Teaching without Words

Since we know that people with autism don't process auditory information well, why is it that we persist in presenting concepts by explaining with words? Even written information is difficult for persons on the spectrum who may be hyperlexic, but have limited comprehension or reasoning abilities. Let's face it, for some people words just complicate things. And for the rest of us, we spend half our lives trying to figure out what was meant by someone else's words. Miscommunications abound in all interactions. Start thinking about the upcoming holidays, and most of us anticipate complications with family communications. It is all about words, inflection, symbolism and intentions.

So, maybe we should concentrate more on how this applies to our teaching. With so much new technology available, this is the time to take advantage of computers, iPads, AAC devices and use more visuals rather than words. In our Morgan Autism Center Model, we remind staff in our trainings to use visual schedules, pictures, illustrate what you want the student to understand. A repetition of what you just said to your student does not mean comprehension. Visually presenting the concept is typically the best way to achieve understanding.

I recently heard about a study at the UCDavis MIND Institute about teaching math without words. This is particularly exciting for educators to be able to access software designed for this very purpose. I am sure there are many other innovations out there just waiting to be discovered, so we need to explore and see what works best. Check out this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7odhYT8yzUM.