Communication is a fundamental human need. For non-verbal children with autism, building functional communication early dramatically improves quality of life and reduces challenging behavior. Here are five strategies we teach in our Skill Acquisition programmes.
1. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)— from PECS to speech-generating devices.
2.Motivating Operations — use the child’s interests to create natural opportunities to request.
3.Manding Training — teach requesting first; it’s the foundation of all language.
4.Shaping — reinforce successive approximations toward a target response.
5. Natural Environment Teaching — generalize skills across people, settings, and materials.
