Autistic Spectrum Disorders - Essay Example

Playtime is an ideal time when children can communicate freely with one another in a carefree manner. The researchers picked this time maybe because they felt that the student with autism would feel less targeted by onlookers.

2. How could you implement this intervention in a situation other than a play period?

The techniques of intervention procedures pre-teaching/modeling, prompting, and praise/reward can be used during lessons where teachers are practicing cooperative learning. Working at stations is also a great way to implement social skill intervention as they must work together to share information at stations.

3. After training, what could you do to help students with autism improve their social interactions without prompting and reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement would help students continue with their social interactions. Praise often helps students feel better and confident about the situation. Also, peer assistants can help build the confidence of autistic children by assisting until they reach a point when they feel they can interact independently.

Answer:

Hi Stephanie,

            The paper was excellent with clear and succinct points regarding the advantages of playtime sessions. One point that I loved about the essay was where you recommend that positive reinforcement would help the students to gear up for social interactions in reality. This can also be confirmed by research carried out which states that “positive reinforcement for desired target behaviors is highly effective in the education of children with autism” (Schmidt & Heybyrne 2004 p.2) However regarding the stations, I do have questions as to how it would benefit the children with autism by sharing information on the stations?

Reference

Schmidt, C., & Heybyrne, B. (2004). Autism in the school-aged child: Expanding behavioral strategies and promoting success. Denver, CO: Autism Family Press.

Mikala Paper:

1. Why did the researchers choose a play period to implement the social interaction intervention? The play period of school is purely social. Not that there are not other times where social activity occurs but the students are in a "free" environment. This is a setting more appropriate to quickly separate the trainer and tutee if the opposite of the desired behaviors is happening. I, personally, think it is a better starting point than during an instruction period of the day. 

• How could you implement this intervention in a situation other than the pa lay period? The assistant (or teacher) could have the student peer tutor another student in a content area they are strong in. They could still be given similar verbal prompts such as, "Johnny remember to ask Jane if she would like help on her Math. If she does explain to her a strategy to solve the problems. If she gets them wrong show her the error, if she gets them right say something nice about her work."
• After training, what could you do to help students with autism improve their social interactions without prompting and reinforcement? I think having a student diagnosed with Autism participate in a jigsaw activity (pg. 194, Mastropieri & Scruggs) could be appropriate. They can work in a group and help present material to the rest of the class. I think any situation that lets the student showcase their academic talents, as well as share with their peers, is going to help the student improve social interactions (after coaching them that is). The text calls this type of motivation of effect "self-efficacy" (pg. 205, Mastropieri & Scruggs). 

Answer:

            Hi Mikala,

            The paper uses the book itself to prove the reinforcement technique of a jigsaw activity which by itself is quite appealing in the paper. I believe that you have used a more direct manner in approaching the questions and used clear examples of guiding the autistic children in the right manner. This can surely help autistic children to get a grasp of the whole situation. Moreover, the jigsaw can act as a great motivational power for these students to learn as laid down by Deudney & Tucker in their book too. “Shields has compiled…..with young children with autism. They include: toys (sorting joys, jigsaws…and Disney)” (Deudney Tucker & National Autistic Society 2003 p.18). These games can help the children to create a learning environment.