Understanding Words
A teacher commented that several of her elementary-aged students diagnosed on the spectrum of autism seemed to have good language skills. She said, “They can spell, read, and spout math facts. They even speak to people politely and answer questions appropriately. But, although these youngsters are very sharp, they often misunderstand what I am saying.”
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This teacher brings up a common concern. Some individuals with autism have good rote language skills but are not always to translate them into practical communication. For example, we were surprised to learn last week that one of my very articulate students with autism did not understand the concept of “which.”
When I showed her two songs and said, “Which one do you want to play?” she looked puzzled and said, “There are two songs.” Then she read the names of both songs. When I repeated the question, she seemed to focus on the word “one.” At that point, she looked up and said, “No, there are two songs, not one song.”
Sometimes individuals with autism will respond to questions in that when they are having difficulty making a decision. But this young lady has learned to say something like “I can’t decide” or “That is a hard choice” or “I wish I could play both songs” when she has trouble making up her mind. Her confusion about the words “which” and “one” seemed to be a result of her lack of understanding of the meaning of the words.
When the question was rephrased, she answered appropriately. I said, “Do you want to play the song about the polar bear or the song about the snow?” she immediately said she wanted to play the song “Let It Snow.”
So, rephrasing a misunderstood question is certainly a good strategy, but we also need to make certain we do not assume a youngster with sophisticated communication skills understands the meaning of all basic words.
We welcome your input about this issue. Please just click on the comments button or send a message to talk@FAQautism.com
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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