Final internship presentation

1. FINAL YEAR
PROJECT
PRESENTATION
Amanda Goh | Choo Wei Kim | Zerline Goh
Diploma in Childhood Psychology & Early Education
Ngee Ann Polytechnic 2011
Play Scripts and Functional Play Skills of Children with ASD

2. Host Organisation
Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore (SCAS) @ Cerebral Palsy Centre

3. Aim of Research Project
Using Play Scripts for Children with
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
The use of play
scripts was
investigated to
determine if they
were effective in
teaching functional
play in dramatic
play settings to
children with ASD.

4. Key Research Questions
• How do play scripts help children with ASD?
• What happens when teachers scaffold children's play
during dramatic play session?
• What are the teachers’ perspectives about
implementing dramatic play for children with ASD?

5. • What is the function of play to children with ASD?
• What are play scripts?
• How can the use of play scripts be beneficial to children
with ASD?
• What does literature research suggests about using play
scripts to teach play skills in dramatic play settings to
children with ASD?
• Why is it important to scaffold children’s play?
• How does supportive adult participation in play
contribute to gains in children’s play skills?
• How do teachers teach and guide the children to use the
play scripts?
Sub Research Questions - I

6. • What does literature research suggests about techniques
used in scaffolding children’s play?
• What are the teachers’ beliefs about children with ASD?
• What are the teachers’ beliefs about the importance of
dramatic play for children with ASD?
• What are the push factors which influence teachers’
decisions regarding whether to implement dramatic play
for children with ASD?
• What are the barriers which influence teachers’
decisions regarding whether to implement dramatic play
for children with ASD?
Sub Research Questions - II

7. Children with ASD would show increased
functional play skills after intervention using
play scripts
Play scripts work equally well with children of
both genders
Assumptions

8. Literature
Results of interviews
Observational records of children
Needs Analysis- Sources

9. Triad of impairments
Functional play of children with ASD is less
elaborated, varied and integrated
Benefits of play scripts for children with ASD
• An aid for play and in communication and social interactions between
peers
• Provide the right responses to play situations
• Although it is not creative, it enables purposeful play
Needs Analysis- Sources

10. Children with ASD can learn with the provision of
instructional supports and visual aids
Wanted to set up a dramatic play area to help
children with ASD acquire play and interaction skills
Needs Analysis- Interviews

11. 3 children with ASD
All 3 children exhibit little functional play
Play Skills checklist
Needs Analysis- Observation Records

12. Play Skills checklist
Needs Analysis- Play Skills Checklist

13. Early
Reactive Play
• Reacts to
people
• Joint
attention
Early
Reciprocal
Play
• Joint
attention
• Social
referencing
• Imitation
• Pair games
Independent/
Solitary Play
• Preoccupied
activity
• Functional
play
• Construction
al play
• Self-pretend
play
• Object-
pretend play
• Sequenced
pretend play
Level of
Socialisation
(Peer Play)
• Observer
• Parallel play
• Associative
play
• Cooperative
play
Needs Analysis- Play Skills Checklist

14. Play Skills checklist
Needs Analysis- Play Skills Checklist

15. Setup of Play
Area
• Improve the
children’s play
skills,
especially
functional play
• Support the
teachers’ idea
of wanting to
set up a
dramatic play
area
Play Scripts
• As an
intervention
means to teach
functional play
by providing
instructional
and visual
supports
Play Skills
Checklist
• Allows
teachers to
record
children’s play
behaviour
during pre-
and post-
intervention
observations
Video
• Staff training
• Use when
talking to
sponsors
Implementation

16. The Dramatic Play Area

17. The Dramatic Play Area

18. Overall, the project accomplished its’ objectives.
All the children improved in their functional play
after intervention, proving that the assumptions
were correct.
Evaluation of Project Outcomes

19. NATHAN
DAN
MAY
Increase in combining
2 or more objects in
play
Increase in
playing with
replica objects
according to
their functions
Increase in using
cause/effect toys
Increase in performing
actions on object
Similarities and Differences in Results
(Functional Play)

