Teaching Conversation to Children With Autism

by McClannahan, Lynn E.

• ISBN13: 9781890627324
• ISBN10: 1890627321
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-11-30
• Publisher: Woodbine House

Summary

This book describes scripts that parents and teachers can use to help children learn to initiate conversation, thereby improving communication. The authors have successfully used scripts and script-fading techniques based on their clinical observations and research, and founded on applied behaviour analysis principles. The authors begin by thoroughly explaining the script and script-fading processes and include many examples to support the instructions. A script is an audiotaped or written word, phrase, or sentence that often reflects the child's preferences and interests. For very young children and non-readers, scripts are paired with pictures of desired objects or activities. The process starts when a child engages in conversation with an interaction partner by reading a script or playing it on an audio card reader to start the conversation (e.g., "I like yogurt"). The partner supports the conversation with a response (e.g., "Yogurt is good," or "You had yogurt for lunch"). After the child masters a few scripts, the script-fading process begins. The last word of the script is removed, then the next to last, and so on, until the script is absent. After scripts have been introduced and faded, many children learn to spontaneously initiate and pursue social interaction. The book demonstrates that scripts are a valuable tool to improve interaction for children and even adolescents and adults. Use scripts at home, in school, in the workplace, and in the community.

Author Biography

Drs. McClannahan and Krantz are Executive Directors of the Princeton Child Development Institute, a community-based, nonprofit program in New Jersey that offers science-based services to children, youths, and adults with autism. They are the authors of ACTIIVITY SCHEDULES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM: Teaching Independent Behavior (Woodbine House, 1999) and many journal articles and book chapters, and their applied behavior analysis research on autism intervention is recognized both nationally and internationally.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
About This Book	xi
Chapter 1 Why Doesn't He Talk to Us?	1	(4)
Chapter 2 What Are Scripts? What Is Script Fading?	5	(4)
Chapter 3 Scripts, Script Fading, and Activity Schedules	9	(4)
Chapter 4 Building Prerequisite Skills: Scripts for Children Who Do Not Yet Talk	13	(8)
Why Use Scripts with Nonverbal Children?
Making Social Interaction Fun
Pairing Pictures, Words, and Objects or Activities
Creating Helpful Language Environments
Not All Activities Are Social
Chapter 5 Preparing to Teach	21	(4)
Observe Preferences
Select Scripts
Record the Scripts
Enlist the Help of Two Adults
Construct an Activity Schedule
Chapter 6 Teaching Children to Use Scripts: Prompters and Conversation Partners	25	(10)
How to Be an Effective Prompter
Fading Prompts
How to Be a Good Conversation Partner
Dealing with Errors
Measuring Progress
What's Next?
Chapter 7 Scripts for Children Who Say Words or Phrases	35	(10)
Initiating Conversation with a Word or Phrase
An Additional Measure of Progress
What If a Child Doesn't Say the Scripts?
Fading Audiotaped Scripts
Chapter 8 Measuring Scripted and Unscripted Interaction	45	(8)
New Definitions of Interaction
Observing, Scoring, and Graphing Scripted and Unscripted Interaction
The Importance of Two Observers
Chapter 9 More Scripts and More Interaction Opportunities	53	(12)
Talking about Reward Activities
Talking about Play Activities
Talking about Home-Living Activities
Extending Conversation
When Are Scripts Faded?
Chapter 10 Scripts for Beginning Readers	65	(10)
Fading Pictures and Audiotapes
Talk Books
What to Do When Conversation Fails
Chapter 11 Scripts for More Accomplished Readers	75	(10)
Scripts about Past and Future Activities
Photo Albums and Scrapbooks
Using the Telephone
More about Fading Written Scripts
Don't Forget Rewards!
Chapter 12 Measuring More Complex Conversation	85	(6)
Defining Interaction
Types of Interaction
Chapter 13 Using Scripts to Promote Peer Interaction	91	(12)
Peer Tutoring
Interaction with Siblings
Peer Interaction in Groups
Chapter 14 Teaching Young People to Create Their Own Scripts	103	(8)
Using Topic Lists
Writing Their Own Scripts
Chapter 15 Scripts for Nonreaders and People with Severe Disabilities	111	(8)
Silent Partners
Pictures as Cues for Conversation
Chapter 16 Making It Work	119	(8)
Selecting Scripts
Modeling Conversation
Fading Prompts
Programming Generalized Interaction Skills
Chapter 17 Solving Problems	127	(11)
Appendix A Audio Card Readers	138	(1)
Appendix B Data Sheet Used to Measure the Progress of a Child Who Is Not-Yet-Verbal	139	(1)
Appendix C Daily Individual Progress Report Chart for a Child Who Is Not-Yet-Verbal	140	(1)
Appendix D Data Sheet Used to Measure the Progress of a Child Who Says Words or Phrases	141	(1)
Appendix E Daily Individual Progress Report Chart for a Child Who Says Words or Phrases	142	(1)
Appendix F Data Sheet for Scoring Scripted and Unscripted Interaction	143	(1)
Appendix G Data Sheet for a Child Who Uses Sentences	144	(1)
Appendix H Button-Activated Voice Recorders	145	(1)
Appendix I Hand Counter	146	(1)
Appendix J Materials Needed for Script-Fading Programs	147	(2)
References	149	(4)
Glossary	153	(4)
Index	157