Conversational skills can be difficult for any high school student, but they can pose a particular challenge to students with autism spectrum disorders. New approaches have shown promise in developing conversational skills among high school students with autism. Peer-mediated intervention can support students who are either passive conversationalists, or reluctant or withdrawn in social interactions. The approach focuses on the basics of conversational skills, such as initiating conversation, asking questions and taking turns.
In this training session, we will explore a peer-mediated approach to conversation skills in a high school lunch setting. Attendees will gain insight into pilot research findings, and we will discuss opportunities for teachers to implement a peer-approach in their schools.
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
1. Make the case for adopting a peer-mediated support model in their schools.
2. Implement and measure the effectiveness of this approach.
Presented by Linda Bambara, Elizabeth Ayad, Alexis Lubar and Shu-Chen Tsai
Peer Intervention to Improve the Conversation Skills of High School Students with Autism
April 8 @ 1-2 p.m. ET