Advanced communication practice for school-aged children with autism - SPE8311
Developing and embedding high quality communication practice in schools for children and young people with autism
Professionals: SLTs, Specialist Teachers
Primary module contributor: Melanie Wilkinson
Dates: 4th and 5th October, & 6th December 2010
Summary
This module will build upon students’ previous experience of working with school aged children with autism. It will introduce up to date theory about the use of communication interventions for this group of children. Participants will use this knowledge to reflect on their current practice, synthesize this best evidence with their professional experience and apply this to their own context through:
- A review of current best practice.
- A critical reflection on how to involve the child, family, carers and teaching staff to develop good practice.
- The completion of a workplace project.
Outline of Syllabus
1. What does good communication practice for school aged children and young people with autism look like?
- Considering what constitutes evidence, and reviewing the communication approaches and interventions which are supported by research.
- Exploring ways we can involve pupils, parents and carers using a social model of intervention.
- Sharing experiences of good collaborative practice, embedding communication practice in schools and creating enabling communication environments.
- Reflecting on practice and identifying an area to investigate.
2 .How can we start to evaluate our practice in the workplace?
- An introduction to the action research model of small scale practitioner research used in education.
- Gaining a clear understanding of how to engage in a period of fact-finding or reconnaissance to explore a ‘problem’ or an area of practice for change, as the first phase in this cycle.
- Drawing up an action plan for this investigation to be carried out as a project over a 6-8 week period.
- Understanding the need to record findings and on-going reflections using a reflective journal or portfolio of evidence.
3. What have we learned from our experience of the project and where do we go next?
- Reflecting on the process of engaging in the reconnaissance project.
- Presenting findings and reflections to peers, giving and receiving peer feedback.
- Reflecting on the next steps to developing both practice and practitioners’ learning.
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
This module will enable students
- To review evidence about current best practice in communication interventions for school aged children and young people with autism spectrum conditions.
- To appraise the role of the practitioner in involving pupils, parents, carers in their intervention.
- To recognise effective methods of collaboration with teaching staff aimed at embedding communication practice in school environments.
Intended Skill Outcomes
This module will enable students
- To critically evaluate their own current practice and identify a ‘problem’ or area for change.
- To plan, implement, and record a project aimed at being a period of reconnaissance around the identified area of practice.
- To explain their findings to peers, respond to questions about their project and discuss others’ projects.
- To critically evaluate their own project and use their reflections to identify a future course of action
Teaching Rationale and Relationships
Lectures will be plenary lectures which present an overview of current best communication practice in autism spectrum conditions, and the action research model of small scale practitioner research. They will also be used to introduce students to key concepts such as a social model of intervention, involving pupils, parents and carers in intervention and collaboration with teaching staff. Seminars will give students the opportunity to discuss the evidence in relation to their own experience, knowledge and practice and share experience and ideas about the issues raised. Group learning will provide students with the opportunity to develop and apply new knowledge and skills to their own practice. Fieldwork will require students to apply new knowledge and skills to investigate an area of their clinical practice.