Widgit Symbols: A Teacher's Guide to Visual
Widgit Symbols help teachers create visual resources for SEND pupils. This guide covers setup, classroom use, and alternatives for visual communication.
Key Takeaways
- Widgit Symbols significantly enhance communication accessibility for diverse learners, particularly those with complex communication needs. Research consistently demonstrates that visual symbol systems improve comprehension and expression for learners with autism spectrum conditions and speech and language difficulties, as highlighted by Schlosser and Wendt (2008) in their work on augmentative and alternative communication. This structured visual language helps learners articulate their needs and engage more fully in classroom activities.
- Visual symbols reduce cognitive load, thereby improving learning outcomes and engagement for learners. By presenting information in both visual and textual formats, Widgit Symbols align with multimedia learning principles, which suggest that dual coding can enhance understanding and retention, as extensively researched by Mayer (2009). This approach allows learners to process complex information more effectively, supporting literacy development and curriculum access.
- Consistent application of Widgit Symbols across the school environment fosters greater independence and reduces anxiety for learners. Visual schedules and social stories, when consistently implemented, provide predictable structures that empower learners to navigate their day and understand social expectations, a principle well-established in interventions for autism spectrum conditions (Mesibov & Schopler, 2004). This consistency helps learners develop self-regulation and autonomy throughout their learning process.
- Widgit Symbols are a powerful tool for enhancing curriculum access and vocabulary acquisition across all subjects. By providing visual representations for subject-specific terminology, these symbols act as a crucial scaffold, supporting learners with English as an additional language and those with literacy challenges in understanding complex concepts, a strategy supported by research into effective vocabulary instruction (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2013). This visual support ensures all learners can engage meaningfully with academic content.
Visual Sentence Builder
Click symbols to build a visual sentence. This demonstrates how Widgit symbols support children who struggle with text-based communication.
Click symbols below to build a sentence...
From Structural Learning | structural-learning.com
What Is Widgit Symbols?
Widgit Symbols is a graphical database designed to support communication and literacy. Developed by a UK company, the system contains over 20,000 images representing both concrete and abstract concepts. The developers focus on helping learners with
A Year 2 teacher preparing for a literacy lesson uses Widgit Online to print word mats. As they type 'character' or 'setting', the software suggests the corresponding symbol. The teacher places these on tables for learners with .
Who Is Widgit Symbols For?
Widgit Symbols support learners within the SEND categories defined by the UK SEND Code of Practise. Learners with Autism Spectrum Condition often process visual information more effectively than auditory instructions. For these children, symbols provide a predictable structure that reduces anxiety during the school day.
The system helps learners with Speech, Language, and
Visual Grammar infographic for teachers" loading="lazy">
Evidence Base and Research
Psychological research into information processing supports the use of symbols in education. Dual Coding Theory suggests that humans have separate channels for verbal and visual information (Paivio, 1971). Providing both a word and a symbol engages both channels and helps encode information into long-term memory.
Cognitive Load Theory also provides a rationale for this approach. Learners with SEND often find decoding text or processing long verbal instructions overwhelming for their
A teacher in a Year 4 classroom observes a learner with dyslexia struggling with a paragraph of instructions. The teacher replaces the text with a symbol-supported checklist. The learner begins the task within thirty seconds because the visual prompts reduced the cognitive demand (Hurtado et al., 2014).
Implementing Widgit Symbols in Your School
Successful implementation requires building a culture where visual support is a standard part of quality first teaching. A SENCO should start by conducting a school-wide audit of current visual resources. This identifies gaps in provision and ensures that different symbol systems do not confuse learners.
Staff training helps teachers create effective resources without cluttering the page. Training covers technical software use and pedagogical principles. Teachers learn to select only the most important words for support and use the colour-coding system for grammar.
A SENCO leads a staff meeting where teachers create visual timetables using a standardised template. The SENCO explains that PE must always use the same symbol of a child running across every year group. This consistency helps a learner with an Education, Health and Care Plan feel secure as they move between different rooms.
Widgit Symbols vs Similar Approaches
Schools often compare Widgit with other established programmes. Each system suits different types of learners and environments. A SENCO must match the right tool to the specific needs of each learner.
| Feature | Widgit Symbols | Boardmaker (PCS) | PECS | Makaton |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Primary Format | Digital and printed symbols | Digital and printed symbols | Physical picture exchange | Signs and symbols |
| Core Audience | Schools, literacy, general SEND | Special schools, complex AAC | Non-verbal, autistic learners | SLCN,
Common Questions About Widgit Symbols
What are Widgit Symbols used for in schools?
Widgit Symbols help learners understand routines, access the curriculum, and communicate their needs. They appear on visual timetables, communication boards, and subject-specific word mats. By providing a visual anchor for verbal language, they help learners who struggle with auditory processing remain engaged in learning.
