Remember to change the message frequently throughout the day to allow as many communication opportunities as possible:












In the morning
Greeting people - change the greeting often:  “hey there”, “morning!”, “hi dude.”
Being nosy - “what’s up?”, “how’s it going?”, “what did you do last night?”
Giving information - “I’ve brought something to show you”, “feeling a bit tired.”

Activity time
Get attention - “come here Mum”,  “I need a break”, “look at what I did.”
Direct others - “everyone line up, it’s play time”, “turn the page.”
Taking part - lines of a play/prayer, repetitive lines in a story/song, sound effects.
Choosing - “I want that one”, “that’s right,” (as choices are shown one by one).

Fun time
Joining in games - “you can’t catch me”, “ready or not, here I come”,
“you’re it!”, “my turn”, “stop cheating!”
Express opinions - cheering/booing e.g. during sports, wolf whistle/
raspberry blow (if you dare!), “cool”, “rubbish”, “na na na na nah.”

Going home
Leave taking - “byeeee”, “see ya later”, “got to go.”
Along the way - “are we nearly there?”, “let’s play a game/sing a song.”
Giving information - “guess what I’ve been up to”,
“I need to take ….. in tomorrow”, “Barry came in to see us today.”


You could also use single message communicators all around your environment for that truly interactive experience!












• Interactive displays - “This is class 3’s work about under the ocean - how many octopuses can you see?”
• Encouraging exploration - put in clips of music, silly sound effects and place in accessible location. Change stimulus frequently.
• Accessible information - “The library will be closed on Monday”, “If you have a complaint, talk to Mr Smith.”
• Orientation - “This is the hall where we have dinner.”
• What’s in there? - a ‘request button’ on inaccessible places. “Can I choose a video?” (locked video cabinet), “I’m hungry” (snack cupboard).
• Talking timetables - make your symbol timetables more meaningful by having your symbols talk.
• Reading reinforcers - key words can be read aloud.
• Sentence sequencing - practise putting words into sentences, e.g. ‘milk’, ‘boy’, ‘drink’.