How can you break this skill down?
This skill can be broken down differently based on the student’s abilities and interests. Some may have strengths in recognizing the facial expressions of others but struggle with their own. Other students may grasp the concepts but require a lot of actual practice to really apply and generalize the skills.
Below is a suggested breakdown on how you might tackle deciphering interest and showing interest with nonverbal signs:
First, concretely emphasize the “why” behind these behaviors – why is it important to accurately decipher interest? Why is it important to show interest? This is a Priming issue and individuals need to understand the importance of using and watching for non-verbal signals.
Second, label and identify the common nonverbal signs that indicate disinterest versus interest. In some cases, you might isolate these signs at first, and then systematically integrate expressions and body language cues that the student then labels. Below, the skills have been divided into “Basic” and “Advanced” sets based on the likelihood that a nonverbal sign indicates interest. For example, facing towards the person and making appropriate eye contact almost always indicates interest, whereas various facial expressions can indicate interest or disinterest based on the circumstances (e.g. smiling and nodding shows you are listening if the speaker is describing a birthday, but may indicate you are not listening if the person is telling you about getting fired).
Begin with the basic skills and introduce the advanced skills based on the student’s progress and abilities.
Basic Nonverbal Skills:
Advanced Nonverbal Skills:
Third, provide graduated practice in deciphering the common nonverbal cues of others through role-plays, video models, etc. Start with simple role plays and build the student’s flexibility and confidence in using specific skill sets. In the process of practicing, it will be worthwhile for you to label the student’s demonstration of and recognition of the skills. It will also be valuable to have the student label others’ demonstration of the skills in practice. Remember that labeling and practice must occur together to effectively teach the skill.
Practice showing the nonverbal signs that indicate interest versus disinterest through solo activities. Try using self-video models, photographs of the student demonstrating each skill, or have him watch himself in a mirror. In some cases, you might isolate these signs at first, and then systematically integrate expressions and body language cues that the student demonstrates successfully.
Demonstrate signs of interest using the common nonverbal cues with new and different partners through physical practice, role-plays, video modeling, etc.
Practice repair strategies for cases when you recognize someone is expressing disinterest through physical practice, role-plays, video models, etc. This is an advanced skill that overlaps with other social communication intervention topics such as “Going with the Flow - Conversational Topics”
What sub-skill should you target first for the student to initiate? Given what the student can do presently, how will you present the task so that the student can perform steps within his capacity while learning a new step?
In many cases, priming the student on the value of these specific skills is a crucial first step. Non-verbal communication is truly ‘foreign’ to many and many individuals with autism have expressed disbelief and frustration at having to learn this ‘non-verbal’ communication.
Look at the range of basic and advanced non-verbal skills. Does the student have some of these? Pick a target that is the most concrete skill that the student does not consistently use. Make an effort to point out what the student is doing correctly (or recognizing correctly) while focusing on the target skill that you will build through your practice sessions and role plays. As the student demonstrates improved skills, decide where to introduce (and intersperse) the practice of repair strategies within your practice.