Teaching Play to Children with Autism

• By: Laura Wilhelm, MS, BCBA, LABA Melmark New England
• April 11th, 2023
• children, cognitive development, development, discrete trial training, in-vivo modeling, pivotal response training, play, play skills, social connection, Spring 2023 Issue, video modeling
• 1631    0

Play has been focused on as a pivotal skill for young children, as it is an important context for both cognitive development and social connection. For these reasons, play is a primary focus of instruction for children with developmental delays and disabilities. Pretend play is a social skill that...

Summertime Games and Simple Strategies to Reinforce Social Skills

• By: Kari Phillips, LCSW Norma Litman, LCSW Patricia L. Grossman, LCSW Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS)
• April 1st, 2013
• play, social skills, summer
• 1106    0

Summertime is fun time for most children. School routines give way to relaxation, perhaps at summer day or sleep away camp – and there’s no studying. While most typically developing children welcome this, it can become problematic for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). That’s why...

Everyone Can Play – Using Theatre to Promote Developmental Gains

• By: Jenna Gabriel, BFA Daytime Moon Creations
• July 1st, 2012
• play, students, theater
• 1085    0

When curtain call begins for my students, the look of pride on their faces is magical. The beaming faces of their parents, though, tell a fuller story. I teach theatre to children and young adults on the autism spectrum, and many times the concept of a full theatrical production seems like an...