Receptive Communication Skills

Students with difficulties in the area of receptive language reveal the need for extensive supports. It is important that he is taught strategies that will help him to be successful in following school behavior requirements reach academic expectations, and have positive social relationships.

The student needs assistance with his difficulty understanding the daily schedule. He will benefit from the use of a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) daily schedule formatted for his specific needs. Cihak (2010) describes an important benefit of PECS as he compared it to another form of visual communication support in his experimental study. As a result of a structured environment, the student’s academic progress may also be positively affected. This is an evidence based strategy as there have been numerous studies done to investigate its effectiveness with students who have receptive language deficits. It was developed by Dr. Andy Bondy, a Speech/Language Pathologist in 1985 and is based on B. F. Skinner’s publication on Verbal Behavior.

Another type of communication support for individuals with language impairments is called Social Stories. If tshe student lacks compliance in the area of classroom expectations this reveals his need for this type of support. According to Schneider & Goldstein (2009), Social Stories supports students by teaching them the expected behaviors and supporting them as they work to develop positive habits.

Both of the above mentioned strategies have been used with adolescent individuals with language deficiencies, therefore would be effective in supporting students with receptive communication skill deficits as they gain effective communication skills.

Cihak, D. (2010). Comparing pictorial and video modeling activity schedules during transistions for students with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5, 433-441. Retrieved from www.library.waldenu.edu

 Schneider, N. & Goldstein, H. (2009). Social stories improve the on-task behavior of children with language impairment. Journal of Early Intervention, 31, 250-264.Retrieved from www.library.waldenu.edu