TalkSense Website Navigation
The pages below are mostly arranged in alphabetical order and not in any order of importance athough the Main Page is listed first. Where pages are still in development, an In-Development message is included. Some pages that are in-development already contain extensive information and you are free to browse them.
Please feedback any experiences, relevant information, materials or extra information that you would like to see included.
Click on any symbol to move to the selected page.
Please feedback any experiences, relevant information, materials or extra information that you would like to see included.
Click on any symbol to move to the selected page.
4T
4T offers free help and advice for people who work with or care for Individuals Experiencing Special Educational Needs. 4T comprises a team of seven experienced Teachers and Therapists providing an advisory service to anyone seeking assistance with issues arising from the education or care of an individual experiencing learning difficulties and or physical disabilities. Click on the image to the left to visit the 4T page. Simply complete the form provided on the 4T page to request the team's advice.
4T offers free help and advice for people who work with or care for Individuals Experiencing Special Educational Needs. 4T comprises a team of seven experienced Teachers and Therapists providing an advisory service to anyone seeking assistance with issues arising from the education or care of an individual experiencing learning difficulties and or physical disabilities. Click on the image to the left to visit the 4T page. Simply complete the form provided on the 4T page to request the team's advice.
Main Page
To return to the Main Page click on the symbol left.
AAC
IN DEVELOPMENT
Only a few items on the page presently and a few things to download
Only a few items on the page presently and a few things to download
AAC and Literacy: 101 ideas
IN DEVELOPMENT but most is already there
Although in development there are some 70 ideas already presented on this page and, so, it is still worth a visit!
This page looks at ideas for developing literacy skis for Learners who use AAC as their primary means of communication. Eventually, there will be at least 101 ideas detailed on the page.
Abuse in Special Education
April 2022
Abuse is occurring in our Special Education Establishments. All are guilty. It has to stop! Check out this page. It may surprise you! Contribute to the research.
Abuse is occurring in our Special Education Establishments. All are guilty. It has to stop! Check out this page. It may surprise you! Contribute to the research.
BIGmack: 101 ideas and more
Everything you wanted to know about the BIGmack and the LITTEmack. Lots of ideas and guidance for good practice. Presently there are over 104 ideas presented on this page.
Click on the BIGmack left to move to the page.
C.A.N. Creating Active eNvironments
There is a need to promote environments and sessions within environments that are Cognitively Engaging. This page looks at Active Environments in some depth and provides a checklist against which it is possible to assess activeness. Teaching techniques within Active Environments are explored.
Choice Pickings
In Development but lots already there
This page is devoted to an exploration of the concept of the provision of choice for Individuals Experiencing Learning Difficulties (IELD). While few would argue that the notion of giving IELD as much choice in (and thus more control over) their life is a bad thing, every form of practice in this area cannot be considered as good. Indeed, as this page will attempt to show, some of what is proffered as choice making activity in our educational establishments (and beyond) might be considered questionable practice.
Is the provision of choice a good thing? Can there be too much choice? How should choice be provided? How can you be certain that an Individual has made a choice? What are the benefits of providing a choice? What does a Learner understand from the choice making activity? These and other questions are addressed on this page.
This page is devoted to an exploration of the concept of the provision of choice for Individuals Experiencing Learning Difficulties (IELD). While few would argue that the notion of giving IELD as much choice in (and thus more control over) their life is a bad thing, every form of practice in this area cannot be considered as good. Indeed, as this page will attempt to show, some of what is proffered as choice making activity in our educational establishments (and beyond) might be considered questionable practice.
Is the provision of choice a good thing? Can there be too much choice? How should choice be provided? How can you be certain that an Individual has made a choice? What are the benefits of providing a choice? What does a Learner understand from the choice making activity? These and other questions are addressed on this page.
Communication and Loss
This page looks at the issues surrounding a loss or a bereavement in the family and how it may affect an individual experiencing a learning difficulty. The page covers a number of ideas for good practice in this sensitive area.
