Promoting Communication and Social Skills for Adolescents and Adults with Autism Strategies for Supporting Adolescents and Adults Proactive Strategies Social SensoryCommunication

Communication and Social Skills - the Connection

Topics Communication Strategies and Supports Social Skills Strategies and Supports Bringing It All Together

Communication Strategies and Supports

Determine the Communication Goals! Verbal Nonverbal Receptive Conversation

How Do We Teach Communication? Identify communication supports (proactive) Take advantage of naturally occurring opportunities Create additional opportunities Ensure motivation / reinforcement Teach through routines Alter the environment

How Do We Teach Communication? Teach during naturally occurring opportunities Create opportunities to teach communication Teach in context to promote meaning and generalization

How Do We Teach Communication? Teach through motivational activities to create desire and interest

How Do We Teach Communication? Teach through routines to provide opportunity for repetition –Build communication into developed routines –Alter established routine to elicit communication

How Do We Teach Communication? Teach through environmental modifications to provide frequent opportunities –Set up obstacles to desired objects or activities –Set up problem-solving situations

Communication Supports Communication boards / book

Communication Supports Cue cards I need help. No, thank you. I don’t understand

Communication Supports Scripts Conversation starters / terminators I want a cheeseburger, small fries, and a diet Coke I’m going to Kings Dominion on Saturday

Communication Supports Topic boards

Choosing Topics of Conversation Depends Safe Topics Taboo Topics 1_____________ 2_____________ 3_____________ 4_____________ 5_____________ 1_____________ 2_____________ 3_____________ 4_____________ 5_____________ 1_____________ 2_____________ 3_____________ 4_____________ 5_____________

Activity: Steven Take advantage of naturally occurring opportunities Create additional opportunities Ensure motivation / reinforcement Teach through routines Alter the environment Use communication supports

Social Skills Strategies and Supports

Social Skills Instruction Five Layer Approach (Bellini, 2006) 1.Identify and assess areas of need 2.Discern between skill acquisition deficits and performance deficits 3.Select appropriate intervention strategies 4.Implement intervention 5.Evaluate program and modify as needed

Social Skills Supports Mentoring / Peer support Task analysis Role playing Social narratives Social scripting Video modeling

Peer Support Strategy for Social and Communication Skills Natural OngoingSupport

Mentor / Peer Support Qualities Rapport Adult or Mature Peer Understand disability and person

Mentor / Peer Support Role Structure the social environment Educate others Provide assistance Provide reinforcement

Steps to Develop Peer Support Step 1. Observe and work with individual to determine needs and interests Step 2. Select peers Step 3. Educate and train peers Step 4. Help peers to problem solve

Task Analysis 1.Define the steps needed to demonstrate a social skill 2.Teach the person steps in order 3.Reinforce the person with positive reinforcement for demonstrating steps

Task Analysis for Accepting ‘No’ Response After you have asked for something: 1.Look at adult 2.Listen to response 3.Take a deep breath 4.Say, “OK” 5.Ask, “Can I have it later?” 6.Listen to response 7.Say, “OK”

Implementing Task Analysis for Accepting ‘No’ Response 1. Support person demonstrates skill 2. Individual and support person role play skill 3. Skill is worked on in natural environment

Making Choices Understanding Positive and Negative Outcomes

Role Playing / Rehearsal Conduct in a natural environment Add difficulty to the role-play as the individual progresses Perform a significant number of repetitions of the newly introduced skill Treat as you would when teaching any other skill

What Is a Social Narrative? A written account of a social situation describing: What occurs in a given situation Relevant social cues Why something occurs Common responses

Social Narrative Example Most people shower every day. (Descriptive) They like to feel clean and smell good to other people. (Perspective) If I don’t shower, I smell bad. (Descriptive) My smell bothers other people. (Perspective) I will try to take a shower every day. (Perspective) Taking a shower may help other people want to be around me. (Perspective)

Social Scripting Identify rote language and skills for various social situations Script those situations Practice script

Video Modeling 1.Videotape the person, a mentor, or a respected peer demonstrating a social skill 2.Individual with ASD watches the video and immediately practices the skill

Activity: Steven Select appropriate social skills strategies from those that we just discussed Identify how some of these could also promote some of his goal communication skills identified earlier Bringing It All Together

In Closing: TABB (Things, Action, Barriers, Benefits) What things did you learn that you will use to support your individual? What action will you take? When will you take it? What barriers stand in your way? How can you overcome the barriers? What are the benefits that will be received because of your action?