Why a Listening Only Approach is Not Good Enough?

Not only is a Speech Only Approach not good enough, but a Listening Approach is also not good enough…

Because even though a young man I know can follow simple directions with contextual cues and  his educators ‘feel’ he does not need any additional support, it does not help the young man when he should be doing the task independently.  .

Because even though a bakery employee I know is usally fine (just a little nervous??) when his job coach explains changes in other employees attendance at work,  he sometimes gets so upset he has to leave his job…

Because a little girl asks every day (many, many times) to go to Disney World even though her parents and teachers have told her they always go over the summer.  And because she now has a formal  behavior plan to help her stop perseverating on questions, and becasue this means she has less time to focus on learning content about castles around the world with the rest of her class.

There are MANY reasons for using visual supports in addition to just listening……. Even when listening and comprehension skills are good…………..There is a visual strategy that would increase independence and behavior and fit in with typical organizational strategies.  Can you guess which ones go best with each situation…

social story

monthly calendar

mini-schedule (task analysis)

I am often still surprised (really shocked)  that visual support strategies are still not considered anything but ‘standard of care’.