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Using the Matrix to Plan Communication Goals
Communication Matrix Team
2/25/2022 1:26 PM
As a parent, you are your child’s biggest advocate and spokesperson. We hope the Communication Matrix can serve as a tool as you advocate for accommodations and goals to guide your child’s communication skills. Here’s how:
The Matrix One-page Profile shows what level of communicative behaviors the child uses and what kinds of messages, or communicative intents, are expressed. Look at the Matrix Profile and think about:
- Which of the 24 messages does the learner communicate now, and where are there gaps?
- Consider targeting new messages that the learner really wants or needs to express.
- Or focus on mastering messages that are still at the emerging stage.
- We recommend that you target no more than two Levels at the same time.
- Note that every learner will not move through every one of the 7 Levels, depending upon their cognitive, sensory and motor skills.
The Communication Skills List shows which behaviors the learner uses to communicate and can help you think about what specific behaviors you want to focus on.
- You may continue working on current communication behaviors.
- You may also decide to target a different communicative behavior that provides a more sophisticated or more reliable means of expression.
- Always take into account the child's motor, fine motor and vocal abilities, as well as any sensory limitations that may make it difficult or impossible for the child to produce certain behaviors.
- Also consider any cognitive limitations that might prevent an individual from understanding certain types of symbols.
- Finally, consider whether the behavior may be used across all environments in the individual’s life.
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Teachers:
Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging