Re: Conversational therapy/skill building?

March 8, 2010

Hi ,

check out Winner's materials! She is wonderful and her "Thinking about you, thinking about me" book is my favorite. I like to play games too like "Bounce back volleyball" where you practice asking an on-topic question when the balloon or ball is passed to you and then waiting for an answer, etc. there are ways to make it fun. give it a try!

From: smacalli@...Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 07:58:06 -0800Subject: ( ) Conversational therapy/skill building?

One of the things my son struggles with (he's 13) is back-and-forth conversation, especially if it's on a topic that doesn't interest him. What interventions have you all tried to improve this? Any specific curriculum or type of therapy? I'd really like to work on this with him b/c I think if he learned the right way to do it and practiced for awhile, he'd be able to have more conversations with his peers. I could try to teach him the way that I do it, but I'd rather have something proven to be effective with kids with Aspergers.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

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March 8, 2010

I think this is what a social skills group is for but I know, at least

here, they are harder to find for the older kids

On 3/8/10, MacAllister <smacalli@...> wrote:

> One of the things my son struggles with (he's 13) is back-and-forth

> conversation, especially if it's on a topic that doesn't interest

> him. What interventions have you all tried to improve this? Any specific

> curriculum or type of therapy? I'd really like to work on this with him b/c

> I think if he learned the right way to do it and practiced for awhile, he'd

> be able to have more conversations with his peers. I could try to teach him

> the way that I do it, but I'd rather have something proven to

> be effective with kids with Aspergers.

>

> " Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one

> out. "

--

Sent from my mobile device

-mommy to Emma, Becca, ,

and

Girl Scout cookies are coming!

March 8, 2010

We are taking our son to the Speech & Hearing Clinic at the University in our area. They have a great supervised program and they receive group and individual therapy. Check out your local universities.

Ide

From: Durocher <funwith4@...> Sent: Mon, March 8, 2010 1:39:42 PMSubject: Re: ( ) Conversational therapy/skill building?

Not sure what your insurance covers, we are looking into what ours covers now (since I have a 3 yr old with a SEVERE articulation delay plus the 10 yr old with hfa). but I have been told that this type of thing can also be effected by pragmatic speech, has he received therapy in that?

On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 1:23 PM, MacAllister <smacalli (DOT) com> wrote:

He participates in an excellent social skills camp each summer but it's $300 so we only do one week. The people running the group are fabulous, though. I was hoping for more of a one-on-one training/workbook/ etc... that I could do with him or possibly speech therapy covered by insurance? I saw the other post, regarding Winner's programs, and I think I'll check into it more. I know his social skills camp uses Winner and D has responded positively do her approach. I never thought to look for something specific to reciprocal communication though.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: Durocher <funwith4gmail (DOT) com> Sent: Mon, March 8, 2010 11:26:31 AMSubject: Re: ( ) Conversational therapy/skill building?

I think this is what a social skills group is for but I know, at leasthere, they are harder to find for the older kidsOn 3/8/10, MacAllister <smacalli (DOT) com> wrote:> One of the things my son struggles with (he's 13) is back-and-forth> conversation, especially if it's on a topic that doesn't interest> him. What interventio ns have you all tried to improve this? Any specific > curriculum or type of therapy? I'd really like to work on this with him b/c> I think if he learned the right way to do it and practiced for awhile, he'd> be able to have more conversations with his peers. I could try to teach him> the way that I do it, but I'd rather have something proven to> be effective with kids with Aspergers.> >>> "Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one> out."-- Sent from my mobile device-mommy to Emma, Becca, , and Girl Scout cookies are coming!

-- -mommy to Emma, Becca, , and Girl Scout cookies are coming!

March 8, 2010

Good idea!

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: Idelice A. Haack <haackia@...> Sent: Mon, March 8, 2010 4:45:30 PMSubject: Re: ( ) Conversational therapy/skill building?

