Making Talking Visible: Six Conversation Kits For Speech, Mental Health and Teaching

Young people with high-functioning autism commonly experience problems with beginning and ending conversations and sticking to topics of shared interest. This presentation explains how to download, print, set up and use six practical and engaging visual-based conversation training resources designed by the presenter. The free featured resources are designed for use with children age 6 to 18. NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND OF TWO CEU SUBMISSIONS BY ME FOR THIS CONFERENCE

Summarize the conversation challenges experienced by many young people with high functioning autism with regards to beginning, maintaining and ending conversations on topics of shared interest.

*They often have difficulty using and interpreting nonverbal communication.

* They often fail to adhere to accepted conventions involving initiating conversations, maintaining them and bringing them to a close.

* They can find it quite difficult to establish topics of mutual interest, and they tend to abruptly shift towards subjects they strongly prefer.

* Their basic fund of knowledge regarding the interests of peers and even family members can be quite lacking.

*Professional response to these conversation deficits are affected by strong emphasis on spoken coaching, which can deepen confusion and limit progress.  Examples.

*Many children with ASD learn better by visual means and by identifying patterns than by merely listening to instructions of what to say or not say. Examples.

Learn how to make and use:  Green Zone 2-person worksheets, The Chain Game, All-About-Me Wearable Signs, Talk-to-Family Picture Worksheets, Conversation Control-O-Meters, and Conversation Train Wall Displays.

 

[Note to reviewers:  Attendees will be given urls allowing them free access to the resources described.  I suggest you follow these links as you read on below - paste them in your browser]

Green Zone 2-Person Worksheet.  Venn diagram-based method to demonstrate “common ground.”

Explanation sheet: http://bit.ly/UBnIjO

The Worksheet: http://bit.ly/RrDb64

Question, Comment and Compliment Guide: http://bit.ly/XeBaxk

The premise of the Green Zone is that when two people talk together, it is like two colors mixing together to create a new color.  Imagine two circles, one blue and one yellow.  If you push them together, the part where they overlap is a “green zone.”  When two people talk, they have to mix their interests in the same way.  They should talk in the “overlap” part, The Green Zone.

Children use the Venn diagram Green Zone worksheet in pairs, seated so they can each write on it simultaneously.  (This worksheet is part of two Green Zone workbooks that I have designed and published).  First, they write down the things they like in their respective zones.  As they find matched interests, these are written in the overlap portion, the Green Zone.  The worksheet partners are then assigned to talk to each other regarding their common interests.  Children with insufficient writing skills can make simple pictures instead. The Question, Compliment and Comment Guide is an optional accessory for this resource and others described below.

All-About-Me Wearable Signs: clear visual reminders about what others like to talk about. 

Completed sheets, example: http://bit.ly/UiT39T

Blank sheet template: http://bit.ly/TEvFDG

All-About-Me Signs are simple sign templates on which children write words and/or pictures showing four of their main interests.  After children create their sign, it is fastened around their neck with string.   Children are paired up with other children wearing similar signs and they are assigned the task of talking about topics shown on the other person’s sign.  The reason for actual having children wear the signs is to inhibit their natural tendency to stare at their own sign and then talk about it.  An alternative is to wearing the signs is to make them into tent cards pointing towards the conversation partner. This downloadable resource can be used with the same Question, Comment and Compliment Guide provided with resource number 1.

Talk-to-Family Picture Worksheets:  Picture check-off sheets to identify interests of family members.      

Example: completed sheet: http://bit.ly/10Jf1rL

Talk to mother sheet: http://bit.ly/VxrSXs

Talk to father sheet: http://bit.ly/ZS1fEc

Talk to sister sheet: http://bit.ly/TuD0qy

There are three different picture sheets included with this resource: one for mother, one for father and one for sister (a “brother” sheet has not yet been created).  Each sheet is a simple rectangular grid of 48 pictures representing possible interests for various family members.  The child goes over the sheet placing checks next to each item he feels is of interest to the family member in question.  Children lacking basic insight into their family member’s interests can be assigned to either interview the family member using the sheet or have the family members fill out the sheet themselves.  This resource can also be used with the Question, Comment and Compliment Guide.

The Chain Game:  Hands-on activity to teach conversation turn-taking and conversation coherence   

Chain segments to print, cut out: http://bit.ly/Vxtroe

(broken chain urls and other required also provided)

This method comes from Relationship Development Intervention, by Stephen Gutstein.  This simple resource consists of a number of identical, printed-out segments of connected chains and a single image of a broken chain.  Each chain segment represents a conversation turn – a single, back-and-forth exchange on a shared conversation topic.  For example, “I like pizza.”  “Yeah, I like it from Domino’s.” would represent a single chain segment.  While two children talk together, the chain segments are laid out end to end on a table in front of them.  If one child says something “off topic,” then the broken chain segment is placed on the table.  Quite a few children can learn to handle the chain picture pieces themselves while they talk in pairs.  A second resource substituting girder and wrecking ball images for chains and broken chains is also available.

The Conversation Train Wall Display:  Illustrated wall displays featuring parts of a train as metaphors for beginning, middle, end, “on-track” and “off-track.”

Picture showing the assembled panels:  http://bit.ly/UGfRCn

(free access to each panel will be provided)

This resource consists of a number of pictures showing the different parts of a train, accompanied by simple text explaining how these various train parts are like the various parts of a conversation. 

In brief: 

Locomotive:  Greetings

Coal tender:  How are you?

Each train car:  Conversation turn (similar to the chain pieces mentioned in 4)

Switch track:  Appropriate conversation topic change

Off-track train car:  Abrupt change to topic not of shared interest

Caboose:  Appropriate conversation ending

Users of this resource can subsequently make reference to the train when teaching and correcting children in conversation.  For example:

“The train is off the track”  (That’s off-topic)

“Did you forget the caboose?” (You forgot to say goodbye)

Conversation Control-o-meters:  Simple meters used to improve awareness regarding personal space, volume and levels of formality in conversation  

Volume meter:  http://bit.ly/10JpzHw

Personal space meter:  http://bit.ly/UBwrCm

Levels of formality:  http://bit.ly/UiOI4Y

 This resource consists of three printable meters, each consisting of a single piece of paper and an arrow you attach with a grommet so that it can be moved and pointed freely.  The three meters are for:

Personal Space:  This defines four levels of personal space

Voice volume:  This defines four levels of voice volume

Levels of formality:  This defines four levels of formality between Silly and Serious.  (If this concept of formality appeals to you, you can download another kit including a wall display and a card game activity).   

The meters can be used in several ways.  The most fundamental application is to let the child handle the meter while he is receiving instruction regarding personal space, voice volume or levels of formality.  Actually handling the meter and moving the arrow promotes the basic idea that these various aspects of conversation can be self-regulated. .  Another application is to use the meters in real time, with individual children or groups, as visual prompts during conversation.