20. Nathan May DanFunctional Play Skills
Pre-
Intervention
Observation
Post-
intervention
observation
Functional Play Skills Scores
Before & After Intervention

21. Why did May show the most improvement?
• Role of cashier
• Play actions in script were confined to cash register
• Play actions were repetitive
Why did Dan show the least improvement?
• Higher cognitive functioning evident from his verbal
skills
• Functional play did not provide much scaffold for him
• Pretend play provided a better avenue of learning for him
Evaluation of Project Outcomes

22. Self-pretend
play
Increase in
describing and
vocalizing the role
he takes on
Object-pretend
play
Increase in including
gestures, sound
effects, or speech that
describes a situation
Describing and
vocalizing what he is
doing with play
object
Increase in attributing
fake properties and
feelings to toys
Sequenced-
pretend play
Increase in carrying
out familiar
imaginary actions in
sequence e.g.
cooking and serving
food
Additional Findings

23. Reasons For The Increase In
Functional & Other Play Skills
Nature of Play scripts
Children could rely on their
strengths to learn how to play
Play scripts provided
understanding of the play
situations by defining roles
for play
Clear sequence and structure
in play scripts

24. Prompting and
Modelling
Teachers gave physical prompts and
direct and indirect verbal prompts
Redirect children back to play
Teachers modeled specific play
behaviours for higher-functioning
children to imitate
Reasons For The Increase In
Functional & Other Play Skills

25. Family Support
More family support = more secure,
more confident children
Children might observe their family
members and re-enact their
observations
Family changes might affect the
children’s mood to learn new play
skills
Interweaving Factors

26. School Factor
Exposure to play settings
in mainstream preschools
Give the familiarity and
ideas on how to play
Consequently, these
children might exhibit
increased play skills
Interweaving Factors

27. Qualitative research method used in project
• When exploring the children’s play behaviours, participants can be studied in more depth
• Exploratory nature allows comparison of findings and data collection from multiple
sources
Project is easy to repilcate
Easy implementation of the project as it requires minimal logistics
The play scripts can be consistently modified to accommodate each
child’s level of play as he progresses
Strengths of Project

28. Time Constraint
• Short time for intervention
• Difficult to let children exchange roles to find out if results will be
affected
• Difficult to determine if the children could generalise the play skills
learnt to other settings
Findings cannot apply to larger populations
• Emphasis on 'deep data'
• Case studies cannot be implemented in projects requiring many
participants
• Findings apply to children with ASD only
Improvements

29. Find out if children can generalise play skills learnt to other
settings
• The play skills checklist can be used at home by parents to record children's play
• Observe children's play in other play settings
Give children multiple roles
• With better time management, let children exchange roles
• Provides a more in-depth study on the effectiveness of play scripts to teach
functional play
Recommendations

30. Using play scripts to
teach functional play skills to
children with ASD is effective
when:
Teachers scaffold, facilitate and
guide the children
The strengths of children are
capitalized
Activities & materials are tailored
to meet the children’s needs
Conclusion

31. PERSONAL
REFLECTIONS

32. • Teacher AideRole Played
• Help out in class during lessons
• Clean up after the children, especially
during feeding
• Conduct simple tabletop activities with
the children
• Bring the children to therapy, and also
fetch them back to class from therapy
• Bring the children for transport
services
Tasks
Assigned
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

33. • Positive attitude
• Accepts all children as they are
• Willing to learn and try new things
• Eager for feedbacks and improves on criticisms
Strengths
• Inflexible with planned activities
• Needs to be more confident
Weaknesses
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

34. Lesson learnt from the job of an
intervention professional
Be open to new ideas, and do not
be afraid to try new things
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

35. Follow up actions
Read up about different
techniques and methods to help
children with special needs cope
with daily living, and discuss
some workable methods with
experienced persons in the field
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

36. Lesson learnt from the Industry/Sector
Understand that maintaining positive
relationships with other professionals in
the field is vital for maximum benefit to
the child
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

