Research Paper on Behavioural and Communicative Functioning of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Introduction

According to the survey on disability by the ABS (2015) (Australian Bureau of Statistic), the estimated number of people in Australia with autism were 164,000 which represented a consolidated prevalence of about one person in every one hundred and fifty individuals. The figures of people with autism in Australia has risen in the recent times. In 2009, the estimated number of people with autism was 64,400 individuals. The recent national information demonstrates that there about 78, 951 children with autism in Australia by 2016, which revealed an upsurge of 9.4 percent as compared to the statistics of 2015 (Australian Bureau of Statistic. 2015). In 2015 the number of children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was 72, 184 children (Australian Bureau of Statistic, 2015). Due to the increased cases of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) parents of children with ASD are becoming aware of this health condition and the symptoms associated with the health condition. Such shows there has been more prevalence of the disease as compared to the past.

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The information of the children with autism spectrum disorder reveals that parents, teachers, and other care providers need to be in a position of catering as well as supporting children with autism spectrum disorder both at home and in the classroom. There should be a need for special as well as the mainstream setting of education to support children with autism spectrum disorder (Thiemann & Goldstein, 2010). Having an insight on children with autism spectrum disorder is affected by different factors such as sensory sensitivities, repetitive behaviour, limited interest, social relating, and communication sensitivities (Wright & McCathren, 2012). Different methods and programs are used to help children with autism spectrum disorder to become independent. Therefore, the project will conduct exploration of the social stories for helping children with autism spectrum disorder in their early childhood. I will employ various interventions of social stories for assisting children with autism spectrum disorder in their early childhood (below 5 years).

Research Question

I will concentrate on the social stories intervention in improving communication skills, behaviour management, and the impact on the children with autism spectrum disorder. Early childhood development and growth for ASD children have been greatly affected by difficulties in social interaction, especially communication skills as well as management of behaviours (Hutchins & Prelock, 2013). Through carrying out a research on social stories intervention for early childhood, I will be able to learn, gain knowledge, and comprehend the impact of autism spectrum disorder in early childhood. The project will also help me in building knowledge of the social stories intervention in improving the communication skills and behaviour management for children with autism spectrum disorder in their early childhood development and growth (Cotugno, 2009). It is important for the educators to involve themselves in learning, comprehending, practicing, and sharing with other the approaches such as social stories (Sani Bozkurt, & Vuran, 2014). Such will help children with autism spectrum disorder to best cope, thrive, as well as succeed in a setting that is safe and accepting of the social diversity. Enhancing my knowledge through this research and making a presentation alongside sharing with others will help in improving the communication skills and behaviour management of children with autism spectrum disorder. Thus, the research question for the project is: What is the impact of social stories intervention in improving communication skills and behaviour management of children with ASD in their early childhood?

Ethics

The project will be concentrating on children with autism spectrum disorder in their early childhood (below five years). Thus, children involved in the research will have demonstrated symptom of autism spectrum disorder or been diagnosed with distinct symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. In addition, the children involved in the study will be from Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre, which target children from 0 to 5 years of age. There are centres accredited long day centres for child care and give services established on the best principles of practice for working with children with autism spectrum disorder.

Prior to the commencement of the project, I involve a discussion with my practicum supervisor. After having an idea of the project, I have a discussion on the target participants from these centres and the policies involved. On further inquiry, I have realized that the school permit reflections as well as observation for the pre-service teacher. In addition, the parents will be requested to write a consent to giving children permission to participate in the research.

The confidentiality of the children information will be enhanced by maintaining anonymous and research will be used only for the purpose of the research question.

Method: Case Study Design

The research will use qualitative research approach and case study as a research design. The research will occur during my month of a teaching practicum. Moreover, extra information, as well as evidence, will come from my volunteering activities at the Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre. Concluding and reviewing the reflection and the observation in the Care Centre will be finished and concluded prior to the research project.

The research will occur at the Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre, in which I am in the final year of my practicum. Throughout my teaching practice and daily routine, I will use social stories a support strategy for children with autism spectrum disorder. From this, I will conduct an observation and then make a record of evidence-based on social stories as an intervention of improving behaviour management and communication skills for children with ASD.

The participants in this research will be anonymous and will comprise of children with ASD in my practicum at the care centre. Seven children will take part in the research at the centre, and all the children have ASD. I will use different approaches to social stories intervention while teaching the children. From which, I will use activities as well as observations to make a record of the benefits and effectiveness of the social stories intervention.

Data Collection

Data will be gathered through observation, where I will observe and make a record of evidence-based social stories intervention into my teaching practice and the watch and make a reflection of the children communication skills and behaviours, the mechanism of coping, learning discussions, and task ability. It will also involve the use of photos with illustrative sentences for helping the children to grasp what is taking place in the photo. I will be taking a photo of the social stories intervention that I will use. I will also take photos of the children for demonstrating the effectiveness of the social stories interventions.

Teacher Documents and Reflections

I make a reflection of the social stories intervention, which I will use throughout my teaching practicum. I will the manner in which the intervention has worked in enhancing the communication skills and behavior management of the young children with ASD. I will also make an analysis of personal levels of coping mechanism and understanding among the children in the care centre.

Data Analysis

The gathered data will involve analysis of the children participation, which will involves interpretation of information and developing of insight on the manner in which children in the Centre have coped up with certain learning tasks as demonstrated by social stories intervention.

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2015). PREVALENCE OF AUTISM. Retrieved 2018, from Australian Bureau of Statistics http://a4.org.au/node/1340.

Cotugno, A. J. (2009). Social competence and social skills training and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 39(9), 1268-1277.

Hutchins, T. L., & Prelock, P. A. (2013). The social validity of Social Stories for supporting the behavioural and communicative functioning of children with autism spectrum disorder. International journal of speech-language pathology, 15(4), 383-395.

Lynch, S. A. & Simpson, C. G. (2010). Social skills: laying the foundation for success. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 38(2), 3-12.

Sani Bozkurt, S., & Vuran, S. (2014). An analysis of the use of social stories in teaching social skills to children with autism spectrum disorders. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 14(5), 1875-1892.

Thiemann, K. S., & Goldstein, H. (2010). Social stories, written text cues, and video feedback: Effects on social communication of children with autism. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 34(4), 425-446.

Wright, L. A., & McCathren, R. B. (2012). Utilizing social stories to increase prosocial behaviour and reduce problem behaviours in young children with autism. Child Development Research, 2012.