The page offers a bibliography of materials for further study as well as an opportunity to have your say. Your feedback is particularly welcome.
Contingency Awareness: Cause and Effect
This Talksense webpage looks at the theory and practice behind the assessment and development of contingency awareness in those experiencing significant learning learning difficulties. This aspect of skill development is one of the most significant milestones in the education of such Learners and needs to be understood by all those involved in their education.
Please Note that this page is currently in the early stages of development and while you are free to look at what is already there it will grow and change significantly over time.
Creating Communication Boards, Books, and Beyond!
In Development but lots already there
What is involved in creating communication boards, books, and pages on SGDs. What is considered good practice and what will assist Learner failure? How do you choose and arrange vocabulary? How do you arrange pages? Is a board or a book the better option? These and more questions are addressed within these pages which also include a number of give-away Sure Start Sheet Word Documents.
Fundamental Features of AAC
This page looks at the Fifteen Fundamental Features of AAC about which Talksense believes that those working or interested in this area should be aware. Many of the items featured on this page will be of interest to staff working in special educational settings even if they are not working with AAC.
Good Practice in the care of people who are bed-bound
This page contains a copy of a paper I wrote recently on my experiences as a POD (Person Of Disability) following a stroke. I comment on my experience in receiving care both in hospital and after, at home over nearly a year and suggest my concept of good practice. A view from the inside; from one person in receipt of care A review of standards in the caring professions. I became a POD overnight, quite literally. The stroke left me with a left hemiplegia, paralysed down one side of my body and dependent on others for virtually all of my needs. I became an IRON POD. (Individual Reliant on Others for Needs). This page is complete..
Please click on the image left to advance to this page.
Please click on the image left to advance to this page.
History: Approaches for Individuals experiencing PMLD
Still In development but very nearly complete
I have often thought that what takes place in many schools to address the concept of history is anything but! Not that such lesson are not creative, staff intensive, pupil inclusive, fun for the Learners and brilliantly presented: it's just that I am not sure what the individual is getting from them: I do not think it's an awareness of the World war or the impact of the Romans on Britain. For me history for the Individual experiencing PMLD requires an alternative approach at least in addition to those fun toga wearing sessions discussed above!
If you would like to find out more, why not click on the history book symbol to the left and be transported to a page containing (presently) ten suggestions for approaching this topic.
I have often thought that what takes place in many schools to address the concept of history is anything but! Not that such lesson are not creative, staff intensive, pupil inclusive, fun for the Learners and brilliantly presented: it's just that I am not sure what the individual is getting from them: I do not think it's an awareness of the World war or the impact of the Romans on Britain. For me history for the Individual experiencing PMLD requires an alternative approach at least in addition to those fun toga wearing sessions discussed above!
If you would like to find out more, why not click on the history book symbol to the left and be transported to a page containing (presently) ten suggestions for approaching this topic.
Iconic Pop Quiz
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Are you a pop music master? Can you decode symbols? These symbolic quiz pages will have you scratching your head. Test your knowledge. Fun for all! It's an iconic symbol quiz that's a real brain teaser! Try it now.
Please click on the image left to advance to this page. |
IMPACT
In Development
IMPACT stands for IMPlementing Augmentative Communication Training. This was originally developed as a training manual in the mid 90s and is being updated within these web pages and made freely available. Some of the ideas within the present pages Talksense no longer supports.
The update will take some time: most of the pages are there but may prove somewhat difficult to read, especially without the necessary images which relate to the various topics covered.
IMPACT stands for IMPlementing Augmentative Communication Training. This was originally developed as a training manual in the mid 90s and is being updated within these web pages and made freely available. Some of the ideas within the present pages Talksense no longer supports.
The update will take some time: most of the pages are there but may prove somewhat difficult to read, especially without the necessary images which relate to the various topics covered.
Links
Links to other recommended websites for SEN including companies, Centres of excellence, Special Education Colleges, etc.
