A comparison of the effects of structured play and facilitated play approaches on preschoolers with autism. A case study.
Tight play scripts sparked more child-initiated words than loose play for preschoolers with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Kok et al. (2002) watched one preschooler with autism play two ways.
Some days the adult ran tight, scripted play trials. Other days the adult followed the child’s lead.
They counted how often the child spoke first.
What they found
The tight, scripted play made the child start more conversations.
Kids with higher mental age gained the most new words.
How this fits with other research
Sherratt (2002) also ran a 2002 case study. He faded prompts inside a classroom and saw new pretend acts. Both papers show adult-run play can grow autistic kids’ skills.
Saunders et al. (2005) looked bleak: autistic kids’ play looked messy next to peers. Their sample mixed autism, ID, and typical kids, so the low scores make sense. John et al. worked only with autism and still saw gains.
Connell et al. (2004) pushed toddlers in inclusive rooms. Toy centers plus praise lifted pretend play fast. John et al. show the same boost can happen with older preschoolers and tighter scripts.
Why it matters
You can add short, adult-run play scripts to your NET sessions. Start with clear trials, then let the child lead. Track who talks first. Kids with stronger thinking skills may surge ahead, so adjust the dose for each learner.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study compared the effect of structured play (SP) and facilitated play (FP) in promoting spontaneity and responsiveness in communication and play behaviors in children with autism. SP is characterized by the use of mass practice trials under the instruction of the experimenter while FP incorporated incidental teaching with multiple exemplars. Eight preschoolers participated in a crossover design of both play conditions. Gains in appropriate communication and play were observed across both treatments. Respondent communicative acts occurred more frequently across all participants during SP compared with FP. The preliminary results indicate an interaction between the mental age of the child and the teaching paradigm used. The need to match treatment goals and specific methods of the play intervention to the skill profile of participants is discussed.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2002 · doi:10.1177/1362361302006002005