Guest Jen_28 Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 Hi, I recently attended a SENCO conference and one of the speakers was talking about pictures that are available to put up around the nursery and use as aids. They were pictures of ears for ' good listening' eyes for 'good looking' very simple pictures. Im sure they were called 'widgets' but cant find where I can get them from... I did think of making my own, but as most of you know Day Nurseries are busy places! Can anyone help me find where to get them from?
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 Hi Jen No answer to your question I'm afraid but thought I would take the chance t welcome you to the site and thank you for your first post. "Widgets"??? They sound interesting-I would like to know about them myself! I thought they were the little things on beer cans!!!!! Linda
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 Hi Widgets could refer to the software used to create these symbols eg 'Writing with symbols'. We use 'Boardmaker' at school. It's great because you can make the symbols as big or small as you like.
Guest Jen_28 Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 Thanks Linda, yea that was my first thought too when widgets were mentioned!! Kate, Any idea where I can take a look at Boardmaker? Any clues where your school go it from? Why Im searching so hard is I have a little boy in my pre school room, who refuses to talk to us, he can talk and when we arent around he does talk.. he chatters furiously to his mum as he is leaving the building, so I thought maybe through pictures we could get him communicating.
Steve Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 Hi Jen - Welcome to the forum! Can't help with your specific query, but you might find this discussion on selective mutism that we had a little while ago interesting. Best wishes, Steve.
Guest Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 I seem to remember that I came across widgets either on the Makaton website or one of its links. I was interested beacuse of ASD children I work with. I didn't find anything useful - the financial outlay was fairly significant for the books of symbols, and since I'm not SENCO, it wasn't down to me. There are a whole range of widgets - including many for older children and adults. I think that most of the free downloadable widgets were not suitable for early years. Please let me know if anyone finds anything useful. Diane.
Gezabel Posted March 5, 2004 Posted March 5, 2004 Try looking at this site www.widget.com It has a whole range of widget software but best of all there is a list of options on the left hand side and you can click for a free package!! Seems to be quite alot there and I think there may be some you can download. Hope it helps
Steve Posted March 6, 2004 Posted March 6, 2004 Hi Geraldine - Are you sure you have the right site reference there? Widget.com seems to be a site for selling electronic organisers and PDA's of various types.
Guest Posted March 6, 2004 Posted March 6, 2004 Hi Steve Try www.widgit.com widget.com is for those obsessed with gadgets like my husband!! (would you believe it's on his favouties list) mousebat
Gezabel Posted March 6, 2004 Posted March 6, 2004 Sorry Steve!!! One letter makes the vital difference!. It is as mousebat says www.widgit.com! No idea why I put an 'e' when i posted!
Guest Jen_28 Posted March 6, 2004 Posted March 6, 2004 Thank you all for your help, that was just what I was looking for. I will be recommending your forum to the staff at the nursery. Thanks Again
Guest Posted March 9, 2004 Posted March 9, 2004 I think Helen and Steve use Boardmaker at their nursery......so they'd know where to get it....I think Kate
Steve Posted March 9, 2004 Posted March 9, 2004 Um, sorry Kate (how observant of you ) - We got given the Boardmaker stuff by the Learning Support service for one to one care work, so I don't know where it comes from. (Time passes.....) Actually now I do. I just thought I'd go and have a butchers with Google and found what seem to be the main source (based in Canada sadly - I can't find a retailer based in the UK for the main product although you can buy templates at various sites). So you can go and have a look at this (rather expensive I have to say) product here
Guest Posted March 10, 2004 Posted March 10, 2004 There must be a UK outlet 'cos we've got it at school, so I'll try and have a scout around. <_
Guest cat33 Posted March 12, 2004 Posted March 12, 2004 Thanks for all this. We have 2 children who will need signa and the web sites are great. We are in the process of undergoing makaton training. Actually quite liked the widgEt site too! Chris
Guest Posted April 3, 2004 Posted April 3, 2004 Sorry can't help you with the wigit or widgets we sometimes recommend puppets for encouraging conversation in pre-school
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