Learning about Autism

Learning about Autism
What is it really like?

Definition of Autism
• According to DSM-5 Autism/autistic disorder, Asperger’s
disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive
developmental disorder not otherwise specified are listed
in the same category. ASD is characterized by two things:
• 1) deficits in social communication and social interaction
and
• 2) restricted repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities
(RRSs)
• Because BOTH components are required for diagnosis of
ASD, social communication disorder is diagnosed if no RRBs
are present.
American Psychiatric Association (2013)

Common Social Skills Deficits
Social interactions involve:
• verbal communication
• non-verbal communication
• personal space
• social engagement
• social reciprocity
• topic flow
• eye contact
• humor
Scholastic Intervention Solutions (2014)

• Unwilling to make direct eye contact with people
• May not respond when name is called or when
spoken to
• Finds it difficult to understand other people. May
not be able to read facial expressions or body
language.
• Unaware of social conventions/appropriate social
behavior such as the importance of taking turns
during a conversation.
• Extremely directive and controlling or overly
passive.
Research Autism (2013)

• Conflict presents a problem. They may not understand
the difference in being assertive and being aggressive.
• Indifferent or aversive to physical contact and affection.
They may not like being touched or hugged.
• Objects such as toys are not shared and emotions are
not shared with other people.
• Express inappropriate emotions (such as laughing or
smiling at the wrong time and place.)
• Prefer solitary activities and does not try to make
friends or would like to make friends but is
unsuccessful.
Research Autism (2013)

Social Deficits
•
•
•
•
•

Communication
Initiation of communication
Reciprocity
Cognition
Since children on the spectrum do not desire
social interaction they must be encouraged to
participate. Lack of the ability to communicate
will be very frustrating. Being unable to
initiate a conversation will lead to loneliness.

Social Deficits
• Reciprocity in communication and interaction
just requires a back and forth reaction in
carrying on a conversation. But ASD students
need to learn this process. It does not come
naturally to them.

Examples of Social Communication
• Kindergarteners playing with blocks, taking
turns stacking them while building a tower.
While building they say, “Don’t knock it
down,” “Build it higher,” “No, don’t make it
fall” They both laugh when it does tilt over.
• Girls playing in the kitchen center. “Let’s cook
breakfast.” “I want pancakes.” “Do you want
some pancakes?” “Yes, I want two.”

Examples of Social Reciprocity
• When infants interact with caregivers by
imitating vocalizations; using objects in turntaking, such as shaking a rattle; and playing
games like peek-a-boo.
• “cool,” “right on,” and “uh-huh” are responses
for the not so talkative in instances when
nothing substantial is needed along with eye
contact or gestures.
Hall (2013)

Examples of Social Cognition
• When children play they automatically know
what to do when someone says, “Ready, set,
go,” or “Tag, you’re it”
• When a child says, “ I am feeling sick” and the
child next to him raises his hand to tell the
teacher.
Hall (2013)

Example of Social Initiation
• Hey, look” or “Look at this,” is an appropriate
conversation starter for preschoolers. They
would then continue with the conversation.
• Joint eye gaze (catching one’s eye) and asking
an appropriate question, “What’s that?” or
“What are you doing?”
Hall (2013)

Suggested Assessments of Social Skills
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Preschool Language Scale (PLS-4). Zimmerman, Steinek, & Pond, 2002.
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Preschool (CELF-P). Semel, Wiig, &
Secord, 2003.
Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-4) (4th ed.). Semel, Wiig, & Secord,
1992.
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT). Dunn, Dunn, Robertson, & Eisenberg, 1981.
Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (CASL). Carrow-Woolfolk, 1999.
Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS). Carrow-Woolfolk, 1995.
Goldman Fristoe Test of Articulation. Goldman, & Fristoe, 2000.
Social Communication Questionnaire. Rutter, Bailey, & Lord, 2003.
Do, Watch, Listen, Say: Social and communication intervention for children with autism.
Quill, 2000.
Boutot & Myles (2011)

• Screening Tool for Autism in Toddlers
and Young Children (STAT)
• Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised (ADI-R)
• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), a
standardized, protocol for observing the
communicative and social behavior of toddlers to
adults.
• The Mullen Scales of Early Learning measures cognitive
functioning
• Autism Screening Instrument for Educational
Planning (ASIEP-2)

Assessment Process
• Consult parents for permission to test
• Explain your reasoning and suspicions
• Once permission is obtained - set up appointment with system
testing personnel or secure the testing documents for yourself
• Seek training for the tests before beginning as this secures accuracy
• Administer testing - this will be completed over a period of time
depending on the age of the participant
• If testing personnel is conducting the process the results will come
with a narrative explaining the results which can be shared with the
parents
• From there a curriculum can be designed for meeting his needs
• The Individual Education Plan ( IEP) will reflect this

Techniques to assist the Autistic
• Social scripting-a scripted sentence is run through
a card reader and the ASD student repeats it and
performs the social direction. When successful,
fading (leaving words off of the end of the
sentence until the students hears only the first
word) is started but the child still knows and
performs the social direction.
• Video modeling-people playing with toys
correctly. People behaving correctly at the mall or
shopping and at the dentist.
(Hall,2013)

Techniques

(cont.)

