Language learning difficulties are a common problem in children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS). To mark International Asperger's Syndrome Day, we've dedicated a special blog post to tips and games that can help stimulate language development in children with AS.
What language difficulties do children with Asperger Syndrome have?
Interest patterns in children with AS are also different in communication and how they use language to express themselves. For example, they may extend themselves by repeating only one topic, talk for a long time or have long moments of silence and absence, in which they do not react to what is demanded of them from their environment.
In terms of speech, while some children with Asperger's syndrome speak normally, others may adopt unusual tones or rhythms. For example, in some cases, a child may speak very slowly or very quickly.
Finally, we can also find cases of children with Asperger's who have not developed language, that is, nonverbal cases. In all of these cases, the language difficulty or absence causes frustration for the child and their family. It is a cause-and-effect relationship: often, those around them are unable to understand what the child wants to say, which in turn leads to the child's own frustration.
How to stimulate the language of a child with AS?
En estos casos debemos que el niño logre entender qué expresamos con el lenguaje y la comunicación y qué no siempre lo que expresamos verbalmente es lo que significa literalmente. A continuación, te ofrecemos algunos consejos para orientar las habilidades comunicativas del niño con SA hacia una comunicación más fluida con su entorno.
- Dirígete al niño de una manera clara: es importante adoptar un tono de voz claro y nítido, para que el niño pueda entender nuestras frases. Ayuda también adoptar un ritmo normal, ni demasiado lento ni demasiado rápido.
- Respect silences: on many occasions we tend to mark silences in conversations as uncomfortable moments. In our children with AS, these moments of silence can mean that he is looking for an exact answer to our question, since he ignores that not all questions need a specific answer.
- Muéstrale cómo aplicar frases de recurso durante los silencios: Dale recursos para emplear durante esos silencios y reducir la incomodidad en la conversación. Por ejemplo, frases como “No lo sé” o “Estoy pensando”.
Games to work on language in Asperger's Syndrome
As we always say at Método VICON, the key to stimulating language development in children is making it fun, playing with them, and approaching the process in the most playful way possible. It's important to set aside rigidity and strictness and transform the process into something fun and exciting; this will lead to better results.
- Pasa la pelota: se trata de un juego divertido que podemos adoptar fácilmente en casa y en familia. Podemos ponernos en círculo, establecer una temática (como por ejemplo, “Cosas de cocina”) y pasarnos la pelota. Cada vez que nos toque la pelota tendremos que decir una palabra relacionada con la temática en cuestión. También podemos jugar cantando canciones de Método VICON para trabajar los conceptos que estamos trabajando en ese momento.
- Cantad las canciones del Método: aprovecha los momentos más lúdicos, como los fines de semana, para organizar un karaoke en casa y cantar todos las canciones de Método VICON. Es ideal para interiorizar conceptos y pasar momentos divertidos en familia.
- Read stories aloud: Reading aloud helps work on learned concepts and model the rhythm of the child's language.
- Practicad el Self Modelling: grabar al niño mientras utiliza el Método VICON y verse a sí mismo ayudará a potenciar su evolución en el desarrollo cognitivo del lenguaje.
