Selecting Pictures
Aims
This activity is designed to:
- test your child's understanding of spoken words
- continue to teach your child to look carefully at pictures and to identify differences and similarities
- continue to encourage your child to pay attention and join in a learning activity for short periods of time
When to start
This activity is suitable for children who have previously matched the pictures to be selected. (See guidance in Using See and Learn Vocabulary 1.)
Children who have successfully completed the Matching Pictures activity 5 times with the picture cards to be selected should be ready to start the Selecting Pictures activity.
Selecting vocabulary
Choose a set of pictures that your child can successfully match. (See guidance in Using See and Learn Vocabulary 1.)
Modelling and prompting
At first, model the activity. Demonstrate the steps in the activity, encouraging your child to watch and listen.
When your child starts the activity, prompt them as needed to help them complete the task successfully.
Steadily reduce your prompts as your child becomes more confident.
Instructions
| 1 | Show your child the picture cards | |
[Cards]: Select one of each of the picture cards you wish to work with. At first, start with 2 cards to choose between. ::::
|
[Apps]: From the Main Menu screen, select Activities > Selecting Pictures. Select the picture cards you wish to work with. Tap the start button. ::::
|
|
| 2 | Attract your child's attention Say "let's point to pictures". Encourage your child to look at the picture cards. |
|
| 3 | Ask your child to select a picture card Say "show me [ball]" At first, you may need to prompt your child while they learn the activity. Point to/tap the corresponding picture card. If your child correctly selects the picture, say "yes - [ball] - this is [ball]" If you are modelling or prompting, repeat the word after you have selected the picture together - say "this is [ball] - [ball]" |
|
| 4 | Repeat step 3 Continue to ask your child to select each card in the set. |
|
Apps settings
The apps include the following settings that control how the activity is presented:
- Number of choices - sets the number of cards to be presented for selecting
- Number of answer attempts - sets the number of incorrect answers that can be given before prompting the correct answer.
- Time to wait for answer. Initially, this is indefinite to allow you to demonstrate and explain the activity.
- Provide prompts - turns on recorded voice prompts. We recommend that you provide the spoken prompts at first, and consider turning this option on when your child has begun to learn the activity.
- Enable applause when activity is completed - enables/disables playing applause at the end of the activity.
Recording progress
You can record your child's progress using the Selecting Pictures record.
Enter the dates you first start practising selecting each picture, and the dates your child first selects each picture with prompting and then independently (Figure 3).

Figure 3 | Example Selecting Pictures record sheet
Moving to the next activity
You can move on to the next activity (Naming Pictures) when your child can successfully select the pictures in a set.
Opportunities for additional practice
- In everyday activities, help your child to show their understanding of objects. For example, after mealtime ask your child "Where's the [cup]?" or ask them to give you their [spoon].
- Encourage your child to demonstrate their understanding of action words in play with their toys. Help them to follow instructions - for example, "Let's [wash] doll", "Let's put doll to [bed]", by modelling them. Then ask your child to "Give doll a [drink]", "Find doll's [hat]". Note: we are using [doll] for each activity as we are learning one key word at this stage, not two.
Teaching additional vocabulary
Please refer to the guidance at the end of Activity 1 - Looking at Pictures.

