Language Development for Autism Through Creative Dramatics
This
blog is based on the following presentation from ASHA 2011:
Language
Development for Autism Through Creative Dramatics: Building Blocks Model
By Julia Byers
Van Volkenburg, M. Ed, CCC-SLP, Doctoral Candidate, West Virginia University
Julia
Byers Van Volkenburg, M. Ed, CCC-SLP, knows drama. She loves drama and believes
that children with autism spectrum disorders can learn important pragmatic
language skills through creative dramatics.
Julia's
poster session at ASHA drew me in for several reasons. Julia's friendly smile
for one and her colorful blocks for creating dramatic sequences were unique.
But, just maybe, the fact that I was a drama student at Drake University
long before I selected speech pathology as my life's career was the real draw.
Julia
is conducting clinical research that indicates creative dramatics as a natural
form of learning to facilitate social language skills. I'm a believer.
Julia
Byers Van Volkenburg holding Humpty Dumpty
Important
pragmatic skills enhanced through creative dramatics:
- Peer
interaction
- Recognizing
nonverbal cues
- Recognizing
and expressing emotions
- Paralinguistic
communication skills such as prosody and rate of speech
- Generalization
into different communication situations
- Outlet for
creativity and play
- Interaction
in school activities
- Self-esteem
building
- Building
peer relationships
Other language
skills that Kathie sees as reinforced through creative dramatics:
- Turn taking
- Sequencing
- Attention/focus
- Plot
development
- Controlling
anxiety
- Differentiating
between real and pretend
- Following
directions
- Appropriate
laughter
- Appropriate
greetings/salutations
- Topic maintenance
- Range of
tone/volume of vocal expression
- Waiting and
timing skills
- Building on
Theory
of Mind (what other people are thinking/feeling)
What this means
for a small SLP group or SLP in a classroom:
This does not
mean the SLP needs to put on a full stage production!
- As a group,
write your own short play
- Use an
existing short book: I'm thinking of how easy Brown Bear, Brown Bear or another Eric Carle picture book
could work for the young child with ASD -- don't just read -- dramatize!
- Use an
older book for older students -- let them pick it out
When my son Doug (with ASD) was twelve years old, he secured
a part in a school play. It was a wonderful experience and I believe that drama
assisted with his pragmatic and expressive language growth.
Doug is on the far right.
"Speech
pathologists make good things happen."
It's all about the drama!