autismgames - Autism Games: Teaching Vocabulary I

By Tahirh Bushey M.A. C.C.C.
Speech and Language Pathologist

How should I start teaching new words?

Before you start, read Talking Tips so that you are increasing your child's understanding of words all day, everyday.

Should I help my child understand new words or say new words?

Early on, it is more important that you help your child understand new words. Many of these games are games that help your child listen to words in short phrases. The games will motivate your child to try to understand the meaning of the individual words.

Some games will also help your child use new words. This too can help your child understand the full meaning of words. For example, when your child starts to realize what happens when he or she calls you from another room, he or she will understand the words used for calling much better.

Games

Go to Sleep. Wake Up! Game

This game needs two people and two actions. I often teach this game first with Mom and Dad because most young children have noticed that Mom and Dad sleep.

We start out by saying Mommy sleep (or Mommy night, night and then Daddy sleep! Mom and Dad each lay down when directed to do so and snore a little with their eyes closed.

Then, we say Mommy WAKE UP! and Daddy WAKE UP! Mom and Dad each wake up, sit up and say something like Good morning!

This routine is repeated over and over with the child being included in the sleeping and waking when directed if possible.

This is one of my first 'pretend' games for young children. I pick the action of sleeping and waking because it is fun for children. Of course, any two or more people and any two actions can be substituted as long as they capture the interest of your child. As your child gets better at this, you may want to include more actions or more people.

I often teach this game using dolls as well. I name the dolls and order each one to sleep or wake while laying the appropriate doll down or standing it up.

Hide 'n Seek Games

In these Hide 'n Seek games, you hide an item that your child would like to find. You then tell your child where the item is hidden. If your child does not comprehend the words you use in your verbal directions, you show the child where to look. Later, you again hide something in that location until your child can understand your verbal directions.

Talking Buttons

Talking Buttons can be used in this game. Use a photo of mom sleeping on one button (Mommy, go to sleep) and a photo of mom sitting up wide awake on another button (Mommy, WAKE UP!). Likewise with Daddy or any other play partner.

Pop with Letters Bubble Game

Pop with Letters Bubble Game is another game where your child can learn to listen to the specific words, in this example, letter names. Your child can demonstrate comprehension by popping bubbles with the letter that you say. Watch the video clip and then read on. Once this game is taught, the format of the game can be used to teach a variety of nouns.

Here is a way to make the game interesting, while also teaching the meanings of greeting words. As I set the letters out before the game starts, I often say Hello B, Hello X! I continue to do so on until I have the right number of letters out (maybe only two to begin with). As I change out letters for new letters, I say Bye bye B, Hello R and exchange an R for the B and so on.

This game tends to be interesting for lots of kids because they like bubbles and letters. All kinds of variations of the game are possible. The game could include pictures of classmates Pop with Ben, Pop with Alex, and so on. You can also vary the verb part of this game. For example, you could play Smash with F using play doh!

For children with ASD, working at this level of language development, you will save time teaching the game initially if you can show your child a demonstration video clip of the game. If the video clip offered here is not appropriate (if your child does not know letters or like bubbles) then make a different video clip for your child as a video model.

Bye Bye Picture Game

To play this game, draw a picture on a paper (or dry erase board) of, say, two circles, two squares, and two triangles.

While you are drawing say draw circle (and so on) narrating the shape that you are drawing. You then scribble out one shape or erases it saying "bye bye circle" (and so on) until reaching the last shape.

Then you hand the marker (or dry eraser) to the child saying Bye bye triangle. If the child begins to participate, you know the child has learned the game. If the child scribbles on or erases the right shape, your child knows the word for the shape.

If possible, let your child tell you which shape to draw. You should certainly let your child name the shape that you should erase when your child is in the director role.

Variations on this game can include scribbling out any other object that you can draw or any picture that you provide. It is a great way to teach and test vocabulary knowledge.

The game can become very complex for older children. For example, you might play Bye bye little black puppy on a page that includes big and small dogs and dogs of different colors. Or you might play Bye bye animal that lives in the ocean.