37. Follow up actions
Honour and recognise fellow professionals
Exchange information about the child
regularly with professionals involved in
aiding various aspects the child’s
development
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

38. Lesson learnt in Personal/Professional
Development
Appreciate strengths, instead of
focusing on weaknesses
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

39. Follow up actions
Read up about children with special
needs and generally identify the strengths
of children with different disabilities
Interact with more individuals by
visiting organisations who caters to
children with special needs
Personal Reflections (Amanda)

40. • Teacher AideRole Played
• Assisted in daily routines
(circle and snack time)
• Use of Picture Exchange
Communication System
(PECS)
• Assisted in daily activities
(play sensory, outdoor and
gross motor)
Tasks
Assigned
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

41. • Teacher AideRole Played
• Conducted ‘Work with
Teacher’ time
• Handwriting skills for the
higher functioning
• Fine motor activities for the
lower functioning
• Bring and play with the
children during water play
Tasks
Assigned
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

42. • Willingness to learn from host teachers, field
mentor and other staff
• Learning from others’ experiences
• Open to others’ ideas and opinions
• Having a positive attitude
• Self-motivated
Strengths
• Too much of a perfectionist
Weakness
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

43. Lesson learnt from the job of an
intervention professional
Passion and commitment
Importance of tailoring activities and
materials to the children’s needs
Children’s safety well-being is most
important
Job which requires communication and
collaboration with people
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

44. Follow up actions
Have a vision to make a difference in
the lives of the children
Make the choice to recognise the
satisfaction and joy that comes with it
Observe the children in class for their
strengths and weaknesses
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

45. Follow up actions
Monitor children’s progress frequently
Pair visual supports with any instructional activity
Respect, share knowledge and build consensus
with family members, psychologists, therapists,
social workers, interventionists
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

46. Lesson learnt from the Industry/Sector
What makes up this industry?
Most precious resource is people
What is this industry about?
Delivering programmes, lifelong learning, purposeful
intervention
Family support
Public education to raise awareness
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

47. Follow up actions
Maintain positive relationships by
collaborating, communicating, sharing,
exchanging, recognising and
respecting
Recognise and promote lifelong
learning for children and professionals
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

48. Lesson learnt in Personal/Professional
Development
Appreciate and value people as
who they are
Embrace diversity
Have to constantly upgrade our
skills and knowledge to stay abreast
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

49. Follow up actions
Let all children have the right to learn
and play in an inclusive environment
Let all children express their thoughts,
ideas and opinions
Reflect on own teaching practices and
beliefs regularly
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

50. Follow up actions
Attend relevant workshops
Share and exchange experiences and
knowledge with fellow teachers
Read up on recent developments on
early intervention
Personal Reflections (Wei Kim)

51. • Teacher AideRole Played
• Assist in class routines, feeding
and conduct simple activities
• Help out in exercises and
massages for the children
• Fetch children to and from
therapy sessions and their
transport services
Tasks
Assigned
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

52. • Shows initiative in asking questions
• Shows confidence in handling and interacting with
children
• Take instructions and work on them
• Learn from criticism
Strengths
• Inadaptability to different teaching styles of
teachers
• Lack of initiative in follow-ups of activities
Weaknesses
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

53. Lesson learnt from the job of an
intervention professional
Equal partners in learning
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

54. Follow up actions
Gain knowledge from books on specific disability
to further understand the children’s needs
Conduct interviews with parents to know more
about their children
Conduct home visits to observe children’s
behaviours at home
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

55. Lesson learnt from the Industry/Sector
Any person involved in the early
intervention sector is
not a lone ranger
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

56. Follow up actions
Conduct regular informal sharing
sessions between therapies, parents,
interventionists and other
professionals to inform each other
about the children’s progress,
approximately once every two months
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

57. Lesson learnt in Personal/Professional
Development
Learning based on real life
experiences allow better
understanding
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

58. Follow up actions
Connect with different
professionals to gain further
insights to the tasks of different
professionals that are involved
in the early intervention program
Personal Reflections (Zerline)

59. THANK YOU