Description

For many non-vocal children with autism, functional communication skills can be limited or even non-existent. Some children have not YET learned that interacting and communicating with others can be fun, reinforcing, or valuable. Using Sign Language can help to promote the development of functional communication as well as vocalizations for some children. The ability to request effectively for items, objects, and actions can lead to more meaningful social initiations and interactions, as well as a reduction in frustration and problem behavior. “Teaching Sign Language to Children with Autism” uses case-study video examples along with step-by-step instruction to show parents and teachers how to help a child with autism request using Sign Language.

In this module we’ll cover these learning objectives:

• Select initial sign targets to be taught.
• Implement the sign request procedure to teach your child to ask for things they want using sign-language.
• Pair words with the delivery reinforcement for items and activities not being targeted.