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The Importance of Using Visual Strategies

Writer's picture: Jenna SneddenJenna Snedden

Objective of Using Visual Tools:

The objective of using visual tools is to enhance communication, understanding, and learning by catering to the specific needs of individuals through a range of tools, from low tech to high tech.


How many of these areas is your child or adult currently getting visual support in?


  • Enhance understanding

  • Improve communication

  • Reduce anxiety

  • Support memory

  • Organize thoughts

  • Clarify expectations

  • Teach routines

  • Facilitate transitions

  • Strengthen independence

  • Develop social skills

  • Enhance problem-solving

  • Support reading comprehension

  • Improve behavior

  • Teach new skills

  • Provide predictability

  • Increase engagement

  • Enhance creativity

  • Support self-regulation

  • Facilitate decision-making

  • Reduce stress


    Using visual strategies for support is crucial for enhancing communication skills in individuals with speech and language disorders. Visual aids can help individuals better understand and remember information, facilitate learning, and improve overall communication effectiveness.


    Here are some reasons why it's important to use visual strategies in speech therapy and at home:


    1. **Enhanced Comprehension**: Visual aids such as pictures, charts, and diagrams can help individuals better comprehend and process information, especially complex concepts or instructions.


    2. **Improved Memory Retention**: Visual cues can aid in memory retention by providing a visual reference that individuals can recall when needed, helping them remember important information or strategies.


    3. **Increased Engagement**: Visual strategies can make speech therapy sessions more engaging and interactive, keeping individuals interested and motivated throughout the therapy process.


    4. **Facilitated Generalization**: Visual supports can help individuals generalize communication skills learned in therapy to real-life situations, making it easier to apply what they have learned in different contexts.


    In speech therapy, visual strategies can be incorporated in various ways to support individuals with speech and language disorders. Here are some techniques that speech therapists use that are also helpful at home:


    1. **Visual Schedules**: Creating visual schedules or routines can help individuals understand the sequence of activities or tasks, reducing anxiety and promoting independence.


    2. **Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)**: PECS is a visual communication system that uses pictures to help individuals express their needs and wants, promoting functional communication skills.


    3. **Visual Feedback**: Using mirrors or video recordings can provide visual feedback to individuals on their speech production, helping them monitor and adjust their articulation or fluency.


    4. **Visual Prompts**: Using visual prompts such as cue cards or gesture prompts can support individuals in recalling specific vocabulary or speech targets during therapy sessions.


    By integrating visual strategies into speech therapy sessions, speech therapists can create a more supportive and effective learning environment for individuals with speech and language disorders, ultimately helping them improve their communication skills and quality of life.


  • Improve time management

  • Enhance executive functioning

  • Support daily living skills

  • Improve task completion


For more support, please contact Keys to Communicate at info@keystocommunicate.com or call 732-585-1399.



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Keys To Communicate

16 Pearl Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840

info@keystocommunicate.com |  Tel: 732-585-1399

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Licensed ASHA certified Speech Language Pathologist
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