Communicating Phonics - The Communication Trust

Communicating PhonicsSection 4 > Different types of speech, language and communication needs > Children with autistic spectrum disordersCase StudyJack uses some common words and social phrases tocommunicate. He responds well to visual systems such as symbolsand signing. When given too much verbal information, he ‘shutsdown’ or screeches.Jack performs well in familiar, highly structured situations andattends to familiar activities for up to 10 minutes. He is resistant tochange, often displays distress at times of transition, and opts outof new experiences.In the check, Jack is unwilling to engage in the unfamiliar formatand situation. Jack’s teachers decide to look at alternative waysof gaining a clear view of Jack’s decoding skills within his usualroutine and activities.What helps JackJack uses Read, Write Inc on a daily basis and has this displayedon his visual timetable; this is on his timetable Monday-Friday atthe same time, giving him consistency. Sounds are produced onthe smartboard using a voice-activated system; all teachers inthe school who are trained in RWI are using the same consistentsounds and vocabulary. There are many opportunities to practiceand repeat sounds with lots of praise given. Sounds are taughtvisually through the smartboard as well as using a hands-onapproach using finger puppets. Symbol cards (including Lipsync,which shows the change in mouth position), posting games,and mirror work including a range of oral activities are used toencompass Jack’s need for a multi-sensory approach. Social storiescan be used to explain the nature of the session and a talking matsapproach can be used to categorise under the headings of voiced/voiceless, etc.Staff who carry out this activity with Jack report that he has agood knowledge of letter-sound correspondence, but is unableto produce certain speech sounds. He’s able to decode some CVCwords but doesn’t do so consistently.69