We are taking our son to the Speech & Hearing Clinic at the University in our area. They have a great supervised program and they receive group and individual therapy. Check out your local universities.

Ide

From: Durocher <funwith4gmail (DOT) com> Sent: Mon, March 8, 2010 1:39:42 PMSubject: Re: ( ) Conversational therapy/skill building?

Not sure what your insurance covers, we are looking into what ours covers now (since I have a 3 yr old with a SEVERE articulation delay plus the 10 yr old with hfa). but I have been told that this type of thing can also be effected by pragmatic speech, has he received therapy in that?

On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 1:23 PM, MacAllister <smacalli (DOT) com> wrote:

He participates in an excellent social skills camp each summer but it's $300 so we only do one week. The people running the group are fabulous, though. I was hoping for more of a one-on-one training/workbook/ etc... that I could do with him or possibly speech therapy covered by insurance? I saw the other post, regarding Winner's programs, and I think I'll check into it more. I know his social skills camp uses Winner and D has responded positively do her approach. I never thought to look for something specific to reciprocal communication though.

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: Durocher <funwith4gmail (DOT) com> Sent: Mon, March 8, 2010 11:26:31 AMSubject: Re: ( ) Conversational therapy/skill building?

I think this is what a social skills group is for but I know, at leasthere, they are harder to find for the older kidsOn 3/8/10, MacAllister <smacalli (DOT) com> wrote:> One of the things my son struggles with (he's 13) is back-and-forth> conversation, especially if it's on a topic that doesn't interest> him. What interventio ns have you all tried to improve this? Any specific > curriculum or type of therapy? I'd really like to work on this with him b/c> I think if he learned the right way to do it and practiced for awhile, he'd> be able to have more conversations with his peers. I could try to teach him> the way that I do it, but I'd rather have something proven to> be effective with kids with Aspergers.> >>> "Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one> out."-- Sent from my mobile device-mommy to Emma, Becca, , and Girl Scout cookies are coming!

-- -mommy to Emma, Becca, , and Girl Scout cookies are coming!

March 8, 2010

,

There are a couple of books out there written for students coming to

America from other countries that do a really good job of breaking down

the rules for " North American " social pragmatics. They include a number

of role-play exercises that I recommend to parents who want to help their

children improve their conversational skills. The books are: Culturally

Speaking (by Rhona B. Genzel and Martha Graves Cummings, Heinle & Heinle,

2009) and Speaking Naturally (by Bruce Tillitt and Newton Bruder,

Cambridge, 1985).

Hope this is helpful!

Katharine Beals

http://katharinebeals.com

> One of the things my son struggles with (he's 13) is back-and-forth

> conversation, especially if it's on a topic that doesn't interest

> him. What interventions have you all tried to improve this? Any specific

> curriculum or type of therapy? I'd really like to work on this with him

> b/c I think if he learned the right way to do it and practiced for awhile,

> he'd be able to have more conversations with his peers. I could try to

> teach him the way that I do it, but I'd rather have something proven to

> be effective with kids with Aspergers.

>

> " Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent

> one out. "

March 9, 2010

YOu should be able to get this in school with a speech and language therapist...

If he doesn't already get speech therapy you can request in writing a speech

evaluation ... try to request the TOPL - test of pragmatic language. In our

case - they didn't do that test but the therapist made note of my son's

difficulties through the course of regular conversation - and eventually

recommended speech for pragmatics... once a week in a group and once in a 1 on 1

scenario.

>

> One of the things my son struggles with (he's 13) is back-and-forth

conversation, especially if it's on a topic that doesn't interest

him. What interventions have you all tried to improve this? Any specific

curriculum or type of therapy? I'd really like to work on this with him b/c I

think if he learned the right way to do it and practiced for awhile, he'd be

able to have more conversations with his peers. I could try to teach him the

way that I do it, but I'd rather have something proven to be effective with kids

with Aspergers.

