1️⃣ Emotion Symbols / Picture Signs

 

Purpose: Help learners express and recognise feelings safely, especially if words are hard or processing takes time.

Examples of symbols we can include:

Symbol	Meaning	Usage
🙂	Happy	Share joy / satisfaction
😢	Sad	Feeling upset / crying
😡	Angry	Feeling frustrated or annoyed
😨	Scared / anxious	Feeling unsafe or worried
😌	Calm / relaxed	Need quiet / peaceful moment
🤔	Thinking / confused	Need help understanding
😷	Pain / unwell	Physical discomfort or illness
🛑	Stop	Boundaries / need to pause

How to use:

• Place symbols on cards or in a visual board.

• Participants can point or hold up the symbol instead of speaking.

• Combine with Traffic Light Cards for more nuanced communication.

• Use in role-play exercises, reflection, or group discussions.

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2️⃣ Integration with Traffic Light Cards

Card Colour	Meaning	Suggested Symbol
🟢 Green	I want to speak	🙂 Happy / ready to participate
🟡 Yellow	I have a question	🤔 Thinking / unsure
🔵 Blue	I need more time	😌 Calm / need pause
🔴 Red	Please slow down	😨 Anxious / stressed
🟣 Purple	I need a break	😢 Sad / overwhelmed

This creates a dual system: colour + emotion symbol → very clear non-verbal communication.

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3️⃣ Body Language + Gesture Symbols

Purpose: Reinforce non-verbal understanding for learners.

Examples:

• 👋 Hand wave → greeting / wants attention

• ✋ Stop hand → pause / boundary

• 🙏 Hands together → thank you / polite request

• 🤲 Open hands → safe / receptive

• 🏃 Person walking away → need a break / exit

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4️⃣ Visual Storyboards for Group Interaction

Step-by-step images for Easy Read booklet or poster:

1. Participant raises 🟢 Green + 🙂 Happy

2. Facilitator notices card

3. Participant shares idea

4. Card is lowered

5. Group responds respectfully

Benefit: Shows safe participation flow for large groups.

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5️⃣ Source of Symbols

• Free online symbols and icons labeled for reuse (Google, Pixabay, OpenClipart)

• Emoji-style icons for universal recognition

• Optional: Makaton-style picture symbols for hospital / communication boards (check copyright/free resources)

Tip: Keep style consistent across toolkit — simple, bold, clear visuals.