programs or for existing teams looking for comprehensive training and application opportunities.
What You’ll Learn:
• How to identify components of an effective learning environment
• How to incorporate effective visual reinforcement strategies for all learners
• How to identify and describe functional activities across domains
• How to define functional communication and identify the conditions under which it occurs
• How to identify appropriate lesson formats across a variety of skills
• How to identify effective teaching strategies to promote skills across domains
• How to implement effective error correction strategies to promote skills across domains
• The critical expressive communication skills to teach individuals using a variety of communication modalities
• How to create lesson plans incorporating all aspects of the Pyramid Approach to Education
• How to operationally define behavior
• How to identify equivalent alternative behaviors to contextually inappropriate behaviors
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Supporting Older Students and Adults using PECS & the Pyramid Approach
This workshop will focus on the benefits of introducing PECS and the Pyramid Approach to older students and adults with complex needs. Gary Dadd, Pyramid consultant with responsibility for adults and older students, will share some of his experiences and work in the field.
We are expecting to have presentations from parents of adults with ASD; practitioners in older student and adult settings; and to debate and problem solve difficulties related to this population group.
The workshop will be particularly relevant for parents of people with ASD who use PECS, practitioners from settings working with older students and adults, particularly residential homes and day care providers.
Everyone, including professionals and family members, are welcome and there are no prerequisites for
attending this forum. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to develop your skills and be inspired.
For this forum, we are looking for case studies on using PECS with Older Students and/or implementing educational environments using the Pyramid Approach to Education. Contact Gary Dadd, one of our UK Pyramid Consultants, at gdadd@pecs.com to submit a proposal or idea, or to discuss any questions.
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Teachers Guide to Organising and Managing the Classroom
Pyramid consultants have frequently been asked advice on how to develop effective learning environments, which emphasise functional communication, as well as help students access the National Curriculum. This workshop addresses those needs, and is relevant for professionals working with both primary and secondary aged students with communication difficulties. Attendees will participate in practical activities to help plan effective lessons.
You will learn how to:
- Organise the classroom for staff and students
- Develop meaningful activities and lessons
- Motivate students
- Use PECS to access the National Curriculum
Who should attend?
- Appropriate for all professionals working with primary and secondary students. Experience with PECS is not a requirement.
Excellent—one of the best courses I have attended! Could all teachers be sent on this course to enhance their understanding and reduce stress for all?
Attendee, A Teacher’s Guide to Organising and Managing the Classroom, Liverpool.
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Teaching Critical Communication Skills. HELP! I can't WAIT to ask for a BREAK and more.
Formally Teaching Communication Skills for Independence.
This workshop is useful for professionals and family members interested in developing important communication skills that are essential for all students regardless of age, level of learning ability or current communication modality (e.g. speech, PECS, signing).
Topics covered include:
- Following visual directions/timetables
- Learning to transition between activities
- Answering ‘yes’, and ‘no’,
- Learning to wait
- Learning to ask for help or for a break
You will learn how to teach these important skills so that the student uses them independently. We will show you how to use prompts to teach effectively: which ones to use, where and when to use them, and how to remove them to ensure the student is independent.
Who should attend?
- Appropriate for parents as well as professionals. Experience with PECS is not a requirement
Essential for a parent of a child with ASD. I learnt so much.
– Attendee, Teaching Communication Skills for Independence, Leeds.
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For more information on any of the above, please contact enquiries at pyramiduk@pecs.com >> |
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