Memory Books
A Memory Book is a form of 'diary' that can assist the Learner with the concept of time. However, a Memory Book is NOT:
- a scrapbook full of old memories such as pictures of childhood or
momentous moments of an individual life.
- a symbolic timetable of an individual's week.
- a home/school diary.
- a written log of a Learner's day.
Items are pasted into the Memory Book to represent each session or part of a Learner's day. Once begun, it becomes possible for the Learner to 'look back' at what happened within a particular period of time.
To discover more about Memory Books click on the symbol left.
- a scrapbook full of old memories such as pictures of childhood or
momentous moments of an individual life.
- a symbolic timetable of an individual's week.
- a home/school diary.
- a written log of a Learner's day.
Items are pasted into the Memory Book to represent each session or part of a Learner's day. Once begun, it becomes possible for the Learner to 'look back' at what happened within a particular period of time.
To discover more about Memory Books click on the symbol left.
Metamorphosis: My full article from the Communication Matters Journal
I wrote an article on communication for the Communication Matters Journal which was extremely edited because of their rules. I have put the full article here
Please: Click on the symbol left.
Minspeak
Semantic Compaction or Minspeak as it is more popularly known, is an AAC technique that utiises the concept of Secondary Iconicity to provide access to a large vocabulary from a limited number of symbols. To find out more click on the symbol to the left.
Mutli-Sensory Referencing and Objects Of Reference
MSR is a technique for the cognitive engagement of Learners experiencing Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties to permit the building of awareness of time and space. It includes the techniques of Environmental Engineering, Sensory Cueing, and Objects Of Reference.
Objects Of Reference
Objects Of Reference Cartoons.
For the full description and explanation of the use of OOR please go to the MSR page listed above.
For the full description and explanation of the use of OOR please go to the MSR page listed above.
PowerPoint for Special Education
In Development - not much there yet
PowerPoint is one of the best tools in the Special Education teacher's armoury. This set of pages is designed to show you what is possible and how to get the best from this Microsoft system.
Resources and Downloads
In Continual Development
These pages will contain lots of free resources and downloads for you to use. Please note that there is likely to be free downloads and resources on all the other pages as appropriate.
Sensory Stories: Theory and Practice
This page covers the theory and practice of the creation and implementation of a Sensory Story and allied form. It gives practical advice on the pitfalls to avoid and lots of ideas for good practice. Click on the image left to move there.
Simple AAC: 101 ideas for implementation
Over 101 ideas for using electronic forms of simple AAC (from BIGmacks to iPads and beyond) all on one web page. There is bound to be something there to inspire you!
The page contains ideas for using simple AAC, theory on implementation of simple AAC, extensive references for those who wish to study a particular area further, fun cartoons to illustrate many of the sections, example overlays to demonstrate a particular idea, videos which may help to illuminate a particular topic further, and links to relevant websites where appropriate.
Switches: 101 ideas for switch use
In Development - Nothing there presently
Switches: Switch Skills
All about switches and switching.
Switches: Symbols
Symbol sets to download for use on switch tops
Symbols: Giveway Pages
Free-to-use symbols for non-commercial purposes
Symbol Studies
A study in symbolics for Special Education.
Symbols: Studies in Comparative Semiotics
Just what symbol sets are there?
Taking Photograph Abums: 101 Ideas For Use
In Development - but lots to see anyway
Lots of ideas for creating TPAs and making the best use of them.
Teaching Through Toys
How can (switch adapted) toys be used to aid teaching in Special Education?
Lots of ideas on this page.
Training Courses
Details of the TalkSense Training Courses
Training Days: Up and Coming
Courses that are coming soon.
Book now!
Voice Pen, Voice Symbol, and Voice Ink
The revolutionary DIY communication system that brings paper to life.
Find out more by clicking on the the symbol.
Pages on Voice Symbol and Voice Ink and lots of ideas for use.
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