What goals does PECS work on?

When words are hard to find, a single picture handed to you can be the first joyful "I want to tell you something".

In short

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) works on one big, beautiful goal: helping a child communicate on purpose — to start an interaction and make their needs and thoughts known, even before spoken words arrive. It builds skills step by step, from exchanging a single picture for something a child wants, right up to building sentences and commenting on the world. PECS supports — and often encourages — speech, while giving a child a reliable voice from day one.

The goals PECS builds, step by step

• Initiating communication — the very first goal: the child learns to spontaneously hand over a picture to request, rather than waiting to be prompted. This sense of "I can start a conversation" is the heart of PECS.
• Requesting (asking for wants and needs) — exchanging pictures for favourite foods, toys or activities, so communication brings a real, motivating result.
• Building distance and persistence — travelling across a room to find a partner and a picture, so communication works anywhere, with anyone.
• Discriminating between pictures — choosing the right picture to say exactly what is meant.
• Building sentences — combining pictures ("I want" + item) on a sentence strip, growing toward richer, more specific messages.
• Answering and commenting — responding to "What do you want?", and later commenting ("I see…", "I hear…") to share attention and ideas, not only to request.

Throughout, a key aim is to reduce frustration — when a child can express a need, distress and challenging behaviour often ease, and many children's spoken language grows alongside picture use rather than instead of it.

When PECS might help your child

PECS is often considered for children who understand more than they can say, who have few or no spoken words, or who find it hard to start communicating. A speech and language therapist assesses whether PECS, another communication approach, or a blend suits your child best — every child's path is different.

The Pinnacle way

This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care. Across 70+ centres our therapists shape PECS within a child's wider plan, often woven into speech therapy, so a profile from the AbilityScore® assessment guides each next step. Communication starts with connection — and PECS makes that first connection possible.

Trusted sources

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) guidance on augmentative and alternative communication; WHO ICD-11 framing of communication and developmental needs; American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) on supporting early communication.

Next step — Wondering if PECS could give your child a voice? Book a developmental assessment with a Pinnacle clinician.