A movement-based social skills program



            This article discusses children with ASD and their lack of effective social skills, communication skills, and how physical activity can help with these issues. “The Autism and Developmental Disabilities estimated the prevalence of ASD to be approximately 1 in 68 children” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). The rate of Autism Spectrum Disorder is on the rise. It has been essential to develop and implement ideal interventions. “Several interventions have been developed to target the social-communicative behaviors of individuals with ASD, and many have shown desirable outcomes” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). “Those interventions utilized social stories, behavioral skill training, peer-mediated strategies, video modeling, and pivotal response training” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). In addition, physical activity has been shown to improve social-communicative behaviors.
            If you look at physical activities and organized sports, it entails a great amount of interaction with fellow peers and adults. “It is well known that there are social benefits associated with participation in well-structured physical activities for children” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). Students with ASD suffer from social-communicative behaviors such as “expressing their interests or dislikes, communicating their needs to peers, and portraying or understanding signals or signs associated with games or activities” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). That being said, a setting such as recess which involves a low-structured environment can be difficult for children with ASD. Children with ASD typically need a structured environment in order to be successful. “The lack of physical activity is likely to lead to less time spent with peers, no opportunities for improvement of skills, and decreased opportunities to engage in social-communicative behaviors” (Lee & Vargo, 2017).
            This article provides wonderful suggestions to improve the quality of physical activity for children with ASD. The first suggestion was to have a “teacher or typically developing peer lead each activity and model the actions prior to expecting the child to perform them” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). The statement holds true for all school aged children, including those with disabilities. I cannot expect a child to fully understand what I expect out of them if I do not demonstrate it first. A general education teacher would not expect a child to know how to do long division without showing them the necessary steps. Secondly, allow the child time to process the information and then execute the task. Provide consistent transitions and directions so the child knows what is expected of them each time. Lastly, “provide a brief preview of the upcoming activities using an activity board” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). This will lower the child’s anticipation and anxiety level.
            Being a physical education teacher, this article provided me with useful  ideas that I can use with my special needs classes. I can also implement them in the classes that have children in the least restrictive setting. As I have stated in other class assignments, I believe the gymnasium would be an excellent place for activity boards or strip cards. The activity board would eliminate any questions students might have and it would provide them with a check list that they can mentally check off as we complete the items. “Physical activity components are beneficial for children with ASD because they increase integration into age-appropriate and social activities, and have benefits for health and movement skills” (Lee & Vargo, 2017). “A movement-based social skills program can help children with ASD develop social-communicative behaviors through direct interactions with peers” (Lee & Vargo, 2017).

Lee, J., & Vargo, K. K. (2017). Physical Activity into Socialization: A Movement-Based Social Skills Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 88(4), 7-13.

Comments

  1. Laura SchmidtSeptember 21, 2017 at 1:21 PM

    I really appreciated this topic! We think of providing good peer examples for how to behave in class, but not always on how to show students how to behave physically. It did not occur to me that students with ASD may be less active because they do not how to behave in unstructured time. Once you think about it, though, how can a child be expected to be part of a game of tag at recess if he or she does not understand how to behave in that game. A lot of the games students play at recess are games that are learned in P.E. The idea of using activity boards in P.E. is a great idea. While the students may not have these activity boards accessible at recess time, some schools may be able to find a way to create a space for them. It would be a wonderful way to reinforce the expectations and provide an opportunity to create peer relationships. Great idea!

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  2. AnonymousSeptember 21, 2017 at 5:05 PM

    I have noticed in my own students that gym time is one of the most difficult times for them. However, I feel like that physical education time is such an important component of their day not just because it is great for their health, but because it provides them the opportunity to learn how to handle uncomfortable social situations. I love the activity board and strips idea for gym time! Students with autism benefit immensely from having those visual supports in place! I love that you found this article, I was trying to find one similar about the importance of physical education to students on the autism spectrum.

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2017 at 8:02 AM

    YES! Our students also have tremendous difficulty in gym. This is where we see many behavior--that usually stem from misunderstanding a social situation or not being able to handle emotions appropriately. This sounds like a very applicable article for you. Nice find!

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