>

> " Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one

out. "

>

March 12, 2010

You may want to look into RDI...responding late so don't know if anyone else already suggested it. Pam

March 12, 2010

If you find a RDI therapist they have a very good parent training

program. I think parent training is important since

we spend so much time with our kids. We have an RDI therapist

and she directs us on skills to develop. RDI teaches basic

skills in teaching how to be playful and spontaneous in social

interactions. It is not focused on " telling how to socialize " it is focused on

developing skills autism kids lack like playing

a game where there are unpredictable changes. Some

autism kids need to learn to cope with this. Or talking briefly then

stopping and moving on to another topic. RDI is a behavioral

training approach. The parents interact in a certain way that

is the skill. It is not a social skill group approach.

Winner teaches a cognitive approach. They are

explaining to kids how to socialize. And hopefully having them

practice in social skill groups.

I like Michele Winner too but my daughter is not interested

in learning anything more on social skills. So all the

information in the training DVD is lost on her.

It is all noise to her.

good luck,

Pam

-- In , ppanda65@... wrote:

>

> You may want to look into RDI...responding late so don't know if anyone

> else already suggested it. Pam

>

March 13, 2010

What is rdi?

On 3/12/10, Pamela <susanonderko@...> wrote:

> If you find a RDI therapist they have a very good parent training

> program. I think parent training is important since

> we spend so much time with our kids. We have an RDI therapist

> and she directs us on skills to develop. RDI teaches basic

> skills in teaching how to be playful and spontaneous in social

> interactions. It is not focused on " telling how to socialize " it is focused

> on developing skills autism kids lack like playing

> a game where there are unpredictable changes. Some

> autism kids need to learn to cope with this. Or talking briefly then

> stopping and moving on to another topic. RDI is a behavioral

> training approach. The parents interact in a certain way that

> is the skill. It is not a social skill group approach.

>

> Winner teaches a cognitive approach. They are

> explaining to kids how to socialize. And hopefully having them

> practice in social skill groups.

>

> I like Michele Winner too but my daughter is not interested

> in learning anything more on social skills. So all the

> information in the training DVD is lost on her.

> It is all noise to her.

>

> good luck,

> Pam

>

> -- In , ppanda65@... wrote:

>>

>> You may want to look into RDI...responding late so don't know if anyone

>> else already suggested it. Pam

>>

>

--

Sent from my mobile device

-mommy to Emma, Becca, ,

and

Girl Scout cookies are coming!

March 13, 2010

To brandi-

You mentioned the michelle winner dvd. I assume you have

it and if you do, does this include spontaneous conversational skills?

Regards, melody

March 13, 2010

I was actually responding, hopefully op responds to your question

On 3/13/10, Melody Kalomiris <mkalomiris@...> wrote:

> To brandi-

>

> You mentioned the michelle winner dvd. I assume you have it and if you

> do, does this include spontaneous conversational skills?

>

> Regards, melody

>

--

Sent from my mobile device

-mommy to Emma, Becca, ,

and

Girl Scout cookies are coming!

March 13, 2010

The Winner DVD shows kids talking to each other and she

teaches the kids to keep a list in your head of other

kids interest (basic theory of mind). And they are

suppose to talk about things with the peer that is

of an interest to the other.

She explains what subject changes are and how you are

not suppose to go off topic.

There is a lot of good stuff on those tapes for a child

reading to hear the theory of mind stuff or to be taught

it.

There are kids young and teens on various segments.

Pam

>

> To brandi-

>

> You mentioned the michelle winner dvd. I assume you have it and if you

> do, does this include spontaneous conversational skills?

>

> Regards, melody

>

March 13, 2010

There is good parent training in RDI.

http://www.rdiconnect.com/

Pam

> >>

> >> You may want to look into RDI...responding late so don't know if anyone

> >> else already suggested it. Pam

> >>

> >

>

> --

> Sent from my mobile device

>

> -mommy to Emma, Becca, ,

> and

>

> Girl Scout cookies are coming!

>