“My stomach feels kind of weird,” an autistic middle school student once said to me when I asked him how he was feeling before he went on stage to co-host a talent show with me. I told him that he was experiencing anxiety, and people describe this as having “butterflies in your stomach.” As a speech language pathologist working in a specialized school in the Bronx, I am often called upon to host talent shows, rallies, ceremonies, and other school events. About a year ago, I began to choose three middle students to co-host these shows with me. For most typically developing people, being called upon to speak in a public setting induces anxiety. People may increase their stutters, panic, and some even forget their scripts or, colloquially speaking, “blank out.” This happens to almost all people; celebrities forget lyrics on a stage watched by thousands, politicians respond in nonsensical ways, and family members drop the occasional faux-paux. As an adjunct lecturer teaching Oral Presentations at a STEM school in New Jersey, I find myself discussing public speaking anxiety frequently. In fact, most people fear speaking in a public setting. So, why teach our people with autism public speaking skills? It is precisely for that reason we should. People with autism, like those without this diagnosis, may fail to speak successfully in a public setting. I believe a mark of an inclusive society would be to give individuals, regardless of disability, a microphone. This includes people who use augmentative and alternative means to communicate, such as a dynamic display device.
Speaking publicly presents an array of increased challenges for autistic people because they may have difficulties reading the audience, displaying nonverbal communication appropriate for the setting, and planning and preparing for their oral presentation due to a need for executive functioning support. Teaching my middle school students to conquer the stage and connect with their audience led to an incredibly proud moment for me as their speech language therapist. I had the pleasure of witnessing the glee my students felt from having people clap for them, cheer for them when they stumbled or froze, and smile from positive audience reactions. How can we expect autistic people to improve in communication if we do not give them that platform and welcome them into spaces typically held by mainstream communicators? In the school setting, aside from the confidence, teaching people with autism helps them advocate for themselves, encourages a discussion about emotions, regulation, a growth mindset, and can help target a multitude of goals, whether it be articulation, volume, conversations, and more. Nonverbal communication targeted may include appropriate body language, gestures, and facial expressions. On a societal level, having autistic people practice public speaking in actual public speaking spaces helps dismantle ableism. Aside from empowering autistic people, this practice educates other people that autistic people have valuable contributions to make and challenges stereotypes.
So, where does one begin exactly? A speech language therapist can start small: in the classroom. During push-in sessions in classrooms, students come up, face their class, and say how they feel or how their weekend was in front of the class as opposed to desks. This often makes children feel successful. In sessions, I have my students take my seat at the head of the kidney bean table. They often enjoy leading parts of the session and grow accustomed to a group of 3-6 people facing them. Classroom teachers in K-12 settings can have students co-host school events on stage, lead routine parts of the lesson, such as taking attendance in front of the class, and regularly pair students to engage in small group discussions.
While I advocate for teaching public speaking skills early, I also advocate for autistic college students to receive needed social support. In 2020, approximately “443,000 students on the autism spectrum” sought college degrees, and that number is expected to increase (Underhill et al. 2021). Social connections may increase retention rates and overall well-being (Ashbaugh et al. 2017). Sassoon et al. also highlighted that students who are typically developing “are often less willing to interact with individuals who display atypical verbal and nonverbal communication.” Students on the autism spectrum may feel isolated and “lack meaningful connections with peers,” and many colleges do not offer support for people with autism to thrive (Underhill et al., 2021). Negative side effects of a disconnected classroom include isolation, and many autistic students reported loneliness (Wolpe, 2024).
As an adjunct professor teaching Oral Presentations, I emphasize to all of my students that, like any other skill, communication can be targeted and improved upon. This holds true for all students, regardless of an autism diagnosis. Building rapport through icebreakers, student interviews, interactive games, and other engaging activities may help foster inclusive classrooms. On the first day of class, I ask all my students to interview each other and then share their responses to the following inquiries, “What do you need in order for us to create a positive and supportive environment?” This approach ensures that both the professor and the students take responsibility for fostering an inclusive environment. Students can be helpful and welcoming in small group discussions and share upcoming campus events and other social events. When presenting to the class, neurotypical students may use subtitles and visuals.
Professors should dedicate time for classmates to build social relationships. Giving students a chance to work one-on-one and in small groups, especially with specific questions, before placing them in front of the entire class may also help them. Throughout the semester, I teach everyone emotional regulation strategies to help calm oneself before a presentation, such as deep breathing, having students work with people they have not yet worked with, using video modeling, and pointing out the specific body language and facial expressions I may want to see during a presentation. I highly advocate including a mock job interview presentation. Studies show people with autism have difficulty obtaining and retaining a job. In stark contrast to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which positions equal access to employment as a human right, autistic people around the world are chronically underemployed, even relative to people with other disabilities (Cheriyan et al. 2021).
Greater research is needed to explore the current supports and barriers in place in public speaking courses and institutions. I hope to bring this need to light so that professionals can start this work early and students will continue to progress so that by the time they transition to college, individuals can more readily immersive themselves into social circles, succeed in college, master job interviews, and beyond the postsecondary education setting. I invite parents to encourage their children to put on a living room show, sing, dance, and nourish their child’s talents. I hope to shed light on the needs of people with autism and give their voices a microphone.
Nigora Raufova MS, CCC-SLP, TSSLD, is a speech-language pathologist specializing in working with children with autism in a Title 1 school in the Bronx and provides early intervention services. Nigora also serves as an adjunct professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where she teaches Oral Presentations. She holds a master’s degree from Columbia University. To reach the author, please email nraufova@gmail.com.
Works Cited
Ashbaugh, K., Koegel, R. L., & Koegel, L. K. (2017). Increasing social integration for college students with autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral development bulletin, 22(1), 183.
Cheriyan, C., Shevchuk-Hill, S., Riccio, A., Vincent, J., Kapp, S. K., Cage, E., … & Gillespie-Lynch, K. (2021). Exploring the career motivations, strengths, and challenges of autistic and non-autistic university students: Insights from a participatory study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 719827.
Sasson, N. J., Faso, D. J., Nugent, J., Lovell, S., Kennedy, D. P., & Grossman, R. B. (2017). Neurotypical peers are less willing to interact with those with autism based on thin slice judgments. Scientific reports, 7(1), 1-10.
Underhill, J. C., Ledford, V., & Adams, H. M. (2021). ‘Public Speaking is a Skill that Everyone Needs No Matter What’: Exploring Peer Perceptions toward Students on the Autism Spectrum in Basic Course Classrooms. Basic Communication Course Annual, 33(1), 8.
Wilson, K., & Dallman, A. (2024). Strategies for promoting neurodiversity and autism acceptance in higher education. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.
Wolpe, S. M. (2024). Promoting Success in College: A Scoping Review of Autistic Students’ Postsecondary Education Experiences. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-19.
