Developing Play And Drama In Children With Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Learning through play is a well-established principle that underpins much educational practice, yet it is often overlooked in association with children with autistic spectrum disorders. This book considers the wide-ranging benefits of developing play and taking it into drama with these children. The authors demonstrate how to implement such approaches via a highly practical, structured developmental framework, within which participants may gradually learn to be creative. They also discuss the psychology and pedagogy of autism in relation to play and drama and connect them to everyday learning situations using a wealth of examples. This accessible approach to play and drama can offer a powerful, memorable, integrating way forward for children with autistic spectrum disorders - and enjoyable, fun opportunities for teaching and learning.

This now classic text remains a cornerstone of continuing efforts to develop inclusive peer play programs for children on the autism spectrum. The second edition has been thoroughly revised to reflect major new developments in the field of autism. Notable additions include an updated description of the Integrated Play Groups (IPG) model and related research; an examination of the nature of autism and of play from past to present, with major updates on incidence, diagnosis, and characteristics; and a comprehensive review of play interventions. Presenting vivid descriptions of three children with autism over a 10-year period (from age 5 to age 16), Play and Imagination in Children with Autism: Traces the development of the children as they overcome obstacles to enter into the play culture of their peers.Focuses on two critical years during which the children participated in a peer play group.Documents the emergence of remarkable transformations in the children’s social relations with peers and symbolic activity.Includes vignettes, dialogue, and samples of writing and drawing to bring the children’s stories to life.Lays out the implications for new directions in research and practice. Pamela J. Wolfberg is Associate Professor of special education and Director of the autism spectrum graduate program (Project Mosaic) at San Francisco State University. “Play and Imagination in Children with Autism has been the cornerstone of my professional and personal life for nearly a decade. This updated edition retains the original accessible style, explaining so clearly the pivotal role that peer play holds in the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum, while providing readers with cutting-edge developments in theory, research, and practice in the field.” —Heather McCracken, Founder/Executive Director, Friend 2 Friend Social Learning Society “Dr. Wolfberg continues to break new ground with the second edition of her book. What a pleasure for any child to get involved in one of her integrated play groups, and what a relief for parents to know that their child is both learning and having fun! This is a wonderful resource for professionals interested in creating engaging and effective social skills groups for children on the autism spectrum.” —Connie Kasari, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies “Children with autism benefit in so many ways from social play experiences, despite the significant challenges in symbolic development. Dr. Pamela Wolfberg, a leading expert in this crucial aspect of children's development, once again guides us in a highly engaging manner in supporting social and play development for children with ASD.” —Barry M. Prizant, Director, Childhood Communication Services, Brown University “This book is a ‘must’ for anyone who wants to bring about genuine social reciprocity and imagination in children with autistic spectrum disorders. Pamela Wolfberg takes us on a journey through previously uncharted territory, documenting in rich qualitative detail how to scaffold entry into the culture of peer play.” —Adriana L. Schuler, San Francisco State University “Dr. Wolfberg has done a fine and sensitive job in characterizing the pivotal role that play skills hold in the social and linguistic world of the child with autism. Her development of Integrated Peer Play Groups, and the delineation of the autistic child as the ‘Novice Player’ and the typical child as the ‘Expert Player,’ is a very valuable heuristic tool to all who work with children with autism.” —Bryna Siegel, Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, University of California, San Francisco

Through careful integratation of theory with real-world clinical case application, each chapter in Play-Based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders shows clinicians how to make a diverse array of treatment approaches viable and effective.

The Identiplay intervention helps children on the autistic spectrum, and those with specific communication disorders, learn to play. Through the use of play scripts the approach promotes the development of social skills, understanding, imagination and exploration. By learning these skills the young person can enjoy reciprocal play with an adult or peer. Supported by case studies the theory behind the approach is fully outlined and scripts are provided for instant use in a number of settings. The new edition of this popular book includes: - More on developing your own scripts - How to assess the child′s current play skills - The adult′s role in play - The use of visual/verbal support - New case studies - New scripts - Advice on taking learning outdoors - Links to resources and useful websites A supporting CD ROM contains video clips of the intervention in practice, printable scripts and a PowerPoint presentation to facilitate professional training making this a vital resource for anyone working with young children on the autistic spectrum or with communication difficulties.

