What is the VICON Method and how can it help me with my child and his language? Questions and answers. Part 1

With the VICON Method we have achieved a stimulation program that children love, and when we talk about the word love, we mean that we have verified over these years that children enjoy it, love us and look for us . Thanks to all these consequences and variables, through the method we achieve learning forever. We have often heard about significant learning , which does not disappear because it is relevant to the child.

Why the VICON Method?

En mi trayectoria profesional, he sufrido mucha frustración. Pensar en nuestro trabajo. Una o como mucho dos sesiones semanales de una hora, dónde tenemos que cambiar la vida de un niño y su familia con un trastorno, sin lenguaje, sin más recursos que los que en esa hora disponemos. Hoy he descubierto que nuestro trabajo es nuestra vocación, porque a cualquiera que le expliques esta circunstancia seguramente te dirá: «dame otro trabajo que este posiblemente no lo conseguiré». 

The work towards language and development of these children with disorders is very difficult to do , I would almost dare to say impossible. Also taking into account one more frustration, we get things in session that do not appear at home . For example, Martín's mother tells us: "well, he doesn't do this with me..." . Making this situation frustrate us as professionals because our work is not generalized at home.

So we wanted to change that too… How? Well , implementing this resource at home as the first place of socialization of and where change, evolution ... and this situation has meant a change in the prism of the therapeutic session.

Si utilizamos el Método VICON, ahora no es el terapeuta el que lidera los objetivos, sino que es la familia quién viene con un maletín de avances y recursos indicadores que han ido surgiendo a través de la implementación de nuestra herramienta en casa. Es un gusto desde el punto de vista de terapeuta y también desde el punto de vista de la familia. 

And not only do we stop there, but we consider that this digital stimulation, these videos, this audiovisual methodology based on music as the most effective compared to live treatment. Well, in short, we produce more language, more imitation and more learning.

Why is it more effective? Because we use Video Modeling

Para empezar, dejar claro que no hemos inventado nada. Desde hace años se utiliza el vídeo para el aprendizaje, para el moldeamiento de la conducta. Pues es altamente motivador,  tiene una versatilidad y podemos utilizarlo acercando realidades que de otra manera no podríamos solamente con la palabra. Hablo por supuesto a nivel visual, sin olvidar la comodidad que con los dispositivos digitales tenemos hoy en día. Ya que estamos conectados allí donde vayamos. 

What also makes it an economical therapy program, which includes really expensive methodologies, which when recorded can be implemented in many more children with minimal cost. Thus being more effective because it allows us to be intensive.

They used to say that something you do a thousand times comes out, well I'll tell you that something you see 20 times you know, and that miraculously happens to our children too. They have many difficulties, attention, language, interaction... but their vision is perfect. They are visual children , and I think that also translates to human beings in general, not just children with autism, without language, with communication disorders, maturational delays, we love technologies.

What are the new changes in the tool?

Entrando más de hielo, el Método ahora mismo está diseñado en 15 niveles que componen este programa evolutivo desde las habilidades cognitivas previas al aprendizaje, como son la motivación, la atención, la imitación. Así como todos los procesos que vienen antes del lenguaje y la expresividad. 

Once we reach the language levels, we begin to work through those words that are learning transversal skills necessary for learning . All the cognitive processes necessary to associate , categorize , segment , to develop the game , autonomy ... While we are acquiring language little by little but in a consistent and varied way, that is, we change the dynamics and learning in each of the phases having take all these areas into account.

Todo este tratamiento a través del programa se hace de manera online,  desde una plataforma web totalmente disponible las 24 horas lo que nos hace también atender a países a nivel mundial, y se trata de un programa en el que superamos vídeos, fases y niveles. 

With two types of videos, cantajuegos , which are entirely musical ones, and content videos. These songs from the cantajuegos will be presented in specific videos, by category, by skill... It is a platform that allows a lot of autonomy in children, and we are still developing many more facilities so that this tool has been used by children and adults.

We tell you how it works in more detail

When you register for the method, an Initial Evaluation Test is done and there is a free two-week trial . This prior evaluation directs you to a specific level of the method and a specific viewing rate for that level.

There is always therapeutic monitoring throughout the program from the test onwards . That means that you will have a therapist without anything who will give you weekly follow-ups, guidance on difficulties that may arise, sharing achievements, doubts, changes that can be made when developing the program with the child, even recommendations that we can give to enhance each of the phases and levels .

It is very important that you understand that the same video represents many and very different challenges for each child . There are children who will need to learn a concept, there are children who will need to improve a joint, there are children who will need to tolerate a material such as plasticine, or animals. For others it means learning in reading and writing or even generalization, and for others it means learning and massification of the language, greater use of language at a functional or even social level, which is our great focus in the method.

Why is it even more effective? Why we use Music Therapy

We use music therapy because we cannot find a better way than musical stimulation . Our children respond to musical stimulation more than any other kind of stimulus . Listening to music involves all the cognitive functions responsible for learning , and represents a global therapy that transcends videos that transcends the digital, and being social, we come to do music therapy with all the parties involved in the process.

Pues cuando una persona se pone a cantar se coloca en un sitio de bienestar y si lo comparte con otra comparte ese bienestar. No puede haber más comunicación en el cantar, en el bailar y en el compartir ese momento musical en familia, en el aula, con mis abuelos o mis hermanos. 

We reach the language area by singing through another cerebral hemisphere and it seems that in this environment our children do not feel so disabled... we manage to enjoy, create and they have those songs in their heads all day and in the end they materialize in language, even many of our children start singing before speaking.

Necessary clarifications

Now, modeling is a super useful skill for learning . We have to start changing the perspective of our children and through the VICON Method we have made children more proactive .

When children see a video of another child doing an activity, outside of watching when they do it with the teacher, with a classmate or with mom or dad, there is a change in attitude .

These children want, know and are comfortable doing types of activities. It induces them to action, because as I said, we touch on a highly developed skill: visual ability, and that means that they begin to have autonomous learning .

We have developed a tool that teaches them different skills so that they can then go into the environment and learn on their own , so that they realize that they have peers, siblings, adults but also children. Many times our children are alone surrounded by other children and fail to learn from the environment and lose precious time.