1 Joint Action Routines Ways to make interactions predictable, logical and meaningful

2 Family is the first and most fundamental relationship  Core problems….Greenspan  Caregiver behaviors are predictive of language and joint attention skills development

3 Children with ASD  Trouble gaining meaning from what we say and do in interactions  Predictable and logical interactions increase child’s ability to participate and communicate

4 Elements of JARs  Unifying theme  Joint focus  Specific roles  Logical predictable sequence  Repeatable over time  Planned variation

5 Unifying theme or purpose  Child must understand what the activity is all about and must want to be involved  1. Preparation or assembly of a project or product  2. Cooperative turn-taking games or routines  3. Routines organized around a story or plot

6 Joint focus and interaction  Participants attend to same event and respond accordingly  Interaction is required in order to increase opportunities for practice of language and social responses

7 Logical sequence of events and structure for turn taking  A logical sequence of events makes the routine predictable and repeatable  Initially the sequence of events should be kept exactly the same until the child knows the routine very well…same words and phrases  Break sequence into very small steps (each step signals a communication opportunity)

8 Clearly defined roles  Initial routines should be simple and each participant should maintain their role… one is always the requester, the other, the giver  More complex routines allow child to play different roles within the activity and to learn the give and take nature of interaction

9 Planned repetition and variation  It is important for child to anticipate what to say or do. This is accomplished through repetition  Exact words and actions are needed until child is able to use those words and actions independently

10 Repetition and variation (continued)  With some children exact repetition is not critical. The adult may simply reduce the choices of what to say, modeling several variations  When the child can independently use his role in the routine, it is time to vary the routine

11 Controlled variation  Variation of a routine is critical if there is to be expansion of language and behavior  Introduce new materials, new vocabulary  Omit needed materials  Do the unexpected  Sabotage by making objects inaccessible; use objects that don’t work or are inappropriate; interrupt or violate a routine

12 Remember!  Make JARs age appropriate  Consider each child’s abilities  Include the child’s interests in the routine  Know what the goals are  Individualize

13 Goals  Language goals (gestures, words, repairs, initiation, responding, conversational turns)  Motor goals  Social goals (JA, sharing, turn taking)  Cognitive goals (attending, problem solving)  Behavioral goals (emotional regulation, persistence, expanded repertoires)