Developing Social Language Curriculum for Preschoolers with Autism
Abstract:
Preschoolers with autism have impairments in the areas of social awareness,
pragmatic language comprehension and use, and interactions with peers. Group
teaching can enhance student comprehension and use of social language skills. This
presentation will provide an overview of a social language curriculum for preschool
students with autism. Participants will learn about developing the curriculum,
assessment and participant selection tools, service delivery, group lesson themes
and plans, and intervention results. Sample lesson plans, materials, and video
examples will be presented. The goal of this presentation is to discuss the
importance of teaching comprehension of social language and social behaviors to
appropriate preschoolers with autism, provide ideas for important target skills, and
to share information on teaching strategies and activities that can be adapted and
incorporated into groups and classrooms.
Presenter(s):
Allison Acerra is the Coordinator of Speech Language Services at the Cleveland
Clinic Center for Autism. She oversees speech language services for early childhood
and primary divisions, educational services for early childhood, and provides direct
speech language therapy. Allison's interests include apraxia, functional
communication training, and social language. She co-developed a social language
curriculum for preschool students with autism. Allison has presented locally on
social language curriculum for students with autism. She has presented nationally
on functional communication training for students with autism.
Michelle Schmidt is a Coordinating Teacher in the early childhood division at the
Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism. She develops and oversees the implementation
of curriculum for preschool-age students with autism. Michelle's interests include
curriculum development for preschoolers with autism, social language, and early
literacy development. She co-developed a social language curriculum for preschool
students with autism.