Communication Communication Training for Training for

Children with Children with AutismAutismCombining Applied Verbal Combining Applied Verbal Behavior and Behavior and

Social-Emotional ApproachesSocial-Emotional Approaches

By

Tracy Vail, MS,CCC/SLP

Let’s Talk Speech and Language Services, Inc

Basic Goals of TeachingBasic Goals of Teaching

Learning is Fun!Learning is Fun! Base new learning on old Base new learning on old

learninglearning Communication is valuableCommunication is valuable Keep the child successfulKeep the child successful People are fun to be with!People are fun to be with!

Learn the ChildLearn the Child

How does the child respond to a How does the child respond to a variety of smells?variety of smells?

What does the child like to look at?What does the child like to look at? How does the child respond to a How does the child respond to a

variety of touches/textures?variety of touches/textures? How does the child respond to a How does the child respond to a

variety of sounds?variety of sounds? How does the child respond to a How does the child respond to a

variety of tastes?variety of tastes?

Be a Provider of “All Good Be a Provider of “All Good Things”Things”

Based on what you learn about the child, Based on what you learn about the child, provide their favorite things with no provide their favorite things with no demands.demands.

Engage the child in play with favorite Engage the child in play with favorite things. Never let the child play with the things. Never let the child play with the items alone.items alone.

Produce sounds/words consistently while Produce sounds/words consistently while engaging with the toys.engaging with the toys.

Once the child is engaged, he/she is Once the child is engaged, he/she is ready to learn!ready to learn!

EngagementEngagement

Produce Sounds While Produce Sounds While PlayingPlaying

Reinforce all Attempts to Reinforce all Attempts to VocalizeVocalize

Teach The Child To Teach The Child To RequestRequest

Gives the child the power of Gives the child the power of communicationcommunication

Teach “I talk, I get”.Teach “I talk, I get”. Replaces maladaptive behaviorsReplaces maladaptive behaviors Serves as the basis for teaching Serves as the basis for teaching

all other functions of all other functions of communicating.communicating.

Choosing a Response Choosing a Response FormForm

Vocal- For children who can produce Vocal- For children who can produce sounds and/or word approximations.sounds and/or word approximations.

Sign Language- For children who can Sign Language- For children who can imitate motor movements but aren’t yet imitate motor movements but aren’t yet talking.talking.

Picture Exchange/Object Exchange- For Picture Exchange/Object Exchange- For children who are unable to learn signs or children who are unable to learn signs or used in conjunction with signs.used in conjunction with signs.

Voice Output Devices- For children with Voice Output Devices- For children with poor motor control and unable to use poor motor control and unable to use other methods.other methods.

Shaping Vocal RequestsShaping Vocal Requests

Shaping Vocal RequestsShaping Vocal Requests

Moving from Signs to Moving from Signs to VocalVocal

Teaching Concepts through Teaching Concepts through RequestingRequesting

Teach the Child to Request Teach the Child to Request InformationInformation

Teach Concepts through Teach Concepts through RequestingRequesting

To Teach SignsTo Teach Signs

Provide a great deal of touch during Provide a great deal of touch during play so the child can tolerate hand play so the child can tolerate hand over hand prompting.over hand prompting.

Teach the child to imitate gross Teach the child to imitate gross motor movements.motor movements.

Say the word when you model the Say the word when you model the sign, as you prompt the child to sign, as you prompt the child to produce the sign, and as you give produce the sign, and as you give them the item.them the item.

Pairing Signs with Pairing Signs with Favorite ToysFavorite Toys

Model ChoicesModel Choices

Provide Full Prompts Provide Full Prompts then Fadethen Fade

Combining SignsCombining Signs

Don’t Drop Signs Too Don’t Drop Signs Too Quickly!Quickly!

Watch for Confusion as Watch for Confusion as Vocals DevelopVocals Develop

Teaching PECSTeaching PECS

Requires two people for initial Requires two people for initial teaching.teaching.

Be sure to say nothing before picture Be sure to say nothing before picture is given.is given.

Say the name of the item as the child Say the name of the item as the child hands you the picture and as you hands you the picture and as you deliver the item.deliver the item.

Gradually add in distractor pictures Gradually add in distractor pictures and fade the prompts.and fade the prompts.

Picture Exchange Picture Exchange Communication SystemCommunication System

Picture Communication Picture Communication BoardsBoards

Teach the Child to Teach the Child to ImitateImitate

Imitation of motor movements Imitation of motor movements leads to spontaneous imitation of leads to spontaneous imitation of others in the natural others in the natural environment.environment.

Imitation is very important to Imitation is very important to increase incidental learning.increase incidental learning.

Teach both motor and vocal Teach both motor and vocal imitation.imitation.

Vocal ImitationVocal Imitation

Use Mastered Requests to Use Mastered Requests to Teach other Functions of Teach other Functions of

LanguageLanguage Receptive Responses- Touch, find, get the, Receptive Responses- Touch, find, get the,

give me (child responds to directions)give me (child responds to directions) Labels- fill-ins first then ask questions. The Labels- fill-ins first then ask questions. The

child does not get the item for labelingchild does not get the item for labeling Labels can be taught from requests Labels can be taught from requests

because the child’s behavior is the same. because the child’s behavior is the same. Most children who learn to request first, Most children who learn to request first,

will label as they receptively identify will label as they receptively identify objects.objects.

Fill-ins with BooksFill-ins with Books

Fill-ins with BooksFill-ins with Books

Fill-ins with SongsFill-ins with Songs

Fill-in SongsFill-in Songs

Mix Receptive, Labeling, Mix Receptive, Labeling, Imitation and RequestingImitation and Requesting

Once Mastered with Once Mastered with Objects, Move to PicturesObjects, Move to Pictures

Teach “Links” between Teach “Links” between WordsWords

Teach features of objects- Adjectives, Teach features of objects- Adjectives, partsparts

Teach functions of objects- what do Teach functions of objects- what do we do with things?we do with things?

Teach classes of objects- How can Teach classes of objects- How can things be grouped?things be grouped?

Begin by having the child fill-in the Begin by having the child fill-in the word after you provide the FFC.word after you provide the FFC.

Then, fill in the FFC when you provide Then, fill in the FFC when you provide the word.the word.

Intensive Teaching of Intensive Teaching of FFCsFFCs

Use Favorite Videos to Use Favorite Videos to Teach Story ComprehensionTeach Story Comprehension