Expressive Communication Difficulties for Students with Autism

 

How do you communicate with others? You listen to what is being said then process the information in order to respond. These are everyday tasks we take for granted. Students with autism have difficulty listening to what is being said and processing what the words mean which is called receptive communication. Students with autism also struggle with expressive communication which is using their words to respond to others. The primary purpose of expressive communication is to be able to communicate wants and needs. Students with autism have difficulty gaining another person’s attention to begin communication and reading others’ body language and facial expressions. Autism results in difficulties in expressive language even when the child may know the answer. A student with autism may know the correct answer but not know how to get the words out verbally. This results in the student becoming stressed and anxious which may cause the student to act out or shut down.  Students with autism often repeat phrases or words they hear regularly instead of answering correctly. They could also repeat the question being asked if they do not know how to answer. Students with autism often mix up pronouns when communicating for example using he/she instead of I.

So, what can you do to help your students with autism in the classroom? There are a number of resources available to educators that will increase the success of students with autism communicating in the classroom. VISUALS. One of the best resources a teacher can use in the classroom is the use of visual aids. Labels for some common classroom items (trash can, calendar, toys, etc.) are an easy accommodation to make. Teachers can make cue cards specific to the student’s every day activities so the student can point to pictures in order to make choices throughout the day. For older students, multiple choice options will benefit students with expressive communication difficulties. Students will benefit if the teacher uses communication boards such as picture boards so the child can communicate through pictures. Students may communicate using sign language if verbal language is difficult. It is important if the student uses an augmentative communication device that the teacher is familiar with the device to support the student in its use.  It may be useful to teach students how to ask for additional information using repeated words such as who, what, where, and why. These are a few resources you could implement in your classroom, what are some teaching strategies you use? 

 Cue Cards

 Reference:  Supporting Learning in the Student with Autism by www.autismspeaks.org