Drinks I like.

My Independent Living Skills students are all Pre entry students in the range Milestone 4-8 or Essential skills Level 1/2. Their language skills range from non verbal to speaking in short phrases.
I'm working on communication skills and choice making . I am developing spoken language and signs and symbol as appropriate. I am also trying to improve the communication between students .Here are some ideas I am using to develop these within the theme Drinks I like.

Take photos of everyone buying a drinks . Make a PowerPoint .Watch it with the students and develop language skills by encouraging them to talk about what they are doing in the pictures.

Make a Movie of everyone making their drinks. Use Windows Movie maker and set it to music - I have used Bill Withers Lovely Day . Play it back in coffee break and everyone can watch it while they are drinking their coffee .

Make a drinks symbol game using Widgit, Boardmaker or photos. Pairs or a bingo game both work well .

Create a feely bag with objects such as cups spoons and drinks bottle.

Play Kim's Game . Use the object you have collected for the feely bag.

Play What drinks do you like ? Use symbol and picture cards of drinks .Students ask each other the question What drink you like?
Getting the students to talk to each other needs support from the tutor. Develop these skills over a whole term. To begin with you may need to tell the students exactly what to say.Pick a theme such as drinks at a disco /college /party. Set out the cards and prompt one student to ask another student "What drink you like? They will reply using words or sign .The student who asked the question will then pick up the appropriate card e.g coffee from the table and give it to the other student.
This might sound boring but its not and it gets the students talking and listening to each other. Students without language can be successfully included by using signs,symbols or eye contact and the support of staff.