Symbolated or picture-supported text is a strategy that some educators use with the intent of making text comprehension easier for their students. The idea behind symbolated or picture-supported text is that connecting symbols to text can help students better understand text. It involves adding a picture or corresponding symbol above or below each word in a sentence. It has been considered an assistive technology support for learning to read. Assistive Technology vendors such as Boardmaker Studio, News2you, and Unique Learning System offer the option of using symbolated text in their activities. Educators can turn symbolated text or symbol support on or off as needed for their student.
Some researchers have found that connecting symbols with text can actually impede a student’s ability to learn to read a word. Pairing picture symbols with words may limit access to learning because pictures may be confusing to a student (Erickson et al., 2009). This has been found to be true for general education students as well (Kennedy & Cariveau, 2023). Even research, which included speech-language pathology graduate students revealed little success with pairing pictures to the correct text (Benson-Goldberg & Erickson, 2020). Due to this, educators need to determine when and how pictures or symbols should be used to support text comprehension or communication. To learn more review this short video:
References:
Benson-Goldberg, S., & Erickson, K. A. (2020). Graphic Symbols: Improving or Impeding Comprehension of Communication Bill of Rights? Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits, 14(1), 1–18. https://www.atia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ATOB-V14-A1-Benson-GoldbergErickson.pdf
Erickson, K., Hanser, G., Hatch, P., & Sanders, E. (2009). (publication). Research-Based Practices for Creating Access to the General Curriculum in Reading and Literacy for Students with Significant Intellectual Disabilities.
Erickson, Karen & Hatch, Penelope & Clendon, Sally. (2010). Literacy, Assistive Technology, and Students with Significant Disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children. 42. 1-16. 10.17161/fec.v42i5.6904.
Erickson, K. A., & Koppenhaver, D. A. (2020). Using Assistive Technology Effectively to Support Literacy. In Comprehensive literacy for all: teaching students with significant disabilities to read and write (pp. 185–188). Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Kennedy, T., Cariveau, T. Picture-Text Compounds in Early Reading: A Descriptive Review. Behav.Soc. Iss. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00139-0
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