Helpful information and resources
Visual supports and resources that you can use at home.
Visual Supports
1. The Speech and Language UK ‘Visual Supports’ webpage
2. Printable Visual Supports used at Meath
A range of visual supports are used at Meath to help children understand a particular idea, feeling or activity. You can print the visual supports below to use at home….
The Body Map is a visual to support discussions around keeping us and our bodies safe
The Now and Next Board can be helpful when explaining to your child what is happening now and what activity will happen next.
3. Customisable Preparation Visuals for Life Events
In this section is a Preparation Visual that you can print at home. Preparation Visuals can be customised in the boxed areas with the additional symbols; or you could use photos or drawings in these boxed areas. Preparation Visuals can be used to support your child to understand common life events.
The printable Preparation Visual attached here is for
Other Preparation Visuals are available by asking your child’s Class Team. There are for: Going to the Dentist, Going to the Hospital, Going on a Family Outing, Going on Holiday, Visiting a Secondary School and Moving to a Secondary School.
4. Widgit Online
Widgit Online is an internet-based symbol tool that lets you create and print your own symbolised Visual Supports. It uses Widgit Symbols, the same symbols used at Meath School, and has templates for creating and saving 100’s of common resources. Home packages and 21-day free trials are available.
Please follow this link for further information: Widgit Online
Widgit also have a short video that shows how to get started with Widgit Online – please see the first video at this link: Widgit Online | Video Tutorials | Widgit
Social Stories
A Social Story is a story written using specific criteria to describe a specific social situation, with the aim of helping an adult or child to understand why people do things and how they feel, or why things happen. They are written from the child’s perspective and use words and pictures appropriate for the child’s language level.
Social stories are sometimes used within Meath School to help a child with a particular situation. If you feel a social story is needed to support your child with a significant life event, please talk to your child’s class team. Please note that usually 5 days working days’ notice is required in order to write a social story, and that time taken to make a social story for a child forms part of your child’s individual therapy time for that term.
