Teaching the skill of speaking to an autistic learner: A case study

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of research that the author conducted in order to investigate the development of English communication skills in learners with autistic spectrum disorders. Information and background about the issue is followed by a brief analysis of theory as presented in the literature. In the first part of the paper, the authors examine the relationship between appropriate therapy, understanding the disorder, using specific teaching methods, and the effective learning of communication skills in English. As shown in the literature, learning a language can bring therapeutic benefits and the use of particular teaching techniques has great effects on the development of English communication skills in autistic children. Furthermore, the subsequent part of the paper presents the results of the author's work with a student suffering from Asperger's syndrome. The paper ends with conclusions drawn as a result of the case study.