How much does Widgit cost for schools?
Costs vary depending on the number of users and the software version. Schools typically pay a subscription for Widgit Online, ranging from £150 to over £500 per year. InPrint 3 is available as a perpetual licence per computer for schools that do not require cloud access.
Is Widgit better than Makaton?
Neither system is inherently superior; they serve different purposes. Makaton is a language programme using signs, symbols, and speech together for early communication. Widgit provides an extensive symbol library to support written resources and literacy across the entire curriculum.
Can Widgit be used with autistic children?
Widgit is highly effective for autistic children because it provides visual predictability. Autistic learners benefit from having a 'now and next' board or a visual timetable that outlines the day. Using consistent symbols reduces the unpredictability of the school environment and improves focus.
How do I get Widgit for free?
Paid subscriptions are standard, but the company provides free ready-made resource packs for specific events. Some UK local authorities hold central licenses that allow schools to access the software at no cost. Check with your local SEND outreach service or speech and language therapy team for available arrangements.
What is the difference between Widgit and PECS?
PECS is a behavioural protocol used to teach non-verbal individuals how to initiate communication. Widgit is a symbol library used for broader educational purposes, including literacy and classroom organisation. A learner might use Widgit symbols within their PECS folder to indicate desired items.
Print out a Widgit 'Now and Next' board today and use it with a learner during your next lesson to manage a transition.
Further Reading: Key Research Papers
These peer-reviewed studies provide the evidence base for the strategies discussed in this article.
Deep Learning Enabled Semantic Communication Systems View study ↗
1293 citations
Huiqiang Xie et al. (2020)
Recently, deep learned enabled end-to-end communication systems have been developed to merge all physical layer blocks in the traditional communication systems, which make joint transceiver optimization possible. Powered by deep learning, natural language processing has achieved great success in ana.
A scoping review of the use of visual aids in health education materials for persons with low-literacy levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Widgit Symbols used for in education?
Widgit Symbols provide a standardised visual language of over 20,000 images to support communication and literacy. Schools use them to create visual timetables, communication boards, and differentiated worksheets. By offering a visual anchor for written text, they help learners process instructions and navigate the school day more independently.
How do teachers implement Widgit Symbols in the classroom?
Teachers implement these symbols by pairing them with key vocabulary on learning resources and classroom displays. A common approach is creating individual visual timetables to help autistic learners understand daily routines. It is important to maintain consistency across different classrooms so learners recognise the same symbols throughout the school environment.
What are the benefits of Widgit Symbols for learners with SEND?
Visual symbols reduce cognitive load for learners who struggle with written text or auditory processing. They provide immediate meaning to complex concepts, which supports vocabulary acquisition and reduces anxiety. This approach is particularly effective for children with autism, speech and language needs, and English as an additional language.
What does the research say about using visual symbols for learning?
Research based on dual coding theory suggests that combining verbal and visual information improves memory retention. When learners receive both a spoken instruction and a matching symbol, they process the information through two separate cognitive channels. This reduces the mental effort required to decode tasks, helping learners engage more quickly with the curriculum.
What are common mistakes when using visual symbols in schools?
A frequent mistake is cluttering worksheets with too many symbols, which overloads the learner with unnecessary visual information. Teachers should only symbolise key vocabulary and instructional verbs rather than every single word in a sentence. Another common error is using different symbol systems inconsistently across the school, which prevents learners from building a reliable visual vocabulary.
143 citations
Njabulo Mbanda et al. (2020)
OBJECTIVE To conduct a scoping review on the literature on visual aids in health education for persons with low-literacy. METHODS A scoping review methodology was employed.
(Preprint) by Diana D Marchena, Andrea Barton-Hulsey, et al. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) combined with peer support helps young autistic learners. Marchena, Barton-Hulsey, et al. (preprint) show PECS and peer support aid minimally verbal preschoolers. The intervention uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This method may improve communication skills, say Marchena, Barton-Hulsey, et al. (preprint).
Kathy S. Thiemann-Bourque et al. (2016)
This research provides evidence for visual communication support in education in school settings.
Indirect Facilitation of Speech in a Late Talking Child by Prompted Production of Picture Symbols or Signs View study ↗
20 citations
Emily R. Baumann Leech & Cynthia Cress (2011)
This research provides evidence for visual communication support in education in school settings.
Common ground in AAC: how children who use AAC and teaching staff shape interaction in the multimodal classroom View study ↗
17 citations
Seray B. Ibrahim et al. (2023)
Researchers explore communication for learners using AAC. Mutual understanding can be hard in classrooms (Light, 1989). Staff may struggle to understand a learner's unaided AAC attempts (Iacono et al., 2016; Soto & Clarke, 2009). Task goals become difficult to achieve with AAC (Cress & Marvin, 2003).
