Have a conversation
A conversation has invisible rules: who is talking, when it is your turn and how to show you are listening. The visual support below shows two people talking with each other and makes turn-taking visible for children who need to see it.
⚲Have a conversation
Two children stand facing each other with speech bubbles above them.
⚲Have a conversation
Two people talk and gesture toward each other under two overlapping speech bubbles.
⚲We can talk
Two people hold their hands toward each other under a speech bubble.
About this visual support
Talking with someone looks simple, but it is one of the most complex things we do. You have to listen to what the other person says, remember what you wanted to say yourself, wait for the right moment and then reply with something that connects to what came before. For autistic children or children with language difficulties, finding a way into the conversation can be hard, while others talk over everyone. Both need to see the rules, not just hear about them.
The picture with two overlapping speech bubbles shows that a conversation is something you do together. Use it as a cue before a planned chat, for example at the dinner table or in the car on the way home. A talking stick, a ball or a soft toy passed around makes it even clearer whose turn it is. When your child holds the object it is their turn, and when they let go it is someone else's.
The we can talk card works when something is difficult, too. It shows that there is time and that the adult is ready to listen, without your child having to make the first move with words. Ask one simple question at a time and wait for the answer. In the Routined app you can add a chat as a regular step in the evening routine. You can try the app for 14 days without paying.
Use this image in a schedule
Build your own visual schedule with this image and download it as a print-ready PDF. Completely free.
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