By structuring physical activity and physical skill development for the learner with autism:
1. Provides a natural approach to directly
teaching social skills & social understanding
The autistic person learns from making associations through physical personal experiences.
The instructor is able to provide social coaching and immediate social feedback to the autistic learner by creating opportunities where the individual does a physical exercise or activity in a small group context.
When these physical & social activities situations are repeated with step-by-step skill develop for the physical exercise combined with direct instruction in appropriate social interactions, then the autistic learner makes associational links (physically and socially).
2. Develops the integrative process of the senses
The brain organizes and interprets sensory information and those with autism often have an impaired Sensory Integration system.
The autistic brain may not link the information from one of the senses and join with or combine it with the input of another sensory input.
The proprioceptive system helps the brain know where the body is in space. It is the deep pressure felt when we carry heavy bags, push big pieces of furniture, or go swimming. Proprioceptive stimulation can be the most calming and sought-after stimulation.
Individuals whose proprioceptive system is affected may complain of being tired, move slowly and have difficulty participating in sports.
The vestibular system helps us keep our balance, coordinate movements of the eyes, head, body movement and gravity and affects visual perception, auditory language perception, balance, muscle tone, and motor planning.
Individuals whose vestibular system is affected may have a difficult time filtering out non-important information, maintaining eye contact, and variable issues.
NOTE:
Impairments may range from mild to severe, and each area of development may be affected to a different degree in the same child, where one area of development may be mildly impaired, while another area may be severely impaired.
Here is good website to visit for more information and video clips:
“Videos: Autism and Considerations in Recreation and Physical Activity Settings”
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