Communication Book

After Bradley was assessed and diagnosed by our school district at age 3, he began working with his new speech therapist, Clint.  As a parent seeking information about how to help my child, Mr. Clint has ALWAYS been wonderful with giving me suggestions on how to work with Bradley at home.  One of the first things he suggested was to create a communication book that would allow Bradley to use pictures to express desires and needs.  Because Bradley had an "expressive speech delay," he had difficulty verbally expressing his desires and needs, but could understand information that was communicated to him (receptive speech).

I spent many, many hours creating these sheets and we found them to be very helpful. Today Bradley continues to enjoy looking at these pictures, but now he names and discusses them, rather than pointing to the pictures.  I have included the pages below to give you an idea of the contents, organization, and format of the book.  If you would like these documents, email me at jodie_hutchinson@hotmail.com and I'll send them to you as a powerpoint you can edit.  All of the illustrated pictures and pictures of name-brand products (Gatorade, Gold Fish Crackers, etc.) were found within a Google Image search or within Microsoft PowerPoint clip art.  I incorporated photographs of Bradley's bed and train table to personalize the book.  I suggest doing the same for your child to make reviewing and utilizing the communication book fun for them.  I had another page that included our personal vehicles, our home, and my mother-in-law's home, but have not included that within these attachments for privacy reasons.

I suggest parents consult with their child's speech pathologist on how they suggest using and setting up a communication booklet.  We used it daily to establish routine, offer "limited" choices, model speech, and expand language.  Bradley's daycare at the time also created their own communication book and personalized the pictures to reflect his classroom and the specific daycare environment.  They laminated the pictures, punched a hole in the top left corner, and bound them with a ring to allow for a portable communication book.  I hope this is helpful and fun for the whole family!