What communication scripts might you use to support practice of this skill? Are these complete scripts or just key words to support initiation?
Below are a set of scripts that might be used in initial role-play sessions, to depict how an idiom might be used in a conversation, and how the conversational partner might respond to that idiom (indicating understanding of the true meaning of the idiom).
There is also one basic script that the student might rehearse to support him in seeking clarification when he does not understand the conversational partner’s meaning.
On the script card, does the student need additional picture or word cues to define his body position, facial expression, gestures, etc. during the use of the script?
For interpreting sarcasm, the student may require icons pointing to specific nonverbal cues such as body position or certain facial expressions. For identifying idioms, icons that help clarify the true meaning may support comprehension, such as the “Raining Cats and Dogs” example above.
What additional visual clarity cues (e.g. color-coding, highlighting) might you add to the visual script to promote attention and comprehension for the student?
Be creative and innovative to make scripts work for this specific student. In the examples above, the idiom has been bolded in each script to draw attention to the targeted phrase. As time progresses, though, these same cards may have the bold font removed with the expectation being that the student identifies the idiom independently.
What scenarios might you present (using scenario Act it Out cards) to help students produce their own dialogue and interactions to practice or role-play in a scene?
What video scenarios might you present to help students make accurate discriminations between sarcastic versus serious responses? Can you develop videos that depict not only what someone says, but how they say it, to support the student’s analysis of the verbal and non-verbal elements that might signal sarcasm?
With idioms, a lot of the meaning is based on the larger environment outside of just the people talking. So, video examples of idioms can be used but will require a wide-shot that shows what is happening in addition to what is being said. For example, if an actor says “He has his head in the clouds,” the video should show how the actor says it in addition to the other actor to whom he is referring; perhaps the other actor is walking around the office smiling and not paying attention to others around him.
With recognizing sarcasm, the environment is equally as important, but many of the cues depend on the delivery of the statement. Video scenarios depicting sarcasm will need to clearly portray the facial expressions (eye rolling, smiling, etc.), body language (arms crossed, pointing a finger, etc.), and voice of the actor. You may find it beneficial to use introductory videos that focus only on the speaker’s face and voice as he says the same phrase back-to-back with different deliveries (e.g. In the first scene he says “Wow” with a flat affect and dull tone, in the next he says “Wow!” while smiling and with a laugh). The student can then label which of the scenarios is a “True Statement” and which is an example of sarcasm. As the student progresses, videos may expand to show additional body language and full-scenes.
Are you arranging frequent practice opportunities with visual scripts and scenarios to build independence and fluency through repetition?
In order to align this intervention topic area with the unique needs of the student, do you need to create scripts or scenarios in the View2do program?
