Facial expression and eye contact:

1) Direct the child’s attention to other people’s faces by playing games to promote eye contact. If eye contact is not possible, the child might respond to looking at the lips.

x It was reported that child G and H still need to prompting to make eye contact. Child I can make eye contact while making conversation but hardly looks at others when in social situations i.e. having lunch, walking somewhere.

x Played singing a song with the friend with autism to help them practice making eye contact.

x Encouraged children with autism to make eye contact by playing a “greeting game” where they sing a song about greeting and make eye contact with others.

2) Use cards or pictures or computer programs and a digital camera to help develop awareness of people’s expressions.

x All three could tell what people were feeling from facial expressions.

x Supported friend with autism to understand people’s expression by reminding them to look at others’ faces and respond by saying what are they feeling now.

x Showed children with autism the facial expression of people by using the pictures on the computer screen after lunchtime then when observed in class asked the child to look at classroom teacher’s facial expression as well that of as their peers.

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Strategies Children with autism Peer tutors Paraprofessional

1) Talk about emotions, name them, and describe how they feel and their effect on the body. Role-play different emotions to show their visual expression.

x Child H was reported to be a very sensitive person and often argued with his mother and then ended up crying. Child G and I were very quiet.

x Helped friend with autism calm down when they began shouting by giving them a gentle touch on their backs and saying “Calm down”

x Took child H out from class when he was faced with difficult emotions and made him calm down by talking gently to him. Explained emotions to child G and I.

2) Teach the child how emotions are often expressed non-verbally, e.g. tone of voice, body language and facial expression. Play games to promote awareness of non-verbal cues.

x It appeared that child H decreased the behaviour when he made his voice like the sound of cartoon movie.

x Explained to friend with autism how to understand the meaning of the tone of voice that teacher was using.

x Taught children with autism to use a suitable tone of voice in social

participation so that others can tell their emotion as well as by body language.

3) Use stories to promote recognition and understanding of feelings and discuss responses to observed situations.

x All three children with autism could tell from the video story what people were feeling.

x Watched the video with friend with autism at the Autism Centre.

x Provided cartoon stories on the video and watched with children with autism then talked about the feelings in the story.

4) Encourage the child to speculate on how others feel (in life and in fiction) and what response the other person may be expecting.

x All three can answer correctly what people would feel.

x Asked friend with autism what other peers in class feel in individual situations e.g. how do they feel when they have finished their homework.

x Kept asking the children to relate the story to their own experience and say how they would feel.

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Strategies Children with autism Peer tutors Paraprofessional

1) Ensure frequent and positive home/school liaison so all those involved with the child have an awareness of what is happening in their life.

x Took the message or invitation letter from school to their parents or caregiver.

x Introduced themselves to parents of friend with autism as being the peer tutor of their child.

x Encouraged parents or caregiver to join in activities in the school as well as at the autism centre eg. IEP meeting, orientation day, evaluation day, and national day events.

2) Examine the school’s homework policy and consider what is useful and relevant in the light of the child’s total needs.

x It was reported that child I’s

parents often lost contact with the school therefore child I often forgot homework and other things.

x Reminded parents or friend with autism about their homework or things they have to prepare at home to do at school.

x Used homework communication book to interact with parents of students with autism.

3) Determine how much homework could be accommodated at school (e.g. through a special class with Tutor Teacher).

x Child G and H did homework after school with peer tutors and child I had a teacher aide help on homework and tutors at home.

x Helped friend with autism by doing their homework together after school and explained it to them if necessary.

xWorked cooperatively with the classroom teacher about the homework assigned for children with autism as well as negotiating a homework contract. This involved parents, as they were responsible for supervising the child.

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Strategies Children with autism Peer tutors Paraprofessional