This book discusses the deficits in the development and presentation of play behavior and social skills that are considered central characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The book explains why play provides an important context for social interactions and how its absence can further exacerbate social deficits over time. It highlights the critical roles of social skills in development, and the social, cognitive, communication, and motor components of play. Chapters offer conceptually and empirically sound play and social skills interventions for children with ASD. Play activities using diverse materials and including interactions with peers and parents are designed to promote positive, effective social behaviors and encourage continued development. The book provides unique strategies that can be tailored to fit individual children’s strengths and deficits. Topics featured in this book include: Naturalistic Teaching Strategies (NaTS) for developing play and social skills. Teaching play and social skills with video modeling. Peer-mediated intervention (PMI) strategies that promote positive social interactions between children with ASD and their peers. Visual Activity Schedules and Scripts. Parent-implemented play and social skills intervention. Play and Social Skills for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians, and graduate students in clinical child and school psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, social work, public health, and related psychology, education, and behavioral health fields.

This practical manual contains more than 150 activities for use with children aged 5-11 years old. Written for mainstream and special needs teachers, speech & language therapists, drama teachers and dramatherapists, the book shows how using drama with children across the autism spectrum can help to develop: social skills; playfulness and pretence; verbal and non-verbal communication; and, self-awareness and self-esteem. Taking a developmental approach, the book is divided into two parts: Simple child-focused activities (Units 1-2) for children in a special school setting who are at an early stage of engagement; and Group-orientated activities (Units 3-9) for use in inclusive settings where mixed groups of children, with and without autism, can work together to develop personal and social skills. Each unit focuses on one skill area at a time and follows a similar format which includes a brief theoretical background, a clear set of aims, an assessment profile and a set of drama activities to develop the focus skill. Complete with case studies, photocopiable resources and step-by-step guidance on how to deliver a drama programme, this practical resource will be invaluable for all those who are looking for new ways of engaging children on the autism spectrum.

The second edition of Using Drama with Children on the Autism Spectrum takes the perspective that support for the learning and development of children should have the purpose of giving them the freedom to be more fully who they are and able to function more effectively as themselves in a wider range of contexts. The focus of this new edition is on learning outcomes as expressed by autistic people, for example, to develop better understandings about the social world and to know how to manage everyday situations more successfully. This practical resource book contains more than 150 activities for use with children aged 5–11 years old. Written for mainstream and special education teachers, speech and language therapists, drama teachers, play workers and creative arts therapists, the book shows how using drama with children across the autism spectrum can provide valuable experiences in being with others and communicating with them in enjoyable ways that support the development of well-being and confidence. In addition, drama is presented as a rich medium for reflecting on everyday social situations and developing children’s understandings about the social world. Complete with case studies, photocopiable resources and step-by-step guidance on how to facilitate drama activities that all children can enjoy, this practical resource will be invaluable for those who are looking for new ways of engaging children on the autism spectrum and their peers. The second edition of this practical resource has been extensively revised, updated and re-focused in line with current practice and thinking.

At the heart of this volume is the recognition that children’s engagement with play and story are intrinsically and intricately linked. The contributing authors share a passionate interest in the development and well-being of children, in particular through their use of imagination and adaptation of the everyday into play and stories. Following these principles, the volume explores the connections between play, story, and pretense with regard to many cultural and contextual factors that influence the way these elements vary in children’s lives. In a departure from earlier collections on play and story, the authors take a particular focus on normative as compared with atypical development. This collection begins with an approach to understanding the developmental relationship between play and story, which recognizes their similarities while acknowledging their differences. Much of the collection addresses pretend play and story in children with autism spectrum disorder, an understudied but important group for consideration, as these dimensions of their lives and development have often been considered problematic. The volume also includes sections on play and story in classroom settings and play and story across cultures, including non-English-speaking environments such as Israel, Romania, China, and Mexico. It concludes with a discussion of how play differs across sociocultural and economic contexts, making a unifying claim for the importance of play in children’s lives but also calling for an understanding of what play means to very different groups of children.