Part 2: Objects of Reference

2.2. What is an Object of Reference?

An object of reference can enable the child to obtain information from several senses: touch, vision (if they have some useful sight), smell, taste, and sound (e.g. if they bang it against a surface). This is more reliable for them than relying only on hearing the spoken word, even if that is accompanied by a manual sign.

The best way to describe objects of reference is to give a couple of examples.
Afzal, who had no functional vision, often became distressed in school when it was time to go home: she did not understand where she was being taken. Because Afzal always held on to her seatbelt in the car, it was decided to present her with a piece of seatbelt webbing immediately before going to the car. It was hoped that this would help her to understand she was going in the car. Each time the webbing was presented, the person giving it to her also said "Afzal; car." After a few days, Afzal relaxed as soon as she was given the webbing. She had attached the special meaning of "car" to the webbing and thus it had become a true object of reference for her; it supported her understanding.

Karl, who had a little useful vision, loved to play with a train set, but did not have the means to ask for it. It was decided that he should be taught to hand a section of track to a member of staff who would then immediately provide him with the train set. Karl soon got the basic idea and, after a carefully structured programme, he would spontaneously go to the bottom shelf near the classroom door, find the track and hand it to a member of staff. Karl had attached the special meaning of "train set" to the track and thus it had become a true object of reference for him; it supported his expressive communication.

2.3. How can objects of reference help communication?

Objects of reference, then, can play a key part in supporting communication for a child with vision impairment and complex needs:

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  they can help the child to understand what other people say
  
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  provide a means for the child to express needs and wants.
  

If you feel an individual child might benefit from objects of reference, you need to proceed with care at first. It may be necessary to go through a period of trial and error. This is because you cannot know for sure whether the child will attach a special meaning to the object you select.

In addition, it will take time for the child to build up a link between the object and the item, place, person, event, activity or experience it refers to.

2.4. Use and misuse of objects of reference

Being child-specific

It is sometimes argued that objects of reference should be standardised throughout a school. It is very strongly recommended here that each object of reference is child-specific; for Afzal the webbing was the correct object of reference for "car" because she held onto her seatbelt whilst in the car. Thus she could readily associate the webbing with the experience of going in the car. However, as soon as Robert got in the car he stretched out his hand to feel the drop-down table on the back of the front seat. He showed no interest in the seatbelt, so he would have been unlikely to attach the special meaning "car" to a piece of webbing; instead, his object of reference was an identical drop-down table donated by the local garage.

Another factor to bear in mind is what will happen when the child moves to another school, or leaves school and goes to college. If child-specific objects of reference have been used, these can readily transfer to the new setting with the child. However, if a standard set has been used in school one, and another, different, set in school two, communication will break down and the child is likely to become very bewildered and frustrated.

Location markers

In some schools, objects are employed to mark specific locations. For example, a spoon is provided at the entrance to the dining hall, a piece of mat outside the gym. Objects used in this way obviously have to be standardised for all children. However, rather than calling them objects of reference, it may be preferable to refer to them as "location markers".

Activity markers

Objects are also often used to signify the start of activities. For example, a paint brush signifies an art lesson; a book, a literacy lesson. Again, it may be preferable not to use the term objects of reference in this context, but to call them "activity markers". Like objects of reference, it may be necessary to individualise these: for example, Leanne likes to use a tambourine in music, but Yaqoob prefers maracas. Thus, they may not really understand if everyone is presented with a chime bar beater. In time, activity markers can be used for some children to inform them of the timetable. They can be attached in sequence to a vertical board or placed in horizontally arranged segmented trays.

Choosing objects of reference

Selecting an object of reference for a particular item, place, person, event, activity or experience is not easy. Remember, an object of reference is an object to which the child attaches a special meaning. It is therefore essential to view things from the individual child's perspective. The object should be something the individual directly experiences and associates with the particular item, place, person, event, activity or experience.

Presenting objects of reference

There are some simple rules for presenting an object of reference, it must be:

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  the same object every time
  
• 
  presented immediately before the item, place, person, event or activity it represents
  
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  used every time it is needed
  
• 
  presented in the same manner every time
  
• 
  presented with the same accompanying speech / signing every time.
  

As more objects of reference are introduced, it is essential to consider the contrasts between them: it is not going to help if the child becomes confused by objects of reference that are very similar.

Objects of reference in the classroom

If at all possible, objects of reference should become a means for the child to express needs and desires, and not just to support understanding. This means that the child must have access to their objects of reference so they can select them when necessary. This can be a major problem for some children, particularly those who also have a motor impairment.

For the mobile child, objects of reference can be stored on a section of accessible shelving, on hooks on the wall, or in a box; wherever they are kept, it is essential to adopt the following rules:

ensure the child knows where they are kept

always return objects of reference to the storage place immediately after use

allow the child free access to their objects of reference at all times.

For a wheelchair user, it will be preferable, perhaps even necessary, for the objects of reference to be reduced in size, and made more abstract (see below). If this is done, it may be possible for them to be kept in bag attached to the wheel chair, or in a book which is always kept on the tray.

Moving on with objects of reference

When the child has been using several objects of reference for some time, it may be appropriate (even necessary) to make them more abstract:

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  initially, they could be reduced in size
  
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  later, part of the object could be used (eg instead of a whole cup to mean "drink", it may be just the cup handle)
  
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  later still, some objects can be turned into an abstract symbol; e.g. the cup handle could become a printed or tactile semicircle, which, eventually could become a printed letter "c", or the Moon equivalent.
  
  
  

2.5. References

This article is only an introduction to objects of reference. For more information, refer to Ockleford, A. (2002) Objects of Reference. London: RNIB.

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