Learning of idiomatic language expressions in a group intervention for children with autism.
A two-week small-group idiom program helped autistic elementary kids learn the exact idioms that were taught.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Ten autistic kids aged 7-12 met in a small group for two weeks.
The clinician taught common idioms like "break the ice" through games and role-play.
Kids were tested on idioms that got taught and ones that did not.
What they found
Children understood the taught idioms better than the untaught ones.
Gains showed up right after the short program.
The study found positive results.
How this fits with other research
Lane et al. (2020) later moved the same natural-teaching style into real classrooms.
They helped kids build two-word phrases instead of idioms, showing the method travels.
Ingersoll et al. (2006) used naturalistic play with preschoolers and also saw language grow.
Together these studies show NET works from preschool to upper elementary.
Why it matters
You can slip quick idiom games into lunch bunches or social-skills clubs.
Pick four common idioms, act them out for five minutes, and check who gets it.
Two weeks is short enough to fit before IEP review time.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Pick one idiom, act it out with props for five minutes, and ask each child to use it in a sentence.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
In typical development, children learn an extensive range of idioms and other figurative (non-literal) language expressions during childhood and adolescence. However, many children with autism fall far behind in their idiom comprehension and production and never fully reach adult levels. The current study measured the effectiveness of a group idiom intervention for ten children, aged 7 to 12 years, with autism spectrum disorders. This intervention was conducted by a community-based social skills program. The children were initially very low in idiom understanding, but were able to learn and remember the meaning of idiomatic phrases that they were taught during the 2-week-long intervention. The children showed greater increases at a delayed post-test for idioms trained in the intervention than idioms that were untrained controls. Implications for future educational possibilities are discussed.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2013 · doi:10.1177/1362361311422530