Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display, or PODD, is a form of low-tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). A PODD organises the way that we use language (pragmatic) in a systematic way using words and symbols (organisation) on pages that can be changed to provide a wide range of vocabulary (dynamic display).
The aim of a PODD is to provide its user with access to vocabulary for a range of messages, across a range of topics and in multiple environments for continuous communication at any time. Just as someone who uses speech to communicate can choose from a multitude of words when they talk, a PODD can provide its user with the same access to a greater range of vocabulary.
PODD is based on how we use language in our everyday lives and can build expressive language and support social communication because it can provide a means to greet others, make requests, comment, ask questions and express feelings and opinions. It can also support its user to understand the language of others. It can be a valuable tool in someone’s communication toolkit.
A speech pathologist can help you determine if a PODD is a communication strategy that will suit your child’s individual needs.
