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Consultancy Services
Consultancy services are available to support
PECS and the broader Pyramid Approach. Listed below are some of
the services we offer and where they are available (e.g. home, school,
community, clinic). However, as every student has different requirements,
our services are flexible and can be adapted to the needs of each
individual or group of students. Please call if you would like further
discussion: +44 (0)1273 609555 or email: christy@pecs.org.uk
For information about training workshops on PECS and the Pyramid
Approach, please go to the workshop
page >>
PECS Start-Up™: 3-6
hours - In Home, School or Clinic
During the PECS Start-Up, a Pyramid
consultant will begin with an overview of the Pyramid Approach to
Education, including discussion of traditional approaches to communication
training and the unique features of PECS. The consultant will then
teach family/staff the beginning phases of the PECS training protocol,
error correction strategies, and how to implement PECS into home
or school routines. The Pyramid consultant will then conduct a reinforcer
assessment with the student and will implement Phase I of PECS with
participants acting as trainers.
Where appropriate, Phase II will be implemented and Phase III reviewed.
Activities will include lecture, videos, role-playing, question
and answer, and training with the student. If needed, the child's
team will receive a PECS manual, a PECS communication book, and
some complementary pictures to get started. History forms will be
sent to the family prior to the consultation. They must be completed
and returned to our office two weeks prior to the appointment. A
summary report will follow within two weeks.
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PECS Check-Up™:
3-6 hours - In Home, School, or Clinic
A consultant will observe parents/staff
implementing PECS with the student in order to advise and fine-tune
current implementation practices. The consultant will also discuss
and demonstrate the next level of PECS, along with appropriate error
correction strategies. The teaching of other critical communication
skills, as appropriate, will be discussed. For example following
visual directions and timetables, learning to 'wait', to ask for
'help' or for a 'break' and answering 'yes' and 'no'. Finally, the
consultant will make recommendations describing the next steps in
PECS training for family/staff.
History forms will be sent to the family/school prior to the consultation.
They must be completed and returned to our office two weeks prior
to the appointment. If needed, the child's team will receive a PECS
communication binder and additional complementary pictures for the
communication book. A summary report will follow within two weeks.
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Classroom Consultation
- Ongoing in school
Following PECS or Pyramid Approach
training, a consultant will visit the classroom at agreed intervals
throughout the year to give support and feedback on the implementation
of PECS and the Pyramid Approach to Education. The in-class consultation
provides systematic feedback regarding all elements of the Pyramid
Approach, the emphasis being on functional communication and learning
through activities that are relevant and meaningful from the student's
point of view.
The six phases of PECS will be carefully monitored and developed.
Opportunities for problem solving, correcting errors before they
become established and developing 'good practice' will be fully
supported. Consultants will advise on integrating PECS into the
curriculum, extending PECS across the day, developing more advanced
skills, data collection, mastering the 4-step error correction,
etc., as appropriate.
Research has illustrated that training is most successful if followed
up by support. The opportunity to receive this in the classroom,
directly with the students involved, has been found to be very helpful.
A written summary is provided after each visit, including agreed
action and future goals.
Schools and organisations wanting whole school training will receive
this model of training and follow-up consultancy support.
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Community Consultation:
On-going in varied community settings
This will follow the framework described
in 'Classroom Consultation' above, with adaptations for specific
students, staff and settings, as these might range from early years
to adult residential care settings. Again, training and follow-up
consultation packages can be arranged, as appropriate.
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Home Consultation: On-going
- In home
This can be arranged on a regular
basis within the home to suit the circumstances of the individual
student, family or in-home programme. The hallmark of our in-home
services is the emphasis on functional communication and learning
through activities which are relevant and meaningful from the student's
point of view.
Early intervention is a proven factor in supporting the best outcomes
for children with autism; therefore, we are prepared to work with
children under the age of three. For some, this will involve designing
initial programmes. For others it may be a case of adapting an existing
home programme to integrate PECS and a more functional approach.
Pyramid will provide consultants who are accredited PECS trainers
with a wealth of practical support and guidance on implementing
PECS and the Pyramid Approach within the home context. A written
summary is provided after each visit, including agreed action and
future goals.
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Clinic Consultation
Our clinic is based in the heart of Brighton, with plenty of toys, refreshments and welcoming staff.
We are happy to provide PECS Start-Up and Check-Up visits in the clinics and also sessions of
intensive teaching to develop PECS and other critical communication skills: e.g. direction and
schedule following, learning to 'wait', to ask for 'help' or for a 'break' and answering 'yes' and
'no'. A written summary is provided after each visit, including agreed action and future goals.
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Distance PECS Supervision
- Weekly & monthly e-mail, telephone, video submission
This is ideal in circumstances where it is difficult to get to the clinic or access regular
consultancy support. Following telephone discussion and a review of PECS history forms and
video of the student using PECS, a decision will be made about the appropriateness of
distance supervision. Weekly telephone and e-mail contact plus monthly reviews of video
will provide support with recommendations for developing and extending PECS and other
critical functional communication skills.
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