• Social Problem-solving Strategies-an
Integrated Play Group with the goal of the ASD
student sharing a toy with a peer.
• Natural reinforcement- when a student asked
to play on the see-saw he was allowed to do
that (goal being to point to or verbalize his
desires).
(Hall, 2013)

Techniques compared
• Social scripting
• Video Modeling
• Social Problem-solving
Each strategy:
• Fulfills a need for the ASD student.
• Provides a variety of methods
• Assists many students on the spectrum
(Hall,2013)

Techniques compared
• Video Modeling is the least stressful of the
three during training.
• Social Problem Solving would be the most
interesting to some kids and scary to others.
• Social Problem Solving is both functional and
structural. Functional-teaching behaviors they
should know. Structural-teaching cognitive
skills/to know when to use the skills.

Technique Examples
Examples of Social Problem Solving Strategies
- Peer Mediation
- Cooperative Learning Groups
- Group Counseling Settings
Social Scripting, Video Modeling, and Social
Problem Solving can address any topic.
Kaser, (2007)

Interventions
• Design lessons using the assessment data
• Interventions should be personal, meaningful and
opportunities to participate should flourish
• Interventions should be practical, natural
communication.
• Lessons should offer social skills instruction in the
setting that the child will likely be in.
• Staying involved in serious intervention with
many learning opportunities is crucial.

Interventions
• Interventions serve various purposes from
behavioral to pragmatic
• Behavioral Interventions: Discrete trial
instruction and verbal behavior are teacher
directed to illicit appropriate responses
• Naturalistic Interventions: Picture Exchange
Communication System (PECS) and Pivotal
Response Training (PRT)

Interventions: A small sampling
• Social Pragmatic Interventions: Social
Communication Emotional Regulation
Transactional Supports (SCERTS) which is a
framework for designing an intervention plan

Boutot & Myles (2011

Prompting
• Prompts may be verbal or a gesture (pointing)
• Give prompt from behind the student especially when using picture
reading so they do not become as dependent on the prompt
• If child is a reader the pictures will later be changed to words
• Prompting the child to read the schedule is started as needed when
skill is gained the prompts are faded.
• This can be used in many social situations:
• Saying “Hi” to peer or adult
• Saying “Thank you” to peer and adult
• Student asking to go to the bathroom
• Reminding to put name on paper

Self-Monitoring
• Self-monitoring and self-recording go hand in hand
• recognizing the behavior must come first
• student must be aware when he acts a certain way in
order to off-set that behavior
• discuss what the behavior looks like and feels like
• A role play situation is a good idea to let the child see
the aspects of his behavior that need improving.
• The student must understand how to replace the
negative behavior so choices need to be presented and
acted out. Then he will know the correct behavior that
he is supposed to use.
Hall, (2013)

To Increase Social Interaction
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Use activity schedule with student
Pairing buddies for incidental classwork
Group project
Project pairing
play for a purpose - build a tower with a peer
Group play at school (free-play)
Play with a peer(free-play)
Lunch buddy
Bus buddy
Room leaders (pair)

Social Skills Interaction Supports
for Faculty and Staff
• Physical Environment Modifications
seating, learning space, and space for
relaxation.
• Major Sensory Considerations
Lighting, sounds, smells, and temperature
• Safety Considerations
Home/school – arranging furniture, storing
supplies, cover outlets, etc., as needed.
Boutot, (2011)
]

Social Skills Interaction Supports
• Visual Supports
objects, photographs, pictures, symbols,
signs, and written words.
• Visual schedules, visual organization or choice
boards.
• Boundary markers, maps and labeling.
• Areas for work, play, reading/quiet, relaxation.
(Boutot, 2011)

Reference
American Psychiatric Association (2013). Highlights of changes from DSM-4-TR to DSM-5. Retrieved
from: http://www.psychiatry.org/dsm5 Click on changes from DSM-4-TR to DSM-5 (direct link)
Boutot, E. Myles, A. (2011). Autism Spectrum Disorders: Foundations, Characteristics and Effective
Strategies. Pearson. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Grusec, J. (1992). Social learning theory and developmental psychology: The legacies of Robert Sears
and Albert Bandura. American Psychological Association, Inc.
Frankel, F. and Wood, J. (2011). Social skills success for children with Autism and Asperger’s. JosseyBass, San Fransco, CA.
Hall, L. (2013). Autism Spectrum Disorders: From theory to practice. Pearson. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Huitt, W. and Dawson, C. (2011) Social development: Why it is important and how to impact it.
Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from
http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/socdev.pdf
Kaser, C. (2007). Series on highly effective practices social problem solving. Retrieved
from: http://education.odu.edu/esse/research/series/social.shtml
Research Autism. (2013). Social skills and autism. Retrieved from:
http://researchautism.net/autism_issues_challenges_problems.ikml?print&ra=3&infolevel=4

Reference
•

Scholastic Intervention Solutions(2014). Recognizing Autism: Overview of social skills functioning
and programming. Retrieved from:
http://www.scholasticinterventions.org/2011/07/13/recognizing-autism-overview-of-social-skillsfunctioning-and-programming

Learning about Autism

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Learning about Autism (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Learning about Autism

Editor's Notes